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to the housing and utilities sector from the federal budget in 2016. This money could suffice to build 400 kindergartens for 200 children each, or pay for a course of treatment to 320,000 cancer patients, or cover five years of study in Moscow universities for 60,400 children, or build 120 fitness centers.
"Further [Russia’s] participation in the war in Syria and a growing expenditure of [Russia’s] domestic resources is a fundamental undermining of our vital forces. What is Russia doing there? What do we need there and what can we offer? Absolutely nothing, as shown by the developments.
"Russia has got into this quagmire of an endless Middle Eastern religious war, and now our enemies only need only one thing: so that we are completely bogged down there, continuing to spend all possible and impossible resources. That is a trap."
Get Out Now
"There is only one solution: to stop Russian military intervention in the Syrian civil war and withdraw immediately. However, given the psychology of the present authorities in the Kremlin and the history of Russia’s presence in Syria, it is especially difficult to do this now. The assault of Americans on Assad is perceived as a challenge.
"Nevertheless, Russia’s national interests should be higher. Russia has to act right now. Because tomorrow the conditions for a withdrawal from the Syrian trap can become even worse, and it is still necessary to get out of there. Yet Russia does not sacrifice anything, except its ambitions withdrawing from Syria. Further participation in the Syrian war on the side of brutal dictator Bashar al-Assad, who probably does not disdain of chemical weapons, as well as adventurism with bloody consequences in Ukraine, is morally unacceptable and represents an absolute political dead-end.
"In addition, it is necessary to state with all certainty that neither the country’s economy nor its military resources allow to pursue a policy that includes:
– "The war in Syria;
– "The war in Ukraine;
– "Presence in Libya;
– "An accelerated arms race (and at the same time the prospects of a military clash with the US at any moment).
"The country cannot withstand such a garrote even in the medium-term. Russia must stop all these military adventures, because its internal resources do not correspond to the foreign policy and personal ambitions of its leadership.
Otherwise, we will remain trapped, find ourselves in a deadlock from where it will be increasingly difficult to get out. After all, there are real forces interested in Russia getting bogged down in this conflict even deeper, getting exhausted in the absence of the necessary internal resources. And then the trap will slam shut. It was like this when the USSR was dragged into Afghanistan. Then the Americans took revenge for their defeat in Vietnam. Soon after Afghanistan, the country collapsed. History is merciless, it does not tolerate losers.
"We need a powerful political will and at least a simple common sense, if not wisdom so that to admit mistakes and stop Russian participation in wars and adventures that we cannot afford in any way. There are no alternatives to this."Seventy years since historic nuclear chain reaction
03 December 2012
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Seventy years have passed since a team of 49 scientists, led by Italian-born Enrico Fermi, succeeded in creating the world's first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction.
CP-1, with its manually operated control rod (Image: ANL)
Built upon a squash court in the University of Chicago, the Chicago Pile 1 reactor (CP-1) went critical on 2 December 1942. It consisted of a wooden frame housing graphite layers containing channels that were filled with sintered uranium powder. Control was achieved by hand; a man - George Wile - incrementally withdrawing the control rod as per Fermi's orders until the neutron counters indicated that the reaction was self-sustaining.
By demonstrating that the rate of fission could be controlled, the experiment ushered in the nuclear age. This led initially to the development of weapons and then peaceful applications were developed over the next decade. The Obninsk nuclear power plant in Russia became the world's first civilian power reactor upon its connection to the grid in 1954.
ANL has long tried to dispel the myth that all of the scientists who worked on the pile have died from cancer. They note that 37 of the 49 scientists are known to have died, with age of death recorded for 29. Of these 20 lived to be over 70 years old. Cause of death is known for 27: 11 from heart disease; 5 from strokes, 2 cases of lung disease, 6 cancers unlikely to be caused from radiation, one of Alzheimer's, one from hepatitis and one due to accident.
The Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) published a video in July to commemorate the scientific landmark. Two of the scientists present at the experiment recalled how the discovery of a then entirely new energy source was celebrated with a bottle of Chianti wine, drunk in silence from paper cups.
Warren Nyer reflected "nobody said anything which I thought was a fairly remarkable thing. There was no big hullabaloo of doing something that was truly momentous - given what had taken place there and the implications of what might follow."
There are presently 437 operating nuclear power reactors in the world today. These are located in over 31 countries and supply about 13.5% of world electricity.
Researched and written
by World Nuclear News
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Re: NYT: In Clinton Emails on Benghazi, a Rare Glimpse at Her Concerns
From:cheryl.mills@gmail.com To: jennifer.m.palmieri@gmail.com CC: john.podesta@gmail.com, nmerrill@hrcoffice.com, pir@hrcoffice.com, jake.sullivan@gmail.com, hsamuelson@cdmillsgroup.com Date: 2015-03-23 11:50 Subject: Re: NYT: In Clinton Emails on Benghazi, a Rare Glimpse at Her Concerns
so what are next steps then? On Mon, Mar 23, 2015 at 9:18 AM, Jennifer Palmieri < jennifer.m.palmieri@gmail.com> wrote: > That is a good idea - the level set with NYT. Pretty strong hand we have > to start discussions with. > > Sent from my iPad > > On Mar 23, 2015, at 9:01 AM, John Podesta <john.podesta@gmail.com> wrote: > > Nick, > Great job in fighting this to more or less of a draw. Even with spoon > feeding from Gowdy's staff, this story is smoke without even the warmth of > a fire. We might want to think about how we use this to try to level set > with the Times hierarchy. > > JP > --Sent from my iPad-- > john.podesta@gmail.com > For scheduling: eryn.sepp@gmail.com > > On Mar 23, 2015, at 6:21 AM, Nick Merrill <nmerrill@hrcoffice.com> wrote: > > > > http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/03/23/us/politics/in-clinton-emails-on-benghazi-a-rare-glimpse-at-her-concerns.html?referrer= > > In Clinton Emails on Benghazi, a Rare Glimpse at Her Concerns > By Michael S. Schmidt > > WASHINGTON -- It was a grueling hearing. A month after the September 2012 > attack on the United States diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, House > Republicans grilled a top State Department official about security lapses > at the outpost. > > Later that day, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton > <http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/c/hillary_rodham_clinton/index.html?inline=nyt-per> tapped > out an email to a close adviser: "Did we survive the day?" she wrote. > > "Survive, yes," the adviser emailed back, adding that he would continue to > gauge reaction the next morning. > > The roughly 300 emails from Mrs. Clinton's private account that were > turned over last month to a House committee investigating the attack showed > the secretary and her aides closely monitoring the fallout from the > tragedy, which threatened to damage her image and reflect poorly on the > State Department. > > They provided no evidence that Mrs. Clinton, as the most incendiary > Republican attacks have suggested, issued a "stand down" order to halt > American forces responding to the violence in Benghazi, or took part in a > broad cover-up of the administration's response, according to senior > American officials. > > But they did show that Mrs. Clinton's top aides at times corresponded with > her about State Department matters from their personal email accounts, > raising questions about her recent assertions that she made it her practice > to email aides at their government addresses so the messages would be > preserved, in compliance with federal record-keeping regulations. > > The emails have not been made public, and The New York Times was not > permitted to review them. But four senior government officials offered > descriptions of some of the key messages, on the condition of anonymity > because they did not want to jeopardize their access to secret information. > > A spokesman for Mrs. Clinton said she and her aides had used their email > accounts appropriately, while a spokesman for the Republican-controlled > House committee declined to comment. > > The correspondence offered a glimpse inside the secretary of state's inbox > -- and her elusive email personality -- including during those dark days just > after the attack. Mrs. Clinton exclusively used a private email account > that was housed on a server at her home in Chappaqua, N.Y., while she was > secretary of state, which kept many of the messages secret. > > Strikingly, given that she has set off an uproar over her emails, Mrs. > Clinton is not a verbose correspondent. At times, she sends her highly > regarded foreign policy adviser, Jake Sullivan, an email containing a news > article, with a simple instruction: Please print. (Mrs. Clinton, though she > has taken to Twitter and embraced other forms of modern technology, appears > to like to read articles on paper.) > > There were also the more mundane messages that crowd many government > workers' inboxes: scheduling, logistics, even a news alert about a breaking > story from Politico, forwarded to the secretary by a senior aide. > > The emails showed Mrs. Clinton and her inner circle reacting as the > administration's view of what happened in Benghazi changed, and the > messages shed some light on a pivotal moment in the attack's aftermath > involving Susan E. Rice, then the ambassador to the United Nations. > > On Sept. 16, five days after the attack, Ms. Rice appeared on several > Sunday news programs, including ABC's "This Week," to offer the > administration's view on the attack. Some conservatives suggested that Ms. > Rice took on the role of public spokeswoman in those first few days after > the attacks so that Mrs. Clinton could duck the controversy. (Ms. Rice has > said that Mrs. Clinton declined to appear because she was tired after a > grueling week.) > > The emails do not settle that question, the senior officials said. But > they do suggest that Mrs. Clinton and her aides were ultimately relieved > that she had not gone as far as Ms. Rice had in her description of the > attacks. > > The day that Ms. Rice appeared on the shows, Mr. Sullivan, who served as > Mrs. Clinton's deputy chief of staff and is one of her most trusted > advisers, emailed Mrs. Clinton a transcript of Ms. Rice's remarks on ABC's > "This Week." Mr. Sullivan's message was brief, but he appeared pleased by > how it had gone. Ms. Rice, on the show, described it as a spontaneous > eruption of violence, triggered by an offensive anti-Muslim video. > > "She did make clear our view that this started spontaneously then > evolved," Mr. Sullivan wrote to Mrs. Clinton. > > But in the days that followed, the administration's view of what occurred > grew more complicated. Amid intense criticism from Republicans, who accused > the White House of playing down the attack in an election year, > administration officials began to call it "a terrorist attack." Ms. Rice's > initial description of the attack as spontaneous came under intense > scrutiny. > > Two weeks after that first email assessing Ms. Rice's appearance, Mr. > Sullivan sent Mrs. Clinton a very different email. This time, he appeared > to reassure the secretary of state that she had avoided the problems Ms. > Rice was confronting. He told Mrs. Clinton that he had reviewed her public > remarks since the attack and that she had avoided the language that had > landed Ms. Rice in trouble. > > "You never said'spontaneous' or characterized their motivations," Mr. > Sullivan wrote. > > The 300 emails are a small fraction of those Mrs. Clinton has handed over > to the State Department. > > Last summer, State Department lawyers responding to document requests from > the House committee investigating Benghazi found correspondence showing > Mrs. Clinton used a private email account. The lawyers determined that they > needed all of Mrs. Clinton's emails to respond to the committee requests. > > In December, Mrs. Clinton turned over 30,000 of her emails to the State > Department, and the department sent the House committee the 300 related to > Benghazi or Libya. > > The scrutiny of how she used email has created the first test of her > all-but-announced presidential campaign. At the time she was secretary of > state, federal regulations said agencies that allow employees to use > private email addresses, "must ensure that federal records sent or received > on such systems are preserved in the appropriate agency record-keeping > system." > > Nick Merrill, the spokesman for Mrs. Clinton, defended the aides' use of > personal email, saying that it was "their practice to primarily use their > work email when conducting state business, with only the tiniest fraction > of the more than one million emails they sent or received involving their > personal accounts." > > Some may not be satisfied with that explanation or the records Mrs. > Clinton has provided. Trey Gowdy, the South Carolina Republican who chairs > the House Select Committee on Benghazi, has said he suspected Mrs. Clinton > has not turned over all the Benghazi-related emails, and has asked Mrs. > Clinton to turn over her server to a neutral party to examine all of her > emails, including ones she deleted, to determine if others should be > provided to his panel. > > Mr. Gowdy's committee is also likely to press Mrs. Clinton on why her > advisers occasionally used personal email accounts to communicate with her. > At least four of Mrs. Clinton's closest advisers at the State Department > did so, including her chief of staff, Cheryl Mills; senior adviser, > Philippe Reines; personal aide, Huma Abedin; and Mr. Sullivan. > > Elijah E. Cummings, the Maryland Democrat and ranking member on the > committee, said in a statement that "instead of having emails leaked > piecemeal -- and mischaracterized," the committee's chairman, Mr. Gowdy, > "should release all of them -- as Secretary Clinton has asked -- so the > American people can read them for themselves." > > > > > > On Mar 22, 2015, at 10:08 PM, Cheryl Mills <cheryl.mills@gmail.com> wrote: > > K - no additions > > On Sun, Mar 22, 2015 at 10:07 PM, Philippe Reines <pir@hrcoffice.com> > wrote: > >> Ours. >> >> >> From: CDM >> Date: Sunday, March 22, 2015 at 10:07 PM >> To: Nick Merrill >> Cc: PIR, Jake Sullivan, Heather Samuelson, Jennifer Palmieri, John >> Podesta >> Subject: Re: NYT Latest >> >> i can't figure out given the subject ambiguity if we are seeking to >> have this graph speak to her behavior or others? >> >> On Sun, Mar 22, 2015 at 8:57 PM, Nick Merrill <nmerrill@hrcoffice.com> >> wrote: >> >>> Philippe, Heather, Jake and I spoke earlier and made a few tweaks. >>> Specifically, we added some straight-forward language in the third >>> paragraph that aims to do two things: give this guy some simple context for >>> the emails he references, and nudge this ever-closer to putting it in the >>> Benghazi box. >>> >>> See below. >>> >>> ------ >>> >>> Mike, please treat this reply as my on the record response to your >>> questions. >>> >>> There are any number of reasons why people emailed from their non-work >>> accounts, and every one of them are perfectly understandable and allowable >>> - evidenced by the simple fact that the State Department tells every >>> employee they're allowed to and how to properly do so. >>> >>MANHATTAN, Kan., Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Thinking about a particular song -- no matter if the music of your life was doo-wop or disco -- can cue vivid memories of the past, U.S. researchers found.
"We thought that actually hearing the song would bring back the most vivid memories," Richard Harris of the Kansas State University said in a statement. "But in our study there wasn't a lot of difference in memory between those who heard the song and those who didn't. What we determined was happening is that you already know the song and you're hearing it in your mind."
Harris and Elizabeth Cady, a 2006 doctoral graduate in psychology, and J. Bret Knappenberger, an undergraduate, wanted to understand whether memories were cued by actually hearing the song or by thinking about it in other ways.
They tested 124 subjects ages 18-20 in spring 2003. A pilot study had the subjects list songs from five stages of life -- early childhood, grade school, middle school, high school and college.
Harris said he and Cady were surprised at how many participants reported strong memories associated with the same song.
For the grade-school era, 26 percent of participants had strong memories associated with Vanilla Ice's song "Ice Ice Baby." For middle school, 36 percent reported strong memories associated with Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise."
The findings, published in the Psychology of Music, found music is autobiographical and people can remember events from a long time ago, with strong emotion associated with the songs played at the time.There’s been a secret about the Isle of Wight that hasn’t been discussed publicly.
Those that did know about it spoke about it in hushed tones, because the impact on the future of the Isle of Wight would be so large.
The fear?
The fear? That the Isle of Wight would run out of Internet capacity, leading the Island to slide into digital obscurity as Internet-delivered services requiring ever-greater bandwidth would choke on the limited lines to the Island.
The Isle of Wight’s Internet access comes via the Mainland through fibre optics that lay on the bed of the Solent.
Reaching capacity
The thing was, they’d been there a long time and were running out of capacity. The day would come when there wouldn’t be enough capacity to give everyone on the Isle of Wight the speed of Internet connection they wanted, or needed.
Capacity that was in those fibres would be spread more and more thinly, until we would all be left running at a snail’s pace.
To give you an idea of how real this was, OnTheWight learnt a few years back that an Island company and been refused by BT to buy a leased line from the Mainland to the Island, because they feared running out of their own capacity.
It just wasn’t economic for BT to lay new fibres across the Solent, as they’re so darn expensive.
Calm be upon you
If you’re reading this and starting to feel tense – let us assure you, the fears that were there have, this week been alleviated.
Help has come from the strangest of sources – The MOD.
Huge, enormous, massive ships
If you didn’t know, the mothers of all UK Aircraft carriers will be operating out of Portsmouth harbour from 2017.
The HMS Queen Elizabeth is scheduled to pitch up in 2017, followed by HMS Prince of Wales in 2020. They will be the largest and most powerful warships ever constructed for the Royal Navy.
They’re sufficiently huge that the Solent had to be made deeper just to let them in.
Dredging
This dredging has been ongoing for a while, and anything lying at the bed of the Solent on the approach to Portsmouth Harbour will be at risk of being scraped up – including the Fibre Optic cables that connect the Isle of Wight to the Rest of the World.
They’ve planned ahead and, as of last week, two fibre optic cables, owned by BT, have been replaced.
Increased capacity
Along with the new cable comes what was so badly needed – increased capacity.
How much – Twice as much? Ten times as much? 1,000x? – just isn’t clear.
“Future proof” the “Next generation”
In the expected dry way of international telecoms company, BT wouldn’t be drawn on specifying quite how much more capacity there’ll be. We did get them to go as far as
The Island will get more capacity, which will help future proof the Island for the predicted increased in bandwidth demand for the current and next generation.
… which all sounds very promising.
With this BT also confirmed to OnTheWight plans for a third cable are well underway and will be finalised over the coming months. This cable would not be affected by any potential dredging.
If they’re snagged, MOD will pay
When the new fibre optic cables are laid, they lay on the surface before gravity drags them into the mud of the Solent. While they’re on the surface they are vulnerable to what’s described as ‘fishing activity’.
The Ministry of Defence have planned for this and are preparing to cover the cost of any potential damage.
The risk calculations have come up with it being possible that damage could happen up to twice in the first five years.
In a written statement, the Secretary of State for Defence, Michael Fallon described it as follows
Mr Fallon said,
“Surface-laying the new cable is not BT’s preferred solution as they consider the new cables will be more vulnerable to damage from fishing activity. “BT require MoD to carry the liability for any repairs to the cables until they have naturally ‘self-buried’ into the seabed and forecast that the cables could be at risk to damage twice within the first five years and once in the following five. “If cable repairs are necessary, each one is estimated to cost £360,000. The maximum contingent liability against the MoD is therefore £1,080,000. “The duration of the liability will be 10 years from the date the new BT cables are installed, with this activity scheduled to complete in early December.”
A £1,000,000+ contingency fund has been set aside to cover any “possible damage to undersea cables” in the next ten years report the Portsmouth News.
Source
Image: Gavin St. Ours under CC BY 2.0Supercars has confirmed its new SuperUtes series has been delayed until 2018 with the existing V8 Utes platform to continue for another season.
The new production-based turbo diesel dual cab Ute class to take over from the V8 Ford/Holden platform has been shelved until next year, primarily due to delays in the development of prototype machinery.
Announced at the Gold Coast 600 last October, the series set itself the ambitious target of being ready to launch at the Townsville 400 in July this year.
However, an underestimation of the work required to homologate SuperUtes of varying manufacturers, coupled with componentry supply issues and a lack of confidence among competitors has forced the decision.
As a result, the V8 Utes will contest a six round series with rounds at Winton, Townsville, Ipswich, Bathurst, Gold Coast and Newcastle, while Supercars works to ensure the concept is ready for 2018.
Former Supercars team owner Ross Stone has also been enlisted to help deliver the category following the recent upheaval that saw Simon McNamara, who was set to head up the SuperUtes, replaced after taking up a commercial role at Australian GT.
Supercars managing director Matt Braid admits it was ambitious to launch the series this year, while having limited information for prospective competitors.
A Ford Ranger, Mazda BT50, Mitsubishi Triton and the Toyota Hilux have been homologated, with a Holden Colorado and Isuzu D-Max set to be completed in the coming months.
“I would have loved to have seen them on the grid (at Townsville) with a full field, but equally too you don’t want to do that for the sake of it,” Braid told Speedcafe.com.
“We said at the time it was very ambitious and we said it was going to be a challenge, and it’s proven to be that and maybe a little bit more in some aspects.
“More time is required to fully develop and test the cars and to refine the specification of the race kits. We also want to give competitors the time necessary build their cars.
“We wanted to take our time and make sure that we’ve got a proper plan in place to be able to communicate that properly with the competitors and say, ‘This is the definitive way we’re going.’
“I think we had too many questions and not enough answers. From a competitor group point of view, certainly we want to make sure now that we can give them the confidence and information that’s actually going to allow them to get themselves ready.”
Category advisor Stone is confident SuperUtes will be ready for 2018 with progress well underway since taking up the role to help guide the category.
“I’ve looked into it a lot and how to build them and run them and the costing and everything else, but now I’m involved in trying to make sure everything resets to go again,” Stone told Speedcafe.com.
“I guess we have to lay out how to build it, the costs, and everything else, and then it will be up to the individual to see if it balances or not, but with John Casey and I working closely together, I think it’s all starting to stack up pretty good.”
The concept continues to be divisive among V8 Utes competitors with three-time series champion Ryal Harris adamant organisers have made the wrong call regarding the format of the new series.
The Utes regular believes a concept designed by the category’s former owners Spherix, which kept the V8 engine was more fitting.
“I truly believe they should have stuck with the chassis style concept that V8 Utes first came up with, with the V8 engine in them with just the panels and bodywork on over the top of the chassis,” Harris told Speedcafe.com.
Although frustrated by the delays, the Sieders Racing Team remains committed to SuperUtes having been one of the first to get behind the new format.
The Sydney-based operation has been involved in the development of the category since its inception by assisting with the development of the SuperUte.
“As Sieders Racing Team and as team owner, there was a little bit of frustration because we were pretty ready to go and we had some stuff locked away to make it all work,” team boss Luke Sieders told Speedcafe.com.
“On the same hand I think it’s good that they have taken the time to do it and do it right because at the end of the day if we did rush it, it’s going to possibly cause issues with potential sponsors and manufacturers and it’s not the right way to go about it.
“There’s probably been a couple of things (that have forced the delays)
“They (Supercars) wanted to try to keep the cars as common as possible, so that takes some time to do all the analysis of all the different makes so that we’re not having two vastly different vehicles.
“The second thing is developing diesels engines with MoTec, that’s taken some time as well.”
The 2017 V8 Utes Series season opener will be held at the Winton Super Sprint from May 19-21.. (Photo: Max Ortiz)
Attorneys for Gov. Rick Snyder and state education officials say no fundamental right to literacy exists for Detroit schoolchildren who are suing the state over the quality of their education.
The lawyers are asking a federal judge to reject what they call an “attempt to destroy the American tradition of democratic control of schools.”
Timothy J. Haynes, an assistant attorney general, made those statements in a 62-page motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed against Snyder and state education leaders in September by seven Detroit children who allege decades of state disinvestment and deliberate indifference to the city schools have denied them access to literacy.
The motion was filed last week in U.S. District Court in Detroit.
Haynes says claims laid out by plaintiffs — including deplorable building conditions, lack of books, classrooms without teachers, insufficient desks, buildings plagued by vermin, unsafe facilities and extreme temperatures — go far beyond mere access to education.
“(They) ask this court to serve as a ‘super’ Legislature tasked with determining and dictating educational policy in every school district and school building throughout the United States where an illiterate child may be found,” the response says.
“Such a path would effectively supersede democratic control by voters and the judgment of parents, allowing state and federal courts to peer over the shoulders of teachers and administrators and substitute court judgment for the professional judgment of educators.”
The Detroit schoolchildren, represented by a California public interest law firm, sued state officials Sept. 13 in what legal observers say is an unprecedented attempt to establish that literacy is a U.S. constitutional right.
The suit claims the state has functionally excluded Detroit children from the state’s educational system. It seeks class-action status and several guarantees of equal access to literacy, screening, intervention, a statewide accountability system and other measures.
Attorneys representing the students say the filing highlights shocking problems in some Detroit schools and is the first of its kind in the nation that seeks to secure students’ legal right to literacy under the 14th Amendment.
The state is asking U.S. District Judge Stephen Murphy III to dismiss the case, saying the U.S. Supreme Court and Michigan courts do recognize the importance of literacy, but reject claims it is a legal right.
“But as important as literacy may be, the United States Supreme Court has unambiguously rejected the claim that public education is a fundamental right under the Constitution. Literacy is a component or particular outcome of education, not a right granted to individuals by the Constitution,” Haynes says.
In his motion, Haynes denies the state of Michigan has been responsible for the operation of the schools in Detroit since 1999, which is alleged in the lawsuit, and says the state does not operate or control public schools in Detroit.
“Contrary to plaintiffs’ assertions, the ‘state’ never ran any of the schools, although emergency managers have been appointed to supplant local authority, where necessary,” Haynes says.
DPS has been under the control of a state-appointed emergency financial manager since 2009. Emergency Manager Steven Rhodes is scheduled to step down on Dec. 31 and a newly elected Board of Education begins its work on Jan. 1.
Kathryn Eidmann, staff attorney for Public Counsel, which is representing the schoolchildren, said the state’s response was disappointing and did not come as a surprise.
What Eidmann says she found interesting was: the 62-page motion ignored the grim reality Detroit schoolchildren face every day inside classrooms.
“There is no mention about the fact that hardly any of the students have access to teachers or books. These are schools where no state officials or state lawyer would send their child,” she said.
DPS has struggled for years with declining enrollment, comparatively low test scores and spending scandals that have left students without needed supplies.
A $617 million aid package approved by lawmakers this summer relieved the district of nearly a half-billion dollar debt and provided $150 million in startup funding for a new, debt-free Detroit Public Schools Community District.
The plaintiffs are students at four of the lowest-performing schools at the Detroit Public School Community District: Hamilton Academy; Medicine and Community Health Academy at Cody; Osborn Collegiate Academy of Mathematics, Science and Technology; and Osborn Evergreen Academy of Design and Alternative Energy.
One plaintiff is a former student at Experiencia Preparatory Academy, a privately operated charter school that closed in June.
The lawsuit is asking the court to order the state to provide relief that includes “appropriate, evidence-based literacy” instruction at all grade levels and to address physical school conditions that impair access to literacy.
Murphy is expected to hear motions from both Public Counsel and the state in February to decide whether the case moves forward.
jchambers@detroitnews.com
Read or Share this story: http://detne.ws/2gbRWKLLONDON (Reuters) - Sterling plunged to its lowest in three decades and the value of London’s big banks sank by the most since the 2008 financial crisis as Britain’s shock vote to leave the European Union triggered turmoil on global financial markets on Friday.
The damage to London’s stock market eased as the day wore on, helped by expectations the weaker pound would help many UK companies and by the Bank of England’s promise of 250 billion pounds of extra support.
But shares in Royal Bank of Scotland and Barclays fell by around 18 percent and, even with an afternoon recovery, sterling’s fall was the biggest since the system of free-floating exchange rates was introduced in the early 1970s.
Major bank analysts predicted the currency would fall further in the months ahead, as financial investors price in the long- and short-term uncertainties unleashed by the Brexit vote and the scale of the damage to Britain’s economic prospects.
“There is a grave danger of further weakness in the weeks ahead,” said Societe Generale strategist Kit Juckes. “Indeed, the view of policymakers will be that a weaker pound is a vital economic shock absorber.”
The moves dwarfed falls on “Black Wednesday” in 1992 when the pound was driven out of the pre-euro Exchange Rate Mechanism and London bankers who had worked through the night said it was the most volatile day’s trading they had ever seen.
“The word ‘unprecedented’ is often used too much, and people often reach for the hyperbole. But this is truly unprecedented,” said Steven Major, head of global rates strategy at HSBC in London.
HSBC cut its forecast for the pound to $1.20 and 92 pence per euro by the end of this year, and several other banks said they expected the value of the British currency to fall further.
Money markets moved fully to price in a cut in official interest rates by December, anticipating that the Bank of England will need to take steps to prop up an economy that has already slowed in the run in to Thursday’s vote.
Traders said there had been strong buyers of sterling in Asia, however - possibly including foreign central bank reserve managers stocking up on the pound while it was at its cheapest in decades.
The cost of insuring against swings in the sterling/dollar exchange rate jumped to 53.375 percent, the highest since at least 1998, before easing back to less than half that.
Sterling stood at $1.3616 by late afternoon in London, up from as low as $1.3228, its weakest level since mid-1985.
Traders work near screens, one which displays the rate of the British pound which drops against the US dollar (R) after the British referendum, in a trading room in Paris, France, June 24, 2016. REUTERS/Jacky Naegelen
“The pound fell a long way very quickly and the talk was that the speculative guys sold it on the first results last night and then bought it back,” said Richard Benson, co-head of portfolio management at currency fund Millennium Global.
“At around $1.35 it looks to me to be over and done.”
HELP
On stock markets, shares of Britain’s biggest domestic banks took the biggest hit, but those of internationally-focused banks HSBC and Standard Chartered recovered to stand almost flat on the day.
Ten-year UK government bond yields dropped to 1.06 percent from around 1.38 percent late Thursday and Citi and Goldman Sachs both predicted a fall below 1 percent as investors took cover in the perceived security of government debt.
The biggest swings, however, were in the foreign exchange market, where trading went on through the night - albeit in light volumes for much of that time - and sterling tumbled to its lowest since before the signing of the Plaza Accord in 1985.
“I’m one of the people who was here the last time we were trading at $1.35. It’s back to the future, we’re back to where we were in 1985,” said Nick Parsons, co-head of global currency strategy at NAB.
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“We’ve had a 10 percent decline in six hours. That’s simply extraordinary. And a vote to leave provides an existential crisis for Europe.”
All the major international and British banks in London, including Citi Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs and Barclays had traders either working through the night or on call.
On Citi’s foreign exchange desk in London, dealers were only accepting voice orders and only desk heads had the authority to approve trades, according to a source at the bank.
Banks had warned clients about volatile trading conditions around the results which may lead to large gaps in prices. Barclays stopped accepting new “stop loss” orders on Thursday, an extremely rare move for one of the big six banks that dominate the world’s biggest financial market.MHP: PM involuntarily serving Erdoğan’s interests
ANKARA
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Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu is reluctant to change to a presidential system but is being forced to do so by the “insistence” of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan – the only person that desires such a system, according to Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli.“The only person that is actually insisting on the presidency, increasing his pressure on the issue and thinking about it day and night is Erdoğan. Davutoğlu is reluctantly serving Erdoğan’s love for his seat and position,” Bahçeli said during a parliamentary group meeting of his party on Jan. 5.Bahçeli also voiced hope that the much discussed and controversial possible presidential system would not obstruct the creation of a new charter, a day after a meeting with Davutoğlu that ended with consensus to work on a new constitution.Although the MHP and the AKP share a voter base, the MHP has been an ardent criticizer of Erdoğan, especially after Turkey’s 2013 graft cases that tainted four AKP ministers, their sons, as well as one of the president’s sons, Bilal Erdoğan.“While saying ‘new constitution,’ Erdoğan is not hiding that his principal goal is a presidential system. Here is the essence of the matter: Erdoğan and Davuto |
black Friday. Economy looking great! @realdonaldtrump pathetic liberals now calling me racist over #blackfriday should know that no one has more
Respect for the blacks than me. NO ONE.
Reports from inside the camp that the president might now be on an enforced Twitter time out could not be confirmed.Back channels to the Soviets, the ‘girlfriend system’ and doubts about LBJ: historian Timothy Naftali paints a portrait of a President Kennedy ‘far more interesting intellectually and far less appealing personally’
John F Kennedy’s secret talks with Soviet intelligence, surreptitious tape recordings and “girlfriend system” create a new portrait of a cunning and cagey JFK, according to a historian who has researched a treasure trove of recently released recordings and papers of the late president.
The Letters of John F Kennedy edited by Martin W Sandler; JFK's Last Hundred Days by Thurston Clarke; Who Killed Kennedy? by Matthew Smith; My Kennedy Years by Jacques Lowe – review Read more
Drawing on documents and tape recordings recently declassified, historian Timothy Naftali told a meeting at New York University on Tuesday night that Kennedy’s wife Jacqueline and brother Robert censored and edited the president’s legacy, cultivating the “mystique” of a charismatic leader who continues to baffle and fascinate Americans of all stripes and creeds.
Conservatives, liberals, conspiracy theorists and people who write “what if” histories fight over him. Fans of Bernie Sanders compare their candidate to him. A Fox News pundit wrote a children’s book about him. More than 25 years ago, author Don DeLillo addressed JFK mania indirectly and concluded: “Facts are lonely things.”
Naftali has attempted to answer some old questions with a new angle, arguing that the new details of what Kennedy did behind the scenes reveal a secretive yet self-indulgent president whose family was as worried about image as the man himself.
Kennedy was “far more interesting intellectually and far less appealing personally” than his family and friends wanted the world to know, Naftali told the Guardian. “And that’s fine.”
Backroom deals reveal JFK as a cold war skeptic rather than a hawk, Naftali said, though the president never lost sight of necessary theatrics.
From 1961 through the Cuban missile crisis, for instance, Kennedy sent his brother Robert to hold secret talks with Soviet spy Georgi Bolshakov. Recordings also reveal that Kennedy decided to pursue negotiations against the advice of his cabinet, and with his brother’s help.
But to preserve his image, according to the historian, Kennedy leaked a “cockamamie” story that made Adlai Stevenson, his ambassador to the UN, “look like a chump” for any concessions to the Soviet Union.
“He did not believe ‘bear any burden, pay any price’,” Naftali said. “But he wanted to be a politician, he wanted to be liked.”
Similarly, Naftali said that Kennedy did not want to order the disastrous 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba, but felt “boxed in” by politics, feeling the need to prove he was against Fidel Castro, who was courting Soviet aid while taking over American holdings on the island.
Kennedy “was making re-election decisions”, Naftali said. “He thought Americans didn’t have the political courage” for diplomacy with communist countries.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest President Kennedy, right, meets the Soviet foreign minister, Andrei Gromyko, second from right, and other Soviet officials in the Oval Office on 18 October 1962. Photograph: AP
Naftali said the episode had at least some relevance to Barack Obama’s four-year dilemma over the Syrian civil war, in which an autocratic leader similarly defied an American warning about military intervention.
“JFK had drawn a line. Drawing lines is just trouble,” Naftali said. Obama also drew a “red line” against Bashar al-Assad’s use of chemical weapons, but then failed to act to enforce it militarily when the Syrian leader was found to have used such weapons.
Other famous cold war episodes were also tentative steps toward detente, he added. A year after he called on Americans to land on the moon, for example, Kennedy asked the Soviets, in private and in public, to join with the US and conquer space together. Similarly, Kennedy was worried about the collapse of Laos and tried to work with the Soviets to resolve tensions there, Naftali said.
Kennedy’s penchant for secrecy extended well into his personal life. Even friends did not know Kennedy well, Naftali said, and the president kept a hidden tape recorder in his office unbeknown to almost everyone. Aides also arranged what Naftali called “the girlfriend system” to ferry women in and out of his chambers.
White House marginalia offer new clues about Kennedy’s philandering, which has been well documented and speculated upon for decades. Logs show that Jackie Kennedy was almost never with her husband on Friday nights, Naftali noted, and flight manifests sometimes list a 19-year-old White House intern, Mimi Beardsley, alongside all the president’s men.
“Who is this intern who gets placed on a plane before anybody else?” Naftali asked, saying the lists confirm Beardsley’s stories of sleeping with the president.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest The president watches his children Caroline and John F Kennedy Jr playing in the Oval office. Photograph: -/EPA
Kennedy created a “culture of secrecy” that would have eventually haunted him, Naftali said. That he spoke candidly only with his family, recorded hundreds of hours of conversations with unwitting people, and quickly resorted to intrigue – as with a CIA-backed coup in South Vietnam – “compounded the secrecy in the way he dealt with the world”, Naftali said.
Kennedy and his family actively erased less palatable versions of events, documents show, including the role played by Kennedy’s father, Joseph Kennedy, whom Naftali called “an arch-conservative” with a Wall Street fortune, a womanizing habit and unpopular opinions about the Nazis. But he said the patriarch was “a player in this administration” nonetheless, and call logs show that Kennedy called his father repeatedly during the height of the Cuban missile crisis.
Similarly, Kennedy’s brother and wife tried to erase personal blemishes – about his affairs, sense of entitlement, guardedness – after his assassination in 1963, as evinced by the deed granting them rights to control what papers the government received, and by their edits of biographers’ work. “The Kennedy they wanted was boring,” Naftali said.
“He was a very ambitious and talented rich kid,” he said. “He was also tough, and a war hero, but he was indulged.”
He added the personal flaws were important: “The self-indulgence doesn’t creep into his policy but it shapes the White House.”
Finally, Naftali touched on another famous mystery: the president’s rocky relationship with his vice-president, Lyndon B Johnson, who was caught up in a corruption scandal in the weeks before Kennedy’s assassination.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Lyndon Johnson takes the oath of office on board Air Force One after President Kennedy’s assassination. Kennedy may have been planning to drop Johnson from the re-election ticket. Photograph: Cecil Stoughton/Corbis
“LBJ’s brand was on the verge of collapsing,” Naftali said. Citing notes taken by the president’s secretary, he said he suspected Kennedy wanted Johnson off the re-election ticket. “I think Kennedy wanted LBJ to retire off the ticket.”
This healthy dose of speculation was welcomed by the audience at New York University, which included more than a few people who preferred their own theories to the historian’s. A clinical psychologist declared that JFK “was obviously a sex addict”, adding: “What about his father, and also this thing with the mafia?”
Naftali demurred. “I’ve gone through each of the conspiracies one by one, trying to line them up, and could just never make that jump,” he said. “I believe it was Lee Harvey Oswald [who killed Kennedy].”
Danyal Sadiq, an assistant to a former Kennedy aide, wanted to talk to the professor less about conspiracy than legacy, saying that too many Americans see “the style more than the substance” of JFK. “He’s been overshadowed by the glamour and rumors and celebrity.”
Sadiq, students and septuagenarians crowded the historian anyway, eager to talk about the mysteries that have spawned an ever-growing industry of interpretations and analysis, to which Naftali hopes to add his book in 2017, which marks 100 years since JFK’s birth.Australian actress Eliza Szonert, who grabbed her young son from her former partner at a restaurant, is reportedly being held in custody by Malaysian police.
The former Neighbours star, 41, remains in custody but has not been arrested, her mother Kay has claimed.
The actress' mother - who is currently caring for her grandson - said her daughter believes she will be interviewed by police over the December 10 incident but does not know when it will happen.
She also told the Sydney Morning Herald that her daughter is currently ill and suffering from bronchitis.
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Malaysian police are reportedly investigating Australian actress Eliza Szonert who grabbed her young son from her former partner at a restaurant
It comes after a video emerged of the moment Ms Szonert snatched her son back from her estranged partner, Australian musician and businessman Ashley Crick.
Kuala Lumpur police deputy chief Datuk Law Hong Soon said Mr Crick had filed a police report on what happened earlier that day, local news site The Rakyat Post reported.
'I think this case is more towards a family conflict. The police will seek Szonert to record her statement,' he told the publication.
The high profile pair have allegedly been in a bitter custody battle while staying in Kuala Lumpur.
Ms Szonert told Fairfax Media she took her son to Kuala Lumpur to visit his father but the arrangement allegedly didn't go to plan.
She was allegedly forced to leave their shared accommodation without their son or passport following a dispute.
Daily Mail Australia revealed that the star had spent eight weeks in an expensive drug rehabilitation clinic in Thailand before she dramatically snatched her son back.
The former starlet sought help at the high-end rehab centre The Cabin Chiang Mai, a popular facility among celebrities and corporate types known as the 'Betty Ford of South-East Asia'.
Actress Eliza Szonert, 41, was reunited with her son after being helped by a child recovery agency in Malaysia. They were separated after she took him to visit his father Ashley Crick who reportedly locked her out of his apartment
The footage shows two large men who accompanied Ms Szonert speaking with Mr Crick at the restaurant
Ms Szonert, 41, attended drug counselling and claimed to have seen former AFL star Ben Cousins - who has battled addiction to methamphetamine for years - at the facility.
But the actress has now denied these claims, saying that she sought treatment for depression.
'Ashley has made some outrageous accusations about me, which I totally deny,' Ms Szonert told New Idea.
'I sought treatment for depression, which was a result of relentless intimidation by my former partners.
'Over a number of years this had worn me down, and by October I'd become so utterly broken emotionally that I sought refuge in rehab to rebuild my confidence and spirit.'
Ms Szonert was flanked by two burly men when she went to retrieve her son from a restaurant in the Malaysian capital's Mid Valley Mega Mall with the assistance of a leading child recovery agency.
Video footage of the recovery supplied to Daily Mail Australia shows Ms Szonert arriving at the restaurant accompanied by two men who distract Mr Crick.
Video shows the moment Eliza Szonert, 41, arrived at a restaurant in Malaysia flanked by two burly men to grab her young son from former partner, Australian musician and businessman Ashley Crick
The footage then shows Ms Szonert retrieve her son in the incident on Thursday morning.
A second video supplied to Daily Mail Australia then shows Ms Szonert and her son joyfully return from the restaurant in a car.
She said in the second video that she is 'feeling adrenaline and relieved - I'm crying.'
The footage shows her and her son hugging.
A spokesperson from the child recovery agency, which asked not to be identified for security reasons, told Daily Mail Australia that Australian government authorities are now refusing to reissue a passport for the son.
The High Commissioner had allegedly refused to reissue a passport because a passport already exists and the incident is a 'civil custody matter'.
Ms Szonert has allegedly been told by authorities that she must negotiate a resolution with Mr Crick.
The child recovery agency spokesperson said the son's visa for Malaysia is also due to expire soon.
The footage then shows Ms Szonert retrieve her son in the incident on December 10
Ms Szonert and Mr Crick are believed to have shared custody of their son.
Daily Mail Australia understands the actress had been in Kuala Lumpur since August after accompanying Mr Crick and their son on a flight from Australia.
The three then flew to Koh Samui in Thailand for a holiday.
During this time, Ms Szonert made a booking at The Cabin and stayed behind in Chiang Mai while Mr Crick and his son returned to Kuala Lumpur, where he works as an executive at a video streaming business similar to Netflix
Ms Szonert was in the facility for at least eight weeks between August 21 and October 25, 2015.
The facility charges up to $14,000 a month and Ms Szonert told friends and family she had made great progress during her time there.
While she was at The Cabin, Mr Crick enrolled his son in a local school and was in regular contact with his former partner.
After completing rehab, she flew back to Kuala Lumpur to stay with Mr Crick and their son at his three-bedroom house.
Ms Szonert has refused to respond to questions from Daily Mail Australia about her time in rehabilitation in the months leading up to the bitter confrontation.
Mr Crick also declined to be interviewed for this story but said: 'The only priority is the safety of my son.'
It had earlier been reported that Malaysia is not a signatory of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.
It is understood Mr Crick, an accomplished sky-diver, relocated to Malaysia to roll out an online video platform similar to Netflix.
Ms Szonert made a name for herself as an actress after appearing in the Australian drama Neighbours between 1993 and 1993, and has since played Trish Moran in the film The Dish.
Ms Szonert reportedly travelled to Kuala Lumpur with her son earlier this month to visit her former partner of four years and father of her child, Australian businessman Ashley Crick (pictured right)
Ms Szonert made a name for herself as an actress after appearing in the Australian drama Neighbours and has since played Trish Moran in the film The DishMotoGP and BMW M division has announced that the BMW M2 Coupe will be a new safety car for the famous MotoGP racing championship from this season. This new safety car will undergo some exterior and interior upgrades to prepare it for the permanent race track use.
This new 2016 Safety Car will get the BMW M Performance body kit which includes carbon fiber front splitter as well as an extended side skirts along with large rear spoiler and a newly designed rear diffuser. All parts of aerodynamic kit are made from high strength carbon fiber and wind tunnel tested for better performance.
This BMW M2 Coupe will get an adjustable Coilover suspension setup to allow ride height and damping to be adjusted as per the racetrack requirements. This track monster will roll on a set of gold coloured alloy wheels wrapped in Michelin Cup 2 tires.
The exterior of the car is painted in BMW M motorsport colour theme; an Alpine white metallic with the traditional shades of blue and red. The striking gold treatment on components such as the wheels, the roll cage, M carbon ceramic brakes, rear wing mounts, seat brackets and steering wheel spokes looks absolutely stunning.
The car will receive an extremely eye catching BMW M livery and flashing LED light bar on the roof. The light bar flash frequency is controlled via a specially developed control panel in the cockpit. This car will also get a new set of blue LED lights on the front grille and the flashing red LED lights at the place of reversing lights found in the production car.
Apart from the exterior upgrades, this Safety car will also undergo some interior customisations and all the upgrades will be done in the BMW M factory. Inside, the rear seats have been removed and now houses a roll cage based on the BMW M4 GTS, welded to undercarriage to meet the special requirements of the M2 Coupe as a racetrack safety car. The front seats are specially designed and manufactured by Recaro.
The BMW M2 Coupe comes equipped with 3.0 liter twin-turbo straight-six engine, which is capable of punching 364hp of power and 465 Nm of torque. The max speed is limited to 250 km/hr (155 mph) and it takes just 4.3 seconds to hit 0-62 mph speed when paired with seven-speed DCT Automatic.
This car will appear throughout the 2016 MotoGP season and will represent racing know-how of BMW M division in its purest form.
GalleryAbstract Previous studies demonstrating changes in women’s face preferences have emphasized increased attraction to cues to possible indirect benefits (e.g. heritable immunity to infection) that coincides with periods of high fertility (e.g. the late follicular phase of the menstrual cycle). By contrast, here we show that when choosing between composite faces with raised or lowered apparent health, women’s preferences for faces that are perceived as healthy are (i) stronger during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle than during the late follicular, fertile phase, (ii) stronger in pregnant women than in non-pregnant women and (iii) stronger in women using oral contraceptives than in women with natural menstrual cycles. Change in preference for male faces was greater for short- than long-term relationships. These findings indicate raised progesterone level is associated with increased attraction to facial cues associated with possible direct benefits (e.g. low risk of infection) and suggest that women’s face preferences are influenced by adaptations that compensate for weakened immune system responses during pregnancy and reduce the risk of infection disrupting foetal development. Keywords: attractiveness, faces, menstrual cycle, hormones, pregnancy, oral contraception
2. Study 1 The aim of study 1 was to test for an effect of menstrual cycle phase on attraction to male faces manipulated in apparent health. We compared attraction to apparent health in male faces between the late follicular (14–20 days until onset of menses) and luteal (<14 days until onset of menses) phases of the menstrual cycle (see Johnston et al. 2001). This comparison maximizes the contrast both in fertility (high in late follicular phase, low in luteal) and underlying hormonal status (progesterone low in late follicular phase, high in luteal). 2.1 Methods 2.1.1 Stimuli manufacture Four pairs of male faces varying in apparent health were manufactured for use in study 1. Each pair comprised two versions of a composite ‘base face’, one with decreased cues to apparent health and the other with increased cues to apparent health. First, colour images (1200×1000 pixels) of 80 Caucasian male faces (age: mean=20.8 years, s.d.=1.3, range=18−30 years) were captured under diffuse flash lighting with neutral expression and hair off the face. These face images, with hairstyle and clothing masked, were rated for health by eight men and seven women (age: mean=23.3 years, s.d.=2.7, range=19−30 years) using a 1 (low health) to 7 (high health) point integer scale. Faces were presented in a random order. As inter-rater agreement for these ratings was high (Cronbach’s alpha, α=0.81, ratings for each face were averaged across all participants. Two composite images (‘healthy’ and ‘unhealthy’) were generated by marking the same 179 facial landmarks on each face and averaging shape, colour and texture of the 25 face images with highest and lowest health ratings using image manipulation software (see Benson & Perrett (1991) and Tiddeman et al. (2001) for methods). These composites were made symmetric by averaging each composite with a mirror-reflected version of itself. Next, four ‘base faces’ were created by averaging the shape, colour and texture of four random sets of three of the 80 male faces. ‘Base faces’ refer to composite face images with different apparent identities. These ‘base faces’ were subsequently transformed along a linear continuum of apparent health. The four ‘base faces’ were transformed in shape, colour and texture (see Tiddeman et al. (2001) for methods) by ±50% of the difference between the ‘healthy’ and ‘unhealthy’ composites. This resulted in four pairs of male faces that varied in apparent health but were matched in other respects (e.g. ). These four face pairs were presented to participants in the study. Open in a separate window 2.1.2 Participants The participants in the study were 639 heterosexual women (age: mean=22.56 years, s.d.=1.69, range=20−25 years) who reported regular cycles when asked if their cycle was regular or irregular, cycle lengths of 26–32 days (mean=28.9 days, s.d.=1.17), <21 days until next onset of menses and no hormonal contraceptive use or pregnancy. All women were resident in the UK. 2.1.3 Procedure The four face pairs varying in apparent health were presented on-screen using a two-alternative forced choice paradigm, in randomized order and interspersed with filler trials. Participants were told that they would be shown pairs of faces and to choose the face in each pair they preferred by clicking on the options below that face. Participants indicated the extent to which they preferred a particular face by choosing from the options: ‘guess’, ‘slight preference’, ‘preference’ and ‘strong preference’. All participants reported their age, sexual orientation, hormonal contraceptive use, pregnancy status, whether cycle was regular, usual cycle length, date of onset of menstrual period before testing, residency and partnership status. In common with previous studies of individual differences in face preferences (Little et al. 2001, 2002; Little & Jones 2003) and cyclic changes in behaviour (Fessler & Navrrette 2003), the experiment was run across the World Wide Web. Participants were recruited through the BBC Science and Nature Web site (http://www.bbc.co.uk.sn/) by following links to an on-line study of face preferences. Duplicate entries were removed using computer Internet protocol (ip) address and similarity on an independent 16-item questionnaire (see Kraut et al. 2004). 2.1.4 Initial processing of data Reported cycle length and date of onset of menstrual period before testing were used to assign participants to luteal (n=377, <14 days calculated until onset of next period, mean=6.9 s.d.=3.9) or late follicular (n=262, 14–20 days calculated until onset of next period, mean=16.7, s.d.=2.1) groups. Responses were recoded using the following scale: 1= strong preference for low apparent health, to 8=strong preference for high apparent health. For each participant, the mean preference strength for apparent health, was calculated (across four face pairs) and converted to a percentage of maximum preference for apparent health. 2.2 Results Univariate ANOVA (dependent variable: percentage of maximum preference; between subject factor: cycle phase (late follicular, luteal); covariate: age) indicated a significant effect of cycle phase (F 1,636 =14.727, p<0.001; ) and no effect of age (F 1,636 =1.051, p=0.306). Attraction to apparent health was significantly stronger during the luteal phase of the cycle (mean=76.19%,s.e.m.=0.64) than during the late follicular phase of the cycle (mean=72.34%,s.e.m.=0.77). In both phases, attraction to faces with raised apparent health was significantly greater than chance (one sample t-tests comparing the percentage of maximum preference for apparent health with 50% (i.e. chance): both p<0.001). Open in a separate window
3. Study 2 Findings from study 1 indicated women in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle expressed stronger attraction to apparent health in male faces than did women in the late follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. Study 2 was performed to establish if this finding generalized to a within-subject comparison of preferences for apparent health in faces. In study 2 we compared the effect of menstrual cycle phase (luteal, late follicular) on attraction to apparent health in male and female faces. Menstrual cycle phase has been found to influence preferences for masculinity in male faces, but not female faces (Johnston et al. 2001). If the effect of cycle phase on preferences for apparent health reflects shifts in attraction to cues to possible direct benefits (e.g. low risk of infection) menstrual cycle phase might affect preferences for apparent health in both male and female faces. As reporting of cycle data is prone to error (Gangestad & Thornhill 1998), in study 2 we confirmed that measured pregnanediol:creatinine ratios were high on test days assigned to the luteal phase (indicating ovulation had occurred). New stimuli were manufactured with more subtle cues to apparent health defined by colour and texture. 3.1 Methods 3.1.1 Stimuli manufacture Twelve new pairs of faces (six female and six male) were manufactured. Six new pairs of female faces varying in apparent health were manufactured by transforming six female ‘base faces’ (made by averaging the shape, colour and texture of six random sets of three female faces) using composites of the 20 faces judged the least and most healthy from a sample of 60 photographs of female faces (age range of faces=19–24 years; four male and four female raters, age range of raters=17–26 years; inter-rater agreement, α=0.82). Photography, face rating and computer graphic procedures were as in study 1, except faces were transformed by ±30% of the colour and texture differences between the healthy and unhealthy composites. By contrast with the previous study, two-dimensional shape of stimuli was not altered. Six new pairs of male faces varying in apparent health were manufactured in the same way by transforming six male ‘base faces’ using healthy and unhealthy male composites. ‘Healthy’ and ‘unhealthy’ composites and the six ‘base faces’ used were made from a sample of 60 male faces (and their health ratings) that were selected at random from the 80 male faces used to manufacture stimuli for study 1 (inter-rater agreement for health ratings of sample of 60, α=0.79). Male ‘base faces’ made for study 2 were made from different faces to those that were used to make ‘base faces’ in study 1. Examples of male and female stimuli used in study 2 are shown in (middle and bottom rows). 3.1.2 Participants Participants in the study were 30 heterosexual female university undergraduates (age: mean=19.68 years, s.d.=2.7, range=18−23 years; cycle length: mean=29.46 days, s.d.=2.7, range=23−35 days;) reporting no hormonal contraceptive use, not being pregnant and not having used hormonal contraceptives in the past three months. Cycle lengths for each participant were calculated from the dates reported for onsets of at least two periods of menstrual bleeding before, during and after testing. 3.1.3 Procedure Women were tested at six weekly intervals. On each test day, the 12 pairs of health stimuli were presented on-screen using a forced-choice paradigm, in a random order, and interspersed with filler trials. Participants responded to the instruction ‘choose the face which is most attractive’. Participants were given a sample bottle before each test day and were asked to provide a sample of mid-stream urine collected from the first urination of the morning of testing. On each test day, participants also reported cycle data as in study 1. 3.1.4 Initial processing of data Suspected luteal phase and late follicular phase test days were identified as in study 1. As the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle is characterized by pregnanediol:creatinine ratios of 0.5 or greater (Bonello & Norman 2002; Joseph-Horne et al. 2002), suspected luteal phase test days were discarded if pregnanediol:creatinine ratios were less than 0.5 (as ratios indicated these test days were not post-ovulation). After this process, preferences during both luteal and late follicular phases were available for 19 women. For these women, the pregnanediol:creatinine ratio increased from late follicular to luteal test days and was more than 0.5 during the luteal phase. Late follicular measures are therefore likely to reflect a pre- or peri-ovulatory state. A potential order confound was examined by comparing the mean order of test days assigned to luteal and late follicular phases using a paired-samples t-test. This analysis indicated that assigning test days to late follicular and luteal phases did not confound cycle phase and order of testing (p=0.69). The percentage of trials (out of 12 possible) on which faces with increased apparent health were chosen was calculated as a measure of preference for apparent health in study 3. For male faces, this percentage was calculated separately for luteal and late follicular phases. Corresponding values were also calculated for female faces. 3.2 Results Repeated-measures ANOVA (dependent variable: percentage of trials on which apparent health preferred; within-subject factors: sex of face presented (male, female), phase (late follicular, luteal)) indicated no significant main effect of sex of face presented (F=0.28, f.d.=1,18, p=0.606) and sex of face did not interact with cycle phase (F=0.362, d.f.=1,18, p=0.362). There was, however, a significant main effect of cycle phase (F=5.34, d.f.=1,18, p=0.033; ). Attraction to apparent health in faces was stronger during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle (mean=70.6%, s.e.m.=3.3) than during the late follicular phase (mean=62.5%, s.e.m.=3.0). In all conditions, women demonstrated attraction to faces with raised apparent health that was significantly greater than chance (all p<0.008).
4. Study 3 Both between-groups (study 1) and within-subject tests (study 2) indicated that attraction to apparent health in faces was stronger during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle than during the late follicular phase. These findings may reflect increased contagion avoidance when progesterone level is high and the body prepares for pregnancy. Men and women who appear healthy might also be perceived as reliable sources of care and support. Thus, the cyclic enhancement in attraction to apparent health observed in studies 1 and 2 may reflect increased desire for sustained friendship and support when progesterone level is high. If this were the case, the effect of cycle phase on women’s preferences for apparent health in male faces might be more pronounced when judging the attractiveness of males as possible long-term partners than when judging the attractiveness of males for short-term relationships. In study 3 we therefore tested the effect of relationship context on cyclic shifts in women’s preferences for male faces with raised apparent health. 4.1 Methods 4.1.1 Stimuli manufacture Six pairs of faces varying in apparent health were used in the study. These face pairs were manufactured in the same way as those used in study 1. Six ‘base faces’ were manufactured by combining six different sets of 10 male faces. These sets of faces were randomly selected from the sample of 80 male faces used to manufacture stimuli in study 1, but were different to those used to make ‘base faces’ in studies 1 and 2. Three of the six new ‘base faces’ were transformed in apparent health using the ‘healthy’ and ‘unhealthy’ composites manufactured in study 1. The three remaining ‘base faces’ were transformed using ‘healthy’ and ‘unhealthy’ composites manufactured from an independent sample of Caucasian male faces (n=58 age: mean=21.2 years, s.d.=2.8, range=18−27 years;). First, masked versions of the 58 faces were rated for health by 12 female and two male participants (age: mean=25.4 years, s.d.=5.6, range=21−27 years; inter-rater agreement, α=0.75) using a 1 (low) to 7 (high) scale. ‘Healthy’ and ‘unhealthy’ composites were then manufactured by averaging the 20 male faces that were rated most or least healthy (as in study 1). 4.1.2 Participants Participants in the study were 31 female university undergraduates (age: mean=21.25 years, s.d.=1.02, range=18−23 years; cycle length: mean=30.25 days, s.d.=2.73, range=23−34 days;) reporting no hormonal contraceptive use, not being pregnant and not having used hormonal contraceptives in the last three months. Cycle lengths for each participant were calculated as in study 2. 4.1.3 Procedure Participants were tested at four weekly intervals. On each test day, the procedure was identical to that used in study 1, except that six pairs of faces were presented and participants saw each pair twice: once in a block where faces were judged for short-term relationships and once in a block where judgements were for long-term relationships. The order of these blocks was randomized. In both blocks, health pairs were interspersed with filler trials. Long- and short-term relationships were defined as in Perrett et al. (2002). Urine samples were collected as in study 2. 4.1.4 Initial processing of data The authenticity of suspected luteal phase and late follicular phase test days was confirmed using the diary and hormonal criteria as in study 2. Following this procedure, preferences for both luteal and late follicular phases were available for 22 women. Assigning test days to the late follicular and luteal phases did not confound cycle phase and order of testing (p=0.78). For the short-term condition, mean preference strengths on luteal and late follicular test days were calculated separately and converted to percentages of maximum health preference as in study 1. Corresponding values were also calculated for the long-term condition. 4.2 Results Preferences were analysed using a repeated-measures ANOVA (dependent variable: percentage of maximum preference; within-subject factors: relationship context (long-term, short-term), phase (late follicular, luteal)). This analysis showed no significant main effects of relationship context (F=0.19, d.f.=1,21, p=0.89) or cycle phase (F=0.68, d.f.=1,21, p=0.797). There was, however, a significant interaction between cycle phase and relationship context (F=4.72, d.f.=1,21, p=0.041). A paired samples t-test indicated the difference in attraction to apparent health between the luteal phase of the cycle and the late follicular phase when faces were judged for a short-term relationship was very near significance (luteal: mean=73.8%, s.e.m.=2.4; late follicular: mean=70.8%, s.e.m.=2.3, t=2.30, d.f.=21 p=0.055; ). By contrast, when faces were judged for a long-term relationship, a paired samples t-test showed no difference between the luteal and late follicular phases (luteal: mean=71.1%, s.e.m.=2.2; late follicular: mean=73.21%, s.e.m.=2.1, t=0.98, d.f.=21, p=0.388). In all conditions, preferences for faces with raised apparent health were significantly greater than would be expected by chance (all p=0.001).
5. Study 4 Findings from studies 1–3 suggest that increased attraction to apparent health in faces is associated with the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and, hence, raised progesterone levels. As increased progesterone levels are also a characteristic of pregnancy (Burkit et al. 1993; Gilbert 2000), in study 4 we compared pregnant and non-pregnant women’s preferences for apparent health in male faces. Stimuli and testing procedure were the same as in study 1. 5.1 Methods One hundred and fifteen heterosexual women reporting pregnancy (age: mean=26.51 years, s.d.=3.0, range=20−30 years, 87% from UK, 98% with a partner; days since onset of last period of menstrual bleeding: mean=111, s.d.=64, range=20−240) were matched in terms of age, partnership and country of residency to 857 control non-pregnant heterosexual women reporting regular cycles when asked if their cycle was regular or irregular, and no use of hormonal contraceptives (age: mean=26.58 years, s.d.=2.9, range=20−30 years, 86% from UK, 98% with a partner). Non-pregnant women were selected to represent an even sample through the entire menstrual cycle (cycle length: mean=28.9, s.d.=1.3 days, days until next period: mean=14.7, s.d.=8.2, range=−4−32 days). As in studies 1 and 3, responses were converted to percentages of maximum preference for apparent health. 5.2 Results Attraction to apparent health of pregnant women and the control group was examined with an independent samples t-test. This analysis indicated that pregnant women expressed greater attraction to apparent health than women with natural cycles did (pregnancy: mean=76.8%, s.e.m.=1.003, natural cycle: mean=74.39%, s.e.m.=0.419, t=2.776, d.f.=970, p=0.042; ). Both |
Constitution gives states the power to make decisions regarding restrictive voting laws. In 2008 the Supreme Court made a crucial decision regarding Indiana’s voter ID law in saying that it does not violate the constitution. Since then almost half of the states have passed restrictive voting laws. These laws contribute to Barbour and Wrights idea of the rational nonvoter. This is someone who does not vote because the benefits of them not voting outweighs the cost to vote.[104] These laws add to the “cost” of voting, or reason that make it more difficult and to vote. In the United States programs such as MTV's "Rock the Vote" and the "Vote or Die" initiatives have been introduced to increase turnouts of those between the ages of 18 and 25. A number of governments and electoral commissions have also launched efforts to boost turnout. For instance Elections Canada has launched mass media campaigns to encourage voting prior to elections, as have bodies in Taiwan and the United Kingdom.
Google extensively studied the causes behind low voter turnout in the United States, and argues that one of the key reasons behind lack of voter participation is the so-called "interested bystander".[105] According to Google's study, 48.9% of adult Americans can be classified as "interested bystanders", as they are politically informed but are reticent to involve themselves in the civic and political sphere. This category is not limited to any socioeconomic or demographic groups. Google theorizes that individuals in this category suffer from voter apathy, as they are interested in political life but believe that their individual effect would be negligible.[106] These individuals often participate politically on the local level, but shy away from national elections.
It has been argued that democratic consolidation (the stabilization of new democracies) contributes to the decline in voter turnout. A 2017 study challenges this however.[107]
Ineligibility [ edit ]
Much of the above analysis is predicated on voter turnout as measured as a percentage of the voting-age population. In a 2001 article in the American Political Science Review, Michael McDonald and Samuel Popkin argued, that at least in the United States, voter turnout since 1972 has not actually declined when calculated for those eligible to vote, what they term the voting-eligible population.[108] In 1972, noncitizens and ineligible felons (depending on state law) constituted about 2% of the voting-age population. By 2004, ineligible voters constituted nearly 10%. Ineligible voters are not evenly distributed across the country – 20% of California's voting-age population is ineligible to vote – which confounds comparisons of states. Furthermore, they argue that an examination of the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey shows that turnout is low but not declining among the youth, when the high youth turnout of 1972 (the first year 18- to 20-year-olds were eligible to vote in most states) is removed from the trendline.
Notes [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
Franklin, Mark N. "Electoral Engineering and Cross National Turnout Differences." British Journal of Political Science. 1999
1999 Kanazawa, Satoshi. "A Possible Solution to the Paradox of Voter Turnout." The Journal of Politics.
Lijphart, Arend. "Unequal Participation: Democracy's Unresolved Dilemma." American Political Science Review. vol. 91 (March 1997): 1–14. p. 12
vol. 91 (March 1997): 1–14. p. 12 McDonald, Michael and Samuel Popkin. "The Myth of the Vanishing Voter." American Political Science Review. 2001.
2001. Niemi, Richard G. and Herbert F. Weisberg. eds. Controversies in Voting Behavior. Washington, D.C: CQ Press, 2001.
Washington, D.C: CQ Press, 2001. Norris, Pippa. Elections and Voting Behaviour: New Challenges, New Perspectives. Aldershot: Ashgate, Dartmouth, 1998.
Aldershot: Ashgate, Dartmouth, 1998. Rose, Richard, ed. Electoral Participation: A Comparative Analysis. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications, 1980.
Beverly Hills: Sage Publications, 1980. Wolfinger, Raymond E. and Steven J. Rosenstone. 1980. Who Votes? New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. Wolfinger, R., Glass, D., Squire, P.(1990). Predictors of electoral turnout:an international comparison. Policy Studies Review, 9(3), p551–574, 24p
Highton, B. (1997, May). Easy registration and voter turnout. The Journal of Politics, 59(2), pp. 565–575.
Further reading [ edit ]UPDATE: HBO says Westworld recurring actor Zahn McClarnon is doing well following on off-set injury Wednesday and will be back at work next week as production resumes.
“Actor Zahn McClarnon was hospitalized Wednesday night after sustaining an injury at home,” the premium cabler said in a statement Friday. “He is on the mend and looking forward to getting back to work. Westworld will resume filming on both units next week.”
PREVIOUS, Nov. 2, 1: 21 PM: HBO said today that one of two units filming Season 2 of Westworld has suspended production after an actor in a recurring role suffered an unspecified off-set injury. The other production unit’s work was not affected.
“Due to a medical emergency involving a performer in a recurring role on season 2 of Westworld, filming on one of the two units has been temporarily suspended,” HBO said in a statement to Deadline. “The cast member was not on set when this occurred, and out of respect for the performer’s privacy, we have no additional details to share, other than that everyone at Westworld sincerely hopes for a quick recovery.”
The popular series is expected to return for its sophomore season sometime next year, but there’s no word yet about whether this production delay will affect its premiere date.
Westworld went into this year’s Emmys with a leading 22 nominations including Outstanding Drama Series; it won four trophies in crafts categories, including VFX, but was shut out of the marquee awards. Its regular ensemble includes Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton, James Marsden, Jeffrey Wright and Ed Harris.
Denise Petski contributed to this report.Introduction
CCTime (Cryptocurrency Time) is a distributed social news sharing and communication platform based on Asch’s side-chain technology. CCTime is reconstructed based on the Hacker News. The blockchain technology is used to change the existing pattern of a centralized content-sharing market and to solve the difficulties of identification, spreading and making a profit with high-quality content. Creators of high-quality content will always get paid by a new content value assessment system. Publishers and sharers of high-quality news will be rewarded with tokens according to this “bonus mode,” and this will allow us to build a valuable public news gathering and sharing platform, which will keep up with the demands of readers.
1 Why To Make CCtime
1.1 Conceptual Origin
CCTime (Cryptocurrency Time) is a demonstrational example of Asch’s applications. The conceptual origin comes from the Hacker News. CCTime only has some simple functions, including account registration and login, press release, browsing, commenting, voting and so on. The core concept of this design is not making original content, copyright protection or social interactions, instead it is content sharing, making comments, and building a lightweight news gathering platform based on blockchain technology.
With the development of this project, we believe that this project has great potential; the main reasons are:：
CCTime is the first project which mainly aims at news sharing and making comments based on blockchain technology; There are considerable numbers of high-level participants in the crypto market, but there are no high-quality communities such as Hacker News to gather high-quality users. CCTime will be the answer, and the crypto market will also need this product; When compared with traditional news platforms, on the new CCTime platform, the difficulties of high-quality content identification will be solved effectively by adding a token incentive function. Based on blockchain technology, the CCTime platform is designed to return the value to the content creators and deliverers, and while all participants can share this cost, no single company is able to control most of it any more; The projects YOYOW, DECENT and GitBook pay more attention to making original content and copyright protection, while CCTime is a content sharing and commenting platform;_a sort of news release platform. Its competitors are Jinritoutiao and flipboard. When compared with Jinritoutiao, CCTime’s ranking algorithm avoids the bias deepened problem brought by the machine learning algorithm since the machine will only recommend your favorite content; The functions of CCTime are simple and easy to use. Users can get started quickly; Today, fast reading is becoming a trend. There is more demand for news applications, and the market is looking very promising.
1.2 Business model
Centralized content distribution platforms have all the power concentrated in_central institutions, which leads to over-centralization of institutional control. Meanwhile, completely decentralized content distribution platforms may be full of vulgar content, pornography, reactionary speeches, etc., since there is no regulation.
The concept of CCTime (Cryptocurrency Time) is to spread the value of information. Therefore, to reduce, avoid or even eliminate the negative impact of total decentralization, CCTime system uses a regulatory model, combined in a variety of ways.
In the early days, the trustees, as regulators, supervise the CCTime platform through joint reporting. Regulator rights will be supervised by users in order to avoid any abuse of power. Later, each publisher will use the “collateral message” mechanism to publish information. The system will rank the content according to the collateral issue via the collateral XCT. Readers can comment on content. When a certain level is reached, the publisher can redeem the token, or leave it to the system as a “bargaining chip” for the next round of information sharing.
Through data analysis of the CCTime system, the collateral rate will decrease accordingly.
2 Design Concept
2.1 Simplicity
CCTime only includes the functions of account registration and login, publishing press releases, browsing, commenting and voting. It doesn’t focus on advertising social, copyright or original content.
2.2 Effective Supervision
Regulators have the supervising roles to review inappropriate contents such as pornography, reactionary, violence, homicide, etc). In the meanwhile, regulators are supervised by other non-regulator users to avoid power abuse.
2.3 Free distribution
The tokens can be freely distributed, allowing more people to hold tokens.
2.4 Sharing Value
Distributed value transmission breaks the limitation of conventional information on the internet. Everyone enjoys CCTime’s value-added profit distribution by receiving tokens, effectively promoting content publishers’ enthusiasm and improving the production and dissemination of high-quality content.
3 Technical Detail
3.1 Asset production
CCTime is a decentralized application based on Asch’s application SDK. The CCTime application will not issue tokens independently by transferring from the main chain. A publisher called CCTime in the Asch main chain will be registered, and the publisher will be used to register an asset called XCT, which is known as cctime.xct. Once the asset is issued, it will be transferred to the CCTime application in a lump sum and will be locked in a joint signature account of the application. We will release 95 percent of tokens by airdropping within one year to users who are interested in the application.
Why not produce assets within CCTime?
Issuing assets in the main chain are reliable. In the future, the assets transferred to Dapp can also be transferred to the main chain through the cross-link port and then transferred to other applications，achieving the goal of multi-chain and multi-purpose.
3.2 System of account
The main chain of Asch is in normal use with all the accounts of Dapp (except for the old version of the digital address). Account authentication uses asymmetric encryption techniques. Therefore, there is no need for a centralized registration process. The user only needs to keep the master password corresponding to an account, can make various write operation on the blockchain, such as transfer, release news, reward, praise, comment and so on.
The master password uses the bip39 protocol generated by several (multiples of 12) word mnemonic symbols, as well as the public key pair and the private key pair taking the master password as seed, calculated by the ed25519 elliptic curve algorithm. Account ID or account address then is encoded by the public key, followed by two sha256 hashes and one ripemd160 hash, and a repass Base58check.
3.3 Cryptographic algorithm
Block ID and transaction ID use the sha256 hash algorithm.
The signature of the bookkeeper and the transaction signature of the block are the sodium implementation version of the ed25519 algorithm.
3.4 Contract and abstract transaction model
The Asch application uses an abstract transaction model; this model can represent any function call. On the Bitcoin blockchain, the payload of the block is a transaction or transfer record, In Asch applications, the payload of the block is the function or contract call, also called an affair(transaction). A transaction can modify multiple states such as balances, nicknames, news, comments, etc.
CCTime includes the following specific methods: postArticle (Release news) postComment (Release comment) voteArticle (Vote for the article) likeComment (Reward for the comment) report (Reporting articles or comments)
3.5 News ranking algorithm
CCTime uses the following comprehensive scoring algorithm:
V stands for the number of votes obtained by an article; votes are measured in tokens of XCT. T stands for the time from which an article is published (in hours), Plus 2 is in consideration because it takes time to create an article from authoring it to sharing it with the CCTime system, it also avoids the problem that the denominator is too small due to too short release time.
G is a gravity factor; it determines the rate of decline in the article ranking, the default value for CCTime is 1.8
As shown in the picture above, there are three simultaneous posts, respectively scoring 199, 59 and 29, which is respectively in yellow, in purple and in blue. At any point in time, the yellow curve is at the top, the blue curve at the bottom.
Provided that other conditions are the same, the more newly published posts, the higher the ranking. In other words, the ranking of a post will fall as time goes on.
What is possible to see on the picture above is that all posts have a score less than 1 after 24 hours. That means they will fall to the bottom of the list, ensuring that the top ones will be new.
As it can be seen in the figure above, the other parameters of the three curves are the same. G values are 1.5, 1.8 and 2.0 respectively. The higher the G value, the steeper the curve, the faster the ranking drops, Which means that the ranking is updated faster.
(This section refers to the Yifeng Ruan’s blog, and is slightly modified)
3.6 Reward Mechanism
The execution of each transaction requires the consumption of basic fees, which are paid by the sponsor and distributed equally to all accounts.
In addition to the basic fee, postArticle and postComment, the sponsor also needs to choose to spend extra tokens to represent the amount of votes and quotas, which are mostly rewarded to the publisher of the articles or the commenter publishers, but a small number (10%) will enter into the expense pool to be assigned to the accountant.
3.7 Review Mechanism
CCTime is a decentralized system, without user authentication. The user generally logs in anonymously. There is a need for a review mechanism to prevent anti-government, anti-social or other violations of the law of the emergence of speech.
The review of CCTime 1.0 is temporarily responsible by all the delegates. Each delegate can report any articles or comment. If the content is reported more than 3 times, the article or comment will be filtered out, but will not be deleted from the underlying database;it will be just marked. The review mechanism only affects the data returned by the query interface. A non-standard node compatible with the CCTime protocol can still show all non-filtered data.
4 Distribution Mechanism
XCT (current coin) issues a maximum of 10 billion coins. The main team reserves 5% tokens, and the remaining 95% will be airdropped to the blockchain community.
4.1 Distribution Principle
The principle of distribution is to cover as many user groups as possible, mainly for crypto users/investors, and it can also cover the ones who do not know much about the cryptocurrency.
4.2 Formula（MCDF）
4.3 Staging Airdrop Rules
4.3.1 First Round of Airdrop Rules Only for the four communities in coin circle (Asch coin, Bitcoin, Ethereum, BitShares); Use the multi-community allocation rule in section 5.2;
3.The XCT token airdrop was originally planned to be on August 20, and postponed due to new regulations. A snapshot of the four public chains will be taken, and the user’s share will be calculated according to the formula, and the tokens will be distributed immediately ; Distribution of 1 billion tokens in total; Refer to Appendix A for examples.
4.3.2 After the second period
Starting from the second period, The one who is holding XCT (current coin) can participate in the airdrop, in addition to the specified coins. Each XCT (current coin) can receive 0.1 XCT (current coin). Program of other coins and airdrop ratio is to be determined.
5 Competition Advantages
CCTime (Cryptocurrency Time) is the first Dapp application (decentralized content distribution platform) based on Asch’s system side-chain, which has a commanding advantage over other platforms such as Steem, Synereo, Decent, PressOne, specifically: Own the support of Asch’s technology and community; Product model innovation, market segments without competitors;
6 Risk Tips
Although the distribution model of CCTime (Cryptocurrency Time) makes use of airdrops, each round of airdrops, and the increasing number of visitors will inevitably bring a risk of speculation, including but not limited to: Secondary trading market has formed. Offline trading becomes active and highly risky; XCT (current coin) once distributed, the authority no longer holds. The holder is the owner. The key should be properly preserved. Once lost, the authority will not shoulder responsibility; CCTime (Cryptocurrency Time) is an application of distributed content sharing and communication, which is based on the Asch system. As a platform application, participants should abide by the relevant laws and regulations, prohibit all bad, reactionary and other remarks, together to create a safe atmosphere.
7 More Attention
The Asch team is adhering to the concept of blockchain sharing and contribution. After a long period of research and development, they are about to share the first application of Asch’s ecology to the domestic blockchain community. Everyone is welcome to use it, and we invite the majority of the blockchain developers to join the Asch community. Everyone may promote the application of China’s blockchain to participate in the CCTime (Cryptocurrency Time) airdrop. For more information, please pay attention to upcoming announcements on the following channels：
CCTime official website: www.cctime.org
ASCH official website: www.asch.io
Official weibo: Beijing Asch Chain Technology Co., Ltd.
ASCH Official Wechat Public Subscribe
Official QQ group：
CCTime official group1：644658047
CCTime official group2：65622549
#8 Appendix A: XCT (Current Coin) First Round Airdrop Examples
For example, if the total number of Asch coins to participate in airdrop is 40 million (XAS) this round, and the weighting factor of Asch is 2, the Asch coin is calculated as 100 million (XAS) in total.
The proportion of Asch coin:
Pxas = Xxas Kxas / Sxas = 40 million 2/100 million = 0.8
If the total number of Bitcoins to participate in the airdrop is 5 million (Xbtc) this round and the weighting factor of Bitcoin is 1, the Bitcoin is calculated as 20 million (Sbtc) in total.
The proportion of Bitcoin is:
Pbtc = Xbtc Kbtc / Sbtc = 5 million 1/20 million = 0.25
If the total number of Ethereum coins to participate in the airdrop is 50 million (Xeth) this round and the weighting factor of Ethereum is 1, the Ethereum is calculated as 100 million (Seth) in total.
The proportion of Ethereum:
Peth = Xeth Keth / Seth = 50 million 1/100 million = 0.5
If the total number of Bitshare coins to participate in the airdrop is 1 billion(Xbts) this round, and the weighting factor of Bitshare is 1, the Bitshare is calculated as 2.5 billion(Sbts) in total.
The proportion of Bitshare:
Pbts = Xbts Kbts / Sbts = 1 billion 1 / 2.5 billion = 0.4
A total airdrop amount of Asch coin earned:
Gxas = DPxas / Pxas + Pbtc + Peth + Pbts = 1 billion 0.8 / (0.8 + 0.25 + 0.5 + 0.4) = $ 410 million
A total airdrop amount of Bitcoin earned:
Gbtc = DPbtc / Pxas + Pbtc + Peth + Pbts = 1 billion 0.25 / (0.8 + 0.25 + 0.5 + 0.4) = 128 million
A total airdrop amount of Ethereum earned:
Geth = DPeth / Pxas + Pbtc + Peth + Pbts = 1 billion 0.5 / (0.8 + 0.25 + 0.5 + 0.4) = 256 million
A total airdrop amount of Bitshare earned:
Gbts = DPxas / Pxas + Pbtc + Peth + Pbts = 1 billion 0.4 / (0.8 + 0.25 + 0.5 + 0.4) = 205 million
If the user j holds one percent (400,000)of Asch coin（Txasj）, the number of CCTime he can get is:
Uxasj= 100million
If the user j holds one percent (50,000)of Bitcoin (Tbtcj), the number of CCTime he can get is:
Ubtcj= 100million
If the user j holds one percent (500,000)of Ethereum (Tethj), the number of CCTime he can get is:
Uethj= 100million
If the user j holds one percent (10million)of Bitshare (Tbtsj), the number of CCTime he can get is:
Ubtsj= 100millionIn this Oct. 7, 2010, file photo, President Barack Obama greets people after speaking at a campaign rally for Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley at Bowie State University in Bowie, Md. (Susan Walsh/AP Photo/)
Four years after Barack Obama was elected president, this is not exactly a "post-racial" America.
A new study from Washington University in St. Louis finds that under Obama, many black Americans feel less free than whites when it comes to political participation.
From 2005 to 2011, only 45 percent of blacks said they believed the government would allow them to make a public speech, while 67 percent of whites believed they could, the study found.
The study found that while the election of Obama initially boosted feelings of political empowerment among black Americans, those sentiments significantly faded in the years that followed—especially among conservative and religious blacks.
These two groups make up a large segment of the black population, with 56 percent of blacks identifying as "born again," and 39 percent of blacks as "somewhat conservative," according to the study.
"First we saw the 'empowerment effect,' the boost that happens when a member of your group gets elected to an important political position," says study author James L. Gibson, a professor of government and African-American studies at Washington University. Gibson's findings are based on national surveys conducted between 2005 and 2011.
In 2009, the year after Obama was elected, 71 percent of blacks reported feeling as free to speak one's mind as they used to.
"But then perceptions of political freedom deteriorated among conservative and religious blacks," says Gibson. By 2011, the percentage of blacks who felt as free to speak their mind had dropped to 56 percent, back to pre-Obama levels. (White Americans also reported feeling less free to speak one's mind under Obama, but the decline was far less than among blacks).
In part, says Gibson, this can be attributed to "ideological polarization." That split may have begun when Obama dismissed Pennsylvania voters in 2008 who "cling to guns or religion." But Gibson says many conservative and religions blacks likely believed when Obama was first elected that he would protect their interests as president. "Race produces a level of trust and confidence that one is on your side," he says.
Over time, that confidence eroded. Gibson cites the contraception debate between the White House and some religious leaders that erupted last year. Black Americans, he notes, are traditionally conservative on social issues.
Another schism may have centered on gay marriage. The Democratic-leaning Coalition of African-American Pastors, for example, recently said they felt "marginalized" and "ignored" by Obama's seemingly sudden support for same-sex marriage.
Religious fundamentalists and conservative blacks, Gibson says, "have seen their efforts to participate in public life [under Obama] being thwarted over and over and over again."
Elizabeth Flock is a staff writer for U.S. News & World Report. You can follow her on Twitter or Facebook or reach her at eflock@usnews.com.You have a static website in an S3 bucket. You want to put CloudFront in front of that bucket site, for caching, SSL with a custom domain, etc. You want to use CloudFormation because Infrastructure as Code for the win, and artisanally hand-crafted systems for the lose.
In short, this is the magic you want in your CloudFormation template, with thanks to Eric Hammond and Ryan Brown:
SiteBucket: Type: "AWS::S3::Bucket" # Snip Mappings: RegionToS3DomainSuffix: "us-east-1": suffix: "s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com" "eu-central-1": suffix: "s3-website.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com" # I've not investigated other regions... CF: Type: "AWS::CloudFront::Distribution" Properties: DistributionConfig: Origins: - DomainName: "Fn::Join": - "." - -!Ref SiteBucket -!FindInMap [RegionToS3DomainSuffix,!Ref "AWS::Region", suffix]
Yes that’s an ugly hand-crafted Join. Yes that’s an ugly hand-crafted Mapping to account for different regions having different bucket website URL conventions. However, it works.
In an ideal world, AWS::S3::Bucket s would have a WebsiteDomain attribute so you could!GetAttr SiteBucket.WebsiteDomain. Alas at time of writing (October 2016) they don’t.
AWS::S3::Bucket.WebsiteURL exists but it returns a URL, with leading http:// and trailing /. Stripping these within a CloudFormation template is beyond me.
As far as I can tell, icky region-specific substitutions are where it’s at for now!Story highlights Those who successfully influence Trump meet him on his terms, not their own
That's what Ruddy is doing here
Washington (CNN) Newsmax CEO -- and FOT "Friend of Trump" -- Chris Ruddy went to the White House on Monday. Soon after he left, he did an interview with PBS "NewsHour" anchor Judy Woodruff in which he said this of the President:
"I think he's considering perhaps terminating the special counsel. I think he's weighing that option."
The White House made clear -- albeit not all that quickly -- that Ruddy never met with President Trump on Monday and is, essentially, freelancing.
"Mr. Ruddy never spoke to the President regarding this issue," White House press secretary Sean Spicer said late Monday. "With respect to this subject, only the President or his attorneys are authorized to comment."
Ruddy hit back Tuesday morning in a statement via Politico's Playbook
Read MoreSerbian's representative has confirmed both Premier League clubs are after his client as well as the Nerazzurri, Fenerbahce and three unnamed Russian sides
Chelsea and Tottenham have expressed an interest in Juventus midfielder Milos Krasic, according to the Serbian's agent.Serie A outfit Inter Milan are also chasing the winger, as well as Turkish giants Fenerbahce and three unnamed Russian sides.Krasic may move on in the January transfer market after being restricted to just four starts in the league this term.Krasic's agent Dejan Joksimovic told calciomercato.com: "In the next few days Milos will talk with [Juventus director Giuseppe] Marotta to understand what the club plans for him - offer him another chance, sell him or loan him out.
"There are clubs interested him in - like Chelsea, Inter Milan and now Tottenham and Fenerbahce.
"There are also three Russian clubs in the running that I cannot name.
"Milos doesn't want to return to Russia so soon and there is the possibility that, with some assurances, he could remain at Juventus - even if I believe that he should change team."
How do you stay up with football when on the move? With http://m.goal.com – your best source for mobile coverage of the beautiful game.NOTHING takes the gloss off your footy team making the grand final more than the realisation an airfare to watch them will cost the same as a trip to Europe.
Qantas is trying to ease the pain of the grand final airfare surge, with their first ever “back your team” early-bird sale for flights to Melbourne and Sydney for the AFL and Rugby League premierships.
Independent MP Bob Katter was among many to criticise airlines that charged as much as $2000 for a return Townsville or Cairns to Sydney flight for last year’s NRL grand final.
Their anger was matched by West Coast Eagles supporters, who complained a trip to Paris was cheaper than a trip over east to watch their team face Hawthorn. A last minute one-way ticket from Perth to Melbourne peaked at $1430, according to Qantas.
The sale, which starts after midnight tonight, will offer one way prices from capital cities to Melbourne for the AFL showdown starting at $125 and to Sydney for the NRL clash at $99.
“We know there are footy fans around the country already thinking about heading to the MCG
for the AFL grand final and to ANZ Stadium for the NRL grand final, so we’re offering early
bird fares to get them there,” said Phil Capps, Head of Customer Product and Service Development at Qantas.
“We’re encouraging diehard fans to back their team and take advantage of these early bird
fares, so they don’t have to worry about booking a last minute airfare, come grand final time.
“The only thing they need to worry about for the rest of the season is whether their team will
make it.”
It’s always a gamble to book this early in the season, but the airline says the tickets can be cancelled and credited for a year, along with payment of an $88 change fee, as is normal for this class of tickets.
“If their team doesn’t end up making it, then they have the option of putting the airfare
towards another flight at a later date,” said Mr Capps.
Airline ticket pricing is a tricky science and prices can change quickly depending on availability and the class of seat. Flexible tickets and those that earn more frequent flyer points also cost more.
The AFL grand final is on Saturday October 1, followed by the NRL showdown the next day. Given it’s school holidays in NSW and Victoria over that weekend, ticket costs are expected to rise.
The back your team sale starts at 12.01am on April 10 and will last for 72 hours or until sold out.
On offer will be limited number of discounted one way airfares including Sydney to Melbourne for $149, Perth to Melbourne ($349), Adelaide to Melbourne ($125) and from Brisbane for $145.
For NRL fans, the discounted one way fares include Melbourne to Sydney from $149, Townsville to Sydney ($199) and from Brisbane for $99.Christopher Wray, President Trump’s pick for FBI director, vowed Wednesday to uphold “strict independence” at the bureau as his confirmation hearing became the latest stage for the Russia investigation drama.
Seeking to replace an FBI director fired by the president amid tensions over that investigation, Wray testified that he'd conduct his job "without regard to any partisan political influence."
“I believe to my core that there’s only one right way to do this job,” Wray told the Senate Judiciary Committee. “And that is with strict independence. By the book. Playing it straight. Faithful to the Constitution."
Trump announced his selection of Wray to lead the FBI last month. The confirmation hearing, though, was overshadowed at times by the latest Russia-related revelations concerning Donald Trump Jr.
South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham asked Wray about emails released by Trump’s son pertaining to his meeting last summer with a Russian lawyer thought to have damaging information on Hillary Clinton.
Asked by Graham if Trump Jr. should have taken the meeting, Wray said he didn’t have enough information. “I’m not really in a position to speak to it.”
But when pressed again, Wray said: “To the members of this committee, any threat or effort to interfere with our elections, from any nation state or any non-state actor, is the kind of the thing the FBI would want to know.”
The emails have emboldened the president’s critics who say they show clear evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Graham also asked Wray if he considers Russia a friend or enemy. “I think Russia is a foreign nation that we have to deal with very warily,” Wray replied.
Wray, 50, would inherit the nation's top law enforcement agency at a particularly challenging time. Trump abruptly fired predecessor James Comey during its investigation into Russian meddling in the U.S. presidential election and potential coordination with the Trump campaign.
The probe was later handed to special counsel Robert Mueller.
With pressure only mounting on Mueller to get to the bottom of the issue, Wray also declined to adopt Trump's past characterization of the investigation as a "witch hunt," when asked during Wednesday's hearing.
More broadly, he vowed to follow the facts as FBI director if confirmed.
“I would just say anybody who thinks that I would be pulling punches as the FBI director sure doesn’t know me very well," he said.
Comey testified during a Senate hearing last month that Trump repeatedly encouraged him to conclude the Russian investigation.
“If I am given the honor of leading this agency, I will never allow the FBI’s work to be driven by anything other than the facts, the law, and the impartial pursuit of justice,” Wray said. “Period.”
Comey also testified that Trump told him: “I need loyalty, I expect loyalty.”
Wray said Wednesday no one in the White House has requested a loyalty pledge from him.
“My loyalty is to the Constitution, to the rule of law and to the mission of the FBI,” he said. “And no one asked me for any kind of loyalty oath at any point during this process, and I sure as heck didn’t offer one.”
Wray was also asked to weigh in on Comey’s decision to deliver a press statement in July of last year to say he didn’t believe Hillary Clinton shouldn’t face criminal charges over her email practices while serving as secretary of state.
Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, wrote in his May letter recommending the firing of Comey that he believed the FBI director was wrong to hold a press conference to "release derogatory information about the subject" of a declined criminal investigation.
“I can’t imagine a situation where as FBI director I would be giving a press conference on an uncharged individual, much less talking in detail about it," Wray said Wednesday.
With Wray announced as the nominee in a curt, early morning tweet by Trump, and without the pageantry of a Rose Garden ceremony, the hearing offered the first public, close-up look at Wray's background.
“It’s a demanding job that requires a keen understanding of the law, sound management skills, calm under significant pressure, and a level head,” Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said at the beginning of the hearing. “From what I’ve seen so far from meetings with Mr. Wray and from looking at his record, he appears to possess these qualifications.”
Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the top Democrat on the committee, said the FBI “is and must remain an independent law enforcement organization.”
Feinstein also asked Wray if he discussed Comey or his firing at the White House, Justice Department or FBI.
“Senator Feinstein, I did not discuss those topics at all with anyone in the White House,” Wray said.
He said Rosenstein, who approached him about the job, remarked to him that with the special counsel dealing with the issue “it made for a better landscape for me to consider taking on this position.”
Feinstein said she wanted to hear from Wray about his role in reviewing memos about the Bush-era enhanced interrogation program. She noted how he served as the deputy attorney general’s most senior adviser when the office of legal counsel issued the so-called “torture memos” in 2002 and 2003.
“My view is that torture is wrong," Wray said. "It is unacceptable. It is illegal. And I think it’s ineffective.”
Wray said he would continue the policy of his predecessors that the FBI would not “use of any techniques of that sort.” He said that when he was assistant attorney general for the criminal division, he investigated and prosecuted a CIA contractor who went “overboard and abused a detainee that he was interrogating.”
During his opening statement, Grassley said he believes “a cloud of doubt hangs over the FBI’s objectivity.” He pointed to questions about FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, citing how McCabe’s wife ran as a Democrat for the Virginia state Senate and accepted almost a million dollars from Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe’s “political machine.”
“Gov. McAuliffe is a longtime friend and fundraiser for the Clintons and the Democratic Party,” Grass |
at.
Officially, the Louisville city council thinks this project will be a fountain and reflecting pool. City hall seems very friendly; the Louisville chamber of commerce asked about including LVL1 in next year’s Derby tour.
The barely-zombie proof moat build is the latest in a series of builds to improve the security of LVL1. Previous builds included a robotic overlord guarding the building and a robotic arm to cajole members into doing its bidding. Like we said, there’s probably something in the water supply.When Shaniya Davis disappeared 8 days ago, her mother, 25-year-old Antoinette Davis dialed 9-1-1
Caller: Yes.
Operator: Ok, ma’am, how can I help you?
Caller: I woke up this morning and my daughter was not in the house. I don’t know if she walked out, or I don’t know what’s going on, but she’s not here.
Operator: How old is your daughter?
Caller: She is five.
Operator: five!
Police now believe Shaniya’s mother was lying and that the call was part of a cover-up. They say Antoinette Davis knew just hours earlier she had sold her daughter as a sex slave.
Operator: And your door was not unlocked? That’s what you are telling me?
Caller: No, it was not unlocked. But I’m telling you she knows how to unlock it. I’m hoping she didn’t unlock it and walk out.
Police have charged 29-year-old Mario McNeill with kidnapping. On the morning Shaniya disappeared, detectives say McNeill was spotted on a hotel surveillance camera holding the five-year-old in his arms. Investigators say they believe when Shaniya left the hotel, she was still alive. Her body was found Monday in the woods seven miles from that hotel.
Members of Davis’s local community are now shocked and angered.
“I have children, I have babies, that would devastate me alone to know that it would happen to my children,” says Cynthia McCoy, a resident in Fayetteville.
Shaniya’s body was positively identified by the medical examiner on Tuesday.
“It’s not the result I wanted, it’s not the result any father or family would want for their children, but God has a greater calling for all of us,” says Brad Lockhart, Shaniya’s father.
The five-year-old girl had lived most of her life with her father. He had raised her and says allowing Shaniya’s mother to have informal temporary custody beginning in mid-October was based on his belief Shaniya should better know her birth-mother.
Brad’s sister, Carey, who raised Shaniya as if she were her own child, said she last saw her niece when she dropped Shaniya off at her mother’s house last month.
“I went and took her to see her mother, I packed her with two days of clothes, got her out of the car, kissed her goodbye and I told her to be a good girl, and she turned back and said I love you Aunt Carey and see you later.”
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.Press reports say House Speaker John Boehner will ask Rep. Nancy Pelosi to help him overcome “snowballing” GOP opposition to the GOP leadership’s draft 2015 government budget bill.
Boehner’s draft bill funds the entire government for 2015, but makes merely token efforts to stop President Barack Obama’s agencies from implementing his unpopular amnesty, according to rank-and-file GOP legislators.
That claim of snowballing opposition was boosted early Wednesday evening, when aides to House Speaker John Boehner said they would change their funding bill to reduce the number of months of funding for Obama’s immigration agencies.
Late Wednesday night, the Washington Post reported that top Democrat Rep. Steny Hoyer also said Boehner’s aides had asked him to deliver Democratic votes to ensure passage of the amnesty-funding bill. GOP Rep. Mark Amodei made the same claim to National Review.
Boehner is looking for Democratic help because many of the 234 GOP legislators don’t want to fund the business-backed amnesty. Boehner needs at least 218 votes to pass the bill.
Obama’s amnesty, announced Nov. 21, has blocked the enforcement of immigration law for 12 million illegals, will grant work-permits to five million illegals, will provide government benefits to millions of illegals and will make it cheaper for companies to hire illegals instead of Americans.
“Right now, it is just snowballing opposition,” Kansas Rep. Tim Huelskamp told The Daily Caller Wednesday.
“Twenty-four hours ago, there was little [opposition] there… [but] more and and more folks are learning the issue and asking ‘Why would I be voting for this?'” he said, citing quiet conversations he’s had with GOP members. “It is hard to put numbers on it,” he said, adding that legislators are responding to their voters’ phone calls and complaints.
In the run-up to the November election, Gallup reported the highest priority for GOP voters was not Obamacare or the economy, but immigration. Even a poll by CNN and Quinnipiac, taken late November, showed that 75 percent of GOP supporters oppose unilateral action by Obama, and that 54 percent say illegal migrants “should be required to leave.” Only 20 percent of GOP supporters endorsed unilateral action by the president.
Boehner promised to fight the amnesty “tooth and nail,” and on Dec. 1 he proposed a 2015 budget plan he said would block Obama’s amnesty.
His 2015 budget plan would provide only four months of funding to the agency that will implement the amnesty. Once the funding runs out, the new GOP majorities in the Senate and House can block the amnesty, Boehner’s deputies promised.
Boehner’s allies say that plan will avoid the “government shutdown” political defeat expected once Obama blocks the spending plan with the anti-amnesty language. The budget plan has to be drafted and approved by Dec. 12.
GOP members say Boehner’s plan can’t actually stop the immigration agency from printing work permits and Social Security cards for millions of illegal immigrants. The agency, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, can accomplish Obama’s amnesty even without federal funding because it is mostly funded with fees paid by would-be immigrants.
So even if Congress appropriates no money to fund the agency after March 2015, it can use the fees to keep handing out work permits to illegals.
Boehner and GOP leaders can’t stop the agency’s operations once they pass the 2015 budget in December. That’s because they would need to pass a new law through the Senate in 2015, where there will be enough Democrats to block any GOP bill, and more than enough Democrats to sustain the presidential veto of any anti-amnesty bill that does get passed.
The only way to stop the amnesty, say GOP members, including Huelskamp, is to add “rider” language to Boehner’s pending appropriations bill.
The rider language would bar the immigration agency from spending any funds to implement the amnesty for the next 12 months.
The so-called “rider” language is similar to many other funding limitations inserted into the annual appropriations bills — except that Obama’s aides are suggesting he will shut down the government unless the GOP funds his amnesty.
The amnesty will cost a lot of money to implement. On Dec. 3, Sen. Jeff Sessions announced that the administration has secretly made preparations to hire 1,000 people to rapidly distribute work permits to illegals in Virginia.
“This action will mean that American workers, their sons, their daughters, their parents, will now have to compete directly for jobs, wages, and benefits with millions of illegal immigrants,” Sessions said.
Many GOP legislators will oppose Boehner’s budget plan, but only when they’re pressured by voters, said Iowa Rep. Steve King.
“These people in here, when you realize how many don’t come out publicly [against the amnesty] because they may hope to be a committee chair one day, maybe looking for a certain appointment. … They want to stay a little more low-key,” and those members will stay quiet until they’re pressured by voters, King said.
The group of winnable legislators could be up to 50, which is enough to deny Boehner a House majority. That would force him to rewrite his funding bill or rely on Democratic leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi to provide enough legislators to pass the bill.
Many conservative or immigration-reform groups are trying to rally GOP legislators against the bill. “The funding bill is really the only angle” to stop the amnesty, said Michael Steele, the former head of the Republican National Committee.
Boehner “has to put something in place something that aligns the caucus to get the votes he needs. … They should have done better,” he told radio host Laura Ingraham.
Boehner’s team is keeping its deliberations secret from GOP legislators, say Huelskamp and other GOP legislators. But his chief whip, Rep. Steve Scalise, has long worked with conservative GOP legislators, King said. “He’s a pretty good guy, you know,” King said.
During the border security issue in July, Scalise worked with King and other GOP leaders to pass a bill that denied funding for an extension of Obama’s 2012 amnesty for young illegal immigrants.
Boehner and team tried to push through a much weaker bill, but many GOP legislators joined King’s group once their constituents called. Eventually, nearly every GOP legislator — including Boehner — voted for the bill developed by Scalise and King.
“That was a similar scenario to this one… some of the [legislators] had been whipped on this [by Boehner’s team], but they went back and told leadership ‘No,'” because of voter pressure, King said.
“If you look at what I thought we had [open] support then, versus what materialized for support after people made the phone calls to their members of Congress, after they got up to speed on the issue … members begin to learn enough, they get educated and they come around,” he said.
That House defunding bill died when Senate Democrats blocked it in a late-night vote.
However, the bill has put nearly all GOP legislators on the record against Obama’s amnesty actions.
In the Senate, four endangered Democratic Senators voted to support a similar defunding bill when Sessions used complex Senate rules to bypass Democratic opposition to any vote.
The Democratic splits shows the GOP may win an amnesty and government shutdown battle with Obama.
The amnesty could become political poison for the Democratic Party because it grants work permits to four million low-wage illegal immigrants during a period when Americans’ wages have stayed flat for 15 years, when roughly 20 million Americans are unemployed or have given up looking for work and when more taxpayer funds are being transferred from retirees to unskilled poor migrant families.
Polls show strong opposition to increased immigration and to Obama’s immigration policies. But public opposition to the amnesty is muted by social pressure to support for the tradition of immigration, and by Americans’ reluctance to been seen as critical of migrants.
Private opposition spikes up to nearly 90 percent whenever the pollsters focus on the fairness of forcing Americans to compete against migrants for jobs in America.
Follow Neil on TwitterCows graze on a farm. - Nancy Marshall-Genzer
There are about nine million dairy cows in the United States, and every day each of those cows squirts out about 6.5 gallons of milk and poops about 24 gallons of manure. We drink the milk; the manure decomposes. And when it does, some very bad things happen. Nitrous oxide and methane float up to the heavens like the souls of road kill.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, "nitrous oxide warms the atmosphere 310 times more than carbon dioxide, methane does so 21 times more."
Dairy cows actually produce about 280 litres of methane per day most of it through burps.
Of course, it doesn't have to be this way. In many places, all that dung is used to generate electricity. Machines called digesters use anaerobic digestion to extract the gas from manure and burn it to power generators. They basically work like a giant cow stomach.
Dairy farmers use the electricity to power their farms, the solid waste is used for cow bedding, and the liquid waste can be used as fertilizer. All that helps the farmer's bottom line and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
It's not new technology, but like anything involving environmental hazards and government agencies, there are economic and bureaucratic obstacles to overcome. Especially in the state that produces the most milk in the U.S. Now you are probably thinking of Wisconsin (1.27 million dairy cows) but you, my dear cheese-loving friend, are mistaken. California is number one when it comes to milk with 1.8 million dairy cows in the state.
But as a result of regulatory hurdles, pollution issues and inadequate financial incentives, most dairy farmers in California abandoned their digesters years ago. Now a number of companies hope to reverse that trend with a new generation of digesters. The state is also doing its part. It has introduced a new permit process that aims to reduce the red tape that plagued past renewable energy projects.
If digesters were put in use in all of the California’s dairy farms, the state’s 1.8 million dairy cows could generate up to 1,971 gigawatt hours of electricity each year—enough to cover about.7% of California’s electricity. By comparison 11.6% of California’s electricity was generated by all renewable energy which includes solar, geothermal, small hydroelectric and biomass.
“I think the best compliment I can give is not to say how much your programs have taught me (a ton), but how much Marketplace has motivated me to go out and teach myself.” – Michael in Arlington, VA As a nonprofit news organization, what matters to us is the same thing that matters to you: being a source for trustworthy, independent news that makes people smarter about business and the economy. So if Marketplace has helped you understand the economy better, make more informed financial decisions or just encouraged you to think differently, we’re asking you to give a little something back. Become a Marketplace Investor today – in whatever amount is right for you – and keep public service journalism strong. We’re grateful for your support. BEFORE YOU GOHBO releases The Leftovers final season tease
HBO has released a new teaser for the final season of The Leftovers! The adaptation of Tom Perrotta‘s 2011 novel, created by Perotta and Damon Lindelof (LOST, Prometheus), The Leftovers will begin its final eight-episode season on Sunday, April 16. You can watch The Leftovers final season tease below!
RELATED: Leftovers Season Three Will Be the Last
The Leftovers Season 3 cast includes Justin Theroux, Carrie Coon, Amy Brenneman, Kevin Carroll, Christopher Eccleston, Scott Glenn, Lindsay Duncan, Regina King, Jovan Adepo, Janel Moloney, Margaret Qualley, Jasmin Savoy-Brown, Liv Tyler and Chris Zylka.
“I have never, ever experienced the level of creative support and trust that I have received from HBO during the last two seasons of ‘The Leftovers,'” Lindelof said when the final season was announced. “Tom, myself and our incredible team of writers and producers put tremendous care into designing those seasons as novels unto themselves…with beginnings, middles and ends. As we finished our most recent season, it became clear to us that the series as a whole was following the same model…and with our beginning and middle complete, the most exciting thing for us as storytellers would be to bring ‘The Leftovers’ to a definitive end. And by ‘definitive,’ we mean ‘wildly ambiguous but hopefully mega-emotional,’ as all things related to this show are destined to be.”
The Leftovers Season 3 is executive produced by Damon Lindelof, Tom Perrotta, Mimi Leder, Tom Spezialy, Gene Kelly, Peter Berg and Sarah Aubrey. Lindelof serves as showrunner. The show is produced for HBO by White Rabbit in association with Warner Bros. Television.
The eight-episode final season was filmed on location in Texas and Australia.The colón was the currency of El Salvador between 1892 and 2001, until it was replaced by the U.S. Dollar. It was subdivided into 100 centavos and its ISO 4217 code was SVC. The plural is colones in Spanish and was named after Christopher Columbus, known as Cristóbal Colón in Spanish.
Currency symbol [ edit ]
The symbol for the colón is a c with two slashes. The symbol "₡" has Unicode code point U+20A1,[1] and the decimal representation is 8353. In HTML it can be entered as ₡. The colón sign is not to be confused with the cent sign (¢), which has a code point U+00A2 in Unicode (or 162 in decimal), or with the cedi sign ₵, which has a code point U+20B5 in Unicode (or 8373 in decimal). Nonetheless, the commonly available cent symbol '¢' is frequently used locally to designate the colón in price markings and advertisements.
History [ edit ]
On October 1, 1892, the government of President Carlos Ezeta, decided that the Salvadoran peso be called 'Colon', in homage to the "discoverer" of America. The colón replaced the peso at par in 1919. It was initially pegged to the U.S. dollar at a rate of 2 colones = 1 dollar. El Salvador left the gold standard in 1931 and its value floated.
On June 19, 1934 the Central Bank was created as the government body responsible for monetary policy and the sole body authorized to issue currency in the nation. On January 1, 2001 under the government of President Francisco Flores, the Law of Monetary Integration went into effect and allowed the free circulation of U.S. dollar in the country (see dollarization), with a fixed exchange rate of 8.75 colones. The colon has not officially ceased to be legal tender.
Post colonial currency [ edit ]
In the mid-19th century, farms produced tin sheets (property sheets) with the farm's name and were used as payment to employees, the sheets only had value in the farm store that issued it, so it created a kind of monopoly.[2] During the existence of the Central American Federation, the monetary system did not change with respect to the colonial system and continued using silver by weight as the main currency with circulation of macaques and property sheets. Once the federation dissolved, the Salvadoran government decreed the issuance of the first national currency, "Reales", gold coins engraved with an "R" and the "Escudos (Shields)" were silver coins with an "E" engraved.[3]
In 1883, under the presidency of Dr. Rafael Zaldívar, the First Monetary Law was adopted using "Peso (weight)" as a monetary unit, discarding the Spanish system of division into 8 reales. The new law served as a basis for the metric system, where the peso was equivalent to 10 reales. At the end of the 19th century, new paper money began to play an important role as an instrument of change as a unit of measure of the value of goods and as an element of savings. The job of issuing bank notes was decreed to private banks licensed by the government.
The first bank to issue banknotes was the Banco International (International Bank), founded in 1880, this bank was granted exclusive issuing, but then lost exclusivity to Banco Occidental and Banco Agricola Comercial. Under the presidency of Carloz Ezeta, the Mint was inaugurated on August 28 of 1892. On October 1 of that year as a tribute to Christopher Columbus in the Discovery of America, the Legislature reformed the monetary law and changed the name to "Colón". The exchange rate from US dollar at that time was 2 colones for a dollar.
In 1919 Currency laws were amended stipulating that the coins with daily wear would be withdrawn from circulation and coins with cuts or punched out parts would not be accepted as legal tender. The amendment also prohibited the using of cards, vouchers or counterparts to replace the official currency. Furthermore, it gave the Ministry of Finance the power to control the circulation of the currency.
Despite the relative economic prosperity of the 1920s, the worldwide depression of 1929, the global drop in coffee prices and the government deregulation of the monetary system caused a national economic crisis. The main problem was the lack of a specialized institution dedicated to ensuring that currency retained its value by controlling banking activity. In response, the government of General Maximiliano Hernández Martínez hired an Englishman named Frederick Francis Joseph Powell to analyze and structure the Salvadoran banking body. In its final report, it was recommended that the banking system should be organized around a central bank to protect the currency and its value, and issue the currency and credit control.
Thus through the presidential initiative on June 19, 1934, the Legislature approved the creation of the Central Bank of El Salvador, an institution whose objectives are set to control the volume of credit and demand of currency, and was also conferred the exclusive power to issue monetary kind.
Coins [ edit ]
Because the colón replaced the peso at par, 1 and 5 centavos coins issued before 1919 continued to be issued without design change after the colón's introduction. In 1921, cupro-nickel 10 centavos were introduced, followed by silver 25 centavos in 1943. In 1953, silver 50 centavos were introduced alongside smaller silver 25 centavos. Both were replaced by nickel coins in 1970. In 1974, nickel-brass 2 and 3 centavos coins were introduced, followed by 1 colón coins in 1984.
Banknotes [ edit ]
On August 31, 1934, the new banking institution put into circulation the first family of banknotes in Salvadoran history. Until 1934, paper money was issued by private banks. Three banks issued notes, the Banco Agricola Comercial, the Banco Occidental and the Banco Salvadoreño. They were issued in one, five, ten, twenty-five and one hundred colones, adding two and fifty colones banknotes in 1955. The last 2 colones notes were dated 1976 and the last 1 colón note was issued in 1982. 200 colones banknotes were introduced in 1997.
El Salvador 10 Colones banknote of 1959.
References [ edit ]By Loa Iok-sin / Staff Reporter
A Polish journalist accused Taiwan’s representative office of interfering with the freedom of the press by requesting a Polish media outlet to retract a report on protesters’ occupation of the Executive Yuan.
Having published a series of reports on the occupation of the legislature, the Polish media group Niezalezna — which owns several print and online news outlets in Poland, including the daily Gazeta Polska Codziennie, the weekly Gazeta Polska and the monthly Nowe Panstwo — received a letter from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Bureau in Poland, protesting its use of an analogy between the occupation of the Executive Yuan compound by protesters and the consequent violent crackdown by police and the occupation of the central square, Maidan, in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, by protesters who were also treated brutally by the police.
While saying that Taiwan is a “robust democracy and the people in Taiwan enjoy a high degree of freedom of speech,” the representative office still requested that an “appropriate retraction can be made to present the current picture of this news story and avoid misunderstanding among people in Poland and Taiwan,” as “making an analogy between a fully fledged democracy and the bloodshed that happened in Ukraine” not only presents a “completely wrong image of Taiwan,” it is also insulting, the letter said.
Hanna Shen, the reporter for the media group who wroted the story, as well as several other stories on the student occupation of the legislature, said she was shocked when she received the letter.
“My newspaper has been publishing articles very critical of the governments of Russia, China and the former Ukrainian government, but we never received any letter from the representative offices of those countries asking us to retract anything,” she told the Taipei Times in a telephone interview in English.
“And those countries can’t be even called democratic,” she added.
“I personally think this letter, as an attempt to influence, to control the way media in free and democratic Poland writes about Taiwan, is not acceptable,” she said.
Shen said that the analogy between Taiwan and Maidan was made by several students taking part in the protest who she interviewed, and that she believed the analogy was suitable after having personally witnessed unarmed students, doctors and journalists being beaten by the police when the government evicted protesters from the Executive Yuan.
“Not to mention that many media outlets around the world — including in Germany and in the US — have also made the same analogy in their reports,” Shen said.
“I wonder if the Taiwanese government has also asked them to retract the analogy,” Shen added.
When asked for a response, Zhang Ming-zhong (張銘忠), director-general of European affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that the ministry’s overseas mission would issue a rebuttal in the event of biased reports.
As for the particular case concerning the Polish journalist’s complaint, Zhang said he is in the midst of contacting the representative office to better understand the matter.by
There they go again.
Hillary was a two time loser. Weirdly, her people are still in charge of the Democratic Party. Clintonista militant moderates haven’t learned a thing from Bernie Sanders or Donald Trump — so they’re trying to sell Democratic voters on more of the same.
Remember what happened when Hillary ran on “never mind your crappy low wage job, vote for me because ‘first woman president'”? Now we’re supposed to get excited about center-right California Senator Kamala Harris because she ticks off two boxes on the identity politics hit parade.
Remember the ugly optics when Bill and Hillary took their excellent fundraising adventure to the Hamptons? Kamala 2020 is already doing the same thing.
Remember how it well worked out when Hillary snubbed Bernie and insulted his progressive supporters, then ran a tack-to-the-right general-election campaign that targeted Republicans who were never going to vote for her? Here comes Kamala with rhetoric that makes her sound like a Rand Paul Republican: “I agree we must be talking about wasteful spending in our country…we must be talking about tax reform.” Also lots o’ tasty “tough on crime” (since she’s black it can’t possible be the racist dog whistle it sounds like).
The DNC is still partying like it’s 1999: Third Way/DLC/center-right triangulation is king. Dick Morris, call Kamala.
Memo to the Dumocrats: Trump’s polls are in the toilet. Still, Trump (or, if Trump gets impeached, Pence) might beat the Dems again in 2020. “Double haters” — voters who hated Trump and Clinton — were a deciding factor in 2016, accounting for “3% to 5% of the 15 million voters across 17 battleground states,” according to political author Joshua Green. They broke for Trump.
They — and Bernie voters snubbed by Hillary who sat home on election day — cost Hillary the 2016 election.
To be fair, some establishment Democrats know how to count. “American families deserve a better deal so that this country works for everyone again, not just the elites and special interests. Today, Democrats will start presenting that better deal to the American people,” Chuck Schumer wrote in The New York Times yesterday.
Sounds great. So what exactly is in Chuck’s stillborn (Republican president, Republican House, Republican Senate) Better Deal?
“Rules to stop prescription drug price gouging… allow regulators to break up big companies if they’re hurting consumers… giving employers, particularly small businesses, a large tax credit to train workers for unfilled jobs.”
These are good ideas.
But they’re so small.
If enacted, the Dems’ Better Deal wouldn’t do a thing about the problems that afflict most voters.
The #1 problem is the economy. There aren’t enough jobs. The jobs there are don’t pay enough. Bosses have too much power over workers.
A massive new WPA-like program, in which the federal government hires millions of Americans to rebuild our crumbled infrastructure, would create jobs. A $25/hour minimum wage — that’s about what it would be if raises had kept up with inflation — would guarantee that a full-time job yields full-time pay. Abolishing America’s inhuman, archaic “at-will” employment, which gives employers the right to fire you without a good reason, would restore balance to labor-management relations. The U.S. is the only nation with at-will.
The #2 problem is healthcare. Attempts by Republicans to repeal Obamacare have made the ACA more popular than ever. Most Democrats want single-payer, where the government pays for healthcare — why doesn’t the Democratic Party?
The answer, of course, is that the party leadership is owned by Wall Street, the Fortune 500 and big-monied special interests in general. Figures like Harris and Schumer and Clinton will never give the people what we want and need because their masters will never allow it. The question for us is, when do we stop giving them our votes — and start organizing outside the dead-end of the electoral duopoly?Across the nation, progressives increasingly look at California as a model state. This tendency has increased as climate change has emerged as the Democratic Party’s driving issue. To them, California’s recovery from a very tough recession is proof positive that you can impose ever greater regulation on everything from housing to electricity and still have a thriving economy.
And to be sure, the state has finally recovered the jobs lost in the 2007-09 recession, largely a result of a boom in values of stocks and high- end real estate. Things, however, have not been so rosy in key blue-collar fields, such as construction, which is still more than 200,000 jobs below prerecession levels, or manufacturing, where the state has lost over one-third of its employment since 2000. Homelessness, which one would think should be in decline during a strong economy, is on the rise in Orange County and even more so in Los Angeles.
The dirty secret here is that a large proportion of Californians, roughly one-third, or some 3.2 million households, as found by a recent United Way study, find it increasingly difficult to keep their heads above water. The United Way study, surprisingly, has drawn relatively little interest from a media that usually enjoys highlighting disparities, particularly racial gaps. Perhaps this reflects a need to maintain an illusion of blue state success. If Republican Pete Wilson were still governor, I suspect we might have heard much more about this study.
State of Poverty
The United Way study – “Struggling to Get By” – delves well beyond even the recent Census Bureau analysis, which, by factoring in housing costs, already established California as the state with the highest percentage of poor people, at roughly one in four. United Way expanded this percentage by calculating what the charitable organization called the “Real Cost Budget,” which includes not only rent but also costs for child care, medical, health and transportation.
By United Way’s calculation, roughly one in three Californians can barely make ends meet, despite the state’s relatively generous transfer payments, subsidies and general assistance. Latinos and African Americans, as one might expect, fare worse, but roughly one-in-five non-Hispanic whites and 28 percent of Asians also are deemed struggling.
Roughly half of Latino households fall into this condition of poverty or near-poverty, as do a similar share of African American households. Those who do worst generally are poorly educated single mothers and their children. Poverty and near-poverty are greatest among Latinos, who also are bearing the majority of children. It is hard to imagine a more urgent wake-up call.
Not surprisingly, many of the foreign-born, the source of much of California’s population growth in recent decades, have fared poorly. Only 25 percent of households headed by native-born Californians fall below the United Way “Real Cost Budget” line for economic distress, but it’s 45 percent for those headed by the foreign-born, and nearly 60 percent for families headed by a noncitizen. The highest percentage is among Latino households headed by a noncitizen – a staggering 80 percent fall below the minimal level.
Geographic variations
California’s rising ranks of poor and near-poor – essentially the proleterianized middle class – are not heavily concentrated in the Bay Area, which has sparked the state’s ballyhooed comeback. There, only one in four fall under the minimal “Real Cost Budget,” the best result among California’s major urban regions.
In contrast, in both Los Angeles-Orange County and the Inland Empire, some 35 percent of households fall below this level. The toll is particularly extreme for Latinos in greater Los Angeles; some 54 percent can be counted poor or near-poor, the highest proportion of any California region. Overall, the worst poverty in the state appears to be in the Central Valley, where, despite lower housing costs, 37 percent of residents struggle to make ends meet.
Orange County, it should be noted, does better than either Los Angeles or the Inland region, with 29 percent of O.C. residents falling below the United Way’s budget level, significantly better than L.A.’s 37 percent. But this number is too high and results from, in large part, nearly 36 percent of Orange County residents having to spend more than 30 percent of their incomes on rent, a burden that is particularly extreme in the older, less-affluent sections of O.C.
When researchers drilled down to see the most destitute neighborhoods, they were clustered disturbingly close to home. In parts of Santa Ana, almost three in five households are below the United Way’s minimum income level. But the five worst-off areas in the region are in a broad arc of Los Angeles, from Watts to the neighborhoods around the University of Southern California, south of Downtown. Overall, 60 percent to 80 percent of households in these areas are struggling to make ends meet.
Political Implications
Given the avowed commitment of progressives to addressing inequality and poverty, one would expect that there would be a renewed focus on spurring economic growth. But, instead, in part due to the bizarre policy choices made by many Latino legislators, the state keeps ratcheting up the prices for both energy and housing through its quixotic – and, fundamentally, narcissistic – attempt to single-handedly reverse climate change.
These policies – and their predecessors over the years – are at the heart of rising housing and electricity costs, which are plaguing California’s massive population of struggling households. As a recent Manhattan Institute paper reveals, over 1 million Californians already face “energy poverty,” paying upward of 10 percent of their incomes to keep their lights on. The most hard-hit areas, the study found, were in inland communities, particularly the Central Valley, where the climate tends far more to extremes than in the more affluent coastal regions.
My recent column attacking the fecklessness of California’s Latino political class, not surprisingly, drew some criticism, including from my old friend Manuel Pastor. Manuel claimed Latinos, according to polls, regard climate change as a major issue. Besides the fact that I didn’t address what people thought, this assertion seems a bit misleading. Like most Californians, Latinos are concerned about climate change but the environment hardly registers as a major concern compared with such challenges as the economy, employment or the drought, which is particularly troubling in the heavily Hispanic inland of the state. Only 5 percent of Californians, according to the Public Policy Institute of California, identify the environment as the leading challenge for the state.
In order to placate the rising numbers of poor and near-poor, California’s climate-obsessed political elites are offering expanded subsidies for housing. Some $130 million from cap-and-trade funds – the very mechanism helping to drive higher energy costs – will go for affordable housing. Yet this is the most full-bore tokenism imaginable. At a cost per afforable apartment unit of about $300,000, at best only a few thousand Californians will benefit, making it essentially irrelevant in a state of almost 39 million people.
California’s rising poverty – driven in large part by relentlessly rising rents – cannot be addressed seriously by such gestures. High transportation costs for most Californians certainly won’t be eased much by Gov. Jerry Brown’s $70 billion high-speed rail project, which, if and when it is finished, will be too expensive for most of these people to ride, and it certainly won’t address how to cheaply get from Riverside to Irvine or from East Los Angeles to the Westside. Something more enduring and broadly uplifting must be tried.
What can be done? We might start by reversing our frog-walk toward ever more extreme greenhouse gas reduction goals, which will only boost housing prices, threaten middle- and working-class jobs and make things worse overall without doing much of anything for the climate. Spending on vitally needed infrastructure – like water storage, seawater desalination, port and road improvements – could spur jobs and the economy. Measures to at least slow down, or even reverse, some of the most regressive taxes, and perhaps reduce the burden on potential job-creating businesses, might be considered.
This is a debate all of us in this state need to have. California can continue to work to reduce greenhouse gases in a reasonable way, but with a goal of not further victimizing our increasingly large population of poor and near-poor.
Anyone who criticizes the current policy drift, no matter how social democratic their perspective, will likely be written off as a “denier” or right-wing, or simply ignored by the mainstream media. In contrast to the people-centered progressivism of a Gov. Pat Brown or President Harry Truman, today’s Left increasingly seems unconcerned about their policies’ true impact on the poor and struggling middle class. Call it progressive heart failure.
Joel Kotkin is the R.C. Hobbs Fellow in Urban Studies at Chapman University in Orange and the executive director of the Houston-based Center for Opportunity Urbanism (www.opportunityurbanism.org).
His most recent book is “The New Class Conflict” (Telos Publishing: 2014).The FBI had no problem letting Hillary Clinton off the hook despite numerous attempts to hide the truth; Mike Flynn may not be so lucky.
Earlier today, media reports hit that FBI agents interviewed Michael Flynn when he was national security adviser in the first days of the Trump administration about his conversations with the Russian ambassador.
While it is not clear what he said in his interview, the FBI now adds that investigators "believed that Mr. Flynn was not entirely forthcoming, the officials said." That avenue raises the stakes of what so far has been a political scandal that cost Mr. Flynn his job, and which Sean Spicer explained today was merely a matter of Trump "losing trust" in his Security advisor, because if authorities conclude that Mr. Flynn knowingly lied to the F.B.I., "it could expose him to a felony |
and Jesus did for Christianity. Cicero was a martyr for the republic and republicanism. I state this only from a somewhat/quasi-objective standpoint. As John Reist would lovingly remind us with a quack or two, “Cicero ain’t walking us to heaven.”
And, I find the more I study the history of western civilization, interestingly enough, the best figures tend to come at the end of their ages: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle at the end of Classical Greece; Cicero at the end of the Roman Republic; St. Augustine at the end of the Roman Empire; Sir Thomas More at the end of the English Spring and so forth.
But, back to Cicero....
Born into a well-off (only monetarily; not a connected, old, or established family—hence, Cicero had to talk about himself often to secure a place that others enjoyed by mere birth into nobility) in 106BC, Cicero was, as Plutarch later claimed, a child prodigy, and signs and portents surrounded his birth as well as his youth.
Of his birth it is reported, that his mother was delivered without pain or labor, on the third of the new Calends, the same day on which now the magistrates of Rome pray and sacrifice for the emperor. It is said, also, that a vision appeared to his nurse, and foretold the child she then suckled should afterwards become a great benefit to the Roman States. To such presages, which might in general be thought mere fancies and idle talk, he himself erelong gave the credit of true prophecies. For as soon as he was of an age to begin to have lessons, he became so distinguished for his talent, and got such a name and reputation amongst the boys, that their fathers would often visit the school, that they might see young Cicero, and might be able to say that they themselves had witnessed the quickness and readiness in learning for which he was renowned. And the more rude among them used to be angry with their children, to see them, as they walked together, receiving Cicero with respect into the middle place. And being, as Plato would have, the scholar-like and philosophical temper, eager for every kind of learning, and indisposed to no description of knowledge or instruction, he showed, however, a more peculiar propensity to poetry; and there is a poem now extant, made by him when a boy, in tetrameter verse, called Pontius Glaucus. And afterwards, when he applied himself more curiously to these accomplishments, he had the name of being not only the best orator, but also the best poet of Rome. And the glory of his rhetoric still remains, notwithstanding the many new modes in speaking since his time; but his verses are forgotten and out of all repute, so many ingenious poets having followed him [Plutarch, Kindle]
He married well around 79BC, later divorcing in a manner that caused questions about his reputation, became a senator in 75, a Consul in 63 and helped stop the radical movements of Cataline, the so-called “Cataline Conspiracy.” Because of political problems at home, Cicero was exiled to Greece for a few years. After his return, he began to write a series of books, many of them philosophical and metaphysical. In 44BC, he completed his letter to his son, De Offices (On Duties), a significant part of which every Hillsdale freshman must read. Cicero left it in his will that this be a part of our Hillsdale course core curriculum, and we as faculty have done our best to live up to this charge. A year later, Marc Antony massacred 300 Senators and 2,000 equites (representatives), including Cicero.
From all accounts (and there really aren’t that many), Cicero could be as prickly as he was brilliant. He was thin skinned, especially about the lack of previous family achievements.
Before I explore the natural law of Cicero, let me offer nine points of commentary on the significance of Cicero, which, I believe, are critical to understand his legacy and the importance of his natural law theories.
First, Cicero was the most important figure of his day. Historians refer to the era of his life as “The Ciceronian Age.” He was, in essence, the embodiment of the Republic. As Russell Kirk has written, “With Cicero fell the Republic.” [Kirk, Roots, 107] While this statement could never sustain real historical criticism and analysis, it makes sense mythically and symbolically.
Second, he was perhaps the greatest orator who ever lived. He delivered at least 106 famous orations, many of them models of classical rhetorical perfection.
Third, he was perhaps the greatest Latin prose stylist, ever. Happily, several books and 900 of his letters survive.
Fourth, his arguments for the Natural Law, beauty, decorum, and republican government (the four issues are inseparable, really, one from another) are some of the best ever articulated. Here, I think, we see his writings and beliefs are derivative, but derivative in the sense that Eliot adopted modernist forms while shunning modernist philosophy. He took the best of the past and made it palatable for his generation—or for those deep in the future.
“True law is right reason in agreement with Nature.... it is of universal application, unchanging and everlasting; it summons to duty by its commands, and averts from wrong-doing by its prohibitions. And it does not lay its commands or prohibitions upon good men in vain, although neither have any effect upon the wicked. It is a sin to try and alter this law, nor it is allowable to attempt to repeal a part of it, and it is impossible to abolish it entirely. We cannot be freed from its obligations by Senate or People, and we need not look outside ourselves for an expounder or interpreter of it. And there will not be different laws at Rome and at Athens, or different laws now and in the future, but one eternal and unchangeable law will be valid for all nations and for all times, and there will be one master and one rule, that is, God, over us all, for He is the author of this law, its promulgator, and its enforcing judge.”
Really one of the first expressions of universality—not a polis, not an empire, but all of creation—from beginning to end.
Here, I think, we might see the most Stoic and Virgilian part of Cicero.
Fifth, and connected intimately to number four, there is a universality to all human persons. We are brothers and sisters under the patriarchy of God.
“A human being, [sic] was endowed by the supreme god with a grand status at the time of its creation. It alone of all types and varieties of animate creatures has a share in reason and thought, which all the others lack. What is there, not just in humans, but in all heaven and earth, more divine that reason? When it has matured and come to perfection, it is properly named wisdom...reason forms the first bond between human and god,” the Roman Republican Cicero wrote in On the Laws [Cicero, On the Laws, Book 1].
I’ll come back to this toward the end of my talk.
Sixth, Cicero served as the single most influential Roman on the Church fathers: Sts. Ambrose, Jerome, and Augustine. Also, as our own beloved scholar of Shakespeare and Thomas More Professor Steve Smith has argued, Cicero has proven central to every Renaissance experienced throughout western civilization since his death. I think Richard Gamble has done the same with this magnificent The Great Tradition; and Mark Kalthoff and David Whalen in Artes Liberalis and elsewhere.
Seven, Cicero speaks for the ancient world not just to the medievals, but to the moderns (and maybe even the post-moderns?) as well. From certain perspectives, we might even state that he’s shouting to us, calling us from the edge of eternity to consider the highest things in life.
He helped guide the Scottish (though “Celtic” might be better since we need to include at least one Irishman in this list) Enlightenment and Common Sense movement of the 18th century. Cicero’s influence hung over Hume, Burke, and Smith.
Over a drink a few summers ago at an outdoor cafe in Holland, Michigan, I had opportunity to tell one of my oldest and closest friends, Jim Otteson—arguably the leading scholar of the Scottish Enlightenment in the world today—that Adam Smith was so great precisely because he was rewriting all of Cicero. Somewhat aghast, the usually scarily articulate Jim muttered something about having to take away my “man card.”
My point was meant to be absurd and needling, and it worked. But, the point stands—even if taken down a few notches. In no way could one understand Smith’s 1759 masterpiece, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, without recognizing its debt to a Ciceronian Stoicism.
Eight, Cicero was the single most influential Roman for the American Founding Fathers. One can trace the American conception of Natural Rights directly to Cicero’s understanding of the Natural Law. John Adams once admitted in his diary that he loved reciting Cicero’s orations as much as anything: “The Sweetness and Grandeur of his sounds, and the Harmony of his Numbers give Pleasure enough to reward the Reading if one understood none of his meaning. Besides, I find it a noble Exercise. It exercises my Lungs, raises my Spirits, opens my Porrs, quickens the Circulation, and so contributes to [my] Health” [Richard, Twelve Greeks and Romans, 187].
Charles Carroll of Carrollton considered him the greatest of ancients. After the person and teaching of Jesus Christ, he once wrote, give me the words of Cicero. He considered Cicero a constant companion in his life, the two never out of conversation.
Tellingly, when Carroll, the longest lived of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, died in November 1832, the headlines that went out into the states: “A great man hath fallen in Israel; the last of the Romans has passed into eternity.”
Ninth, Cicero served significant influence on the post-war right as well. Mighty men such as Eric Voegelin, Russell Kirk, Friedrich Hayek, Leo Strauss looked back to the example of Cicero. While Cicero never had the influence on the post-war right (I realize the problems with a left-right spectrum; I use this term here merely for convenience) that Edmund Burke and de Tocqueville did, his spirit and his words hovered over a world of men unsure of the new power and future with atomic weaponry. Interestingly enough, Voegelin distrusted Cicero, believing him to have misused the basic symbols of Greece; Kirk saw him as the embodiment of Rome; Hayek bought almost completely into Cicero’s understanding of a commonwealth as developing slowly over time, organically evolving through a process of discovery and trial/error; and, Strauss, while considering the pious Cicero perhaps one of the greatest men of his age, disagreed with the organic founding, but argued for a founding offered by a single person, endowed with leadership and charisma. At the end of Natural Right and History, Strauss concluded with the idea that Edmund Burke represented the Cicero of his day, two men of memory and piety, but rigidly adhering to the idea that society by its very nature must develop slowly over time, gradually, as no one man could have the depth or foresight to bring forth a single constitution in an act of grand creation.
Let me sum up these previous nine points by looking back to the American founding. No republicans held greater sway over the Americans than did Cicero or Cato the Younger, with the one exception being the rather mythic being of Cincinnatus (as we find him—albeit briefly—in Livy). I would like, at some point in the not so distant future, to write a short book (a long essay) on Cicero as American Founder. Perhaps something like Cicero’s America.
It’s worth remembering at this point in the talk the words of Plutarch—fervently embraced by the founding generation—described the brutal assassination by the hands of the henchmen of Marc Antony.
Antony on this was at once in exultation, and everyone was in alarm with the prospect that he would make himself sole ruler, and Cicero in more alarm than anyone. For Antony, seeing his influence reviving in the commonwealth, and knowing how closely he was connected with Brutus, was ill-pleased to have him in the city. Besides, there had been some former jealousy between them, occasioned by the difference of their manners. And Cicero, perceiving Herennius running in the walks, commanded his servants to set down the litter; and stroking his chin, as he used to do, with his left hand, he looked steadfastly upon his murderers, his person covered with dust, his beard and hair untrimmed, and his face worn with his troubles. So that the greatest part of those that stood by covered their faces whilst Herennius slew him. And thus was he murdered, stretching forth his neck out of the litter, being now in his sixty-fourth year. Herennius cut off his head, and, by Antony’s command, his hands also, by which his Philippics were written; for so Cicero styled those orations he wrote against Antony, and so they are called to this day. Antony was holding an assembly for the choice of public officers; and when he heard it, and saw them, he cried out, “Now let there be an end of our proscriptions.” He commanded his head and hands to be fastened up over the Rostra, where the orators spoke; a sight which the Roman people shuddered to behold, and they believed they saw there not the face of Cicero, but the image of Antony’s own soul.
Reading these lines of Plutarch should give us a better understanding of what the founders meant when they concluded the Declaration of Independence with their ringing words: “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”
The last to have done such a thing ended with his head mounted on the Senate Rostra and Chancellor Palpatine…I mean Marc Antony declaring the death of the Old Republic.
But, also must recognize that the Founders knew Cicero as intimately as they knew anyone. The classical liberal arts vision was critical to their view of the world. Many have written re: this: Trevor Colbourn; Carl Richard; Gary Gregg; Bruce Thornton; V.D. Hanson; Don Lutz; and the McDonalds.
As Forrest and Ellen McDonald have written: when an American student entered college (usually at age 14 or 15) in the time leading up to the American revolution, he would need to prove fluency in Latin and Greek. He would need to “read and translate from the original Latin into English ‘the first three of [Cicero’s] Select Orations and the first three books of Virgil’s Aeneid’ and to translate the first ten chapters of the Gospel of John from Greek into Latin, as well as to be ‘expert in arithmetic’ and to have a ‘blameless moral character.’” [McDonald and McDonald, Requiem, pp. 1-2]
“Furthermore, Americans who had had any schooling at all had been exposed to eight- and ten-hour days of drilling, at the hands of stern taskmasters, in Latin and Greek. This was designed to build character, discipline the mind, and instill moral principles, in addition to teaching language skills. (Educated French military officers who served in the United States during the Revolution found that even when they knew no English and Americans knew no French, they could converse with ordinary Americans in Latin).” [McDonald and McDonald, Requiem, pp. 5]
In 1786, when there was a dispute about Alexander Pope’s translations of Homer’s Iliad, The Massachusetts Spy printed Pope’s translation on one side and the Greek on the other, allowing Americans “the opportunity to decide for themselves” if it was good or not. [McDonald and McDonald, Requiem, pp. 5]
The world of the founding was a deeply classical world, a Protestant world immersed in antiquity.
And, we can think of more tangible examples. The U.S. Capitol: A Roman Republican building; the Senate (from Latin—“old man”); Congress (probably from Latin for “come together”, but might be related to Anglo-Saxon “witan”); and the Fasces [Latin for “bundle”].
Or, perhaps, we might think of Alexander Hamilton’s pseudonym, later adopted by Madison and James Jay as well, Publius.
Indeed, the education of the founders followed a pattern. Not only did they study the classics, but they also connected the classical tradition through the Christian tradition, Catholic and Protestant, to a mythologized view of the liberties and common law of the Anglo-Saxons. “The minds of the youth are perpetually led to the history of Greece and Rome or to Great Britain,” Noah Webster wrote, as “boys are constantly repeating the declamations of Demosthenes and Cicero or debates upon some political question in the British Parliament.”
In the most authoritative study on the sources of the Founding, Professor Donald Lutz quantifies the references made to various sources, ca. 1761 to 1802. During that time, he found 36 widely cited authors: including St. Paul, Montesquieu, Blackstone, Locke, and Hume, and Plutarch in the top 6. Cicero is #12, Livy #21, Tacitus #24, and Plato #25. Aristotle does not make the list.
This, however, is not to suggest that the founders did not absorb the teachings of Aristotle—they did through the works of Machiavelli, Sidney, Harrington, Locke, and Montesquieu.
When writing the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson explained that he drew on ancient sources:
This was the object of the Declaration of Independence. Not to find out new principles, or new arguments, never before thought of, not merely to say things which had never been said before; but to place before mankind the common sense of the subject, in terms so plain and firm as to command their assent, and to justify ourselves in the independent stand we are compelled to take. Neither aiming at originality of principle or sentiment, nor yet copied from any particular and previous writing, it was intended to be an expression of the American mind, and to give to that expression the proper tone and spirit called for by the occasion. All its authority rests then on the harmonizing sentiments of the day, whether expressed in conversation, in letters, printed essays, or in elementary books of public right, as Aristotle, Cicero, Locke, Sidney, etc.
John Adams, the first American to argue for independence, as early as 1765, said the same as Jefferson in 1774:
These are what are called revolution principles. They are the principles of Aristotle and Plato, of Livy and Cicero, of Sidney, Harrington, and Locke; the principles of nature and eternal reason.
This necessity of the teaching of the liberal arts as central to the American character extended well into the nineteenth century:
“Should the time ever come when Latin and Greek should be banished from our universities and the study of Cicero and Demosthenes, of Homer and Virgil, should be considered as unnecessary for the formation of a scholar, we should regard mankind as fast sinking into an absolute barbarism, and the gloom of mental darkness is likely to increase until it should become universal.” So wrote the frontier newspaper, the Cincinnati Western Review, in 1820.
Let’s go back to James Wilson’s lectures (and it’s worth remembering that he was one of six to sign the Declaration and the Constitution) at what would become the University of Pennsylvania. Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and other luminaries attended. Memory and belief go together, as memory is tied to wisdom. In his lectures, frequently drawing upon Cicero, Wilson stated: “A great memory is often found without a great genius: but I will not admit, on the other, that a great genius is often found without a great memory. The contrary I believe to be generally, I will not say always, the case. Men of the most extensive abilities have been men also of the most extensive memories: Themistocles, Cicero, Caesar, Bolingbroke.” [Wilson, 597]
With the importance of Cicero’s ideas, life, and martyrdom for the western and American traditions, please indulge me as I try to offer a definition of Cicero’s understanding of the Natural Law. For this, we should draw upon three of Cicero’s primary texts: On Duties, On the Laws, and On the Republic. Keeping all of the above in mind, I think we can state three things with some assurance. First, that rights and duties correspond to one another, with duties serving first and foremost as that which defines us. Second, that Cicero means really, by natural law, something no less than the immense structure of Justice itself. Finally, that through the natural law, we discover the overwhelming importance of each human person, born into a certain place and certain time.
That rights and duties correspond. That duties define us.
On Duties:
“But if the exaltation of spirit seen in times of danger and toil is devoid of justice and fights for selfish ends instead of for the common good, it is a vice; but not only has it no element of virtue, but its nature is barbarous and revolting to all our finer feelings. The Stoics, therefore, correctly define courage as ‘that virtue which champions the cause of right.’ Accordingly, no one has attained to true glory who has gained a reputation for courage by treachery and cunning; for nothing that lacks justice can be morally right.... And so we demand that men who are courageous and high-souled shall at the same time be good and straightforward, lovers of truth, and foes to deception; for these qualities are the centre and soul of justice.” [Cicero, On Duties (Loeb Ed.), 65]
On Duties again:
When the Stoics speak of the supreme good as ‘living comformably to Nature,’ they mean, I take it, something like this: that we are always to be in accord with virtue, and from all other things that may be in harmony with Nature to choose only such as are not incompatible with Nature to choose only such as they are not incompatible with virtue. This being so, some people are of the opinion that it was not right to introduce this counterbalancing of right and expediency and that no practical instruction should have been given on this question at all. And yet moral goodness, in the true and proper sense of the term, is the exclusive possession of the wise and can never be separated from virtue; but those who have not perfect wisdom cannot possibly have perfect moral goodness, but only a semblance of it. And indeed these duties under discussion in these books the Stoics call ‘mean duties’; they are a common possession and have wide application; and many people attain to the knowledge of them through natural goodness of heart and through advancement in learning. But that duty which those same Stoics call ‘right’ is perfect and absolute and ‘satisfies all the numbers’ as that same school says, and is attainable by none except the wise man. On the other hand, when some act is performed in which we see ‘mean’ duties manifested, that is generally regarded as fully perfect, for the reason that the common crowd does not, as a rule, comprehend how far it falls short of real perfection; but, as far as their comprehension does go, they think there is no deficiency. This same thing ordinarily occurs in the estimation of poems, paintings, and a great many other works of art: ordinary people enjoy and praise things that do not deserve praise. The reason for this, I suppose, is that those production shave some point of excellence which catches the fancy of the uneducated, because these have not the ability to discover the points of weakness in any particular piece of work before them. And so, when they are instructed by experts, they readily abandon their former opinion.”[Cicero, On Duties, 281-283.]
Second, that Cicero’s discussion of natural law is really a discussion of Justice—its structure and immensity beyond our finite understandings individually or collectively.
Third, that the natural law connected us into a brother and sisterhood under the One.
Once recognized, a man finds himself “not bound by human walls as the citizen of one particular spot but a citizen of the whole world as if it were a single city,” the stoic cosmopolis [Cicero, On the Laws, Book 1; Cambridge texts]
The great and grand things bestowed upon men and women, though, Cicero cautions, come with a price, a steep one. We must protect the republic—that which shelters our private desires—with our very lives:
“Ancestral morality provided outstanding men, and great men preserved the morality of old and the institutions of our ancestors. But our own time, having inherited the commonwealth like a wonderful picture that had faded over time, not only has failed to renew its original colors but has not even taken the trouble to preserve at least its shape and outlines. What remains of the morals of antiquity, upon which [the Roman poet] said that the Roman state stood? We see that they are so outworn in oblivion that they are not only not cherished but are now unknown. What am I to say about the men? The morals themselves have passed away through a shortage of men; and we must not only render an account of such an evil, but in a sense we must defend ourselves like people being tried for a capital crime. It is because of our vices, not because of some bad luck, that we preserve the commonwealth in name alone but have long ago lost its substance.” [Cicero, On the Commonwealth, Book 5; Cambridge Texts]
Though written around 44bc, someone might have easily written these words in 1860 or, dare I say it, 2013.
This lecture was given for the Hillsdale College Graduate School on February 19, 2013.
Let me please offer huge thanks to R.J. Pestritto for inviting me, and Sarah Gillary Lewis for organizing this. This is a quite an honor.
And, it’s an even greater honor—if a bit of a humbling and nerve-wracking one—to speak on this topic in front of so many students and colleagues—all of whom I love dearly. I can state without exaggeration, that teaching the western and American heritage core courses have taught me more than any other single thing in my adult life. I learn from them every time I teach them anew.
Our weekly (usually) department meetings—led ably by the avuncular and immensely wise Mark Kalthoff—have further honed my own ideas. While I don’t want to burden my colleagues in the department with any absurdities I might state today, I will note that much of what little I might get right comes from their thoughts and, especially, their encouragement. I especially want to dedicate this talk to Drs. Kalthoff and Connor who have repeatedly shown me the way in all things humane.After the Kansas City Chiefs unexpectedly released WR Jeremy Maclin, the Baltimore Ravens, a team desperate for a sure-handed pass catcher, signed Maclin to a 2-year, $11 million dollar contract.
RedSocker45’s Take
We all knew a signing was imminent, we just did not know who would win the Jeremy Maclin sweepstakes. It came down to the Baltimore Ravens and a potential triumphant return to the Philadelphia Eagles (the Buffalo Bills were obviously out of it because of money and poor financial management). Fortunately for the Baltimore Ravens, Maclin decided to take his talents to a new home, and he should find himself quite comfortable there.
Ravens and WR Jeremy Maclin agree to a two-year deal, per source. — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 12, 2017
From a fantasy football perspective, this is potentially gigantic news. The Ravens are missing a league-high 345 targets from last year as noted above. With a potential career-ending injury for Dennis Pitta, the retirement of Steve Smith Sr., no “true” running back, and no sure-handed receiver, Maclin should thrive alongside gunslinger Joe Flacco and on a team that led the NFL in pass attempts in back-to-back years. Let’s take a deeper dive into the receiving core for the Ravens, shall we:
After losing his rookie season to injury, Breshad Perriman became everyone’s favorite sleeper pick in the 2016 fantasy season…Only to completely bust and disappoint with a meager 499 yards on 33 receptions. While we are still hearing rumblings about Permian’s potential, he does not represent a significant fantasy threat or reliable producer.
Mike Wallace enjoyed a career resurrection in 2016 amassing over 1,000 yards receiving and 14+ yards per reception. However, we all know Wallace has the long game down part but he lacks that short, intermediate passing game attack that can add crucial points to your fantasy team. While I do not think Maclin’s addition kills Wallace’s value, he will certainly take a hit with a more reliable, consistent performer on his team.
Danny Woodhead, Kenneth Dixon and Terrance West would make one hell of a running back if they were all one player. Unfortunately, they profile more as a three-headed approach to what seems a receiving-oriented attack out of the backfield. In a pass-happy league, I do not expect Harbaugh to rely on any of these three for consistent ground-game yardage.
Finally, the tight-end crew of Ben Watson, Crockett Gilmore and Maxx Williams really does absolutely nothing for me. The Ravens might as well be throwing to slabs of meat with stickum on them.
So those are the receiving “threats” to Maclin. Really, the only threat I see is Joe Flacco, who likes holding the ball and throwing it down the field to make the big play (aka, targeting Mike Wallace on fly patterns). However, Flacco really has never had a great intermediate threat and if Coach John Harbaugh can get Flacco to see the light and the usefulness of a sure-handed guy like Maclin (who has dropped 5 passes over the last 3 years, spanning 343 targets and 216 receptions), I can see Flacco exploiting his new reliable toy for 80+ receptions and 1,000+ yards. For me, Maclin’s hands and reliability make him a top 100 player in half point PPR, with the upside of a WR2.5 if the Flacco/Maclin love connection really takes off.
We are the ‘Watchers on the RotoWall,’ and indeed, the RotoWorld Blurbs can be dark and full of terrors (re: nonsense on backup right guards and their contract disputes). Instead, bookmark our Fantasy Football Stock Watch, and let us sift through the nonsense to bring you the blurbs that actually matter, with the in-depth analysis we’re known for. A Fantasy Wolf doesn’t miss a single stock market move, so don’t be a sheep.
To contact me with any questions or general fantasy baseball discussion, please email me at redsocker45@gmail.com or tweet me @AJGamballer.Marianne Theresa Johnson-Reddick born Jan 4, 1935 and died alone on Aug. 30, 2013. She is survived by her 6 of 8 children whom she spent her lifetime torturing in every way possible. While she neglected and abused her small children, she refused to allow anyone else to care or show compassion towards them. When they became adults she stalked and tortured anyone they dared to love. Everyone she met, adult or child was tortured by her cruelty and exposure to violence, criminal activity, vulgarity, and hatred of the gentle or kind human spirit.
On behalf of her children whom she so abrasively exposed to her evil and violent life, we celebrate her death from this earth and hope she lives in the after-life reliving each gesture of violence, cruelty, and shame that she delivered on her children. Her surviving children will now live the rest of their lives with the peace of knowing their nightmare finally has some form of closure.
Most of us have found peace in helping those who have been exposed to child abuse and hope this message of her death can revive our message that abusing children is unforgivable, shameless, and should not be tolerated in a "humane society". Our greatest wish now, is to stimulate a national movement that mandates a purposeful and dedicated war against child abuse in the United States of America.by Anonymous on Optical clarity as good as it gets with a rifle scope. Used under various light conditions and out performed my Swarovski STS 65 spotting scope. Turrets are user friendly and easy to set and adjust. My first choice when choosing a tactical scope. Was this review helpful?
by Jonah on My first Schmidt Bender - and the village bicycle of riflescopes in my house. This scope has been many rifles, as I outgrow each rifle, this PMII is still right there to be the top-shelf optic I put on the next setup. Five stars, this scope is what every scope in this class wants to be. Buy once, cry once - then enjoy the best scope for the rest of your shooting career. Was this review helpful?
by Anonymous on Ok, to completely honest...I never really thought I'd ever spend this kind of money on a scope, but I'm so happy that I did! This is hands down the nicest scope I've ever owned (Zeiss diavari victory, various leupold mark 4's, etc...). Very precise turrent clicks, built like tank and with optical clarity that, as someone else mentioned to me, "almost helps you see into the future its so clear." As far as buying from Eurooptic, I cant say enough for how helpful the staff is and how quickly they get the order processed and shipped. Thanks! PBRstreetgang Was this review helpful?
by Anonymous on Exceptional clarity and repeatability. This scope will do the job anywhere from hunting durability to long range shooting. The team at Eurooptics is top shelf in knowledge and responsiveness. Was this review helpful?
by Anonymous on This is my third PM II for a good reason, the glass is second to none other that I have seen and the repeatability of the turrets is spot on every time - if you dial 13.7 mils, that’s exactly what you get every single time. The price may seem a bit high, until you consider what you are getting for the money. I can easily discern the difference between a white wing dove and a mourning dove on the ground at 1,000 yards if the heat mirage is not too bad. The only thing that I ran into that I was not 100% happy about was the dimension of the belly underneath the turrets. It hung down too low to use the Kinetic Development quick release mount I purchased to use on this rifle. It had a see-saw effect and would not work. I contacted Kinetic to see if they made taller rings - no. I went with a Larue mount instead, like I have on all my other significant rifles and it has been a winning combination, so I will not try to reinvent what is working so well. If you are considering this scope and you have the means, I highly recommend it. The turrets may not be the latest greatest tactical cool ones available, but they work just fine for me. I have the MTC locking turrets on my other 2 PM II’s and I think these are fine as are the others. They are repeatable and that’s all that is really important. Was this review helpful?
by ken on My first Schmidt Bender. I have many high end name brand scopes each have great features but this is definitely the clearest and brightest of all. the illumination for the reticle was not as bright as expected but haven't tried a different battery yet. I concur with other reviewers Was this review helpful?
by Anonymous on 5 Star top of the line riflescope. Excellent optics and range. Excellent construction and durability. Scopes will outlast my rifles. I have several for all my long range rifles and I'm happy as can be. No regrets. No cons. Was this review helpful?
by Ruben on Nice glass, but after 1 month and around 100 rounds through a 6.5cm bolt gun I got grease spots on the reticle. Disappointed to say the least. Seems like a known issue after speaking with the service people. Frankly from the reputation of this company these should have been recalled. I saved up for a year to get one, now a month later I’m having issues. Thought this scope would give me a lifetime of service without issue. We’ll see after I get it back. Was this review helpful?
by Anonymous on Excellent scope. Had a Bushnell DMRII which was awesome but this glass is worth the extra $$$. Great customer service here at Euro optic. Thanks. Was this review helpful?
by Anonymous on This is my first tier 1 scope purchase, and I’m happy with my choice. The Europtic team was helpful, and answered all my questions as I was deciding which to purchase. I chose the dt p4fine, as it was the most economical in the lineup. The scope itself is well built and tank-like. The crisp clicks are impossible to miss, the double turn feature is convenient and simple, and the illumination is well done. The optical clarity is in a different universe than the high quality sporting optics I’ve owned in my lifetime. There may be better glass out there out there when you and your buddies are talking, but this is definitely great. I purchased an era-tac adjustable unimount with it, and that is equally good quality. I recommend the team at Europtic. I will buy here again. Was this review helpful?
by Anonymous on Purchased a TRG-42.338 lap used several years ago with a Spuhr mount. Asked the gentleman what scope was on it. He said Schmidt Bender PM-ll when asked why he would not sell the scope with the gun. He said he would never sell it. & has it on several guns. He also said there was one problem with Schmidt scopes. That is once u own a Schmidt scope u will want another. He was right!! My opinion there is the PMll & there’s everything else enough said! Was this review helpful?
by Nathan on Best scope that I have ever looked through! Was this review helpful?
by Anonymous on Schmidt & Bender, what else need be said :) The Tracking is right on! The clarity is top in the business and the reticle is no distraction, down to business style! Was |
Lite" or "Obamacare 2.0,"and there are easily enough of them to kill Trumpcare before it ever reaches the president's signing desk.
Mark Sanford, a deeply religious Freedom Caucus member – the fellow who was forced to resign the governorship of South Carolina after admitting he'd lied about going hiking and had instead flown to South America to hook up with his mistress – says the bill is just another form of entitlement, which is a poison word to Republicans. Sen. Rand Paul flatly says the slavery-like individual mandate is still in the new law.
The House leadership Obamacare Lite plan has many problems. We should be stopping mandates, taxes and entitlements not keeping them. —@RandPaul
The Freedom Caucus has other issues with Trumpcare, too. Like Obamacare, it socialistically prevents insurance companies from doing the things they used to do: dumping a sick patient whose costs get too high, or refusing to insure someone who has a "pre-existing condition."
Some Republicans also aren't too keen on Trumpcare's rollback of Medicaid, the program that provides care to the indigent and poor. Obamacare expanded Medicaid, paying states to extend the program to tens of millions of uninsured Americans. Trumpcare would cut that money off.
The trouble is, a majority of Medicaid beneficiaries in the Republican states that expanded Medicaid voted for Trump, meaning they probably voted for the Freedom Caucus types, too. And Trumpcare would also cut tax credits most heavily for older and lower-income Americans, especially in rural areas. Guess who most of them voted for?
If Trumpcare becomes reality, those people will quickly discover that freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose, to quote Kris Kristofferson. And then they won't like Trumpcare very much.
Jason Chaffetz suggests not buying an iPhone and spending the money on insurance instead. (J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press)
Anyway, Jason Chaffetz, another conservative congressional Republican, says Americans need to understand that under Trumpcare, it'll be time for people to take some personal responsibility for their medical care; he suggests not buying an iPhone and spending the money on insurance instead.
You can imagine how that went down in iPhone-loving middle America.
Rep. Roger Marshall, another House Republican, chimed in that poor people "just don't want health care and aren't going to take care of themselves."
What has the president said about all this? Not much. He just wants the damn thing passed without too much discussion. Next week would be good.
It's also a safe bet that this beautiful, beautiful new plan is one of the few things on this earth Donald Trump doesn't want to see his name on.
This column is part of CBC's Opinion section. For more information about this section, please read this editor's blog and our FAQ.Carlisle's industrial and railway heritage will be at the burning heart of the city's celebrations of Bonfire Night.
It will be an evening of trainspotting with a difference as a 35ft replica of a steam engine is torched in front of thousands at the massive annual event.
Council chiefs have confirmed this year’s Bitts Park Fireshow will be held on Saturday November 5 - and will take on the theme of "steam, smoke and sparks".
The centrepiece of the bonfire will be a replica of an 1850s locomotive engine, complete with moving wheels.
The event is the 29th fireshow staged by Carlisle City Council.
Anne Quilter, councillor for culture, heritage and leisure, said: "This year’s fireshow is set to be another sparkling event."
Pre-entertainment will start at 6.45pm and the Bitts Park bonfire lit at 7pm.
A fairground will be open from 5.30pm on Devonshire Walk car park.
Admission is free. A charity collection will be held with all donations going towards the Rotary Club of Carlisle South and the Mayor’s Charity Fund.
Volunteers will be holding charity buckets at the entrance to the event.
Organisers are asking the fireshow’s adult spectators to consider giving £1 each.
More than 35,000 people are expected to attend the event, organised together with Merlin Fireworks Ltd.
Mrs Quilter added: "As part of the build-up, we are also planning a Fireshow Funday in the city centre between 2pm and 5.30pm.
"The family-friendly fun will include free activities, with street entertainment, face painting and much more."
Carlisle Fireshow is a family event and no alcohol will be permitted on site or within the fairground in Devonshire Walk car park.
Previous events have seen dragons, castles, buses, planes and police boxes among the features to make-up the bonfire.Story highlights Pitfalls might await Clinton: Suspicious progressives and hunger for new blood
Many Democratic operatives still waiting to see who else is in race
Iowa Democrats currently focused on unusually busy midterm cycle
Democrats in Iowa have tradition of voting for underdogs
In Iowa, the state that pulled the first block out of her wobbly Jenga-game of a presidential campaign six years ago, Hillary Clinton enjoys stratospheric approval ratings, well-heeled outside groups toiling on her behalf, and important political connections that date back decades.
From a distance, she appears invincible once again, far outpacing her rivals in the polls and primed to redeem herself in the caucus state that has never been especially friendly to the Clintons, or to female candidates.
Iowa has not elected a female governor, senator or member of Congress. In 2016, Clinton could finally put those demons to rest.
But beneath the surface here, familiar pitfalls might await Clinton should she decide to run: A restive and emboldened progressive base long suspicious of Clintonian moderation, a hunger for fresh Democratic voices, and a caucus electorate that boasts a cherished tradition of voting with its heart rather than its head.
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"One of the great things about our party is that we are always looking for new leadership and new faces to represent the changing face of the Democratic Party," said Kimberley Boggus, a 34-year-old Democratic organizer from Beaverdale. "We are looking for new leadership because that's what's needed right now."
Boggus, who was named the Iowa Democratic Party's "Activist of the Year" in 2012 for her work on President Barack Obama's re-election campaign, did not rule out supporting Clinton if she chooses to run for president, a decision the former secretary of state says she will make sometime later this year. Boggus praised Clinton's rich experience at the highest levels of government and a lifetime of work on behalf of women and children.
But like many Democrats in Iowa, Boggus said she is eager to hear more from other leaders, pointing to Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, two names that have surfaced in early discussions about the next presidential race.
Passion remains wanting
A common theme emerged in conversations about Clinton with more than two dozen Democratic activists, strategists and elected officials during a recent winter week in Iowa: Respect for her within the party runs deep, burnished since 2008 by her tour of duty at the State Department, but widespread passion for Clinton remains wanting.
At the same time, no one could muster the name of a Democrat with the combination of charisma, ideological bona fides and financial firepower who could topple the Clinton juggernaut a second time.
"Who has the kind of pulling power that they can go on the Internet, or go to D.C. and New York and raise the kind of money you need to raise? Who is out there?" said Tom Whitney, a former Democratic Party chairman and gubernatorial candidate who caucused for Obama in 2008. "I would say that the top-tier candidates for Democrats are all women, two or three of them in the U.S. Senate. Hillary stands in the way of all of them."
Despite characterizing Clinton as the most formidable Iowa front-runner the Democratic Party has witnessed since hometown boy Tom Harkin sought the presidency in 1992, Whitney still said he was taking a wait-and-see approach to the campaign.
"Right now, my inclination would be to support her," he said. "But if it's Hillary and somebody else, I don't know. I'm to the left of her, personally."
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Clinton's lead over her potential rivals in polls is startling. In hypothetical matchups, she thumps her next closest opponent, Vice President Joe Biden, by margins that Peyton Manning would envy, winning by 40 or 50 points.
Others on the Democratic bench, like O'Malley, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, register in low single digits, if not asterisk territory. The same goes for two ambitious female senators, Gillibrand and Minnesota's Amy Klobuchar, while Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a darling of the left who says she's not running, scores a few points higher.
The only famous name among no-names
Clinton's robust 2016 lead is built, in part, on her status as the only famous person in a field of relative no-names. A Des Moines Register poll released in December found Clinton's favorability rating among Democrats at a jarring 89%, while just 7% had an unfavorable view.
The pollster Ann Selzer, who crunched the numbers for the Register survey, said the paucity of top-tier Democrats made it difficult just to conduct the poll.
"It was hard to come up with a list," Selzer said in an interview on the newspaper's website. "Part of that was we just haven't had candidates coming to Iowa, and not many Democrats strongly indicating they want to run for president."
The lack of presidential bustle in Democratic circles is indeed glaring, especially compared to the swirl of activity on the Republican side of the ticket, where likely candidates are already making trips to Iowa and aides are peddling negative research on their potential rivals.
The energies of Iowa's Democratic activists are focused not on 2016, but 2014 -- a busy midterm election cycle featuring a rare open Senate seat and two House seats up for grabs.
Would-be Clinton rivals have only tiptoed into Iowa. Biden, no stranger to the state after two ill-fated presidential runs, spoke at Harkin's annual steak fry fundraiser last fall, a rite of passage for any Democratic hopeful. O'Malley spoke at the same event in 2012, at the height of that year's presidential campaign.
Klobuchar traveled south of her state's border to address the North Iowa Wing Ding Fundraiser last August, and chased her appearance with a series of nice-to-meet-you phone calls to some of the Democrats who attended.
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The Wing Ding dinner, held at the historic Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, encapsulated the paralytic early state of the Democratic campaign.
Klobuchar's punchy speech before the chicken wing-munching audience earned her rave reviews from local Democrats, who said she would make an intriguing presidential candidate, but Clinton loomed over the event in absentia. Organizers bestowed a lifetime achievement award on Clinton, and reporters pressed Klobuchar on the former first lady's 2016 chances after the event.
Iowa Democrats' curious paradox
The state's Democratic operatives reveal a curious paradox when handicapping the 2016 race. They note a lack of pervasive grass-roots enthusiasm for Clinton, while at the same time waving off the suggestion that she could lose to another Democrat.
"Hillary does not have the same connection with grass-roots activists that President Obama had," said Sam Reno, a top Obama organizer in Des Moines. "But if Hillary decides to run, I believe Democrats are going to line up behind her lockstep."
Jennifer O'Malley Dillon, who was John Edwards' Iowa state director in 2008 and later held senior roles in Obama's political operation, recalled that six years ago, both Obama and Edwards poured an enormous amount of money and manpower into Iowa to build volunteer-based organizations in the state's 99 counties and compete for endorsements from party leaders.
It's difficult to imagine anyone building the same kind of institutional support to compete with Clinton in 2016, she said.
"There is still a desire for other party leaders to come visit the state and get to know Iowans," O'Malley Dillon said. "There is opportunity for that over the course of the 2014 cycle. But if Secretary Clinton runs, it will be much harder for any candidate to build the type of organization needed to win Iowa, because it's so intensive."
While Clinton-world has kept its distance from Iowa and other early voting states -- she has no leftover campaign structure on the ground here -- her allies have worked to whip up an air of inevitability that threatens to prevent others from joining the race.
Ready for Hillary, an independent group with tacit support from the Clintons, is dispatching a team of organizers to Iowa next week to meet with labor leaders and party activists. "An agenda is in formation," said Ready for Hillary spokesman Seth Bringman when asked about the trip.
Emily's List, a political action committee that backs Democratic women running for office, hosted a "Madam President" event in Des Moines last summer to help generate excitement for the prospect of a female president.
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Long-running and important connections
Clinton also has important connections in the state dating back to her husband's presidency, including Bonnie Campbell, a former Iowa attorney general who served in Bill Clinton's administration and co-founded a blue-chip consulting firm in the trendy East Village district of Des Moines.
Campbell said she has had no conversations with the former first lady about a possible campaign. But if Clinton does choose to seek the Democratic nomination, Campbell predicted she will have broad and enthusiastic support among women, union members and rank-and-file Democrats. The possibility of another insurgent Democrat defeating her the second time around seems dim, Campbell said.
"She knows Iowa now," Campbell said. "Yes, it's possible some very compelling person could come along and strike a chord. That has happened. I just think it's harder this time. There is a sentiment among men and women that it's time to have a woman president. And who would be more capable and more experienced than Hillary Clinton?"
Yet despite having the Democratic establishment at her back, there remains a palpable sense of unease with Clinton in grass-roots corners of the party, even as those very same activists promise to support her if no one else runs.
Part of that restraint is ideological. Iowa's Democratic caucus-goers remain as dovish as they were in 2008, when Clinton's support for the Iraq war badly damaged her standing on the left. Clinton helped wind down that same war as Obama's secretary of state, but she is now linked to his national security apparatus, which has expanded drone attacks overseas and broadened intelligence gathering with controversial surveillance and data collection techniques.
And at a time when progressives feel emboldened to confront issues like income inequality and wage stagnation, Clinton, who delivered paid speeches last year to two prominent private equity firms as well as a group that actively lobbied against the Affordable Care Act, is perceived by some as too close to the deficit-obsessed worlds of Wall Street and official Washington.
"She needs to become more populist," said state Rep. Brian Meyer, a Democrat from Des Moines. "If somebody comes to Iowa and has that populist message it's going to be well received. People are looking for an alternative. Hillary is the front-runner for a reason. A lot of people support her. But there is a group of progressives in Iowa and New Hampshire and elsewhere who want to see what the field is like and who gets in."
Whimsical Democratic impulses
Clinton is also susceptible to some of the same whimsical Democratic impulses that propelled Obama to his stunning Iowa victory in 2008. "Democrats love an underdog and we love a story," is how Meyer put it. With a gleaming resume and the potential to make history as the country's first female president, Clinton has a powerful story to tell. But she is hardly an underdog.
Some party leaders warned Clinton against reprising the same kind of heavy-handed front-running behavior that rankled so many Iowa activists -- not to mention the media -- during her 2008 effort.
"I don't know if she has learned that lesson," said Jean Pardee, the Iowa Democratic Party's 2nd District vice chair. "The problem with so much of her staff was that they were all sort of higher class than the mere peasants that they had to campaign with. Everyone was kept at arm's length by the staff, although a couple of key ones were pretty good. That's a lesson that should be hopefully learned. But when it comes to human nature, maybe that's not possible."
Clinton must also confront the who's-on-deck inclinations of the Democratic caucus-goer. Unlike Republicans, who have a habit of nominating loyal soldiers who have waited for their turn, Iowa Democrats have a tendency to search for someone new. The last time the party nominated an obvious heir-apparent was 2000, but Al Gore first had to beat back an unexpectedly fierce primary challenge from Bill Bradley on the left.
George Appleby, an attorney and lobbyist in Des Moines who supported Bradley and copped to a "pristine record of picking the wrong guy" in every caucus since 1976 until he backed Obama in 2008, described Clinton as "strong" and "brilliant."
But he said liberals are suffering from an acute case of "Clinton fatigue." He named O'Malley, Virginia Sen. Mark Warner and Secretary of State John Kerry, the 2004 Iowa caucus winner, as Democrats he's keeping an eye on.
"Hillary would make a great president," Appleby said. "She is the odds-on-favorite. But I don't think she is necessarily going to be the nominee, or going to win Iowa. Sometimes people have been around forever, and there is time for some new blood."
Difficult to find Democrat critical of Clinton
Even with these simmering concerns, finding a Democrat in Iowa who is outright critical of Clinton, at least on the record, is difficult. Conversations about the putative front-runner, if disparaging, were invariably punctuated with guarded qualifiers. "But I'm not anti-Clinton" is a common refrain. So is "Don't print that."
Such caution was on full display in December, when Schweitzer, the former Montana governor, visited the Des Moines suburb of Altoona to headline a holiday gathering hosted by ProgressIowa, a liberal advocacy group.
Hip to the 2016 buzz that surrounded his visit to the caucus state, Schweitzer made headlines when he criticized the Democratic senators who voted to authorize military action in Iraq in 2002. It was an unmistakable jab at Clinton and her support for the war, a vote that haunted her in 2008 and allowed Obama to tap into the anti-war anxieties of Iowa liberals.
Asked over and over by the five reporters in attendance if his comments were aimed specifically at Clinton, the usually blunt Schweitzer hemmed and hawed. "I think 21 Democratic senators got it exactly right and voted against it," he said, avoiding naming names, and thus any head-on criticism of Clinton.
The Schweitzer event drew a number of Democratic party power-brokers, including gubernatorial candidate Jack Hatch, who purchased Schweitzer's signature bolo tie for $125 in a slapdash auction, and Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Scott Brennan, who waved off a reporter's questions about 2016.
"It's so damn early," he said. "It was stupid early in 2008 and it's stupid early now. No one has done a damn thing."
And yet, for some reason, nearly 70 activists, labor leaders and party officials showed up to a casino ballroom in the pre-Christmas cold to hear the voluble Montana governor talk about education, the economy and prison reform.
"I'm glad he's here," said Meyer, the state legislator, who was nursing a beer in the back of the room. "I don't think he can wait on Hillary's decision to come out. People, if they are serious about running, they have to come out before she makes a decision. Clearly she is the front-runner and she is a wonderful candidate. Joe Biden is No. 2. But I would like to see a second tier of candidates come out here, because Iowa is where upsets are made and where people move on."
Also patrolling the room was Rob Hogg, a bespectacled state senator from Cedar Rapids. After proudly signing a copy of his book on climate change and handing it to a reporter, Hogg was asked which Democratic candidate he supported in the 2008 caucuses.
"I supported Secretary Clinton," he said.
Pressed twice on whether he would back her once again, Hogg twice replied with the same answer: "It depends on who else is in the field."Moscow has urged NATO to refrain from provocative statements on Ukraine and respect its non-bloc status after a chorus of Western politicians said Russia should be “transparent” about its military drills and avoid any steps that could be “misunderstood.”
“When NATO starts giving a consideration the situation in Ukraine, it sends out the wrong signal,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement published on its website on Thursday.
As Ukraine’s turmoil has shifted to the ethnic Russian-majority in the Crimea region, the US, NATO, and the EU have all voiced their concerns over the situation as well as come up with proposals on how Russia should act.
At the same time, the EU-brokered agreement to settle the Ukrainian political crisis which was signed on February 21 and certified by the foreign ministers of Germany, Poland and France “is still not being implemented,” Russia said.
“Militants, who still haven’t surrendered arms and not vacated administrative buildings, announced their intention to ‘bring order’ to all Ukrainian regions,” the Russian ministry said.
The agreement to jointly investigate violence, as well as to form a national unity government “fell into oblivion,” Moscow said. “Instead, as it was announced on [Kiev’s] Maidan ‘a government of winners’ has been established which includes nationalist extremists.”
Russia urged foreign partners who encouraged the opposition rallies in Ukraine and then initiated the February 21 settlement agreement, to realize their responsibility to work towards its fulfillment.
Moscow says it is ready to cooperate with the West on Ukraine, just as it had been offering to do long before the crisis in the country descended to bloody unrest.
“But we are ready to cooperate if there is a clear understanding that the cooperation should be honest, and based on an ability to make agreements as well as to fulfil them. And agreements should take into consideration interests of all the Ukrainian people as well as of all Ukraine’s partners,” the ministry’s statement reads.
‘Moscow, be careful’ chorus
The barrage of comments from the West particularly intensified after President Vladimir Putin ordered on Wednesday a surprise military drill to test the combat readiness of the armed forces across western and central Russia. The move – Moscow underlined – was not related to events in Ukraine and was in full compliance with Russia’s international agreements (The Vienna Document 2011) and obligations. That has been confirmed by NATO.
However on Thursday, NATO’s chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen urged Russia “not to take any action that could escalate tension or create misunderstanding.”
His statement was echoed by American Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel who said that Moscow must be transparent about military exercises along the Ukrainian border and not take any steps that could be misinterpreted or "lead to miscalculation during a delicate time."
US Secretary of State John Kerry warned Moscow Wednesday to be “very careful” with its approach to Ukraine and respect its territorial integrity.
A similar sentiment came from the head of another NATO member-state, British Prime Minister David Cameron.
"We are particularly concerned by the situation in Crimea - every country should respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine," Cameron added at a joint briefing with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in London on Thursday.
Lawmakers in Ukraine’s Autonomous Republic of Crimea voted Thursday to hold a referendum to determine the region’s future. According to the parliament’s spokeswoman as a result of “the unconstitutional seizure of power in Ukraine by radical nationalists supported by armed gangs,” Crimea’s peace and order is “under threat.” Ethnic Russians form around 58.3 percent of the population of the peninsula on the Black Sea.
Turmoil in the region began after the new Ukrainian authorities ousted President Yanukovich and revoked a 2012 law that allowed regions to use minority languages, including Russian, as second language.
The European Parliament also had its say pointing out in a resolution that Russia must not put economic pressure on Ukraine. Moscow “pledged to uphold Ukraine’s territorial integrity in the "Budapest memorandum" signed with the US and the UK in 1994,” the parliament’s press service reported. In the same act, they added, “it also pledged to refrain from exerting economic pressure on Ukraine in order to subordinate it to its own interests.”
On Thursday, NATO defense ministers and Ukraine’s first deputy defense minister gathered in Brussels to discuss the Ukrainian crisis, while the parliament in Kiev was busy forming the new Cabinet.
German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said it was important “that we prevent a breakup of the Ukraine, and that special forces in the country are strengthened,” Ruptly TV reported.
“NATO stands ready to support democratic development, defense reforms, military cooperation and democratic control over the security sector,” Rasmussen said after the session of the NATO-Ukraine Commission. NATO, which “has a long-standing partnership” with Ukraine is set to continue its engagement and support the country “on the path of democratic and inclusive reforms,” he added.
A day earlier, Rasmussen also noted that the door to NATO remains open to Ukraine, admitting though that there are “more urgent priorities” for the country’s new leadership.
Russia, in response blamed the western alliance for attempting to make a decision for Ukrainians.
“So, the membership should remain among not so urgent, but still priority tasks?” the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday. “We strongly recommend everyone to refrain from provocative statements and respect Ukraine’s non-bloc status.”A recent U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report reveals the information technology (IT) used by the government is ineffective to keep tabs on those who overstay visas. Moreover, the lag also causes a delay in determining whether a visa holder poses a national security threat. There is a backlog of more than 1.2 million visa overstays.
Auditors with the Office of Inspector General (OIG) at DHS found that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) investigations “may take months” to determine both a visa holder’s status and whether they are a threat to public safety.
According to a statement obtained by Breitbart Texas from the DHS Office of Inspector General, the IT scheme that exists presently “forc[es] ICE personnel to laboriously piece together vital information from up to 27 distinct DHS information systems and databases to accurately determine an individual’s overstay status.” The system lacks “integration and information-sharing capabilities.” The result: a stockpile of more than 1.2 million visa overstay cases.
Another problem in keeping track of visa overstays is the absence of a biometric system at the U.S. ports of departure.
Immigration experts with the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) reported in September 2013:
Tracking the arrival and departure of foreign visitors to the United States is an essential part of immigration control. The need for arrival controls is obvious, but recording departures is also important; without it, there is no way to know whether travelers have left when they were supposed to. It is also vital that such exit tracking employs biometric indicators — for instance, the travelers’ photos or fingerprints. Using only biographic information, such as names or passport numbers, provides no assurance that the person departing is the one whose original arrival was recorded.
CIS reported that “a biometric exit-tracking system for aliens departing by air or sea is feasible immediately at a reasonable cost.” Estimates, based on the costs at the time, showed that implementation expenses for the first year would range from $400 million to $600 million. This estimate included significant cost overruns.
The immigration think tank suggested that implementation could be covered with a “relatively small fee increase” on those charged to foreign nationals who come to the country via air or sea. They wrote that the expense very likely would not require a congressional appropriation. There are 40 million of these individuals who travel by air.
Moreover, CIS reported that as of September 2013, 14 countries already had, or were in the process of getting, biometric systems for air travelers.
ICE officials have now been given the responsibility of identifying those who overstay their visa. The workload “would be minimal with a biometric exit” system and this would “enable the agency to focus on enforcing the law rather than diverting hundreds of agents to this task as it does now.” The US-VISIT program used to be charged with determining visa overstays. ICE was given this responsibility in 2013 when the then US-VISIT program was divested of it.
CIS reports that “the executive branch has so far refused to implement such a system.” Yet, CIS reports Congress directed that an exit system be set up (in eight different statutes since 1996) and the three most recent legislative mandates require a biometric component. Although the cost has likely increased since 2013, many immigration experts would probably urge that so has the risks to Americans.
Officials already capture these facial images and fingerprints at airports of entry and consular offices when foreign nationals are seeking to come into the U.S. CIS reports this information is “queried an average of 30,000 times every day by authorized federal, state, and local government users.” This information is used by intelligence officers and law enforcement and is shared with other countries to arrest criminals and terrorists who change their names and other information to get safely lost in the U.S.
“ICE must equip its personnel with the tools and training they require for the vital work of tracking visitors who overstay their visas,” said Inspector General John Roth. “Timely identification, tracking, and adjudication of potential visa overstays is critical to ICE’s public safety and national security mission.”
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas. He is a founding member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Facebook.Signs banning Muslims from using a Houston shopping center parking lot mysteriously appeared this week, generating massive outrage.
The posters, which read “No Muslim parking in the Westview Shopping Center,” were seen in recent days outside the mall, which sits across the street from a mosque, a local television station reported.
The signs, which also warned violators that their vehicles would be towed, have since been removed, the station reported.
Some speculated that the signs were spawned by large crowds expected at the mosque as the Muslim month-long fast for the holy month of Ramadan came to an end. Several mall employees privately expressed frustration with mosque members occupying parking spots meant for shoppers.
Muslims attending the mosque were nevertheless offended, and nobody has claimed responsibility for the signs, the station reported. Police are investigating.
One mosque worshiper said, “I’m very shocked because we do live in a society that’s supposed to be very accepting and this is what we all preach.”
Copyright © 2019 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.A San Francisco supervisor says he had to do something after hearing about the shooting death of a Bayview mother of three back in January. His goal? Stricter gun and ammo tracking to keep guns out of the hands of criminals. Michelle Roberts reports. (Published Tuesday, July 14, 2015)
Big changes could be coming to how guns and bullets are sold in San Francisco, even though there is only one shop in the city that's legally allowed to sell firearms.
Nonetheless, after a violent start to 2015, city leaders are trying to make it even tougher to buy and sell guns.
City supervisors were set to take up the issue on Tuesday afternoon.
Supervisor Mark Farrell says this gun-control reforms package is not directly linked to the recent Pier 14 shooting, but he acknowledges safety is top of mind and says he wants to send a message that San Francisco continuously re-evaluates its system to make the city safer, especially after a string of violent crimes at the start of the year.
SF Could Make Gun Sale Regulations Even Stricter
Big changes could be coming to how guns and bullets are sold in San Francisco. Stephanie Chuang reports. (Published Tuesday, July 14, 2015)
That string of violent crimes includes the Jan. 27 killing of a Bayview mother who was shot to death in front of her three kids, the victim of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Farrell’s proposal has two main parts: The first portion would require the videotaping of all gun and ammunition sales in San Francisco, as well as video surveillance of all places in the store where guns or ammo are kept, handled and transferred.
Current federal law doesn’t require this,” Farrell said, “so when you think about police enforcement matters and having videotape of people purchasing guns, how people are handling them inside stores, this is just an additional tool” to deter or at least catch criminals.
Steven Alcairo has been selling firearms for more than decade at the city’s only licensed gun retailer, High Bridge Arms on Mission Street. Farrell’s proposal would require Alcairo’s customers to give up some of their privacy.
“People who purchase firearms are private about it,” Alcairo said. “We need to stand firm around gun control.”
The second portion of Farrell’s proposal would require ammunition dealers to store and electronically send sales data to San Francisco police every week for at least five years.
Alcairo said he worries, if the proposed changes are approved, his customers will start shopping in other cities.
“I don’t think this will dent violence in the street, not for a millisecond,” he said.
Farrell admits San Francisco already has some of the toughest gun control laws already, but he feels there is more that can be done, and even with only one legally licensed dealer left in the city, he says this will act as a sort of deterrent to keep that kind of business out of city limits.
Farrell says there are more than a dozen jurisdictions in California that have similar rules on the books already. Sacramento is one. Since 2008, California’s capital city has been collecting information on people buying bullets and cross-checking those names with a list of people who cannot legally own a gun.
This is the data that ammunition dealers would have to send to police:
Date of sale,
The name address and date of birth of the customer,
Driver’s license or other government-issued i-d information,
The type of ammo,
A signature,
The agent/employee handling the sale.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors will likely vote on the issue in the fall. If approved, the proposal could become law before the end of the year.
NBC Bay Area's Michelle Roberts contributed to this report.Update: Elections BC has revised the results for Coquitlam-Burke Mountain citing a “transposition error”. The projects have been updated to reflect this change.
Here’s my attempt to project absentee vote projections for the cliffhanger ridings from last night.
Data
BC Election final results 2013
BC Election preliminary results 2017
Method
First, I calculated the absentee vote as a percentage of preliminary (non-absentee) votes.
Coquitlam-Burke Mountain – 2013 Douglas Horne Chris Wilson LIB NDP Prelim subtotal 8,868 6,420 s. 98 Special 24 36 s. 99 Absentee – in ED 482 439 s. 100 Absentee – out of ED 176 209 s. 101 Absentee – advance 41 53 s. 104 Voting in DEO office 149 143 s. 106 Voting by mail 26 15 Absentee subtotal 898 895 absentee as % of prelim 10.13% 13.94%
I then used that as a proxy to calculate the absentee ballots for 2017, and thus obtain the projected grand total.
Prelim 2017 Absentee as % of prelim 2013 Projected Total 2017 Electoral District LIB NDP LIB NDP LIB NDP Coquitlam-Burke Mountain 9,514 9,344 10.13% 13.94% 10,551 10,611 Courtenay-Comox* 10,049 10,058 11.16% 13.21% 11,171 11,386 Maple Ridge-Mission 9,723 9,843 9.77% 9.95% 10,673 10,822
According to my projections, Coquitlam-Burke Mountain will flip from Liberal to NDP, and NDP will hold onto Courtenay-Comox and Maple Ridge-Mission with increased margins.
This will make it a 42-42 tie, with Andrew Weaver’s Green’s emerging as the ultimate kingmaker.
Courtenay-Comox is a new riding, but it is not too different to Comox Valley, so I used number for Comox Valley to project the outcome for Courtenay-Comox. Another factor to note here is that the BC Liberal Jim Benninger used to be the base commander of CFB Comox. As a result, this is the riding I’m least confident about in projecting.
I didn’t try to forecast the outcome for Richmond-Queensborough absentee count because it is a brand new riding.
[Photo Credit: Dane Low]Following a unanimous vote by the Chicago Public School Board of Education, computer science will become a graduation requirement for all high school students in what is the nation’s third largest school district. Starting with next school year’s class of freshmen (class of 2020), students in Chicago Public Schools |
plays into Brown's hands and allows him to dismiss valid criticisms as hysteria.
We should learn from the great Zimbabwean journalist Trevor Ncube, who argued that the defining feature of Zanu-PF leaders was the secret knowledge that they were political bankrupts. It produced a desperate anger, he said. 'And in their desperation, they are trying to find scapegoats; they're hitting out at anybody.'
The rage of frustrated rulers unites Britain and Zimbabwe rather than political methods. The state went for Damian Green, not because there were serious allegations of corruption against him, as there were against Labour officials, but because the Conservatives had made serious accusations of incompetence against the Home Office.
The outrage that followed has been heartening - did David Normington, the Home Office's Permanent Secretary, and Assistant Commissioner Bob Quick of the Met not know that Charles I lost his head after sending troops into Parliament? But it missed a wider threat.
On the same day anti-terrorist officers deigned to release a leading opposition politician from nine hours of house arrest, Mr Justice Southwell threw out the police case against Sally Murrer, a journalist on the Milton Keynes Citizen - a fine local newspaper, but not one which ever expected to be on the front line of the battle for British liberty.
Like Green, they went after her for exercising freedoms previous generations took for granted. Like Green, they accused her of 'aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office', the catch-all the Crown Prosecution Service has invented to get round statutory protections for whistleblowers who bring news Parliament and the public need to hear. Unlike Green, however, her prosecution makes no sense.
The government's critics think they have a rational explanation for the behaviour of Normington and Quick. A source in the Home Office had told Green that officials had cleared illegal immigrants to work as guards at government buildings. Admittedly, when anti-terrorist officers arrested him, it was the first time they had held a suspect for trying to protect national security. But their motive was clear. Green had embarrassed the Home Secretary and made Home Office civil servants look idle fools. He and his source had to pay.
The accusations against Sally Murrer, on the other hand, were incomprehensibly trivial. The state said that Mark Kearney, a police officer and Murrer's co-defendant, had given her the story that Thames Valley Police did not intend to prosecute the star striker of the MK Dons after a fight in a hotel. It also alleged he had passed on a tip that a man who had been murdered in the town had a conviction for drug dealing.
Journalists in free countries receive similar steers every day. Yet the police bugged her phones, ransacked her home and office, confiscated her computers, interrogated her, humiliated her with a strip search, separated her from her daughters and handicapped son and left her with the threat of a prison sentence hanging over her for 18 months.
She has a conspiracy theory for the mayhem they brought to her quiet life that also touches on the rights of Parliament. She is convinced that the police and CPS were trying to intimidate Kearney into silence because he had protested about his superiors ordering him to bug conversations between Sadiq Khan, the Labour MP and lawyer, and a jailed terrorist suspect.
I find the alternative as grim. It may be that Labour ministers, police and prosecutors regard the release of any unauthorised information, however inconsequential, as a crime and are determined to persecute sources and the politicians and journalists they speak to. The state wants potential trouble-makers to ask themselves once, twice, 100 times if taking on the government is worth the trouble.
Optimists will point out that the judge stopped the trial. But Southwell did so on a technicality and with evident reluctance. He grumbled about being 'forced' to release the accused because he was 'effectively bound' by European law. Then, for no understandable reason, he banned the press from reporting what he had done for three days.
As I have said before, the judiciary is no longer a guarantor of liberty. One of the first acts of President Obama will be to sign a bill from Congress that prevents the verdicts of British libel judges being enforced in the States. American politicians and writers of all political persuasions have been outraged by the behaviour of Mr Justice Eady, who merrily agrees to the banning of books that have never been published in this country and orders the fining of foreign authors. So, too, has the United Nations.
Yet the unprecedented spectacle of America, a fellow democracy whose legal system has roots in the English common law, deciding that Britain is no friend to freedom of speech, has passed without comment from officialdom here.
Such silences are becoming an ominous feature of bureaucratic life. Listen as hard you like, but you will never hear a Law Lord tell Eady that he cannot censor writers at the behest of plutocrats, or New Scotland Yard and the Home Office tell Quick that he cannot arrest opposition MPs, or the CPS tell Thames Valley detectives that they cannot harass an innocent reporter.
No one in authority ever seems to say to the bewigged authoritarian or uniformed goon: 'This isn't Zimbabwe, you know. This is Britain and you just can't do that here.'The chief economist of Bremer Landesbank, Folker Hellmeyer, called for the emancipation of Europe from the United States. The US government attempts to destabilize the Eurozone promoting the principle "divide and rule". Therefore, Europe should change its orientation towards China and Russia, DWN wrote.
The US credit system is not sustainable: it had once brought the US to a major economic crisis and will do it again. The Eurozone has a much better economy, and therefore European countries should be oriented towards China and Russia, the economic expert claimed.
"The economic fundamentals of the Eurozone and its countries are much more substantial than those of the US, Japan or Great Britain," Hellmeyer said.
According to the expert, the economic situation in Europe is encouraging while the United States faces a lot of problems and can be called the "sick man" of the global economy.
"There have been no reforms in the US since 2008," Hellmeyer said. "It just repeats the economic model that had led to the crisis in 2008/2009."
© AP Photo / Virginia Mayo EU Economy Sustains Major Losses From Sanctions Against Russia
The credit system in the US automotive sector resembles the real estate market before 2008. Such a system is a false one, and the country will have to pay a high price for it in the future.
According to Hellmeyer, the world is now facing the biggest dispute over power since 1945. The US is trying to consolidate its western sphere of influence to respond to the challenge posed by emerging economies, which account for 56% of global economic output, 85% of world population and 70% of international foreign exchange reserves.
At the same time, EU politicians are elected to represent Europe’s interests and, thus, should pursue a policy independent from the US. The EU should participate in large-scale projects including those proposed by Russia and China and stop anti-Russian sanctions as soon as possible.It is hard to know exactly who comes out worst from the ongoing Duncan Jenkins-Jen Chang Twitter-threat-mole farrago, at least in the story as told by Jenkins (né Sean Cummins) on his blog, a version of events that awaits a formal response from Liverpool FC while the club conduct their own investigation. Early leaders in the race to the bottom include Chang; Premier League communication officers everywhere; Cummins himself, who played with the bull and got the horns; plus those old perennially tarnished favourites, modern football, the internet and all human beings everywhere.
For those who haven't followed the story, and there cannot be many, Liverpool's director of communications stands accused by the voice behind parody Twitter account Duncan Jenkins of making assorted threats – including a ban from Anfield and the wrath of putative faeces-wielding Liverpool fans – over Cummins's alleged leaking over Twitter of information via "a mole" within the Liverpool dressing room. Cummins claims not to have a mole and has offered chapter and verse on what, if we are to believe his account, were some frankly rather bizarre dealings with Chang.
It is a very modern football story centring as it does on nothing that can sensibly be called football, but instead fraught with the flaring inanities of the periphery. Frankly it's hard to know where to start here, beyond acknowledging that the story as told by Jenkins is in itself a feat of comic self-immolation beyond even NotJenChang or BigJenChang or any one of the many Jen Chang parody accounts that have no doubt already sprung up across this most incontinent of social networks.
Really, though, the wider question is how, exactly, the parody Twitter account – a thing, an entity, a player in itself – has managed to gain such currency not just around, but now apparently inside, professional football. The Jenkins account remains a rare thing: genuinely funny at times as a step up from the simple parody of a named individual. Instead Jenkins poked fun at an entire genre of person, the blog-dufus football hack with his asymmetric haircut, his smartphone, his intrusive matiness, his almost complete lack of talent. Whereas, pre-Jenkins, the simple one-note parody was already a Twitter staple. Some are reliably funny, like fake Big Sam, with its occasionally creative stream of Allardyce-consciousness, or Literally Jamie, a slightly cruel Jamie Redknapp parody which is, incidentally, also rumoured to be on its way out.
For a while last year there was also a popular Andy Townsend turn, which came the closest, pre-Jenkins, to intersecting uncomfortably with the real world. The Townsend account was eventually pulled by Twitter after newspapers, including the Independent, quoted some of its more risqué tweets as evidence of institutionalised sexism in the TV industry.
Beyond this there has long been a subculture of pranks and scams and misinformation, driven by the desire to lampoon both the ambient thirst for footballing gossip and the complicity with which journalists will feed this vice. In the past two years at least two fake football agent feeds have rather sneeringly revealed themselves to be teenagers having a laugh at the expense of tabloid newspapers, where a number of stories "leaked" by these bedroom pranksters have ended up making the news pages. Fingers have been burned and this kind of thing is unlikely to transmit itself quite so easily again.
And Beyond Twitter's blurted misdirections there are broader successes: most notably the fictional Moldovan 16-year-old Masal Bugduv, a player of rare but also sadly nonexistent genius who managed to find his way into a Times list of the top 50 most promising young players in Europe. Plus, who could forget a number of TV channels and newspapers reporting Liverpool's bid to sign Didier Baptiste, fictional full-back with Harchester United of Sky 1's Dream Team? The list goes on, testimony to the chaotic fecundity of an infinite hunger for football gossip and an infinite space in which to put it, not to mention the multiple deadline pressure under which most newspaper hacks work these days: corners will be cut, mistakes will be made, the tide of information will overwhelm.
And perhaps Cummins too must take a little of the blame for the current sui generis shemozzle, which rises up and beyond the simpler parodies that preceded it. If only for the way the Jenkins account began to straddle, uneasily, two opposing genres, no doubt a symptom of his own minor seduction by Twitter-power and journo-heft. It was only when Jenkins began to post "real" things about actual transfers, movements within the club, starting lineups – thereby increasing massively his following and, to a pathetic degree no doubt, his personal wealth via a spoofy internet column – that the current trouble started.
It is easy to portray Chang as someone who simply didn't get the joke. But, to be fair, Chang's beef is not with a parody, but with a parody that stepped out of the shadows, tooled up with a parody-fuelled following, and started having an alarmingly decent punt at actually uncovering some real-world goings-on. This isn't Masal Bugduv lurking always just out of reach – it's Masal Bugduv suddenly turning up at the club gates doing keep-ups and demanding a trial.
On the other hand, nothing Jenkins ever came up with wasn't present elsewhere on the internet. And really it is the structures, the institutional paranoia, the corporate flapping about detailed in his – as yet unexamined – account that are far more alarming, if true, than one man's six-month spell of dressing up in a Batman suit at his keyboard. Whatever its resolution, the Chang-Cummins saga is unlikely to inspire future generations to look upon this one and muse, "truly, they lived though an age of enlightenment..."
What is beyond dispute is that rumour, speculation and dunder-headed misinformation currently provide an insatiable form of fascination not just around the sport's fevered periphery, a oneupmanship of gossip and lies among those who cling to the coattails of these sporting plcs, but also perhaps among those who report and even control the elite end of the game. Football and the internet make idiots of us all. Strike Duncan Jenkins down and a hundred others will spring up in his place, fallout from a parody of a parody of a parody flushed out into the light in a way that is, in truth, entirely beyond the scope of parody.Barely noticed by the people who use it, sitting directly above Highgate tube station is an entire abandoned railway station, now slowly being reclaimed by nature.
Opened 150 years ago this month, long before the tube arrived, as part of the Great Northern Railway’s line between Finsbury Park and Edgware stations, this is the former Highgate railway station.
The area the line runs through is very hilly, and indeed, if you look at the railways from Euston or Kings Cross, they run to the east and west of the area to avoid the area.
So it wasn’t until the 1860s that an attempt was made to run a railway through the middle, and it’s characterised by deep cuttings and numerous tunnels.
Highgate station itself was lain into one of these deep cuttings, which has probably irked everyone since as there’s a very steep slope to get down to the station.
It opened on 22nd August 1867 with two platforms and a reversing track in the middle, but within a couple of decades this was torn up and replaced with a single central platform and tracks on either side.
What made the station potentially much more important than it is today is how it should have been a major junction for several other lines.
A branch line ran to Alexandra Palace, and in the 1930s, it was announced that a large upgrade of the lines in North London was to take place — the Northern Heights Project.
As part of that, the Northern line, which stopped at Archway station was extended northwards, in tunnels deep under Highgate towards Finchley.
A brand new Charles Holden designed station was built, with escalators down to the tube tunnels, and a ticket hall inserted underneath the existing surface railway platforms.
However, war intervened, and then post-was austerity.
Plans to electrify the steam railway was put back repeatedly, and eventually in 1954 the line between Finsbury Park and Alexandra Palace was closed, and plans to link the line northwards to Edgware were abandoned.
The Holden station plans were scaled back — for example the escalators to the streets was supposed to be a double with a grand entrance at the top. They ended up with a single escalator and a brick shed.
The surface railway was removed, and eventually the area was left for nature to slowly reclaim it.
What should have been a major transport junction is just an ordinary tube station, with a tanoy that keeps pronouncing it as Highgut Station.
Today the old private home next to the station, the last part of the original 150 year old station is now owned by TfL, the platforms used to house ventilation equipment and power supplies.
The platforms extend far along here, but the surface was lifted and it’s now a woodland path for those who are permitted to walk along it.
The tunnels remain, but are sealed off, because they’ve become home to an endangered species — the bats.
Today you can walk much of the abandoned Northern Heights project route as the railway line was turned into a public footpath, but this abandoned station is not part of the walk.
Access to the disused station was through the Hidden London tours organised by the Transport Museum.
Some more photosBuried in an article reviewing the myths and facts of obesity and weight-loss in this week’s New England Journal of Medicine is this gem:
“Myth number 7: A bout of sexual activity burns 100 to 300 kcal for each participant.”
There’s no shortage of Web sites extolling the cardiovascular virtues of sex, from undressing to foreplay to intercourse. Suffice it to say that they’re long on pseudo-science and short on data. A random sample:
Advertisement:
WebMD estimates that 30 minutes of sex can burn 85 calories or more. “It may not sound like much, but it adds up: 42 half-hour sessions will burn 3,570 calories, more than enough to lose a pound.”
HowAboutWe is slightly more enthusiastic. Unclasp a bra with your mouth? Sixty-seven calories. Make love standing up? Six hundred calories.
Gizmodo puts a Nike Fuelband to the test and reports that intercourse burned 179 calories—six times more than washing the dishes.
Livestrong argues that “in terms of calories burned, foreplay is roughly equivalent to an hour of watering the lawn while sex is equivalent to raking the lawn.” Even so, the site cautions, “You should not rely on sex as your only form of exercise.”
Woman’s Day, meanwhile, says that “the key for high-calorie-burning sex is making it hot and making it last.” Jaiya Kinzbach, an L.A.–based “sexologist,” adds that “a little moaning and sighing” can burn an extra 18 to 30 calories.And while you’re at it, why not mix in a few “calorie-blasting” pushups and yoga poses?
The New England Journal’s rather more sober assessment? An average guy, supposing he weighs about 150 pounds, burns closer to 3.5 calories per minute having sex.
The authors write, “Given that the average bout of sexual activity lasts about 6 minutes, a man in his early-to-mid-30s might expend approximately 21 kcal during sexual intercourse. Of course, he would have spent roughly one third that amount of energy just watching television, so the incremental benefit of one bout of sexual activity with respect to energy expended is plausibly on the order of 14 kcal” (emphasis added).
So there you have it. Sex is better for you than watching Downton Abbey … but only by 14 calories.Earlier this month the Oregon Health Plan (Oregon's Medicaid program) announced that, starting in October 2014, they would cover the health care needs of transgender youth, including puberty-suppressing hormones and counseling services. This is great news for transgender youth in Oregon whose families would otherwise never be able to afford such care, but it's notable for another reason: This is the first, or one of the first, times that a government agency has addressed the needs of the youngest LGBTQ citizens.
While we, both the LGBTQ community and society in general, don't often talk about queer youth who come out during grade-school years, there's a couple of reasons why it's important to think about this out-of-the-spotlight population. First, many LGBTQ people are aware of parts of their sexual orientation or gender identity from a young age. One well-regarded study found that the average age that gay and bisexual boys had their first same-sex attractions was just before 8, while for girls it was 9, and in many cases the same-sex attractions started several years earlier. Transgender individuals, meanwhile, may be especially likely to sense a disconnect between their gender identity and their body when they are young, because, among other reasons, gender is salient for children.
Second, LGB people are coming out earlier than before. Likely thanks to societal changes that make LGB people more visible and less stigmatized, the average coming-out age has declined from 20-something in the 1980s to somewhere around 16 today. But, because "average" means some people will be below that age, there are many who come out younger -- in some cases far younger. Search on YouTube and it's not hard to find clips of people who came out at 9 or 10 years old. Even here on The Huffington Post, Amelia blogs about her experience as the mother of a 7-year-old openly gay son.
This trajectory toward coming out at younger ages means that we, both the LGBTQ community and society at large, need to be thinking about how to meet these kids' needs. As more lesbian and gay kids come out during their childhood or early adolescent years, it will be important for schools to educate students about sexual orientation and gender identity in an age-appropriate way as part of diversity awareness, and to squelch any schoolyard myths about what it means to be gay. As more transgender kids come out before puberty, states and insurance companies ought to ensure that these kids have access to appropriate medical care that can prevent them from undergoing the painful process of maturing into a body that is incongruent with who they are. For instance, appropriate care can ensure that a biologically female kid who identifies as a boy won't have to grow breasts.
On a more somber note, more awareness of what it means to be gay and increasing pressure to come out earlier may lead some teenagers to come out to hostile families and face painful consequences such as conversion therapy, emotional abuse and being kicked out of the house, whereas in a different era those same teenagers might have waiting until their 20s to come out, when doing so would be much safer. We can already see that happening today.The Missouri Supreme Court is hearing arguments against city ordinances that use traffic cameras to ticket people for running red lights or speeding.
The Missouri Supreme Court is hearing arguments against city ordinances that use traffic cameras to ticket people for running red lights or speeding.
The high court was to hear appeals Tuesday in three separate cases challenging traffic-camera ordinances by municipalities in St. Louis and St. Charles counties and in St. Louis city.
Lower courts have invalidated the local ordinances, in part because they said the ordinances conflicted with state laws governing traffic violations. The cities have appealed.
State legislators considered bills earlier this year that would have set forth a legal framework for traffic enforcement cameras. But the measures failed to pass during the session that ended in May.Donald Trump provoked fresh outrage on Saturday by lashing out at a revered civil rights activist who challenged the legitimacy of his election win.
Attempts to hold Trump to account only seem to make him stronger and stranger Read more
The criticism of US congressman John Lewis came on the day of a civil rights march in Washington aimed at Trump’s incoming presidency, two days before America observes the annual Martin Luther King Jr Day and six days before the country’s first black president leaves office.
Lewis, who was beaten by state troopers during the historic 1965 march over the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, is the first leading Democrat to publicly question Trump’s right to govern.
“I don’t see this president-elect as a legitimate president,” he told NBC’s Meet the Press this week.
The 76-year-old congressman from Georgia, seen by some as the moral conscience of the nation, will boycott Trump’s inauguration, the first he has missed since becoming a member of Congress three decades ago.
“I think the Russians participated in helping this man get elected, and they helped destroy the candidacy of Hillary Clinton,” he said.
Clinton received 2.9m more votes than Trump but lost the electoral college. When assailed, Trump is known to favour a playbook of hitting back harder, even against seemingly no-win targets such as Khizr and Ghazala Khan, the parents of a US soldier killed in Iraq; Alicia Machado, a Miss Universe winner; and Meryl Streep, the Oscar-winning actor.
On Saturday he decided that Lewis should be no different, using Twitter to say that he “should spend more time on fixing and helping his district, which is in horrible shape and falling apart (not to mention crime infested) rather than falsely complaining about the election results. All talk, talk, talk – no action or results. Sad!”
The comments – from a man backed by figures linked to the Ku Klux Klan and other racist far-right groups – drew a scathing response, even from the president-elect’s own party.
Ben Sasse, a Republican senator for Nebraska and frequent Trump critic, said on Twitter: “John Lewis and his ‘talk’ have changed the world.” Conservative commentator Bill Kristol posted: “It’s telling, I’m afraid, that Donald Trump treats Vladimir Putin with more respect than he does John Lewis.”
Evan McMullin, a former CIA officer who ran as an independent conservative in the presidential election, said: “While you avoided the draft, John Lewis risked his life for equality in America. You’ll never even dream of such selfless patriotism, Donald.”
Evan McMullin (@Evan_McMullin) On this Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, let it be clear that John Lewis is an American patriot. Trump's attacks on him further confirm it. pic.twitter.com/WavPT36Atu
Howard Wolfson, a former deputy mayor of New York, commented: “John Lewis did more to make America great in one day on the Edmund Pettus Bridge than Donald Trump ever will.”
This week, Lewis also spoke out against Trump’s nominee for attorney general, Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama, during a confirmation hearing. Sessions was denied a federal judgeship in 1986 over alleged racist remarks. This week, a letter from King’s wife, Coretta Scott King, opposing his nomination was rediscovered and published by the Washington Post.
“We need someone as attorney general who’s going to look out for all of us, and not just some of us,” said Lewis, a protégé of King.
Trump’s latest Twitter storm coincided with a civil rights march in Washington led by activists angry over his offensive remarks about Muslims, Mexicans and other minority groups. In poor weather, Rev Al Sharpton led around 2,000 protesters along the National Mall, ending at the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial, about two miles from the steps of the US Capitol, where Trump will be sworn in as president on Friday.
Addressing marchers, Cornell William Brooks, president and chief executive of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said: “We will march until hell freezes over, and when it does, we will march on the ice.”
The march kicked off a week of demonstrations scheduled before, during and after Trump’s inauguration.
Trump got 8% of the black vote in the presidential election, according to exit polls; Clinton received 88%.
The changing of the guard in Washington, however, is gathering momentum. Even before Trump takes office, Republicans won a gateway victory in Congress on Friday in their efforts to scrap Barack Obama’s signature healthcare law. With a 227-198 House vote, Congress gave final approval to a budget that will ease passage of a still-unwritten bill replacing the Affordable Care Act.
The budget “gives us the tools we need for a step-by-step approach to fix these problems and put Americans back in control of their health care”, House speaker Paul Ryan said after the vote.
John Lewis: 'I don’t think I’ve changed much. I still consider myself an activist' Read more
But internal divisions are emerging. At least seven Republicans have said they want to wait until a replacement is ready before they will vote to repeal Obamacare, wary that 20 million people who gained health insurance could suddenly lose it.
Trump could also face a bumpy ride from his own cabinet. This week several of his nominees underwent Senate confirmation hearings and expressed views that differed from his own on everything from Russian hacking to the Iran nuclear deal to immigration rights.
The president-elect brushed off the dissent, claiming he had told his picks to “say what you want to say”. He said: “I may be right, they may be right.”
Meanwhile, on Saturday Obama delivered his last weekly address at the White House with a call for active citizenship.
“Our success depends on our participation, regardless of which way the pendulum of power swings,” he said. “It falls on each of us to be guardians of our democracy; to embrace the joyous task we’ve been given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours. Because for all our outward differences, we all share the same proud title: citizen.”
He added: “It has been the honour of my life to serve you as president. Eight years later, I am even more optimistic about our country’s promise. And I look forward to working along your side, as a citizen, for all my days that remain.”A protester carries an anti-fracking sign on Sunday in New York. (Timothy Fadek/Bloomberg)
In his January State of the Union address, President Obama said that natural gas could be a low-emission "bridge fuel" that could allow the U.S. to help slow global warming. Demonstrators at Sunday's climate protest in New York apparently didn't get the talking points memo from the White House -- many carried signs calling for an end to fracking.
The reality is that shale gas probably won't have much effect on climate change either way, according to a new study published Wednesday. "If you increase the use of gas, that will actually delay the deployment of renewable energy," said Christine Shearer of the University of California, Irvine, one of the authors of the study.
Shearer and her colleagues modeled how the consequences for the climate in the next forty years would differ depending on how big the gas boom gets, how quickly solar technology develops, and what policies the federal government adopts to slow global warming. Their forecasts showed that the more natural gas is available, the less the energy sector will rely on renewable resources, and that the supply of natural gas will not have much effect on greenhouse gas emissions.
Abundant gas reserves will lower electricity bills and encourage people and businesses to burn more electricity, the authors find. Also, cheap energy from gas will make building new solar panels and wind turbines less attractive to investors. The paper predicts that a larger supply of gas might reduce or add to emissions slightly, depending on how well companies can keep gas from leaking.
These results largely confirm work published earlier this year by a pair of researchers at Duke University and a report published last year collating predictions from academics, government officials and the industry.
The authors did not consider how U.S. gas production would affect emissions in other countries, which is also a matter of debate.
Alan Krupnick of Resources for the Future, a research organization, agreed that natural gas was "a pretty rickety bridge," but he noted that the fuel may have other benefits unrelated to climate change. Besides carbon dioxide, other pollutants that are also less abundant in natural gas than in coal are more immediately harmful to human health, Krupnick said.
One argument that the industry often makes is that natural gas can make up for the weaknesses of renewable energy in a way that coal cannot. Production at solar panels and wind farms varies from hour to hour depending on the weather and the time of day, making it difficult for grid operators to plan where electricity will be routed and to ensure that there is enough to go around. Natural gas turbines, unlike coal-fired turbines, can be switched on and off quickly and efficiently in case the wind dies down or the sky clouds over.
Shearer said that her group's computer model did not account for variations in the supply of clean energy over the course of a day, but she doubted that doing so would change their results much.
Given a choice, Shearer said, utilities will choose natural gas if it is cheap and widely available. The forecast is different if the federal government mandates that utilities derive some percentage of their energy from clean sources, as many states have done already. This kind of mandate would do more to slow global warming if there is plenty of gas available, since the gas will replace coal, not renewable energy. Utilities will have to use solar and wind power even if gas is cheaper.
That said, if the federal government aims at reducing emissions, the largest reductions come from putting a price or a cap on carbon, according to the paper.The official website for the Monster Musume television anime series announced the cast on Thursday for the characters Lala, Draco, Kii, and Lilith. The cast, as well as the anime character designs, are as follows:
Ai Kakuma (Aldnoah.Zero's Nina, Selector Spread Wixoss' Rūko) as Lala
Airi Ootsu (Selector Spread Wixoss, Terror in Resonance) as Draco
Asami Seto (Chihayafuru's Chihaya, Lagrange - The Flower of Rin-ne's Lan) as Kii
Atsumi Tanezaki (Durarara!!×2 Shō's Emilia, My Little Monster's Asako Natsume) as Lilith
Monster Musume adapts OKAYADO's Monster Musume (Monster Musume no Iru Nichijō or Everyday Life with Monster Girls) manga. Seven Seas Entertainment releases the manga in North America, and it describes the story:
Monsters: they're real, and they want to date us! Three years ago, the world learned that harpies, centaurs, catgirls, and all manners of fabulous creatures are not merely fiction; they are flesh and blood - not to mention scale, feather, horn, and fang. Thanks to the "Cultural Exchange Between Species Act," these once-mythical creatures have assimilated into society, or at least, they're trying. When a hapless human teenager named Kurusu Kimihito is inducted as a "volunteer" into the government exchange program, his world is turned upside down. A snake-like lamia named Miia comes to live with him, and it is Kurusu's job to take care of her and make sure she integrates into his everyday life. Unfortunately for Kurusu, Miia is undeniably sexy, and the law against interspecies breeding is very strict. Even worse, when a ravishing centaur girl and a flirtatious harpy move in, what's a full-blooded teenage human with raging hormones to do?!
Tatsuya Yoshihara (Muromi-san, Yatterman Night) is directing the anime, with series composition and scripting by Kazuyuki Fudeyasu (Tantei Opera Milky Holmes, Miss Monochrome). Takaya Sunagawa (Yozakura Quartet ~Tsuki ni Naku~) is serving as character designer and animation director. Shunji Akasaka (key animator for Tamayura - More Aggressive, Cardfight!! Vanguard) is serving as chief animation director and sub-character designer. manzo and Hiroaki Tsutsumi are composing the music for the series. Lerche x Seva is handling the show's animation.
Crunchyroll and Daisuki are streaming the series as it airs, and Sentai Filmworks has licensed the series for home video.
[Via Ota-suke]When director Gabriela Cowperthwaite (with my help, as an associate producer and co-writer) set out to make the documentary Blackfish, neither she (nor I) were setting out to change SeaWorld. Instead, we wanted to craft a factual, compelling film that tried to explain why SeaWorld's largest killer whale, Tilikum, killed his highly experienced trainer, Dawn Brancheau, in February 2010.
We were working so hard to pull together the footage, interviews, and research needed to tell a complicated story that we had little time to think about what would happen after the film was finished. Now that the film is in circulation, everyone involved in the production has been both impressed and surprised by the degree to which it has has inspired viewers to speak up about killer whale captivity and take action, in what has informally been dubbed the "Blackfish effect."
"I don't even think I've had time to process it entirely," Cowperthwaite told me recently. Coming from the world of documentary, you're not always sure people will even see your film voluntarily," she said. "So the fact that the film has not only been well received but is also managing to do some work in the world is extraordinary."
Blackfish tells the story of how Tilikum's life tragically intersected with Dawn Brancheau's. Along the way, it goes behind the scenes of SeaWorld's killer whale Shamu shows, offering insights into what killer whale entertainment means for both killer whales and the trainers who work with them. SeaWorld has called the film "shamefully dishonest, deliberately misleading, and scientifically inaccurate," and pushed back against the revelations in Blackfish in e-mails to film critics, op-eds lauding SeaWorld's rescue and conservation work, and full-page newspaper advertisements.
Despite this counter-offensive, the Blackfish effect could get a major boost this week, on January 16, when Academy Award nominations will be announced. The film has been shortlisted for a Best Documentary nomination and a formal nomination would bring it another blast of publicity. Already, Blackfish has been viewed by millions of people in theaters, on CNN, and streaming via iTunes and Netflix. And the images and information in Blackfish (the live captures which started the industry; the physical and social stresses the animals, especially Tilikum, endure; the separation of calves from their mothers; and the aggression that occurs between killer whales and between killer whales and trainers) have surprised and shocked many viewers who have mostly thought of the Shamu show as lighthearted entertainment.
That was enough to start grassroots action against SeaWorld and the killer whale entertainment business, an outburst of public energy that has been extremely gratifying for everyone involved with Blackfish. A film that resonates broadly with the public is the highest sort of honor. But the most important question is: Will the Blackfish effect have a real and long-lasting impact on SeaWorld and the killer whale entertainment business?
Most notable, the Blackfish effect took off on social media, especially through the use of Change.org petitions. Late last year, a Blackfish supporter and animal advocate launched a Change.org petition asking the Barenaked Ladies to reconsider a planned February 2014 SeaWorld gig in light of the revelations in Blackfish. The petition quickly hit 10,000 signatures and, after considering the issue, the band canceled, saying, "This is a complicated issue, and we don't claim to understand all of it, but we don't feel comfortable proceeding with the gig at this time."
A barrage of additional Change.org petitions asking other musical acts to cancel concert performances at SeaWorld followed. To date, nine scheduled acts, including Willie Nelson, Tricia Yearwood, Heart, and Cheap Trick have pulled out.
Campaigns targeting SeaWorld's corporate relationships are also an important |
for 30 plus years. I often wondered if you knew about me or had ever heard about me. To think that my name or anything I’ve done in a boxing ring might have crossed your mind is pretty crazy for me to imagine.
I can go on and on about the influence you’ve had on me and my career, the sport of boxing and the world. You not only dared to be great so many times in your life and career, you became The Greatest! Great in the ring and in all your many other exploits outside the ring, which I believe is our true calling as athletes. It’s not just enjoying the fruits of our labor but taking the time to be a blessing to others, lending our voice, giving our time, talents and our treasure to the world.
Thank you for being an example. Thank you for paving a path for me and so many other athletes who have come behind you and will continue to in the years to come.
“I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.”- Muhammad Ali
Andre S.O.G. WardThe T-Mobile Moto X received a really nice update just a couple of days ago, mostly to improve the device’s lackluster camera quality. We figured it was only a matter of time before other versions got the camera-improving treat, and it seems like AT&T might be up next!
One of our secret tipsters is part of the Motorola Feedback Network and he has just received an email regarding a “secret” software update for the AT&T Moto X. Members of the private network will be able to test this software and offer feedback, so we are sure we will know more about this soon enough.
Now, we are not 100% this will be the same update the T-Mobile variant received, but we can’t see it being anything else at this point. You guys should be excited. If this is the camera-focused update, you are about to get a treat. We never really liked the Moto X camera here at Phandroid, but this update makes it much better (check out these comparisons).
Let’s hope all other Moto X versions get this update soon! But tell us, do you dislike the Moto X camera quality as much as we do?
Thanks, anonymous!Amazon have been planning on their full release in Australia for quite some time now and while local retailers have been preparing for the American retailer super-giant their time has run out, Amazon is fully open and operational. The plan of becoming open for business just before Christmas seems to of gone right ahead as Amazon have already been selling Kindle e-reader devices and audio books.
Now that the American retailer has been fully activated in Australia there is suspicion to what Amazon's game plan might be, known for sacrificing profits on sales through extremely low prices just to greater it's presence is something that would put local retailers under a huge threat. Australia is already home to many technology retail giants such as Harvey Norman, JB Hi Fi and The Good Guys, all of which are expected to take a considerable hit to their profits once Amazon becomes the social norm for purchasing technology upgrades or gifts.
Morgan Stanely analysts have warned that Kmart and Targets parent company Wesfarmers could take a huge loss of $400m in annual earnings by 2026. Wesfarmers may be afraid of the huge American retailer but Harvey Norman owner and director Gerry Harvey is quite the opposite, saying that him and his company are here and ready to take Amazon on if they have fair pricing.
"We are here to take Amazon on, the big thing I am worried about is if they go and do predatory pricing, they will go out and sell it at a loss to send other retailers broke - that is retailers who are employing people, paying taxes."NEW DELHI: To foster competition among states, Niti Aayog has sought data on digital transactions from them within 10 days so that they can be ranked on the basis of initiatives taken to promote less-cash economy "Niti Aayog will soon rank states on the basis of digital transactions. Aayog has asked the states to submit their digital transaction data within next 10 days," a senior government official said.Post demonetisation announced on November 8, the government has taken several initiatives to promote digital payments.Last month, to give a big push to cashless transactions, the government had announced daily, weekly and mega awards worth Rs 340 crore for consumers and merchants on small digital payments from December 25.As of October 2015, there were 61.5 crore debit card users and 2.3 crore credit card holders in the country.Digital payment channels like mobile wallets USSD and RuPay have seen a massive uptake and rise in transactions in the wake of the note ban.According to government data, the number of USSD transactions saw a whopping 5,135 per cent jump to 5,078 deals a day on December 25, from a mere 97 on November 8.The value of transactions on USSD -- mobile short code message used mainly for banking services on feature phones -- during the same period grew 4,061 per cent to Rs 46 crore on December 25, from the earlier Rs 1 crore a day.UPI transaction -- which allows users to transfer funds from one bank account to another using a smartphone -- grew 1,342 per cent to 53,648 a day on December 25. This stood at 3,721 on November 8.In value terms, it grew 647 per cent to Rs 14 crore a day, from Rs 1.93 crore earlier.For good measure, on December 30, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled an indigenous digital payment app BHIM for fast and secure cashless transactions on mobiles.BHIM is a payment platform designed to make UPI and USSD payment modes simpler and usable across feature phones and smartphones.With every passing project I feel like my basement is being converted from a living only area, to a work and project area. Computers being built, gadgets being taken apart, Lego projects all around. I’m not complaining by any means, but I do feel as my basement becomes populated with more and more tech based projects that the environment is missing something organic, something natural to balance things out.
I’ve been interested in working on a project for while that would combine something tech-based with something organic. Mixing the two elements intrigued me for a while. I’ve wanted to add flowers, or maybe plants of some sort to blend a little bit of nature into the space. I do receive a bit of sunlight through a glass block window, but the temperature in the basement is usually on the colder side. In the winter I don’t really heat the space because the folding farm outputs enough heat to keep the temperature comfortable. I didn’t want to change that aspect so I needed to come up with something that would tolerate slightly cooler temperatures and limited sunlight.
I can’t exactly recall when the idea came to me, but at some point I started wanting to use the heat from a computer as a way to warm the soil and help with germination/growth. I’m about as far from a botanist as it comes, I did some reading online and became pretty interested in the effects of soil temperature on germination/growth. I read different studies and papers from various universities. It was not too long into that process that I became hooked on the idea of using computer heat as a way to control the soil temperature of some sort of living plant life.
As the idea developed further I started looking into wheatgrass as a plant option. There is something clean and natural about the look and idea of a piece of grass growing in my basement. I thought the look would alter the space a little bit and add a bit of color along with something more than just metals and plastics. After reading enough studies and papers on the effects of soil temperature and germination with wheatgrass I felt like I had a good enough handle on the basics to tackle this.
The first step was finding a computer to adapt for the project. Luckily I had a lot of donated computers that people had given me for various project purposes. Most of them didn’t work, but by cobbling together various components from a bunch of different old computers I was able to come up with enough good parts to make a working computer.
At the time I was starting to get a formalized plan together for this project, another idea popped into my head. I’ve got a 5 yr. old who is already fairly geeky (just ask him to do his Jabba the Hutt impression for you) but he really does not get that much computer time. He’s getting to an age where he’s more inquisitive about tech stuff and I think he’s ready for his first computer. Since I was already well underway with this project it seemed like a perfect opportunity to orient the computer itself towards a learning tool for him in addition to using it as a way to blend something organic with a piece of technology.
With all of these goals in mind I started tinkering away. The computer hardware itself was nothing fancy, definitely outdated, but perfectly suited towards this project.
CPU- Pentium 4 (3 GHz)
Dell Factory Motherboard
Various Ram Sticks- 2gb
Old Maxtor 120gb IDE Hard Drive
Old FPS Power Supply
Donated Old Computer Case
If you’ve spent any time around computer hardware in the last decade you’re probably well aware that Pentium 4 has a reputation for running hot. The 90nm Pentium 4 was named Prescott and it didn’t take long before the nickname Pres-hot popped up. In this case though that extra heat is going to be put towards good use.
Once the hardware was all in order I started working on the layout and arrangement for the case. I had originally envisioned the grass growing out of the top of the computer case. This seemed like it would provide a good blend between the hard edges of the computer and the soft feel of the grass. This also worked well with putting the soil area in the upper portion of the case, where the most heat should collect. After doing some initial tests with this configuration I found the measured temperature near the top of the case was the hottest. The placement of the CPU near the top of the case and the lack of airflow in that area contributed to these higher recorded temps.
After finishing with some initial tests I decided to completely strip the case down and start removing all the unnecessary brackets and pieces inside of the case. Like most computer cases all the internal brackets and mounts are riveted together, so I drilled all the rivets out of the components I wanted to remove and pulled them out. The gutted case looked pretty barren after being stripped.
In keeping with my original plan of having the computer blended with the organic grass I wanted it to be easy to see the inner workings of the computer and also the soil from the grass growing above. I needed something that was translucent, which left me with either glass or acrylic/polycarbonate as my options. I ended up choosing acrylic because I was able to find a cheap, used, die-cast model car display case top that was the perfect dimensions for the top of the case. Couldn’t go wrong for 5 bucks.
I test-fit the acrylic over the top of the computer case and marked my layout on the top of the case. My plan was to cut open the top of the computer case and insert the acrylic display case into the section I cut out. To cut open the top of the computer case I drilled a hole as a starting point and then used tin snips to cut through the thin gauge metal.
Once I had the metal opening cutout, I needed something to put along the edges of the freshly cut opening to create a clean and finished look. For $2 I was able to find some black, car-door-edge, plastic molding that worked perfectly.
After getting the opening of the top of the computer handled and the acrylic case properly fitted, I moved onto some more testing with soil in the acrylic and the computer running. I wanted to see what kind of heat transfer I would get and how it would affect the soil temperature. I knew that using acrylic over glass would make it a little more difficult to heat the soil as acrylic is not that good at transferring heat. Luckily though I didn’t really need to alter the soil temperature that much, I just needed a little extra heat. Testing showed that heat transfer with just the single acrylic display case as my soil container was slow. So I decided to add some acrylic tubes. This would allow more surface are for soil to acrylic contact and also give me an area where I could add a mixed substrate to allow for soil drainage.
I went online and found a 3ft long section of 2 1/4″ clear acrylic tubing for $8 dollars. I wanted to add a couple of hanging cylinders off the main of the acrylic display case in the top of the computer case. To do this I needed to cut holes into the bottom of the display case. Cutting holes in acrylic is not always easy, it’s likely to chip and craze at the edges. To get around this I used a buildup of masking tape on both sides of the acrylic, to provide a little bit of resistance and strength. I placed the acrylic display case back into the computer and marked my layout for the tubes. I needed to leave clearance for the CPU cooler, power supply and hard drive mount.
After marking the layout, I used an air-powered pencil grinder and carbide tipped bit and cut through the acrylic case along my marked lines. After the initial shape was cutout I used a tube piece as a template and slowly worked on grinding the holes as perfectly round as I could get them so that the tube had a snug fit all the way around. The fit is pretty important as the acrylic cement that I used needs there to be a tight fit so that the acrylic can bond correctly.
I placed the tubes into the acrylic case and mounted it in the computer and test fit the placement and height of the tubes. After getting everything lined up and oriented correctly I moved towards bonding the acrylic together. Using a needle dropper applicator I applied the cement to all the joints. After letting it set overnight I came back the next night and applied a thin coating of clear silicone caulk around all the joints just to ensure they were completely water tight
The next step was sealing up the bottom of the acrylic tubes. I looked at a couple of different options before realizing that the discs I had cut out of the acrylic case to fit the tubes would be almost the perfect size. Using a bench grinder and a test piece of tube I slowly ground each disc to the perfect size for a tight fit all the way around. I placed the clear acrylic discs into the bottom of each tube and repeated the same cementing and silicone caulking procedure to ensure they were water-tight. After a couple of days’ worth of drying I tested the case by filling it with water overnight and checking in the morning to make sure that no leaks had popped up.
In order to hold the weight of the acrylic case after adding soil, I drilled and installed a machine screw with a rubber cap at each corner of the computer case to bear the weight of the acrylic case.
Once all the work was done with the acrylic case section I started reinstalling all the components. The motherboard, hard drive and power supply were added and then wired up.
At this point all that was left was to make a clear panel for the side of the case. I had some left over acrylic sheets from a different project that were really close to the right size, after test fitting, marking and cutting I then had a clear side panel to see into the case. (I left this off for the pictures because it caused a reflection)
The final step was filling the case with soil and adding some wheatgrass. I had been test growing other samples of wheatgrass during the build process. So I had already a couple of different patches of grass growing. I tried to keep the soil level just below the top of the acrylic case edge to make it a little more seamless.
For the computer itself I ended up installing Windows as well as Linux in a dual boot setup. Since the computer was going to be used by my son as something to play with I figured I should put both on there so he can tinker with them and learn as he goes. Besides, for important life decisions like picking an OS (Operating System) I think any good parent should present the options and then let their kid decide for themselves.
In the end I’m happy with the result of the project. It’s been fun experimenting with growing wheatgrass and I like how the natural look of grass is blended with the very modern, inorganic case.
Notes
Temperature Testing
In testing the case temperature versus the soil temperature I found it was easiest to control the case temperature by using a variable fan speed control on both the inlet and outlet fans. By turning the fan speed down I could increase the temperature inside the case and correspondingly raise the soil temperature.
In order to maximize output of heat during these tests I used Prime95 to run the CPU at 100% load.
Using this method to control the case and soil temperature I played around with adjusting the soil temperature and then tracking the rate of growth of the Wheatgrass. The target temperature for peak growth seemed to fall around 66°F (19°C).
Using the fans to control the case temperature allowed me to vary the temperature inside the case from a low of 75°F (24°C) to a high of 91°F (33°C). In order to achieve the desired increase in soil temperature, I had to run the case temperature toward the higher end of the scale.
When the soil temperature was too high, the growth of the wheatgrass would slow.
Wheatgrass
The wheatgrass I used for my tests was nothing special, it can be found as seeds (berries) in a lot of health food stores and it grows relatively easily.
Caring for the wheatgrass is just a matter of keeping it watered. It’s a pretty easy plant to work with and doesn’t require any special skills.
Wheatgrass is often used as a nutritional supplement; it can be juiced and mixed into smoothies and other beverages. I plan on harvesting some of the grass and making some juices.
Plant Options
While wheatgrass offers a nice, attractive and easily grown option I do plan on trying other plants as well in the future. Since I already have the “planter” built all I have to do is add a different plant and see how it goes. I’m sure there will be some plants that don’t like the lower light environment, but it will be fun experimenting with other plants as well and seeing how they take.
Materials
Donated Computer- Free
Clear Acrylic Display Case- $5
Clear Acrylic Tube- $5
Plexiglass Side Panel- Free
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Candi Kinney is the owner of Roseburg Gun Shop in Roseburg, Oregon. Yes, that is indeed the very same Roseburg, Oregon that has been in the news this week because a man walked onto the campus of a community college and shot 10 people dead.
But hey, why let that stand in the way of making a buck? And Candi Kinney knows how to make a buck selling guns. She has even made sure and ordered more AR-15 assault rifles like the one Christopher Harper Mercer used to commit mass murder. Her reasoning is simple:
“I’ve just ordered some more ARs. There’s always a rush on them after a big shooting. We can’t keep the stuff on the shelves.”
Ah yes! Greed always manages to obscure grief and suffering for those who deal in death and the instruments that assist the Grim Reaper.
Ms. Kinney also knows her target audience: the nut job ammosexuals who are convinced President Obama is coming to take their guns away and turn the nation into a Muslim enclave. She makes sure to prominently display a life-size cutout of the president wrapped in a head scarf and caption that reads:
“Gun Salesman of the Year.”
Yep, gotta make sure and use fear to sell as many semiautomatic weapons of mass destruction as possible. Because one never knows when the black helicopters will land and the ATF agents will begin mass confiscation of guns.
Just so you can rest easy tonight, business has been brisk and steady at Roseburg Gun Shop, and some of the customers in the store browsing or buying new ways to kill as many people as they please were glad to explain why they were there. Chris Allen, who said he’s a mill worker, said:
“Obama sucks, he’s stupid. If criminals want to get guns they’ll get guns.”
Damn right! Let’s all arm ourselves to the teeth. That’s sure to stop all the killings we see on the evening news.
Roseburg Gun Shop is a symptom of a much greater disease which is eating away at the United States: We are perversely addicted to all things gun and all things death. It has become the cult that millions belong to and support with their time, their money, and their venom.
Until we enact logical, sensible gun control–and we can start with universal background checks–the bodies will continue to accumulate and the blood will flow down our streets unchecked.
Featured image by Rory Carroll/Twitter available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial license.When I said I was unveiling a sweet preview card yesterday, I was being literal (as more than a few of you guessed). Yes, she’s back, in all her glory. The scourge of Geist of Saint Traft, the punisher of Scapeshift, and one of the best planeswalkers of all time—Liliana of the Veil.
The awesome part about Liliana is that she was good in Standard (I loved combining her with Sun Titan), but really shined in Modern and Legacy. It’s tough to find a card that isn’t over the top in Standard but performs in older formats, and Liliana really got there. Even in current Modern, there are multiple ways to use her, and she provides value against combo and creature decks alike.
Take a look at the GP Vancouver-winning Death’s Shadow deck, piloted by none other than ChannelFireball’s own Josh Utter-Leyton:
Death’s Shadow
In this deck, Liliana acts as a removal spell that conveniently adds the planeswalker card type to the graveyard, enabling Traverse the Ulvenwald and growing Tarmogoyf. The deck just plays 2 because she is more a value card than a mainstay, though she does play a good role in the deck’s success.
On the other side of things, there is the more controlling Jund deck, of which Liliana is a critical piece.
Jund
Here, Liliana doubles as removal that punishes combo, which is more important in the slower Jund deck than the pressure-heavy Death’s Shadow deck.
All of that shows the flexibility of Liliana, and is why she’s cemented herself as one of the best planeswalkers of all time. Efficiency, power, and flexibility—all hallmarks of a legendary card. I look forward to opening her in Modern Masters 2017 packs, but fair warning: she’s not quite as good in Limited—though let’s be real, you are slamming her first pick anyways.The official report from Canada's cannabis task force won't be released for a couple of weeks anyway. But some leaked details from the report give us a sense of what the group's recommendations will look like. According to John Ivison of The National Post - who has been in contact with sources familiar with the report - the recommendations are focused primarily on eliminating Canada's black market for marijuana.
Legal Age
To eliminate the black market, the task force recommends making the legal age for marijuana the same as the age of majority for purchasing liquor - 18 or 19 years old, depending on the province. It's a controversial move since some health organizations - including the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) - suggest restricting access to adults 25 or older because cannabis could pose a threat to a developing brain in younger consumers.
But advocates like Dr. Zach Walsh - a cannabis researcher at the University of British Columbia - argue that a higher age of majority could pose a greater threat to kids. "If 18-year-olds are left out, that's creating a black market that would also be accessible to 15-years-olds," Walsh told Civilized.
And it seems the task force agrees that undercutting illicit sales is the best way to keep kids safe.
Marijuana Prices
The leaked report also recommends setting the price for marijuana below what Canadians pay on the street - $8-10 per gram. Cheaper cannabis could undercut illicit sales substantially. And making cannabis affordable has been part of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's plan ever since he pledged to legalize marijuana.
"The fact is that if you tax it too much, as you saw with cigarettes, you end up driving things toward a black market, which will not keep Canadians safe - particularly young Canadians," Trudeau said in December 2015. "Yes, there is potential for a bit of revenue on that, but we're certainly not looking for a windfall."
Retail and distribution
After those details, Ivison's overview gets a bit hazy - especially about distribution. "To ensure consumers receive a Health Canada-approved product, the report is expected to recommend the existing mail-order distribution network be maintained," he wrote. That means recreational consumers would have to get cannabis the same way as medical marijuana patients - through a mail-order system connecting consumers with licensed producers (LPs).
Forcing consumers to get their cannabis solely through the mail seems untenable in the long run. Why wait however many days it takes for a shipment to arrive when you can buy a gram on the street in an hour for only a couple bucks more?
But that system might just be a stopgap as provinces and territories figure out a longterm solution for distribution. Ivison notes that the timetable for legalization could put jurisdiction in a scramble to open retailers in time. The bill to legalize cannabis is expected to be introduced by spring 2017, and recreational sales could begin in 2018.
So expanding the mail-order system could buy some time as provinces and territories work out their distribution systems.
And at least one licensed producer recommends using the mail-order system as a stopgap.
"We are a very, very large country," Denis Arsenault - CEO of OrganiGram - told Civilized last winter. "If you put the mail-order system in place on day one [of recreational sales], you have product distribution in every corner of the country."
And he thinks that there will be demand for a mail-order system even if retailers open.
"Even though it will be legal in a year, it's still a product that will have a stigma attached to it for many years," Arsenault added. "If you leave the mail-order system, it allows the consumer to remain anonymous while trying something that might be legal but still has a social stigma. Your local pastor won't want to be seen at the marijuana counter of the local liquor store."
Meanwhile, Ivison's article doesn't say the report addresses Canada's gray market dispensaries - illegal storefronts selling marijuana in cities across the country. The omission doesn't necessarily mean that the government will try to close these illicit stores, but it's something owners, employees and customers expect to see addressed in it.
The Full Recommendations
The full recommendations are expected to be released in mid- to late-December. The task force handed in their report on November 30, but it has to be translated into both official languages before being officially released. So Canada's cannabis industry could get an early Christmas present if the proposed regulations are favorable.
Banner image: Art Babych/ShutterstockIf you were an owner of the original Breitling Emergency watch, then you’re probably the sort of person that engages in dangerous activities that leave you with a higher than normal chance of being stranded in the middle of nowhere. For the people that need this watch, and perhaps for others who live a normal lifestyle but are a little paranoid of “what if” scenarios, Breitling has just come up with the Emergency II.
The brand new Emergency II watch adds new features and at the same time takes away the perceived weaknesses of the original. You see, the original Emergency had a 121.5MHz transmitter that, when activated, had a range of 90 nautical miles (167 km) by search aircraft flying at 20,000 feet (6,000 m). This was assuming normal conditions, or basically flat terrain or calm seas. If you found yourself outside such conditions, then the range would be considerably shorter.
Add to that the fact that the Emergency didn’t have enough power to send the signal up to a satellite, but only to relatively nearby search and rescue teams, the bottom-line was that while it was a useful device to have, it was not the be-all-and-end-all solution of a truly global distress beacon.
That is where the Emergency II is different.
In addition to the aforementioned analogue 121.5MHz transmitter, the Emergency II adds the new digital frequency of 406MHz, which offers enhanced security and more information for rescuers to determine your location. More importantly, this frequency allows the launch of a distress signal directly into space to reach the network of low orbit or geostationary satellites. This difference makes the watch infinitely more useful as now no place on earth is off limits.
Therefore, if you find yourself in an emergency situation, you twist off the cap of the transmitter and pull the antennae out from both sides of the case. The watch then sends out a distress signal alternating between the 121.5MHz analogue signal and the 406MHz digital signal, and all this for up to 24 hours. These specifications place the watch in the PLB or Personal Locator Beacon category of the Cospas-Sarsat International Satellite System.
In order to maintain the power required to run the emergency functions of the watch, a battery charging station is available that allows users to top up, and test at the same time, all functions of the watch.
It goes without saying that with all the electronics inside, that this isn’t a mechanical watch. Except for the day when you have to activate the emergency beacon, what you wear everyday is a typical Breitling quartz chronograph in a 51mm titanium case, which is way bigger than the original version at 43mm.
The movement inside is the Breitling Caliber 76, an officially certified chronometer by the COSC with thermocompensated SuperQuartz. Functions include a 12/24-hour analog and LCD digital display, battery end-of-life indicator, 1/100th second chronograph, timer, 2nd timezone and multilingual calendar.
There are three dial colors to choose from: black; orange; and yellow and it comes with a rubber strap or a matching titanium bracelet.
I have no word yet on the price but it should be the least of your concern. Customers who bought the previous version had to sign an agreement stating that they would bear the costs of a rescue intervention should the distress beacon be set off. Also, the beacon needs to be rearmed at the factory after every use which makes this watch something that you don’t hand over to your 5-year-old son to play with, lest you find rescue helicopters above your house. As a serious instrument for professionals, this is no plaything, yet somehow I have the feeling that customers who buy this watch will know what they are going in for.
Though it begs the question, how can we review this watch properly if setting off the distress beacon will set so much into motion and leave us with a hefty bill and facing possible criminal charges?
We will have a closer look at this watch in more detail at Baselworld 2013 and hopefully try to answer that question. In the meantime, please watch this most excellent video about the Breitling Emergency II, which I can guarantee will get you all excited to start exploring hostile environments with your personal distress beacon. (At least, that’s what it did to me.)
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwrAkNoNYbo]1 Explicit #51: PACK ATTACK: Pukeymon vs. Zero Heroes (w/ Asterios Kokkinos) The series finale of Two Packs is a massive Pack Attack battle royale! Guest Asterios Kokkinos (Something Awful) and host Geoffrey Golden open packs of Zero Her Free View in iTunes
2 Explicit #50: Garbage Pail Kids (w/ R. Sikoryak) On this special behind-the-cards episode, Geoffrey interviews guest R. Sikoryak about his time at Topps in the 1980s writing gags for Garbage Pail Kids and Toxi Free View in iTunes
3 Explicit #49: Wanted By FBI + True Crime II (w/ Jamie Loftus) Guest Jamie Loftus (Comedy Central) joins host Geoffrey Golden for Two Packs, the trading card comedy show! This week, they open packs of lawbreaking trading ca Free View in iTunes
4 Explicit #48: Gruesome Greetings + TMNT 3 (w/ Danny Lacy) Guest Danny Lacy (Crack-Duck) joins host Geoffrey Golden for Two Packs, the trading card comedy show! This week, they open packs of ooze-covered cards – Gruesom Free View in iTunes
5 Explicit #47: American Gladiators + Looney Tunes Comic Ball (w/ Grant Pardee) Guest Grant Pardee (Vice) joins host Geoffrey Golden for Two Packs, the trading card comedy show! This week, they open packs of sports-ish cards – American Glad Free View in iTunes
6 Explicit #46: SNL + Coneheads (w/ Bennie Arthur) Bennie Arthur (Drunk History) joins host Geoffrey Golden for Two Packs, the trading card comedy show! This week, they open packs of early 90s SNL cards – Saturd Free View in iTunes
7 Explicit #45: X-Force + Plasm (w/ Danielle Radford) Guest Danielle Radford (Screen Junkies) joins host Geoffrey Golden for Two Packs, the trading card comedy show! This week, they open packs of early 90s superher Free View in iTunes
8 Explicit #44: Sliders + Fox Kids Network (w/ Julia Prescott) Guest Julia Prescott (Cartoon Network) joins host Geoffrey Golden for Two Packs, the trading card comedy show! This week, they open packs of Fox TV cards – Slid Free View in iTunes
9 Explicit #43: Archie Comics + Beverly Hills 90210 (w/ Erin Mallory Long) Guest Erin Mallory Long (Cracked) joins host Geoffrey Golden for Two Packs, the trading card comedy show! This week, they open packs of cool teen cards – Archie Free View in iTunes
10 Explicit #42: Who Framed Roger Rabbit? + MAD Magazine (w/ Aaron Sparrow) Aaron Sparrow (Darkwing Duck Comics) joins host Geoffrey Golden for Two Packs, the trading card comedy show! This week, they open packs of looney, toony cards – Free View in iTunes
11 Explicit #41: Growing Pains + LAFFS (w/ Ryan Sandoval) Guest Ryan Sandoval (Amazon Studios) joins host Geoffrey Golden for Two Packs, the trading card comedy show! This week, they open packs of Urkel-riffic cards – Free View in iTunes
12 Explicit #40: Toxic High School + Grossville High (w/ Stephen Perlstein) Guest Stephen Perlstein (Cartoon Network’s Wabbit) joins host Geoffrey Golden for Two Packs, the trading card comedy show! This week, they open packs of disturb Free View in iTunes
13 Explicit #39: Meltdown Podcast network Crossover Special From Anime to Zines, the Meltdown Podcast Network has a show for every type of geek and nerd out there. Join us as the Meltdown hosts collide in this one-of-a-k Free View in iTunes
14 Explicit #38: Gremlins + Universal Party Monsters (w/ Jenny Jaffe) Guest Jenny Jaffe (Big Hero 6: The Series) joins host Geoffrey Golden for Two Packs’ all-holiday special! This week, they open packs of cards loosely themed aro Free View in iTunes
15 Explicit #37: Wacko-Saurs + Disney’s Dinosaurs (w/ Hana Michels) Guest Hana Michels (Funny or Die) joins host Geoffrey Golden for a pre-historic episode of Two Packs, the trading card comedy show! This week, they open packs o Free View in iTunes
16 Explicit #36: Snow White + Adventures of Pinocchio (w/ Gail Golden) Guest Gail Golden (“Mrs. Claus” in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade) joins her son (!) Geoffrey Golden for an enchanted episode of Two Packs They open packs o Free View in iTunes
17 Explicit #35: Lost + All My Children (w/ Joey Clift) Guest Joey Clift (The Nerdist) joins host Geoffrey Golden for a soapy episode of Two Packs, the trading card comedy show! This week, they open packs of ABC dram Free View in iTunes
18 Explicit #34: PACK ATTACK: 24 vs. Austin Powers (w/ Asterios Kokkinos) Asterios Kokkinos (Something Awful) and host Geoffrey Golden open packs from the 24 and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me collectible card games, then make Free View in iTunes
19 Explicit #33: Fright Flicks + You Slay Me (w/ Yehudi Mercado at LA Comic-Con 2016) Guest Yehudi Mercado (Rocket Salvage) joins host Geoffrey Golden for a spooktacular episode of Two Packs, the trading card comedy show, just in time for the sca Free View in iTunes
20 Explicit #32: Sears Legends + Congo (w/ Brandon Bird) Guest Brandon Bird (Astonishing World of Art) joins host Geoffrey Golden for an ape blasting episode of Two Packs a Week, the trading card comedy show! This wee Free View in iTunes
21 Explicit #31: Saved by the Bell: The College Years + Happy Days (w/ Matt Kennedy) Matt Kennedy (Pod Sequentialism) joins host Geoffrey Golden for a super cool greaser episode of Two Packs a Week! This week, they open packs of Saved by the Bel Free View in iTunes
22 Explicit #30: Norfin Trolls + Adventures in Fantasy (w/ Renie Rivas) Guest Renie Rivas (Mighty Magiswords) joins host Geoffrey Golden for a hair-raising episode of Two Packs a Week, the trading card comedy show! This week, they o Free View in iTunes
23 Explicit #29: Ninja Turtles (1st Movie)+ Ninja Turtles (Original Series) (w/ Jesse Snider Guest Jesse Snider (Evil Ernie) joins host Geoffrey Golden for a turtle powered episode of Two Packs a Week, the trading card comedy show! This week, they open Free View in iTunes
24 Explicit #28: Gong Show + Rock Stars (1979) (w/ Joshua Heller & Erika Brooks) Guests Joshua Heller and Erika Brooks Adickman (2 Jews Talking) join host Geoffrey Golden for a macho macho episode of Two Packs a Week, the trading card comedy Free View in iTunes
25 Explicit #27: Magnum PI + Buck Rogers (w/ Lara Ingraham) Guest Lara Ingraham (Key & Peele) joins host Geoffrey Golden for a mustachioed episode of Two Packs a Week, the trading card comedy show! This week, they open p Free View in iTunes
26 Explicit #26: Sonic the Hedgehog + Howard the Duck (w/ Ify Nwadiwe |
hero that I play now but didn’t know much about before.
D: That’s a really special hero!
A: Yes, there are almost no limitations on what you can do with that hero. At the beginning i stacked pubs with Loda and just played Wisp+CK and Wisp+Tiny over and over until we felt that it worked out.
D: Either way, I still think you have become a better player.
A: Thank you!
D: Lets talk a little bit about Mad, the handsome French. What has he brought to the team and how does the future look, is he coming to Gothenburg?
A: Yes, before any LAN-event the plan is that we use our team house to practice, which then including Mad coming here ofc.
D: You communicate in English I assume?
A: Yes! It happens from time to time that me and Loda speak a little bit Swedish if we just talk to each other about a small thing happening in the lane, that does not include Mad.
D: I’m not gonna draw this out too long, I’m sure you have other things to do.
A: It’s OK, Loda had to run over to his brother so we have some time to kill anyway.
D: Did he forgot to turn on his VPN?
A: We should not go into that too much. All that should have been fixed already.
D: So you knew it was going to be a problem?
A: Yeah, but it’s not really something you make an official announcement about. laughing
D: Niqua, have you ever met him in person?
A: Yeah, we have met him at Dreamhack, couple of times, he’s really nice.
D: Almost all of you are experienced LAN-players, has he ever been to a LAN
A: He have played a lot of HoN so I think he is experienced enough when it comes to that. But this thing is very individual overall. Some people that have not played at a LAN does’t really care much about it while experienced players still can be at bit shaky when there’s a big crowd in front of them and cameras everywhere.
D: TI5?
A: Of course we do not expect to get an invite at this point. But if we keep playing like this and maybe win a tournament or two, we can talk about the possibility. As for now, it looks like we’re gonna play the qualifiers though. We take it as it comes. I have no idea how Valve thinks about the invites, but it seems like they consider the ranks, i.e the one at JoinDota, just so roughly see how teams perform. We were at place 25 something before but have climbed quite a bit recently. They are also very active watching tournaments so if we have some good placements within this month maybe we can snatch a place, otherwise it’s qualifiers which is totally fine. All we can do is to play our best.
D: How is it going for you in ESL One?
A: We started off in the lowest bracket which is fine, we got to play more games and therefore got more time to practice and prove ourselves before facing C9.
D: Your mindset is totally amazing!
A: It’s not only about me, it’s just the truth.
D: Do you want to say anything to the stream before we end this?
A: Thank you to all of our fans, especially you guys who cheered for us even during the darkest of times. And I hope we can qualify to TI5 to show everyone that Sweden still has the best teams in Dota.
Credits : Kim "Drayich" Larsson and Reddit User bingoberra for the translation, Original Video
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Photo: Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 13 Caption Close Image 2 of 13 Houston Police Chief Charles A. McClelland, left, talks with Mayor Annise Parker, right, as he sits in a new Chevrolet Camaro donated by Houston Texans linebacker Mario Williams outside the Houston Police Department Central Patrol Division Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011, in Houston. Williams donated five specially equipped 2011 Chevrolet Camaros to HPD's Traffic Enforcement Division to help make Houston's streets and freeways safer. less Houston Police Chief Charles A. McClelland, left, talks with Mayor Annise Parker, right, as he sits in a new Chevrolet Camaro donated by Houston Texans linebacker Mario Williams outside the Houston Police... more Photo: Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle Image 3 of 13 Houston Texans linebacker Mario Williams answers questions after a news conference outside the Houston Police Department Central Patrol Division Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011, in Houston. Williams donated five specially equipped 2011 Chevrolet Camaros to HPD's Traffic Enforcement Division to help make Houston's streets and freeways safer. less Houston Texans linebacker Mario Williams answers questions after a news conference outside the Houston Police Department Central Patrol Division Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011, in Houston. Williams donated five... more Photo: Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle Image 4 of 13 Houston Texans linebacker Mario Williams, left, shows Houston Police Chief Charles A. McClelland, right, look at his Williams' Chevrolet Camaro outside the Houston Police Department Central Patrol Division Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011, in Houston. Williams donated five specially equipped 2011 Chevrolet Camaros to HPD's Traffic Enforcement Division to help make Houston's streets and freeways safer. less Houston Texans linebacker Mario Williams, left, shows Houston Police Chief Charles A. McClelland, right, look at his Williams' Chevrolet Camaro outside the Houston Police Department Central Patrol Division... more Photo: Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle Image 5 of 13 Image 6 of 13 Houston Texans linebacker Mario Williams signs a t-shirt for Houston Fire Department captain Beda Kent, right, outside the Houston Police Department Central Patrol Division Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011, in Houston. Williams donated five specially equipped 2011 Chevrolet Camaros to HPD's Traffic Enforcement Division to help make Houston's streets and freeways safer. less Houston Texans linebacker Mario Williams signs a t-shirt for Houston Fire Department captain Beda Kent, right, outside the Houston Police Department Central Patrol Division Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011, in Houston.... more Photo: Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle Image 7 of 13 Houston Texans linebacker Mario Williams speaks during a news conference outside the Houston Police Department Central Patrol Division Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011, in Houston. Williams donated five specially equipped 2011 Chevrolet Camaros to HPD's Traffic Enforcement Division to help make Houston's streets and freeways safer. less Houston Texans linebacker Mario Williams speaks during a news conference outside the Houston Police Department Central Patrol Division Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011, in Houston. Williams donated five specially... more Photo: Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle Image 8 of 13 Houston Texans linebacker Mario Williams, right, waits to speak during a news conference outside the Houston Police Department Central Patrol Division Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011, in Houston. Williams donated five specially equipped 2011 Chevrolet Camaros to HPD's Traffic Enforcement Division to help make Houston's streets and freeways safer. less Houston Texans linebacker Mario Williams, right, waits to speak during a news conference outside the Houston Police Department Central Patrol Division Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011, in Houston. Williams donated five... more Photo: Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle Image 9 of 13 A donated, specially equipped 2011 Chevrolet Camaro is seen in front of the Houston Police Department Central Patrol Division Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011, in Houston. Houston Texans linebacker Mario Williams donated five specially equipped 2011 Chevrolet Camaros to HPD's Traffic Enforcement Division to help make Houston's streets and freeways safer. less A donated, specially equipped 2011 Chevrolet Camaro is seen in front of the Houston Police Department Central Patrol Division Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011, in Houston. Houston Texans linebacker Mario Williams donated... more Photo: Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle Image 10 of 13 Image 11 of 13 A donated, specially equipped 2011 Chevrolet Camaro is seen in front of the Houston Police Department Central Patrol Division Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011, in Houston. Houston Texans linebacker Mario Williams donated five specially equipped 2011 Chevrolet Camaros to HPD's Traffic Enforcement Division to help make Houston's streets and freeways safer. less A donated, specially equipped 2011 Chevrolet Camaro is seen in front of the Houston Police Department Central Patrol Division Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011, in Houston. Houston Texans linebacker Mario Williams donated... more Photo: Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle Image 12 of 13 A donated, specially equipped 2011 Chevrolet Camaro is seen in front of the Houston Police Department Central Patrol Division Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011, in Houston. A donated, specially equipped 2011 Chevrolet Camaro is seen in front of the Houston Police Department Central Patrol Division Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011, in Houston. Photo: Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle Image 13 of 13 Mario Williams donates sports cars to HPD 1 / 13 Back to Gallery
Injured Texans linebacker Mario Williams is doing good in his down time, with a donation today of five Chevy Camaros to the Houston Police Department.
The sports cars are equipped with a police package and will be used by HPD’s traffic enforcement division to go after speeders.
Mayor Annise Parker and Police Chief Charles A. McClelland Jr. thanked Williams for the donation during a news conference outside the HPD building at 61 Riesner Tuesday morning.
McClelland presented Williams, an avid law enforcement enthusiast, with a humanitarian certificate to honor the donation.
“It definitely means a lot to me to have this certificate,” Williams said.
Williams said he is happy he can donate the cars to help make Houston safer. He said he admires police officers and hopes he may become more involved with law enforcement when his playing days are done.
Check out a similar 2010 Camaro in use by cops near the Texas-Oklahoma border:Hillary’s Response to Brussels Bombings: Waterboarding Doesn’t Work… “It Puts Our Soldiers and Civilians in Danger” (VIDEO)
Hillary Clinton called in to Good Morning America this morning after the ISIS bombings in Brussels.
30 people were murdered in bomb blasts at the Brussels airport and Metro station.
In response to the attacks Hillary Clinton told GMA waterboarding doesn’t work and it puts our soldiers and civilians in danger(?)
George Stephanopoulos: We just heard from Donald Trump tell us moments ago that he would expand the laws here at home so that someone like Abdelsalem was in custody here he could be waterboarded. Your response? Hillary Clinton: Well, you know, that is just another one of his claims that doesn’t bear up. Our best and bravest intel and military leaders will tell you torture’s not effective. It puts soldiers and our own civilians in danger.
What babbling nonsense.
And, this loon wants to be president?Yesterday, we reported that Lionsgate International is finally going to start shopping around the sequel to Silent Hill. Today, it was revealed that the title will be Silent Hill: Revelations. It was also announced that Michael J. Bassett is set to direct the movie... in 3D. It doesn't surprise me that the movie will be shot in 3D. I expect that with every horror film these days. I just hope Bassett does a better job with this than Paul W.S. Anderson did with the last Resident Evil movie.
Bassett is a solid choice as a director for this Silent Hill sequel. He's developed films such as Solomon Kane and Deathwatch, both of which were really fun movies. As long as he keeps the same bloody, nightmarish insanity as first film, then the sequel should be good.
Revelations will focus on a protagonist named Heather Mason who, on the eve of her 18th birthday, is plagued by nightmares and now has to investigate the disappearance of her father.
I loved the first Silent Hill movie and I'm looking forward to the sequel! What are your thoughts on the title and director?Not far from Mosul, a large military force is finalising plans for an advance that has been more than three decades in the making. The troops are Shia militiamen who have fought against the Islamic State, but they have not been given a direct role in the coming attack to free Iraq’s second city from its clutches.
Instead, while the Iraqi army attacks Mosul from the south, the militias will take up a blocking position to the west, stopping Isis forces from fleeing towards their last redoubt of Raqqa in Syria. Their absence is aimed at reassuring the Sunni Muslims of Mosul that the imminent recapture of the city is not a sectarian push against them. However, among Iraq’s Shia-dominated army the militia’s decision to remain aloof from the battle of Mosul is being seen as a rebuff.
Yet among the militias’ backers in Iran there is little concern. Since their inception, the Shia irregulars have made their name on the battlefields of Iraq, but they have always been central to Tehran’s ambitions elsewhere. By not helping to retake Mosul, the militias are free to drive one of its most coveted projects – securing an arc of influence across Iraq and Syria that would end at the Mediterranean Sea.
The strip of land to the west of Mosul in which the militias will operate is essential to that goal. After 12 years of conflict in Iraq and an even more savage conflict in Syria, Iran is now closer than ever to securing a land corridor that will anchor it in the region – and potentially transform the Islamic Republic’s presence on Arab lands. “They have been working extremely hard on this,” said a European official who has monitored Iran’s role in both wars for the past five years. “This is a matter of pride for them on one hand and pragmatism on the other. They will be able to move people and supplies between the Mediterranean and Tehran whenever they want, and they will do so along safe routes that are secured by their people, or their proxies.”
Interviews during the past four months with regional officials, influential Iraqis and residents of northern Syria have established that the land corridor has slowly taken shape since 2014. It is a complex route that weaves across Arab Iraq, through the Kurdish north, into Kurdish north-eastern Syria and through the battlefields north of Aleppo, where Iran and its allies are prevailing on the ground. It has been assembled under the noses of friend and foe, the latter of which has begun to sound the alarm in recent weeks. Turkey has been especially opposed, fearful of what such a development means for Iran’s relationship with the PKK (the Kurdistan Workers’ party), the restive Kurds in its midst, on whom much of the plan hinges.
The plan has been coordinated by senior government and security officials in Tehran, Baghdad and Damascus, all of whom defer to the head of the spearhead of Iran’s foreign policy, the Quds force of the Revolutionary Guards, headed by Major General Qassem Suleimani, who has run Iran’s wars in Syria and Iraq. It involves demographic shifts, which have already taken place in central Iraq and are under way in northern Syria. And it relies heavily on the support of a range of allies, who are not necessarily aware of the entirety of the project but have a developed vested interest in securing separate legs.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Maj Gen Qassem Suleimani, head of Iran’s all-powerful Quds force. Photograph: HO/AFP/Getty Images
The corridor starts at the entry points that Iran has used to send supplies and manpower into Iraq over the past 12 years. They are the same routes that were used by the Quds force to run a guerrilla war against US forces when they occupied the country – a campaign fought by the same Iraqi militias that have since been immersed in the fight against Isis.
The groups, Asa’ib ahl al-Haq, Keta’ib Hezbollah and their offshoots, accounted for close to 25% of all US battlefield casualties, senior US officials have said. They have become even more influential since US forces left the country. And in one of modern warfare’s starkest ironies, in the two years since US troops have returned to Iraq to fight Isis they have at times fought under US air cover.
The route crosses through Baquba, the capital of Diyala province, around 60 miles north of Baghdad. A mixed Sunni/Shia area for hundreds of years, Diyala became one of the main sectarian flashpoint areas during Iraq’s civil war. Along roads that have been secured by militias, which are known locally as “popular mobilisation units”, it then moves northwest into areas that were occupied by Isis as recently as several months ago.
The town of Shirqat in Salaheddin province is one important area. It was taken by militias along with Iraqi forces on 22 September, delivering another blow to the terrorist group and an important boost to Iran’s ambitions.
The Observer view on Russia’s actions in Syria and the failure of international law | Observer editorial Read more
The militias are now present in large numbers in Shirqat and readying to move towards the western edge of Mosul, to a point around 50 miles southeast of Sinjar, which – at this point – is the next leg in the corridor. Between the militia forces and Sinjar is the town of Tal Afar, an Isis stronghold, which has been a historical home of both Sunni and Shia Turkmen – ancestral kin of Turkey.
A senior intelligence official said the leg between Tel Afar and Sinjar is essential to the plan. Sinjar is an ancestral home to the Yazidi population, which was forced to flee in August 2014 after Isis invaded the city, killing all the men it could find and enslaving women. It was recaptured by Iraqi Kurdish forces last November. And ever since PKK forces from across the Syrian border have taken up residence in the city and across the giant monolith, Mt Sinjar, behind it. The PKK fighters are being paid by the Iraqi government and have been incorporated into the popular mobilisation units. Iraqi and western intelligence officials say the move was approved by Iraq’s national security adviser, Falah Fayadh.
An influential Iraqi tribal sheikh, Abdulrahim al-Shammari, emerges as a central figure further to the north. He has a power base near the Rabia crossing into Syria, receives support from the popular mobilisation units and is close to the Assad regime in Damascus. “I believe that in our area Iran does not have very much influence,” he told the Observer in Baghdad. “There is nobody here, no major power that is helping us with weapons. Ideologically speaking, the PKK is affiliated with the Kurds of this area, so there is no problem having them here.”
From the Rabia crossing, the mooted route goes past the towns of Qamishli and Kobani towards Irfin, which are all controlled by the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia. Throughout the war the YPG (People’s Protection Units) has hedged its bets, at times allying with the US against Isis, and at other times siding with the Syrian regime. “Iran thinks it has them where it wants them now,” said the European source. “I’m not sure it has gauged the Turks correctly, though.”
Facebook Twitter Pinterest A fighter sits on a balcony in Sinjar, Iraq after the town was retaken from Isis by Kurdish-led forces. Photograph: Cengiz Yar for the Guardian
Of all the points between Tehran and the Syrian coast, Aleppo has concentrated Iran’s energies more than anywhere else. Up to 6,000 militia members, mostly from Iraq, have congregated there ahead of a move to take the rebel-held east of the city, which could begin around the same time as the assault on Mosul.
Those who have observed Suleimani up close as he inspects the frontlines in Syria and Iraq, or in meetings in Damascus and Baghdad, where he projects his immense power through studied calm, say he has invested everything in Syria – and in ensuring that Iran emerges from a brutal, expensive war with its ambitions enhanced. “If we lose Syria, we lose Tehran,” Suleimani told the late Iraqi politician Ahmed Chalabi in 2014. Chalabi told the Observer at the time that Suleimani had added: “We will turn all this chaos into an opportunity.”
Securing Aleppo would be an important leg in the corridor, which would run past two villages to the north that have historically been in Shia hands. From there, a senior Syrian official, and Iraqi officials in Baghdad, said it would run towards the outskirts of Syria’s fourth city, Homs, then move north through the Alawite heartland of Syria, which a year of Russian airpower has again made safe for Assad. Iran’s hard-won road ends at the port of Latakia, which has remained firmly in regime hands throughout the war.
Ali Khedery, who advised all US ambassadors to Iraq and four commanders of Centcom in 2003-11 said securing a Mediterranean link would be seen as a strategic triumph in Iran. “It signifies the consolidation of Iran’s control over Iraq and the Levant, which in turn confirms their hegemonic regional ambitions,” he said. “That should trouble every western leader and our regional allies because this will further embolden Iran to continue expanding, likely into the Gulf countries next, a goal they have explicitly and repeatedly articulated. Why should we expect them to stop if they’ve been at the casino, doubling their money over and over again, for a decade?”U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) listens to Nobel Peace Laureate Elie Wiesel at a roundtable discussion. Cruz said the nuclear talks with Iran were reminiscent of Western appeasement of Hitler. (Gary Cameron/Reuters)
European allies are joining the Obama administration in criticizing Republican congressional interjection into nuclear negotiations with Iran, saying that an open letter from Republican senators to Iranian leaders has been counterproductive and comes at a particularly sensitive time in the talks.
“Suddenly, Iran can say to us: ‘Are your proposals actually trustworthy if 47 senators say that no matter what the government agrees to, we can subsequently take it off the table?’ ” German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said during a visit to Washington.
“This is no small matter we’re talking about,” Steinmeier warned in remarks at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “This is not just an issue of American domestic politics.”
Germany, France and Britain, along with Russia and China, are U.S. negotiating partners in the Iran talks.
Meanwhile, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, took aim at Washington, saying that political divisions in the United States made Iranian negotiators question the Obama administration’s ability to follow through with any agreement.
An already heated battle between the White House and Republicans over negotiations to curtail Iran’s nuclear program grew more tense when 47 Republican senators sent a letter to Iran designed to kill any potential deal. But is it treason? (Jason Aldag/The Washington Post)
“Of course I am worried, because the other side is known for opacity, deceit and backstabbing,” Khamenei said Thursday, according to Iran’s Mehr News Agency.
European allies are alarmed by U.S. political tensions on a host of foreign policy issues.
President Obama has so far resisted demands from a bipartisan congressional majority to send lethal military equipment to Ukraine. Germany and France, which helped negotiate a sputtering cease-fire between the Ukrainian government and Russian-backed separatists, have said Western arms shipments would only escalate the conflict and undermine a possible solution.
[Who are the seven GOP senators who didn’t sign?]
Republicans, in turn, have struck back at European criticism. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) said that what he considered U.S. and European capitulation to Iran was reminiscent of Western appeasement of Adolf Hitler.
“I believe we are at a moment like Munich in 1938,” Cruz said on the Hugh Hewitt radio show on Thursday.
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) extended the World War II metaphor to Ukraine in a direct attack on Steinmeier.“The foreign minister of Germany is the same guy that refuses, in his government, to enact any restrictions on the behavior of [Russian President] Vladimir Putin, who is slaughtering Ukrainians as we speak. He has no credibility.”
Steinmeier, McCain said, “is in the Neville Chamberlain school of diplomacy,” a reference to the British prewar prime minister who signed the 1938 Munich agreement conceding the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia to Hitler’s Germany.
Secretary of State John F. Kerry told lawmakers Wednesday that the letter to Iran by 47 Republican senators “risks undermining the confidence that foreign governments in thousands of important agreements commit to. It purports to tell the world that if you want to have any confidence in your dealings with America, they have to negotiate with 535 members of Congress.”
The letter warned Iran that any nuclear agreement signed by Obama could be revoked “by the stroke of a pen” by any future president, and that Congress could modify its terms “at any time.”
Some of the letter’s backers have sought political cover as they were flooded with broad-based rebukes.
On Friday, one signer, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) told Bloomberg journalists that he now questions the decision to address the letter to Iran’s leaders.
“I suppose the only regret is who it’s addressed to,” Johnson said. “But the content of the letter... none whatsoever.”
[Some Republicans surprised by the backlash]
Obama further added to the White House backlash in comments reported Friday: “I am embarrassed” for the letter signers, he was quoted as saying.
“For them to address a letter to the ayatollah who, they claim, is our mortal enemy and their basic argument to them is: Don’t deal with our president because you can’t trust him to follow through on an agreement,” Obama said in an interview with Vice media that is expected to be released Monday, according to the AFP news agency.
Earlier this week, Vice President Biden called the letter “a highly misleading signal to
friend and foe alike that our commander-in-chief cannot deliver on America’s commitments — a message that is as false as it is dangerous.”
Kerry and the other negotiators will meet with Iranian officials next week in Lausanne, Switzerland, for another round of talks.
The administration has said a framework for a deal must be agreed to by the end of this month if technical details are to be completed before the negotiating deadline at the end of June. Negotiators have said that deadline will not be extended.
U.S. and European officials have cited recent progress in the negotiations, while cautioning that a deal may not be possible. Outstanding issues are said to include the future status of Iran’s underground nuclear-enrichment facility at Fordow, near the city of Qom, and aspects of Iran’s nuclear research and development program.
Obama has said the goal is to block Iran’s path to a nuclear weapon in a lasting and verifiable way. Opponents have insisted that Iran’s nuclear capability — which Tehran says is designed only for legitimate, peaceful energy purposes — must be destroyed.
Even before Steinmeier’s visit on Thursday, Germany, Britain and France had repeatedly expressed concern about congressional interference in the talks. Ambassadors from the three Western European countries have been a frequent presence on Capitol Hill, trying to persuade lawmakers to hold off on new Iran sanctions or any other legislation related to the negotiations while they are underway.
Following publication of the letter Sunday night, French Ambassador Gerard Araud, a diplomat of long experience in this country and a prolific user of social media, posted a Twitter link to the letter and his own comment that “for a foreigner, Washington can be full of surprise.”
In London on Tuesday, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond told a parliamentary committee that new legislation on Iran “could become a spanner in the works” and “have an unpredictable effect on leadership opinion and public opinion in Tehran.”
Brian Murphy and Sean Sullivan contributed to this report.Minio is an Amazon S3 compatible object storage offering you can run wherever you like. It comes with the familiar abstraction of buckets and files in it and is secure by default.
To install Minio in DC/OS, have a look at the Minio usage examples if you like, but the gist is:
$ dcos package install minio
After that, Minio is running:
Minio installed and running under DC/OS.
Next, I installed mc—the Minio command line client—and carried out some basic operations against Minio running in my DC/OS cluster:
Using mc to control Minio.
Minio has a minimalistic yet beautiful UI:
The Minio UI in action.
Last but not least I want you to see what Minio’s resource footprint looks like:
Minio’s overall resource footprint (incl. Marathon-LB as a dependency).
That’s it! Give it a try and let us know what we can improve here and we’ll work together with our friends from Minio on it.Dr. Ian Gale, the Midlands psychiatrist, lawyer, teacher, and author who gained national attention for his criminal career, has died after apparently committing suicide.Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher says Gale’s body was found Oct. 1after a fire in the Swansea area home where he’d been living. Fisher says an autopsy revealed the 79-year-old died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.Gale rose to prominence in the late 1970’s after he was arrested in connection with a string of home burglaries, many in the Forest Acres area. He was sentenced in December 1979 to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to break-ins that netted hundreds of thousands of dollars in property.Prosecutors said Gale, who pronounced his first name EYE-un, was a “cat burglar” who stashed loot including rare coin collections, jewelry, gold and guns in a room in his home that family members were not allowed to enter.Authorities said Gale had broken into more than 100 homes, mostly at night, while leading what appeared to be a normal life by day. Former Richland County Sheriff Frank Powell once called Gale “a modern-day Jekyll and Hyde.”After he was released from prison in 1987, Gale taught classes at a Columbia technical college, served as a home security consultant, became a born-again Christian, wrote a book on his criminal exploits and in 1988 announced he would run against longtime Lexington County Sheriff James Metts.Gale also sympathized with white supremacists and according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, wrote articles for a propaganda magazine published by the National Alliance, a neo-Nazi organization.The SLPC says Gale was a registered lobbyist for the National Alliance in South Carolina.Copyright 2017 WIS. All rights reserved.
Dr. Ian Gale, the Midlands psychiatrist, lawyer, teacher, and author who gained national attention for his criminal career, has died after apparently committing suicide.
Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher says Gale’s body was found Oct. 1after a fire in the Swansea area home where he’d been living. Fisher says an autopsy revealed the 79-year-old died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
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Gale rose to prominence in the late 1970’s after he was arrested in connection with a string of home burglaries, many in the Forest Acres area. He was sentenced in December 1979 to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to break-ins that netted hundreds of thousands of dollars in property.
Prosecutors said Gale, who pronounced his first name EYE-un, was a “cat burglar” who stashed loot including rare coin collections, jewelry, gold and guns in a room in his home that family members were not allowed to enter.
Authorities said Gale had broken into more than 100 homes, mostly at night, while leading what appeared to be a normal life by day. Former Richland County Sheriff Frank Powell once called Gale “a modern-day Jekyll and Hyde.”
After he was released from prison in 1987, Gale taught classes at a Columbia technical college, served as a home security consultant, became a born-again Christian, wrote a book on his criminal exploits and in 1988 announced he would run against longtime Lexington County Sheriff James Metts.
Gale also sympathized with white supremacists and according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, wrote articles for a propaganda magazine published by the National Alliance, a neo-Nazi organization.
The SLPC says Gale was a registered lobbyist for the National Alliance in South Carolina.
Copyright 2017 WIS. All rights reserved.
AlertMeSacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones has issued permits to carry concealed handguns at an unprecedented pace in the past six years. On Tuesday, he announced a series of policies that could result in his office issuing them even faster.
“It has been difficult to process as many applications each month as we receive,” Jones said in a written statement to The Bee. “This creates an untenable backlog that can get worse over time. This new system will hopefully eliminate that backlog.”
When Jones ran for office, he promised to approve many more concealed carry handgun permits than his predecessors. He delivered, raising the total number of permits held in Sacramento County from about 350 in 2010 to about 8,000 today.
Applications for concealed weapons have risen so quickly that Jones’ office has struggled at times to keep up.
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Earlier this year, the department scheduled nearly 600 permit interviews in a single month. That amounted to 30 appointments per business day, many spaced just 10 minutes apart. Those interviews allow Sheriff’s Department employees to vet applicants face to face and make sure giving them a concealed carry permit won’t endanger public safety.
The new policies streamline the process for obtaining concealed weapons permits. They require applicants to fill out application forms online instead of visiting the sheriff’s office. New applicants must still come to the sheriff’s office for an interview, but permit renewals will be handled completely online and will no longer require an in-person meeting.
Gun owners will also be able to identify five weapons on their concealed carry permit, up from three. That could reduce paperwork and staff time devoted to modifying permits.
The new rules will likely be fully implemented by January, the Sheriff’s Department said.
While reducing a persistent backlog would allow applicants to get their permits faster, Jones said he doesn’t “anticipate these changes having any effect on the number of applicants or permits approved. These changes simply make the process less onerous.” He also said in his statement that “the standard for approval, and the steps required, have not changed at all. All of the same training, demonstrated proficiency... are exactly the same.”
Jones declined an interview request, instead issuing the written statement.
The Sacramento County sheriff’s policy of rapidly issuing concealed carry permits is controversial. He maintains that letting law-abiding citizens carry concealed weapons protects the public and frightens criminals. Critics counter that issuing thousands of the permits puts the public at risk.
“There is no evidence whatsoever that carrying a CCW makes the person carrying the weapon safer or their community safer,” said Dr. Bill Durston, president of Americans Against Gun Violence.
A Bee analysis earlier this year found that at least 78 people with Jones-issued permits were subsequently arrested and had their permits revoked. The arrests represented a tiny portion of the county’s 8,000 permit holders.
Permit holders were arrested for crimes at a rate far below the general public. But 14 permit holders were arrested on felony charges, including a charge of attempted murder involving a firearm and a charge of peddling automatic weapons and poison over the internet.
“Anything that makes getting a concealed weapon easier endangers the community,” said Durston, who lives in the Sacramento area.
Allison Anderman, a staff attorney at the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence in San Francisco, said she is concerned that the new rules will weaken Jones’ ability to weed out applicants who should not get permits.
“If there are changes to that policy to allow people to carry guns in secret with less oversight, we think that comes with more risk to the public,” Anderman said.
Jones has repeatedly said that his office thoroughly vets permit applicants.
“I’ve taken more than 400 guns out of the hands of criminals over this past year,” the sheriff said on KFBK on Tuesday morning. “I’m far more worried about those folks than I am the folks that have demonstrated a willingness to go through the appropriate channels.”
Studies on the risks and rewards of concealed weapons have come to opposing conclusions.
A 2009 study in the American Journal of Public Health found that “individuals in possession of a gun were 4.46 times more likely to be shot in an assault than those not in possession.” But a comprehensive 2004 study by the National Research Council, a private nonprofit institute that is among the most respected scientific bodies in America, said “there is no credible evidence that ‘right-to-carry’ laws, which allow qualified adults to carry concealed handguns, either decrease or increase violent crime.”
Currently, about one out of every 135 adults in Sacramento County has a license to carry. Sacramento County had the third-highest number of concealed carry permit holders in California at the end of 2015, behind Fresno and Orange counties, according to California Department of Justice data.
CCW permit applicants in Sacramento County must fill out a 13-page questionnaire about criminal and mental health history. They are also required to meet with a deputy sheriff, undergo a state criminal background check and complete a 16-hour course on firearms safety, usually taught by private instructors.
Gun-rights advocates hailed the changes announced Tuesday.
Sam Paredes, executive director of Gun Owners of California, said obtaining a concealed carry permit is a lengthy, time-consuming and frustrating process due to the backlog at the Sheriff’s Department.
“We’re pretty happy,” Paredes said. “We know that it has been taking months and months to get CCWs processed.”
In his statement, Jones noted that some political leaders criticized him this year for spending too much money on approving concealed carry permits. The new rules, he said, should cut costs.
“I tasked staff with reaching out to other agencies to look for ways we could improve our process to get it closer to being cost-neutral,” he said.Professor Richard Dawkins explores the human genome sequence, ten years after the world's scientists compiled their first draft of the genetic instruction book of human life.
In a new four part series, evolutionary biologist Professor Richard Dawkins decodes the discoveries and mysteries surrounding the genome.
Ten years ago this June, an international army of scientists announced that they had succeeded in completing their first draft of the genetic book of human life.
They had read most of the three billion genetic letters of the DNA instruction manual which resides |
, which was 1.6 per cent. All told, the North Shore experienced a small net loss in total population from 180,529 in 2015 to 180,319 in 2016.
article continues below
West Vancouver’s population has fallen by 2,000 residents since 2011, a drop of 4.6 per cent. In that time, the District of North Vancouver has only added about 539 new residents, a growth of 0.6 per cent overall. Since 2011, the city has grown by 6.8 per cent. BC Stats calculates its estimates using the 2011 census as a baseline and factors in changes in vital statistics as well as BC Hydro and MSP registrations. New 2016 census data will be available in February.
West Vancouver Mayor Michael Smith said the numbers are troubling and a sign that West Van needs to change its attitude towards new development.
“We’re going to lose our young families. We’re going to lose our ability to hire young employees at the district and the school district and other employers in West Van,” he said. “The last policeman I swore in (as chairman of the West Vancouver police board) lives in Chilliwack. It’s a real problem.”
West Vancouver council has only approved one all-rental project in 40 years, Smith said, and downsizers are choosing places like Yaletown and North Vancouver where they have more options. But every new development proposal is met by community resistance and, sometimes, roadblocks at his own council.
“There’s a small but very vocal group that try to pretend that we’re rezoning properties all over the place, that development is out of control in West Van, and nothing could be further from the truth,” Smith said.
Andy Yan, director of SFU’s city program, said the numbers indicate which municipalities are doing the best at attracting working families, with cost likely being a major factor.
“I think it’s a function of housing, housing costs, employment and really where are the affordable and livable units versus where the jobs are?” he said.
By comparison, Langley, Surrey and Squamish grew by 3.3 per cent, 3.2 per cent and three per cent in the last year.
The types of new developments a council approves also makes a big difference, Yan said.
“What are the design arrangements? Are they studios? Are they three bedrooms?”
The low numbers may contradict popular perceptions that blame traffic on local residential development, a common complaint on the North Shore.
“That’s the funny thing about evidence,” Yan said.
But, Yan noted, population stats lack details on demographics like age, income and information on commuting habits. Those will be included in the next census data, which Yan is eagerly awaiting.
“Details matter. It isn’t just to blame things like development. It’s also understanding commuting patterns – how people are getting to work both on the North Shore and out of the North Shore. These numbers have both positive and negative implications.”
For all the headaches it causes, traffic is also an indicator of economic vibrancy, Yan added.
“Look at the other side of it. Would you rather have no traffic but less economic vibrancy?”
District of North Vancouver Mayor Richard Walton said he was not surprised by the 0.3 per cent growth, even though much of his council’s time is spent debating whether the district is growing too fast.
“I know we’ve got some concerns in the community that growth is out of control. What the number says to us is growth isn’t out of control. Our growth continues to lag behind the rest of Metro Vancouver,” he said.
The district is currently doing an review of its OCP, which will benefit greatly from next month’s census results, Walton said, particularly as it relates to current traffic problems. It may be the challenge is a lack of residential development, not too much of it, he said.
“If the traffic continues to grow noticeably and our population shows really an immaterial increase, then obviously there are other things going on in our community that straight population statistics aren’t telling the whole story,” he said. “It could even be an increasing number of our firefighters and teachers and hospital workers who are not able to afford to live here and therefore, we have an increasing commuter population here. They’d love to live on the North Shore and can’t because there’s not adequate housing.”
City of North Vancouver Mayor Darrell Mussatto said the 0.6 per cent growth the province estimated for his municipality seemed a bit low, although Yan said he was confident in the province’s methodology.
“Everybody says we’re going too fast. They’re mistaken because 0.6 per cent growth is very low,” Mussatto said.This tutorial will guide you along the necessary steps to port a JavaScript library of the Conway's game of life to WebAssembly (wasm). This is a simple exercise that is perfect to start beyond a trivial Hello World.
I recently got interested in WebAssembly and decided to take the leap this weekend. WebAssembly is an emerging standard to enable near-native performance for web applications. Basically it's asm.js done right as stated by @kripken (Dec. 9th 2015). WebAssembly is still a moving target, with a lot of developments going on. Getting started turns out to be difficult as most of the available information is quickly becoming outdated.
I went through the awesome-wasm list which is a good starting point but still had to work two days on this to get some working code.
There's a demo of the game of life re-implemented in wasm at the end of the article :)
The following tutorial was written using Ubuntu 17.04, so your mileage may vary. Assume no knowledge of WebAssembly as I wrote this starting from scratch but I won't detail the ES6 with webpack toolchain. There's a lot more available resources for this on the web. Try finding a more up-to-date tutorial like this one.
This article has five parts:
By the way, my company, Smart Impulse, has an open position for a fullstack web engineer. If you are fluent in Python, Django, JavaScript, React and interested by nextgen smart meters don't hesitate to write to [email protected]. Onsite in Paris.
Setup the toolchain
The provided packages are a little outdated, I got some warnings. After spending some time installing the latest LLVM build it appeared that the easiest way was to download and install the Portable Emscripten SDK for Linux and OS X (emsdk-portable.tar.gz).
Extract the archive and open a terminal in the folder.
$./emsdk update $./emsdk install latest
Now depending on your network speed go make yourself a coffee or read a book.
The Emscripten SDK provides the whole Emscripten toolchain (Clang, Python, Node.js and Visual Studio integration) in a single easy-to-install package, with integrated support for updating to newer SDKs as they are released.
So we should have everything necessary to start coding some WebAssembly.
Once the installation is done, activate the sdk:
$./emsdk activate latest $ source./emsdk_env.sh # you can add this line to your.bashrc
Make some sample C file counter.c :
int counter = 100; int count() { counter += 1; return counter; }
Compile it to wasm with emcc:
$ emcc counter.c -s WASM=1 -s SIDE_MODULE=1 -o counter.wasm
And, tada! We have a beautiful counter.wasm.
JavaScript integration
A standalone.wasm file won't do anything by itself, we need to load it in some client javascript code. I'm using webpack along with wasm-loader to this end. Refer to the documentation for a more vanilla JavaScript example. Ok, let's do this:
import Counter from './wasm/counter' const wasmHelloWorld = () => { const counter = new Counter(); console.log("count function result is : " + counter.exports._count()); } window.onload = wasmHelloWorld
Loading this code in a sample html page should print 101 in the console. Except it doesn't. In Firefox 53 you should get a LinkError: import object field 'DYNAMICTOP_PTR' is not a Number instead. What went wrong? I got stuck on this an entire evening, then came StackOverflow to the rescue.
Let's get back to the code, we need to compile the C code with an optimization flag:
$ emcc counter.c -O1 -o counter.wasm -s WASM=1 -s SIDE_MODULE=1
Now when we do a new Counter(), wasm-loader calls new WebAssembly.Instance(module, importObject);
module is a correct WebAssembly.Module instance.
is a correct WebAssembly.Module instance. importObject is the default provided by wasm-loader which appears to not work.
The reasons are a little obscure but editing the JavaScript to the following code solves the issue:
import Counter from './wasm/counter' const wasmHelloWorld = () => { const counter = new Counter({ 'env': {'memoryBase': 0, 'tableBase': 0,'memory': new WebAssembly.Memory({initial: 256}), 'table': new WebAssembly.Table({initial: 0, element: 'anyfunc'}) } }) console.log("count function result is : " + counter.exports._count()); } window.onload = wasmHelloWorld
Now, reloading the webpage succeeds!
As you can see it wasn't that straightforward to get a simple hello world to work. In the following section we'll see an easier way to integrate JS and wasm.
Beyond Hello World: optimizing a game of life engine
While upping my skills in ES6, webpack, babel, etc. I made a little implementation of the game of life. The code is available at blaze33/way-of-life.
The game engine has a double loop iterating over the whole game grid at each step. Though I tried hard to keep it fast, it gets quickly slow once you increase the grid size. With our newfound WebAssembly skills it could be a nice exercise to try running the core game engine as a wasm module.
What needs to be done?
Re-implement the game logic in C.
Compile the C logic to wasm.
Expose the wasm code in the JS one.
Have a way to interact between the C and JS code.
We won't go full WebAssembly for now and have the rendering to the canvas done in WebAssembly for now.
Compile C to WASM with some JS-glue code
Notice how we compiled the previous example with -s SIDE_MODULE=1? This provides a single wasm module that we have to integrate from scratch in the client code. You should know that it doesn't allow for malloc calls in the C code for example. Not really a problem for a hello world but pretty much a big no-no once you try doing more complex stuff. Fortunately you can compile the C code and have emscripten provide a wasm module AND a JS module that serves as a glue to integrate the WebAssembly in the client code. In our case, it will allow us to make malloc calls and have a way to read the allocated memory from the JS side.
The compilation is done as follow:
emcc engine.c -O3 -o engine.js -s WASM=1 -Wall -s MODULARIZE=1
By setting MODULARIZE we put all the JS output into a function. Unfortunately it's not really a JS module (AMDdefine, CommonJS nor ES6) so we'll just append export {Module as default} to engine.js, webpack will do the rest and allow us to import the Module in our ES6 client code:
import Module from './wasm/engine.js' module = Module({wasmBinaryFile: 'wasm/engine.wasm'})
You have to specify the extension in the import as there is an engine.wasm in the same folder.
wasmBinaryFile is the url used to asynchronously fetch the wasm code, so we tell webpack to serve it using copy-webpack-plugin.
Keep this JS module in mind, we'll reuse it later.
Calling WASM functions from JavaScript
By default the C functions are not exposed by emscripten (or maybe not always, correct me if I'm wrong), we need to tell it to do so:
#include <emscripten.h> EMSCRIPTEN_KEEPALIVE char *init(int w, int h) { width = w; height = h; current = malloc(width * height * sizeof(char)); next = malloc(width * height * sizeof(char)); return current; }
EMSCRIPTEN_KEEPALIVE does exactly this and we can now call module.asm._init(40, 40) if we wanted to initialize the game with a 40x40 grid.
All the exposed C funtions are available in module.asm and are prefixed with an underscore.
Accessing the wasm module memory from JS
Emscripten conveniently exposes the module memory through module.HEAP* variables. The recommended way to interact with the memory is with module.getValue and setValue. As this is slower, I'll pursue directly with accessing HEAP8, considering the state is in a char array. Beware: accessing undocumented properties will probably break in the future!
Now we have pretty much all the pieces, I worked hard to piece all this together so let's proceed to the speedup benchmarking with the demo!
Benchmarking
Benchmarking is always tricky and I shouldn't probably use this word for looking at an Hello World performance so that the following shouldn't be used to judge wasm performance. The C code is not optimized to be fast but written like the naïve JS implementation I used. That being said we can still have a look to see if the result goes faster than the JS implementation.
I did some performance profiling on Chrome 58.
This is the original JS code:
And this is the wasm code:
On average the computeNextState which took ~40ms now runs in ~15ms, not orders of magnitude faster but enough to get from ~18FPS to ~40FPS on my laptop.
The improvements were less visible on Firefox 53 as the FPS varied a lot, but it is still present.
You can play with the url options and also switch the wasm engine to the js one for comparison, have fun!
Conclusion
Starting this was much harder than I envisioned!
Webassembly looks really promising but the toolchain feels a bit heavy and clunky at times.
The documentation is both sparse or too technical but that should improve over time.
Having the emscripten glue code is really necessary for now, even if it seems to add another layer. I initially thought we could get away interfacing directly with the wasm code but I couldn't.
Still pretty happy with the result.
The code is available at blaze33/way-of-life
Thanks for reading! If you liked this article you can follow me at @maxmre for future posts, or you could star the github repo, leave a comment or, you know, just ignore this internet-points-mania, I won't be mad ;)
Also thanks to Stackoverflow and Hacker News for helping me along the way!
Hacker News discussion thread.
Useful resourcesTonight on Smackdown, Christian went out on top against World Heavyweight champion Alberto Del Rio after a 20 minute main event showdown.
It’s quite common for the challenger of a championship to beat the champion prior to their showdown. It’s a way to create doubt in the champion keeping his title. Prior to the weekly television days, wrestling used this sparingly and preferred to have a singles champion lose in a tag bout. That way he could blame his partner or the match format. Christian defeating Del Rio a week and change prior to WWE SummerSlam isn’t my entire issue.
My entire issue is that Del Rio lost to Rob Van Dam on Monday night in a non-title match as well.
Your World Heavyweight champion should not be losing two non-title matches in one week. Neither should your Tag Team champions. Or Divas champion. Or Million Dollar champion. Or the Saskatchewan Hardcore Invitational Title champion. Or the Airpoke World champion (that’s a real thing).
It’s one thing to lose two straight matches. It isn’t even a streak yet. But we are talking about the Big Gold Belt. We’re not talking about the European Championship or the 100 kg and Under Championship (thank you Russo era WCW) but the championship held from legends like Ricky Steamboat and Ric Flair. It’s one of the most iconic championships in pro wrestling. It’s why out of all of the images that Vince McMahon tried to bury from the annals of WCW, he still brought in the World Heavyweight Championship and made it equal to the WWE Championship. It represented just what the title was called. The holder was the World Heavyweight wrestling champion instead of the champion of the WWE.
The reason this boils my blood so much is immersion. When Liam Hopkins wrote about the MMA fighters under the most pressure in August, a few of his examples were fighters that after two losses could be cut from the UFC. Now of course UFC fighters do not fight as often as pro wrestlers and we are comparing combat sport to sports entertainment, but imagine Cain Velasquez deciding he wasn’t going to put his UFC Heavyweight Championship up in his next fight and losing. And in his next match, he once again tells UFC nope, not putting the belt up again… and loses. What would the public reaction be? They would be outraged that UFC would even allow him to fight in a non-title match, let alone two, and that he lost both fights. His name on the title plate would be a disgrace to the promotion. Yet here we are in pro wrestling where you can decide your own finishes and you have World Heavyweight champion Alberto Del Rio losing two straight non-title matches.
Why couldn’t he have lost to RVD by DQ? The plan was for him to turn his back on Ricardo. Why could that not have been accomplished by a disqualification? And why set up on Friday for Alberto Del Rio to have another non-title match and lose that one as well by pinfall? How does this build up any interest in the match between Del Rio and Christian at SummerSlam? Even worse, it ensures no outcome will help the competitor. If Christian wins of course he wins, he just beat a guy he beat on weekly television who couldn’t beat Rob Van Dam either. But if Del Rio retains, why should I care? He proved absolutely nothing on Raw and Smackdown. If he wins through cheating, all the more to completely disregard him as champion.
Truth be told, I am more disgusted with this than TNA Wrestling hot-shotting the TNA X Championship between Chris Sabin and Austin Aries dressed as Suicide only to give the belt back to Suicide/Manik. At least it was established that a champion was beaten for the title every time. Here, it’s established that the champion is not as good as two different competitors supposedly ranked underneath him. It’d be like Mike Tyson making his boxing return and losing to Buster Mathis Jr. and Bruce Seldon, yet still go and fight Evander Holyfield for the WBA Championship. Only we’re not talking about a competitor getting a title shot after consecutive losses but a champion still holding their title after consecutive losses! Sure it won’t show on the title history but our viewing today should matter more.
The WWE has a ridiculous issue with jobbing their champions on live television. They used to do it all of the time with the Intercontinental champion a few years back and then later to the United States champion last year. Now they have moved to the World Heavyweight champion? Maybe this is the new plan for the last standing tradition that existed of WCW: turn the Big Gold Belt into a piece of tin.
Feel free to comment below, and follow me on twitter @AaronWrotkowski and the site@lastwordonsport. Also follow @TNAWWEGUY and @CrimsonSkorpion on the Last Word on Sports Wrestling team.
Interested in writing for LastWordOnSports? Find more info at our “Join Our Team” pageA crocheted bra top for sale on Amazon received an unexpected bit of publicity after a reviewer used their cat to model the item to show just how small it is. Reviews do indicate that the piece “runs small,” but when one 16-year-old girl received the item, her mother wrote this hilarious review in response:
“My 16 y.o. daughter bought this thing. It is ridiculously small and I probably couldn’t legally post a picture of what it looks like if she attempts to wear it. But, so you can see… here is a picture of our cat wearing it. To be fair, it does cover all of the cats nipples, however, she hates the weave. In summary, do not buy this, even for your cat.”
More info: Amazon
“My 16 y.o. daughter bought this thing”
“It is ridiculously small and I probably couldn’t legally post a picture of what it looks like if she attempts to wear it”
“But, so you can see… here is a picture of our cat wearing it”
Here’s the mom’s full review on Amazon:
“To be fair, it does cover all of the cats nipples, however, she hates the weave. In summary, do not buy this, even for your cat”
You can find this hot summerwear for cats on Amazon!WASHINGTON, Feb. 12, 2015 - Democratic Sens. Barbara Boxer of California and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut along with Rep. Pete DeFazio, D-Ore., held a press conference today to reintroduce a mandatory GMO labeling bill that will face stiff opposition in a Congress controlled by Republicans.
Boxer said the more than 30 other Democrats in the House and Senate who are sponsoring the legislation are up to the challenge. “A lot of things don't have a chance around this joint, but that doesn't mean we're not going to push it,” Boxer said. “Ninety percent of the people want this and it's up to us… to make it an important issue.”
The newest version of the Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act - a similar bill went nowhere in the previous Congress - would require manufacturers to clearly label foods that contain genetically modified ingredients (GMOs). It includes several tweaks, including a provision that would prohibit the use of the term "natural" on GMO foods.
Offering their support for the bill at today's news conference were celebrity chef Tom Colicchio and several advocacy organizations including Food Policy Action, Environmental Working Group, Just Label It and Center for Food Safety.
[Are you following the food labeling issue? Agri-Pulse is the place for the latest news on it. Sign up NOW for a four-week FREE trial subscription.]
“We need a congress that supports people, not corporations,” said Colicchio. “I'm not anti-science, but corporations are using these technologies as a business model to sell farmers more herbicides” - herbicides that he said are increasingly showing up in the nation's food supply.
This Congress, despite Republican control, may very well be amenable to this bill the second time around, said DeFazio. The 1990 law that established the National Organic Program was approved amid tremendous opposition, he recalled, “because of a huge grassroots, groundswell around the country of people that wanted that label.”
“We won that battle against all odds at that time and this is a very similar battle,” DeFazio said. “The American people want the information.”
The legislation would align federal law with proliferating state labeling efforts. Most Republicans, however, are backing legislation proposed by Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Kan. The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act, introduced last year, would establish a federal labeling standard for foods containing GMOs, giving sole authority to the FDA to require mandatory labeling on such foods if they are ever found to be unsafe. Pompeo has said he plans to reintroduce a similar bill this year.
#30
For more news, go to: www.Agri-Pulse.comAvailability and reliability are paramount for all web applications and APIs. If you’re providing an API, chances are you’ve already experienced sudden increases in traffic that affect the quality of your service, potentially even leading to a service outage for all your users.
The first few times this happens, it’s reasonable to just add more capacity to your infrastructure to accommodate user growth. However, when you’re running a production API, not only do you have to make it robust with techniques like idempotency, you also need to build for scale and ensure that one bad actor can’t accidentally or deliberately affect its availability.
Rate limiting can help make your API more reliable in the following scenarios:
One of your users is responsible for a spike in traffic, and you need to stay up for everyone else.
One of your users has a misbehaving script which is accidentally sending you a lot of requests. Or, even worse, one of your users is intentionally trying to overwhelm your servers.
A user is sending you a lot of lower-priority requests, and you want to make sure that it doesn’t affect your high-priority traffic. For example, users sending a high volume of requests for analytics data could affect critical transactions for other users.
Something in your system has gone wrong internally, and as a result you can’t serve all of your regular traffic and need to drop low-priority requests.
At Stripe, we’ve found that carefully implementing a few rate limiting strategies helps keep the API available for everyone. In this post, we’ll explain in detail which rate limiting strategies we find the most useful, how we prioritize some API requests over others, and how we started using rate limiters safely without affecting our existing users’ workflows.
Rate limiters and load shedders
A rate limiter is used to control the rate of traffic sent or received on the network. When should you use a rate limiter? If your users can afford to change the pace at which they hit your API endpoints without affecting the outcome of their requests, then a rate limiter is appropriate. If spacing out their requests is not an option (typically for real-time events), then you’ll need another strategy outside the scope of this post (most of the time you just need more infrastructure capacity).
Our users can make a lot of requests: for example, batch processing payments causes sustained traffic on our API. We find that clients can always (barring some extremely rare cases) spread out their requests a bit more and not be affected by our rate limits.
Rate limiters are amazing for day-to-day operations, but during incidents (for example, if a service is operating more slowly than usual), we sometimes need to drop low-priority requests to make sure that more critical requests get through. This is called load shedding. It happens infrequently, but it is an important part of keeping Stripe available.
A load shedder makes its decisions based on the whole state of the system rather than the user who is making the request. Load shedders help you deal with emergencies, since they keep the core part of your business working while the rest is on fire.
Using different kinds of rate limiters in concert
Once you know rate limiters can improve the reliability of your API, you should decide which types are the most relevant.
At Stripe, we operate 4 different types of limiters in production. The first one, the Request Rate Limiter, is by far the most important one. We recommend you start here if you want to improve the robustness of your API.
Request rate limiter
This rate limiter restricts each user to N requests per second. Request rate limiters are the first tool most APIs can use to effectively manage a high volume of traffic.
Our rate limits for requests is constantly triggered. It has rejected millions of requests this month alone, especially for test mode requests where a user inadvertently runs a script that’s gotten out of hand.
Our API provides the same rate limiting behavior in both test and live modes. This makes for a good developer experience: scripts won't encounter side effects due to a particular rate limit when moving from development to production.
After analyzing our traffic patterns, we added the ability to briefly burst above the cap for sudden spikes in usage during real-time events (e.g. a flash sale.)
Request rate limiters restrict users to a maximum number of requests per second.
Concurrent requests limiter
Instead of “You can use our API 1000 times a second”, this rate limiter says “You can only have 20 API requests in progress at the same time”. Some endpoints are much more resource-intensive than others, and users often get frustrated waiting for the endpoint to return and then retry. These retries add more demand to the already overloaded resource, slowing things down even more. The concurrent rate limiter helps address this nicely.
Our concurrent request limiter is triggered much less often (12,000 requests this month), and helps us keep control of our CPU-intensive API endpoints. Before we started using a concurrent requests limiter, we regularly dealt with resource contention on our most expensive endpoints caused by users making too many requests at one time. The concurrent request limiter totally solved this.
It is completely reasonable to tune this limiter up so it rejects more often than the Request Rate Limiter. It asks your users to use a different programming model of “Fork off X jobs and have them process the queue” compared to “Hammer the API and back off when I get a HTTP 429”. Some APIs fit better into one of those two patterns so feel free to use which one is most suitable for the users of your API.
Concurrent request limiters manage resource contention for CPU-intensive API endpoints.
Fleet usage load shedder
Using this type of load shedder ensures that a certain percentage of your fleet will always be available for your most important API requests.
We divide up our traffic into two types: critical API methods (e.g. creating charges) and non-critical methods (e.g. listing charges.) We have a Redis cluster that counts how many requests we currently have of each type.
We always reserve a fraction of our infrastructure for critical requests. If our reservation number is 20%, then any non-critical request over their 80% allocation would be rejected with status code 503.
We triggered this load shedder for a very small fraction of requests this month. By itself, this isn’t a big deal—we definitely had the ability to handle those extra requests. But we’ve had other months where this has prevented outages.
Fleet usage load shedders reserves fleet resources for critical requests.
Worker utilization load shedder
Most API services use a set of workers to independently respond to incoming requests in a parallel fashion. This load shedder is the final line of defense. If your workers start getting backed up with requests, then this will shed lower-priority traffic.
This one gets triggered very rarely, only during major incidents.
We divide our traffic into 4 categories:
Critical methods POSTs GETs Test mode traffic
We track the number of workers with available capacity at all times. If a box is too busy to handle its request volume, it will slowly start shedding less-critical requests, starting with test mode traffic. If shedding test mode traffic gets it back into a good state, great! We can start to slowly bring traffic back. Otherwise, it’ll escalate and start shedding even more traffic.
It’s very important that shedding and bringing load happen slowly, or you can end up flapping (“I got rid of testmode traffic! Everything is fine! I brought it back! Everything is awful!”). We used a lot of trial and error to tune the rate at which we shed traffic, and settled on a rate where we shed a substantial amount of traffic within a few minutes.
Only 100 requests were rejected this month from this rate limiter, but in the past it’s done a lot to help us recover more quickly when we have had load problems. This load shedder limits the impact of incidents that are already happening and provides damage control, while the first three are more preventative.
Worker utilization load shedders reserve workers for critical requests.
Building rate limiters in practice
Now that we’ve outlined the four basic kinds of rate limiters we use and what they’re for, let’s talk about their implementation. What rate limiting algorithms are there? How do you actually implement them in practice?
We use the token bucket algorithm to do rate limiting. This algorithm has a centralized bucket host where you take tokens on each request, and slowly drip more tokens into the bucket. If the bucket is empty, reject the request. In our case, every Stripe user has a bucket, and every time they make a request we remove a token from that bucket.
We implement our rate limiters using Redis. You can either operate the Redis instance yourself, or, if you use Amazon Web Services, you can use a managed service like ElastiCache.
Here are important things to consider when implementing rate limiters:
Hook the rate limiters into your middleware stack safely. Make sure that if there were bugs in the rate limiting code (or if Redis were to go down), requests wouldn’t be affected. This means catching exceptions at all levels so that any coding or operational errors would fail open and the API would still stay functional.
Make sure that if there were bugs in the rate limiting code (or if Redis were to go down), requests wouldn’t be affected. This means catching exceptions at all levels so that any coding or operational errors would fail open and the API would still stay functional. Show clear exceptions to your users. Figure out what kinds of exceptions to show your users. In practice, you should decide if you want HTTP 429 (Too Many Requests) or HTTP 503 (Service Unavailable) and what is the most accurate depending on the situation. The message you return should also be actionable.
Figure out what kinds of exceptions to show your users. In practice, you should decide if you want HTTP 429 (Too Many Requests) or HTTP 503 (Service Unavailable) and what is the most accurate depending on the situation. The message you return should also be actionable. Build in safeguards so that you can turn off the limiters. Make sure you have kill switches to disable the rate limiters should they kick in erroneously. Having feature flags in place can really help should you need a human escape valve. Set up alerts and metrics to understand how often they are triggering.
Make sure you have kill switches to disable the rate limiters should they kick in erroneously. Having feature flags in place can really help should you need a human escape valve. Set up alerts and metrics to understand how often they are triggering. Dark launch each rate limiter to watch the traffic they would block. Evaluate if it is the correct decision to block that traffic and tune accordingly. You want to find the right thresholds that would keep your API up without affecting any of your users’ existing request patterns. This might involve working with some of them to change their code so that the new rate limit would work for them.
Conclusion
Rate limiting is one of the most powerful ways to prepare your API for scale. The different rate limiting strategies described in this post are not all necessary on day one, you can gradually introduce them once you realize the need for rate limiting.
Our recommendation is to follow the following steps to introduce rate limiting to your infrastructure:
Start by building a Request Rate Limiter. It is the most important one to prevent abuse, and it’s by far the one that we use the most frequently. Introduce the next three types of rate limiters over time to prevent different classes of problems. They can be built slowly as you scale. Follow good launch practices as you're adding new rate limiters to your infrastructure. Handle any errors safely, put them behind feature flags to turn them off easily at any time, and rely on very good observability and metrics to see how often they’re triggering.
To help you get started, we’ve created a GitHub gist to share implementation details based on the code we actually use in production at Stripe.
Like this post? Join the Stripe engineering team. View OpeningsOh, great. The wingnut five continues to rubberstamp anything they can to give corporations the edge they need to pound us completely into the ground. We have no right to anything, other than the right to shut up and take it. This decision is a big deal, further undercutting consumer protections:
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court gave corporations a major win Wednesday, ruling in a 5-4 decision that companies can block their disgruntled customers from joining together in a class-action lawsuit. The ruling arose from a California lawsuit involving cellphones, but it will have a nationwide impact.
In the past, consumers who bought a product or a service had been free to join a class-action lawsuit if they were dissatisfied or felt they had been cheated. By combining these small claims, they could bring a major lawsuit against a corporation.
But in Wednesday's decision, the high court said that under the Federal Arbitration Act companies can force these disgruntled customers to arbitrate their complaints individually, not as part of a group. Consumer-rights advocates said this rule would spell the end for small claims involving products or services.
In the case before the court, a Southern California couple complained about a $30 charge involving their purchase of cellphone service from AT&T Mobility. The California courts said they were entitled to join with others in bringing a class-action claim against the cellphone company.
But the Supreme Court reversed that decision Wednesday in AT&T Mobility vs. Concepcion. Justice Antonin Scalia said companies may require buyers to sign arbitration agreements, and those agreements may preclude class-action claims. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justices Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. formed the majority.
Scalia said companies like arbitration because it is efficient and less costly. "Arbitration is poorly suited to the higher stakes of class litigation," he said.
But the dissenters said a practical ban on class action would be unfair to cheated consumers. Justice Stephen G. Breyer said the California courts had insisted on permitting class-action claims, despite arbitration clauses that forbade them. Otherwise, he said, it would allow a company to "insulate" itself "from liability for its own frauds by deliberately cheating large numbers of consumers out of individually small sums of money."
Breyer added that a ban on class actions would prevent lawyers from representing clients for small claims. "What rational lawyer would have signed on to represent the Concepcions in litigation for the possibility of fees stemming from a $30.22 claim?" he wrote. Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan joined his dissent.
The court itself divided along partisan lines. All five Republican appointes formed the majority, and four Democratic appointees dissented.Financially speaking, Uber's new $3.5 billion investment with Saudi Arabia isn't that significant. It is bigger than Uber's previous fundraising rounds. But Uber had previously raised a sequence of $1 billion investments over the past couple of years, so it's hardly a game changer.
But politically speaking, Uber's decision to take money from Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund could become a huge deal. The Saudi government doesn't just get a 5 percent stake in the ride-hailing startup; it also gets a seat on Uber's board. That means the Saudi government will be more than a silent partner — it will have a literal seat as the company discusses big strategic decisions.
And for people worried about issues like gender equality, customer privacy, and human rights, it's hard to imagine a worse choice for Uber's newest board member. The Saudi regime is notorious for its unequal treatment of women — who aren't even allowed to drive in the Saudi kingdom — and for its disrespect for human rights in general. By cozying up with Saudi Arabia, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick is sending a clear signal that he intends to run |
time now. By the end of 2016, Google installed free, high-speed Wi-Fi at 100 Indian railway stations, and is now expanding the program into cafés, museums, restaurants, and Wi-Fi–starved locations across the country.THE inventor of the Big Mac has died at the age of 98.
Michael "Jim" Delligatti came up with the iconic McDonald's burger nearly 50 years ago.
AP:Associated Press 6 Jim Delligatti pictured celebrating his 90th birthday in 2008 complete with a Big Mac-themed cake
McDonald's 6 The businessman, pictured holding his iconic creation, also helped pioneer the McDonald's breakfast menu
The franchise-owner from Uniontown Pennsylvania put the stacked treat on sale at one of his restaurants in 1968.
McDonald's initially did not approve of deviating from its strict formula of simple hamburgers, cheeseburgers and milkshakes.
But the creation of a two-patty burger with lettuce, cheese, gherkins, onions and "special sauce" proved an instant hit, and was rolled out to his other 47 outlets across the US.
Related Stories Revealed BONE, BELL, BALL OR BOOT? Ever noticed McDonald's Chicken McNuggets come in four specific shapes? Here's why MILE FRY CLUB McDonald's to be served on commercial FLIGHTS as company teams up with an airline for the first time in history not lovin' it Couple 'caught having sex in McDonald's car park as boy, six, watched on' MACCIES FOR LUNCH? Big Macs contain FEWER calories than 'healthy' sushi lunch boxes sold on the High Street Bah Humbug McDonald's have sneakily left the Festive Pie off its Christmas menu and people aren't happy festive frenzy The McDonald's Christmas 2016 menu includes a McFlurry you won't want to miss A bit fishy McDonald's and KFC workers reveal menu items 'you should NEVER order under any circumstances'
McDonald's spokeswoman Kerry Ford confirmed that Delligatti died at his home in Fox Chapel, Pittsburgh, surrounded by his family on Monday night.
He opened his first McDonald's restaurant in 1957 and went on to spread the brand across Pennsylvania and beyond.
His son revealed that Delligatti ate at least one 540 calorie Big Mac every week, according to CBS.
In 1970, he invented the Egg McMuffin which paved the way for the breakfast menu which started two years later.
Delligatti is said to have created the Hotcakes and Sausage breakfast meal to feed the state's steelworkers at the end of their night shift.
Alamy 6 Iconic Big Mac is known for its stacked patties and'secret sauce'
Youtube 6 How the Big Mac originally looked in a 1960's advert
AP:Associated Press 6 Delligatti, pictured in 2008, died surrounded by his family at his home in Pittsburgh
www.media.mcdonalds.com 6 Big Mac creator Delligatti pictured promoting his signature sandwich
"Jim was a legendary franchisee within McDonald’s system who made a lasting impression on our brand," McDonald's said in a statement announcing his passing.
"We will remember Jim as an insightful franchisee, a knowledgeable businessman, and an honorable gentleman who left a legacy of four generations of family members running great restaurants in Pennsylvania and North Carolina."
The Big Mac has become one of the defining symbols of McDonalds and the fast food business.
In 2007, Delligatti opened the Big Mac Museum in Pennsylvania, with financial help from McDonalds Corp, which included a bust of the burger’s inventor.
But the legendary franchise owner insists he didn’t get a lucrative slice of Big Mac sales.
Speaking with the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, he said: “Everybody thinks I did. But no way. All I got was a plaque."
Big Mac Facts McDonald’s has reportedly sold billions of Big Macs in more than 100 countries around the globe. In 2008, the sandwich’s 40th anniversary, the company estimated that it sells 550 million Big Macs every year. That’s around 17 per second. The price of the burger has increased dramatically over the years having went on sale in 1968 for 38 pence. The current price of a Big Mac in the US is around £2.90. According to McDonald’s they haven’t changed the size of their legendary 540 calorie burger since 1971.
After studying at Michigan State University, the innovative businessman became one of McDonald’s original franchisees in the 1950s.
The fast food icon has left behind his two sons and his loving wife Ellie - as well as five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
McDonald's recently teamed up teamed up with Canadian airline WestJet to offer air passengers their goods at 50,000ft.
But the Big Mac and fellow fast foot staples won't be on offer — with attendants instead dishing out the brand's McCafe range of coffee and pastries.
Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368A new game based on Cartoon Network's popular animated series Adventure Time is coming to home consoles and PC next year. Titled Adventure Time: Pirates of the Enchiridion, the game is an open-world pirate adventure.
In Pirates of the Enchiridion, players can take control of many fan-favorite Adventure Time characters, such as Finn, Jake, Marceline, and BMO and explore the various kingdoms of the Land of Ooo, which have been "cut off from each other" by a flood. Finn and Jake can navigate the world in their own boat and recruit other characters to be a part of their crew. You can see a gallery of some nice-looking screenshots from the game below.
The game will feature an "original" story, and Finn and Jake will have to interrogate other characters for clues during the course of the game and will also boast "tactical combat" and a progression system for your heroes.
Adventure Time: Pirates of the Enchiridion releases on PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PC in July 17, 2018.Ready to fight back? Sign up for Take Action Now and get three actions in your inbox every week. You will receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nation’s journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here. Sign up for Take Action Now and get three actions in your inbox every week.
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House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Representative Darrell Issa, R-CA, at the House Rules Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, June 27, 2012, to argue procedures as the House of Representatives prepared to vote on whether Attorney General Eric Holder is in contempt of Congress because he has refused to give the Oversight Committee all the documents it wants related to Operation Fast and Furious, the flawed gun-smuggling probe involving Mexican drug cartels. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Ad Policy
Have you been ignoring the Fast and Furious scandal? It’s okay. I will confess that for probably too long, I tuned out the brouhaha as just another tempest in the News Corp. teapot and relegated it to the dimly lit area of my brain where Bill Ayers, Vince Foster, Solyndra and others reside.
But with the House of Representatives voting Thursday to hold US Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt—the first time in American history this has happened—the story can’t be ignored any longer.
Yet when one digs into the facts of the scandal—and a terrific piece of journalism in Fortune this week is a great help—it becomes clear that Fast and Furious has been blown completely out of proportion by Republican leaders, and a terrible yet all too common tragedy on the United States’ border with Mexico has been fashioned into an ugly political weapon.
Here’s a condensed version of what Republicans say happened. (I will do my very best here to be completely faithful to their telling; feel free to also check out the Fast and Furious page put together by the majority on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which has led the charge against Holder).
According to Republicans, in fall 2009 the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms began a dangerous effort to stop the flow of guns into Mexico under the auspices of Operation Fast and Furious. The ATF officers used a method of investigation called gun-walking, in which they recruited straw buyers in Arizona to purchase and transmit guns south of the border in order to build a stronger case against the bad guys. Officers logged the purchases and gun serial numbers, applied for wiretaps, but never tried to intercept the weapons.
This allowed drug cartels to obtain potentially hundreds of dangerous weapons under the direct eye of federal authorities, a bad idea that turned tragic in December 2010 when US Border Patrol Brian Terry was murdered by bandits wielding a gun that was walked under Fast and Furious.
So the thrust of the GOP storyline is overzealous gun-grabbers at Obama’s ATF took risks that led directly to the murder of a Border Patrol agent.
But the piece in Fortune, in which reporter Katherine Eban interviewed many of the agents involved for the first time ever, completely demolishes this version of events. (It’s worth a full read).
Eban reveals that the ATF never intentionally walked the guns, save one important exception that we’ll get to momentarily. Instead, they were unable to obtain warrants to arrest the purchasers. Prosecutors were extremely wary of arresting straw buyers, either for fear of retribution from the NRA—who hammered ATF in 2005 for seizing guns from a straw buyer—or because they were gun aficionados themselves. One local prosecutor was reportedly seen behind a table at a gun show and was philosophically opposed to those arrests.
So, unable to arrest the buyers, the agent running Fast and Furious resigned his unit to simply tracking the purchases in hopes of using the evidence later. This is a world away from purposefully letting the guns go, and Eban chronicles numerous efforts by the ATF agents to overcome bureaucratic and legal obstacles and arrest the buyers—they just weren’t able to do it.
The one exception is agent John Dodson, who used $2,500 in taxpayer money to buy six guns from a local dealer, passed them to a trafficker, and then took a long vacation. This is the only proven instance of gun-walking under Fast and Furious—and Dodson, incredibly, was the “brave whistleblower” who exposed the entire operation.
Eban reports that Dodson hated his boss Dave Voth because Voth supposedly “treated him like shit.” Dodson disobeyed a direct order from Voth not to walk guns in this manner—and then, a few months later, went to CBS News with allegations that the ATF “ordered” him to walk guns and that in fact it was a common practice there.
CBS News never fully checked out his story, and never talked to Voth—and still hasn’t retracted the piece. Yet neither Dodson nor anyone else has ever proven there were orders to perform gun-walking, nor proven any other episode other that Dodson’s own. (Voth was deeply shocked by Dodson’s actions—a “blow he couldn’t fathom,” according to Eban, who added that he began losing weight and sleep. “There would be no way,” Voth is quoted as saying, “to foreshadow this.”)
What made things worse for the administration—and what made it a target of the House investigation—is that after saying there was no gun-walking at ATF, it flipped, admitted there was, and apologized. There was good reason to initially claim there was no gun-walking, since Eban documents how nobody high up at ATF knew about it, much less people at the Department or Justice or the White House. (Obama has said he learned about Fast and Furious on the news).
But when confronted with the evidence of Dodson’s own gun-walking, the administration appears to have panicked. (See also Jones, Van and Sherrod, Shirley). High-ranking officials resigned and apologies were made.
The documents that Issa is now after focus on that period in 2011 between when the administration said there was no gun-walking and then changed its mind. The express implication is that there was a cover-up—that Holder and possibly the White House knew about gun-walking all along (maybe even encouraged it) and only admitted the practice when forced.
Representative Darrell Issa’s committee has pushed and pushed for documents relating to that period, receiving almost 7,000 pages—none of which contain any evidence of a cover-up.
The committee pushed until they finally hit the bottom of the barrel, requesting documents that the administration says are privileged and can’t be released. This relies on a perhaps overly broad interpretation of executive privilege that should trouble advocates of transparent government—but also a well-established one Issa knew would be invoked.
Holder has directly accused Issa of deliberately “provok[ing] an avoidable conflict between Congress and the Executive Branch,” and it’s easy to see why Republicans would be motivated to hold an Obama official in historic contempt only months before elections. Republicans already harbor a deep antipathy towards Holder anyhow, for everything from DOJ’s failure to defend DOMA to strong action to combat voter ID laws.
It now seems unlikely this will go anywhere—following the contempt vote, the US Attorney for the District of Columbia will consider whether to prosecute, but it’s hard to imagine much of a case here. In addition, Republican leaders seem wary to go very far with Issa’s crusade for fear it makes them look petty. House Speaker John Boehner and his leadership team initially didn’t want a contempt vote, and when they finally scheduled one, it was buried only hours after the biggest Supreme Court decision in years.
On Wednesday, conservative pundit Charles Krauthammer appeared on Fox News and tried to temper the network’s flogging of the story, saying it made Republicans look bad and predicting leaders would “get off this train as soon as they can.” The public doesn’t seem to be on board either—a Fox News poll with some very suggestive language still only found 38 percent of voters think there’s a White House cover-up. Despite what Issa thinks, Watergate this ain’t.Other Gilbert sets (e.g., the No. 11 Atomic Energy set) continued to carry the spinthariscope, the ore and the manual. In addition, the Geiger counter could be purchased separately.
Two Versions of Gilbert's U-238 Atomic Energy Lab There were two versions of the Atomic Energy Lab. The first (and rarest) was described in the 1950 Gilbert Toys American Flyer Trains catalog. It came with a tan-colored case. The second version, with a red case, appeared in the 1951 Gilbert Toys American Flyer Trains catalog. The contents in the two versions seem to have been the same, but they were arranged differently. A possible exception is that two different types of electroscope seem to have been used in the first version of the set. Gilbert first announced the development of the Atomic Energy Lab in February of 1950. Although images of the first version were employed in newspaper advertisements as late as December of 1951, I believe that it had been replaced with the second red-cased version well before Christmas of 1950. The earliest image I have seen of the second version of the lab was a photo in the November 23, 1950 issue of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. The End of Gilbert’s U-238 Atomic Energy Lab Although the U-238 Atomic Energy Lab continued to appear in newspaper advertisements in 1952 and 1953, this was a matter of various stores unloading old stock at discount prices. By 1952 the Gilbert Toys American Flyer Trains catalog had replaced the U-238 Atomic Energy Lab with the No. 11 Gilbert Chemistry Atomic Energy Set. Although the latter was very large, its atomic energy component didn’t amount to much: some uranium ore, a spinthariscope and a copy of “Atomic Energy.” In essence it was the same as what Porter Chemical Company had done in 1947 with their Chemcraft Chemistry kit No.25. The First Atomic Energy Lab Kit Sometime in late 1947, Gilbert’s competitor, the Porter Chemical Company, became the first to produce laboratory kits for children that included an atomic energy component. They seem to have done so with two sets: Chemcraft chemistry kit No. 10 (ca. $10) and kit No. 25 (ca. $25) - get the numbering system? The atomic energy components of kit No. 10 were “actual specimens of Uranium Ore, “The Story of Atomic Energy,” [and a] Spinthariscope.” Chemcraft’s top of the line, Kit No. 25, also included a “radioactive screen.” According to an account in the July 17, 1948 issue of the Hagerstown Daily Mail, this use of the uranium ore required that Porter Chemical Company obtain a license from the Atomic Energy Commission. Thanks to Bill Kolb for this extraordinarily generous and wonderful donation! References Frame, P. and Kolb, W. Living with Radiation: the First Hundred Years. Fourth edition. 2006.Pouring more than 300 beers, the San Diego International Beer Festival offers many opportunities to sample brews from the world’s greatest breweries.
But the San Diego County Fair’s annual three-day event also encourages people to try beers from a new source: their own homes.
“If you can make bread, you can make beer,” insisted Chris Shadrick, who will lead half-hour overviews of homebrewing June 21 and 22. “This is an introduction to homebrewing for those who have thought about it but have never tried it. This is such a fun hobby — you can make it as simple as you want or as detailed as you want.”
That’s also true of this festival. Each of the four-hour sessions can be devoted to nothing more than sipping beers. You could drink local (San Diego newcomers like Benchmark, Intergalactic and Thorn Street will be there) or global (from Spain’s Ales Agullons to New Zealand’s McCashin Family Brewery).
But there’s more to explore. There will be talks on how to pair beer with cheese, cupcakes, jerky and pretzels. Sessions will delve into the varieties of brewing yeast, while Peter Zien, owner/brewmaster at AleSmith, will share some of his beer-judging secrets.
The festival also includes what is now one of the largest beer competitions on the West Coast.
“We had over 900 entries from more than 180 breweries,” said Tom Nickel, who runs the festival with fellow award-winning brewer Jeff Bagby. “Those are both about 50 percent increases over last year.”
2013 San Diego International Beer Festival When: June 21, noon to 4 p.m., or 5 to 9 p.m.; June 22, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., or 4 to 8 p.m.; and June 23, 1 to 5 p.m. Where: Chevrolet Del Mar Arena, Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar. Cost: $55 general admission, includes fair entry, souvenir cup and unlimited 1-ounce samples; $90 VIP pass, includes fair admission, half-hour-early admission to the festival, souvenir glass, food pairings, specialty beers and a VIP lounge. Phone: (858) 755-1161 Online: sdfair.com
Nickel credited that jump to Southern California’s recent boom in new craft breweries, as well as increasing interest in this contest from foreign brewers.
This will be Shadrick’s second year to speak at the festival. A postal worker from Santee and a member of the Quality Ale and Fermentation Fraternity (QUAFF), Shadrick initially wondered if anyone would be interested in a brief survey of homebrewing.
They were. “We’re in a space that holds 40 or 50 people,” he said, “and we packed the seats every time.”
Some may have been drawn by the fact that brewing your own beer is usually cheaper than buying someone else’s brew. A 5-gallon batch usually runs $20 to $50, Shadrick said; if you make Belgian-style tripels, a brew often sold for more than $10 a bottle, savings can add up.
In Shadrick’s view, though, that’s just a side benefit.
“This is a labor of love,” he said. “You have to enjoy the process.”TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — The U.S. will spread about 250 tanks, armored vehicles and other military equipment across six European nations, including the Baltic states, to help reassure NATO allies facing threats from Russia and terrorist groups, Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced Tuesday.
Carter’s announcement, made as he stood with defense chiefs from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, comes a day after he announced that the U.S. would be contributing weapons, aircraft and forces, including commandos, as needed for NATO’s new rapid reaction force, to help Europe defend against potential Russian aggression from the east and the Islamic State and other violent extremists from the south.
The defense chiefs standing with Carter all spoke bluntly about the threat they perceive from Russia, and the latest military plans provide a show of solidarity across the region and in NATO.
Estonia Defense Minister Sven Mikser said the Baltic leaders aren’t trying to restart the Cold War arms race or match Russian President Vladimir Putin “tank for tank,” but the additional military presences will be a deterrent to Russia and could change the calculous.
“In global terms Russia is no match conventionally to U.S. or to NATO, but here in our corner of the world, Putin believes that he enjoys regional superiority,” Mikser said, adding that Estonia is eager and ready to accept the equipment immediately.
Each set of equipment would be enough to outfit a military company or battalion, and would go on at least a temporary basis to Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Romania. Carter said the equipment could be moved around the region for training and military exercises, and would include Bradley fighting vehicles and self-propelled howitzer artillery guns.
Germany will be participating in the expanded military effort, but already has U.S. equipment.
“We intend to move those equipment sets around as exercises move around,” Carter told a news conference. “They’re not static. Their purpose is to enable richer training and more mobility to forces in Europe.” He said the U.S. presence will be “persistent” but “agile,” and he said the troops will be able to stay at a higher state of readiness.
But while the stated goal of the move is that American forces moving in and out of Europe will be better able to do training, it also would allow NATO nations to more quickly respond to any military crisis in the region.
The U.S., said Carter, is also going to work with NATO’s cyber center, located in Estonia, to help allies develop cyber defense strategies and other protections against computer-based attacks. Russian hackers have become particularly adept, including breaking into U.S. State Department computers.
The countries for the equipment storage were chosen based on their proximity to training ranges, to reduce the time and cost of transporting it for exercises.
The two-pronged U.S. plan — with the placement of equipment in Europe and the commitment of resources for NATO’s very high readiness task force — underscore America’s commitment to helping allies counter the growing threats on Europe’s eastern and southern fronts.
U.S. and NATO allies have criticized Russia for its increasingly aggressive actions, including the annexation of Crimea and its backing of separatist troops on Ukraine’s eastern border.
Under the plan to commit troops and resources if needed during a crisis, the U.S. could see a temporary increase in American troops in Europe, although many could be reassigned from bases already in the region. No U.S. troops or equipment will move immediately.
Carter said the U.S., if requested and approved, would be willing to provide intelligence and surveillance capabilities, special operations forces, logistics, transport aircraft, and a range of weapons support that could include bombers, fighters and ship-based missiles. It would not provide a large ground force.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Talking About The Orphan Barrel Project With Diageo’s Whisky Ambassador
By Kurt Maitland
KM: As the son and grandson of two whisky men, what are some of your favorite whisky stories from your father and grandfather?
EM: Some of my favorite stories I can’t repeat for various reasons as they invariably involved the, sometimes ingenious, methods of liberating liquid from various distillery warehouses.
There was back until the 1980’s excise men who monitored the distilleries making sure that every drop of whisky was taxed, they were viewed by the distillery workers with a mixture of emotions ranging from bewilderment to abject loathing. My Grandmother worked for Customs and Excise and met my Grandfather as he was sent to stall her and her boss from entering a warehouse that contained his co-workers enjoying an ‘untaxed’ libation. Anyway the rest, as they say, is history.
There are so many more with a wonderful array of characters that only the whisky industry could produce, most of these are word of mouth only unfortunately and have rarely been documented.
KM: When and how did the Orphan Barrel process formally start for Diageo?
EM: For decades, warehouse workers and distillers have shared stories of old whisk(e)ys forgotten in the corners of rickhouses and warehouses across the world, although these days there’s no such thing as a lost barrel, we do have amazing whiskies that are ‘orphaned’ and have been let to age longer that intended. As such they are left for ‘future projects’ and continue to sit undisturbed in our warehouses.
In an effort to find a home for these orphans we sent our teams into the darkest recesses of their respective warehouses to choose their favorites from the huge catalog of rare spirits Diageo own and release them to an ever growing base of whiskey aficionados. Having found our 1st releases Diageo officially launched the Orphan Barrel Whiskey Distilling Company this February with the release of Barterhouse Whiskey and Old Blowhard Whiskey, both Kentucky straights distilled at Bernheim and matured at Stitzel-Weller.
KM: What can you tell us about the process of picking what makes for a good “Orphan Barrel” release?
EM: Making whiskey is like compiling a puzzle – each piece joins with the others to create beautiful balance and consistency. As Diageo processes so many barrels of whisk(e)y annually for its existing brands, there are inevitably a few here and there that go unused. These are left to continue aging for future projects taking on a new lease of life as they slowly mature and change in terms of character and color.
Over the years, certain lots are moved to the back of rickhouses where they become the subject of debate and legend among distillery workers who want to see it bottled. We keep an eye on these barrels and hope to release some of them through the Orphan Barrel program once they’re aged to perfection.
KM: Who decides what should be released and when?
EM: We like to think the barrels are actually selected by those lucky enough to safeguard our whiskey barrels around the globe. Those folks pass down the stories of these forgotten barrels accumulating dust in some dark corner. Our team listens closely for these stories as they travel the world and when a tale truly peaks their interest, a new possibility for the Orphan Barrel Whiskey Distilling Co. is discovered. These whisk(e)s are then drawn as samples for a team of our best noses and plates to evaluate, only when we are 100% happy are they then released to the public as very special releases.
KM: Do you foresee any of the Orphan Barrel releases (especially the younger ones) becoming regular yearly releases?
EM: While there is potential for another release of Barterhouse down the road, Old Blowhard is a single release. Once it’s gone, it’s gone for good.
The third release, 20-year-old Rhetoric Whiskey, which will ship next month, is an exciting new endeavor that will feature multiple releases. More details to come in the next few weeks!
KM: Since future releases will be more than just bourbon and considering the scarcity of the barrels involved, could there be a blended whisky Orphan Barrel release (similar to what Number One/Karuizawa does with their Noh series; each release is a blend of a set range of years of the same whiskey)?
EM: At this time, there are no plans to release a blended whisky, but that’s the great thing about this project – it’s flexible, fun and always open to change as we uncover new barrels.
KM: Will special barrel finishing will play a role in any future Orphan Barrel releases, either from the U.S. or from Europe?
EM: As of right now, there are no plans to incorporate special barrel finishing into future Orphan Barrel releases, but see above re: the flexibility of this project.
Barterhouse, Old Blowhard and 20 year-old Rhetoric were all aged in American White Oak barrels, sourced from the Midwest.
KM: Is there a rough idea of how many Orphan Barrel releases Diageo is planning to do a year? So far, it appears as if there will be 5 releases of bourbon but when you get to your Scottish and Irish distilleries you could easily double that number.
EM: We’re always on the lookout for rare whiskies to share with our discerning adults fans. Although we can’t comment on the number of Orphan Barrel releases Diageo is planning and don’t have any specific news to share at this time, we know there are plenty of great whiskies to be found so stay tuned.Of the many enormous implications that the FCC's Title II reclassification of the internet could have, perhaps none is bigger or more jarring to the telecom industry than the news that mobile internet will be regulated for the first time with the same level of consumer protection as your wired telephone for the first time.
Make no mistake, the effects of this change are far from theoretical — there could be very real modifications to your phone service that you'll notice, assuming the rules go through and aren't litigated away through years of court battles that are inevitably to come. Let's take a look at some of the features and arbitrary limitations your wireless carrier puts on you that could change or go away altogether under a Title II-driven regime.
T-Mobile Music Freedom
T-Mobile launched Music Freedom last year, and it's been a troubling feature since day one: it exempts streaming music services from data caps. The company — and in particular firebrand CEO John Legere — have vigorously defended it by noting that any music service is welcome to participate in the program, but the problem is that it's opt-in at T-Mobile's discretion, not opt-out, and there's nothing stopping T-Mobile from arbitrarily discriminating against certain services.
Under the FCC's proposed new rules, so-called zero-rating services like Music Freedom wouldn't be outright banned, but they'd be examined on a "case-by-case basis," says a senior FCC official. The official notes that Music Freedom is a "lesser concern" for prohibition because there's no obvious harm to the consumer. Clearly, though, that could change: in order for it to be allowed under Title II, it wouldn't be able to hinder service to any of T-Mobile's customers, which suggests that there would be no way for T-Mobile to ever deny a music service entrance into Music Freedom — nor would it be able to charge streaming providers for the privilege of being a part of the program.
Bandwidth throttling
Title II regulation would likely put a damper on wireless operators' management of the speeds you get on your device. FCC chairman Tom Wheeler foreshadowed this with a stern letter sent over to Verizon last year, questioning why the carrier was planning to slow down LTE service for unlimited customers under certain circumstances. Verizon replied that it was a limited move focused on network management and that the maneuver was commonplace in the industry, but the 2010 Open Internet rules — which would be enforced across wired and wireless internet alike under Title II regulation — have a fairly hard and fast "no throttling" clause. There is a loophole — throttling would be disallowed "on the basis of content, applications, services, or non-harmful devices," which means that customers on capped plans might still be subject to throttling, but targeting specific customers with unlimited plans for using Verizon's fungible definition of "too much" data would almost certainly run afoul of FCC guidelines.
That said, FCC officials note that "reasonable network management" would still be allowed, saying that they're well aware of the architecture of wireless networks — perhaps a subtle warning to wireless operators that they can't get one over on the government simply by saying "because LTE" and moving on.
Sponsored data
AT&T has been touting so-called sponsored data for a year now, a troubling system by which individual providers of apps or services can pay AT&T directly to subsidize the data they consume on your device. In other words, deep-pocketed companies have an opportunity to shut out upstarts by giving the data pipe between consumers and their services a huge advantage.
When asked whether sponsored data constitutes "paid prioritization" — a notion unambiguously disallowed under Open Internet rules — an FCC official's response was very clear: "Yes, it would," he said. As with almost every aspect of the proposed regulation, though, there are plenty of exceptions backstopped by a commission that is keen on taking possible violations on a case-by-case basis. "There may be consumer benefits, there may be significant detriment" depending on the nature of the sponsored data, the official noted. In other words, AT&T's system seems like it won't play under Title II, but there's wiggle room. At least it's consumer benefit that the FCC will have foremost in its mind when analyzing things like this.(Reuters Health) - African-American and white women who regularly chemically straightened their hair or dyed it dark brown or black had an elevated risk of breast cancer, recent research suggests.
“I would be concerned about darker hair dye and hair straighteners,” epidemiologist Tamarra James-Todd said after reviewing the report in Carcinogenesis. “We should really think about using things in moderation and really try to think about being more natural.
“Just because something is on the market does not necessarily mean it’s safe for us,” she said in a phone interview. James-Todd, a professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, was not involved with the new research.
The study of 4,285 African-American and white women was the first to find a significant increase in breast cancer risk among black women who used dark shades of hair dye and white women who used chemical relaxers.
Black women who reported using dark hair dye had a 51 percent increased risk of breast cancer compared to black women who did not, while white women who reported using chemical relaxers had a 74 percent increased risk of breast cancer, the study found.
The risk of breast cancer was even higher for white women who regularly dyed their hair dark shades and also used chemical relaxers, and it more than doubled for white dual users compared to white women who used neither dark dye nor chemical straighteners.
The association between relaxers and breast cancer in white women surprised lead author Adana Llanos, an epidemiologist at the Rutgers School of Public Health in Piscataway, New Jersey, although she worried enough about the safety of hair relaxers in African-American women like herself to stop using them years ago.
“A lot of people have asked me if I’m telling women not to dye their hair or not to use relaxers,” she said in a phone interview. “I’m not saying that. What I think is really important is we need to be more aware of the types of exposures in the products we use.”
The study included adult women from New York and New Jersey, surveyed from 2002 through 2008, who had been diagnosed with breast cancer, plus women of similar age and race but without a history of cancer.
Women were asked if they had ever used permanent hair dye at least twice a year for at least a year. They were also asked if they had ever chemically relaxed or straightened their hair for at least a year.
While the vast majority - 88 percent - of blacks had used chemicals to relax their hair, only 5 percent of whites reported using relaxers.
For dark hair dye, the numbers flipped, though the differences were not as dramatic. While 58 percent of whites said they regularly dyed their hair dark shades, only 30 percent of blacks did.
The most striking results showed increased risk in the minority of black women who used dark hair dye and white women who used chemical relaxers.
Black women who used chemical straighteners and white women who used dark hair dyes were also at higher risk for breast cancer, but that might have been due to chance. James-Todd said that because so many of the black women used chemical relaxers and so many of the white women used dark hair dye, links would have been hard to detect.
There’s no reason to believe that chemical relaxers and hair dyes would increase the risk for women of one race and not of another, she said. She believes the association stems not from genetics but from cultural norms.
It could also boil down to products, and women from different cultures might use different straighteners and dyes. But the study did not ask women to specify the products they used.
The study included the largest population of African-American women thus far examined for breast cancer risk and dark hair dye, according to the research team.
Previous studies have shown that long-term users of dark dyes have a four-fold increased risk of fatal non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and fatal multiple myeloma, the authors write. Prior research also has associated dark hair dye use with an increased risk of bladder cancer.
A 2016 report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that breast cancer rates are generally similar for black and white women, at around 122 new cases for every 100,000 women per year, although black women with the disease are more likely to die from it.
SOURCE: bit.ly/ |
at the Centre, the respondent became ever more extreme in his beliefs. He reached the point of believing that violent jihad against all non-Muslims was justifiable. He began to respect and look up to individuals from IS and other radical groups, including Al-Qaeda.
13 On 22 September 2014, the official spokesperson for IS issued a ‘fatwa’. This was considered to be the first official call upon the followers of IS to kill ‘disbelievers’ in Western countries. The fatwa, which was widely disseminated in this country, was in the following terms:
So O Muslim, do not let this battle pass you by wherever you may be. You must strike the soldiers, patrons, and troops of the idol worshippers. Strike their police, security, and intelligence members, as well as their treacherous agents. Destroy their beds. Embitter their lives for them and busy them with themselves. If you can kill a disbelieving American or European – especially the spiteful and filthy French – or an Australian, or a Canadian, or any other disbeliever from the disbelievers waging war, including the citizens of the countries that entered into a coalition against the Islamic State, then put your trust in Allah, and kill him in any manner or way however it may be. Do not ask for anyone’s advice and do not seek anyone’s Fatwa. Kill the disbeliever whether he is civilian or military, for they have the same ruling. Both of them are disbelievers. Both of them are considered to be waging war... Blood becomes legal to spill through disbelief. So whoever is a Muslim, his blood and wealth are sanctified. And whoever is a disbeliever, his wealth is legal for a Muslim to take and his blood is legal to spill... The best thing you can do is to strive to your best and kill any disbeliever, whether he be French, American, or from any of their allies.... If you are not able to find an IED [an improvised explosive device] or a bullet, then single out the disbelieving American, Frenchman, or any of their allies. Smash his head with a rock, or slaughter him with a knife, or run him over with your car, or throw him down from a high place, or choke him, or poison him.
14 The very next day, 23 September 2014, a young man named Numan Haider, who was the respondent’s close friend, attacked two police officers with a knife at the Endeavour Hills police station. Haider was shot and killed. The respondent had been with Haider in the hours immediately leading up to the attack.
15 Haider’s death was said to have been the ‘catalyst’ for the respondent’s decision to embark upon the Anzac Day terror attack.
16 After Haider was killed, Prakash, who by then was fighting for IS in Iraq, contacted the respondent through social media. He encouraged the respondent to come and join him in Iraq. He also provided the respondent with the contact details of someone who, for the purposes of this judgment, we will describe as ‘S’.
17 On 13 November 2014, the respondent lodged an application for an Australian passport. It seems that he intended to travel overseas to join and fight with IS. However, he was subsequently informed by letter that ‘a competent authority’ was reviewing his application, and further told that it might recommend to the Minister that he not be issued with a passport.
18 Between 22 and 25 January 2015, the respondent conducted a number of internet searches associated with IS. He particularly sought out publications such as the ‘Islamic State Report’ and ‘Dabiq’, the latter being an IS propaganda and recruitment online magazine that glorified IS. It contained photographs of a number of victims of IS violence. It also contained speeches by IS leaders urging Muslims in the West to strike out at citizens of countries participating in the United States-led coalition in Iraq.
19 On 28 January 2015, the respondent drafted an electronic memorandum on his mobile phone. The memorandum was said to constitute a ‘bay’ah’, or pledge of allegiance, to the leader of IS.
20 On 2 February 2015, the respondent began conducting internet searches regarding the Anzac Day commemorations to be held in Melbourne later that year. He accessed information concerning Anzac Day generally, and the particular ceremonies that were to be held at both the Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance and the Dandenong RSL.
21 On 17 March 2015, the respondent initiated contact with S by way of an encrypted voice over internet protocol application. The messages could be programmed automatically to self-destruct from both participating devices. It seems that the respondent had been told, falsely, that S was an influential religious figure, and that he was a married man with children. In fact, and amazingly, having regard to the nature of the communications that passed between the two, S happened to be a 14 year old boy, living at the time in England.[6]
22 The communications between the respondent and S all took place over a nine-day period, from 17 to 25 March 2015. The Director relied upon these communications as the first series of acts in support of the charge ultimately brought against the respondent. They detail explicitly, horrifyingly and in chilling terms, the respondent’s intentions, targets and motivation.
23 In his sentencing remarks, the judge set out in detail the terms of these communications.[7] Broadly speaking, they include the planning for the attack, in which the respondent was constantly being pressured by S, as well as ‘educated’ by him, as to how to go about achieving IS’s objectives.
24 Typical of the exchanges between them were the following:
17 March 2015:
S told the respondent that he had only two options —travel for jihad, or a local attack.
S said that it was time to ‘[give] them what they deserve’ and asked whether ‘shahada’ (or martyrdom) was what the respondent wanted.
The two then discussed weapons, including whether the respondent had access to a gun.
The respondent said he was ‘ready to fight these dogs on [their] doorstep. The more equipment [I’m] provided with the better but [I’ll] still go with [just] a knife in my hand’.
The respondent told S that he had a large machete, and a Taser. He further stated that he ‘[could not] wait now for the op’, that he would ‘love to take out some cops [or] [i]ntelligence agents’ and that he was going to ‘meet with them [and] then take some heads’.
When asked for a list of those he hated most, in order to target them, the respondent replied the Australian Federal Police (‘AFP’), Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (‘ASIO’) and police generally.
He later said that he would ‘run the dogs over’.
18 March 2015:
The respondent said ‘I see the best way to do this is to attack [Australia’s] authority because by attacking [their] authority it shows weakness [and] it then means that the general population has less confidence in them and therefore is more scared... putting fear into these kuffar.’
The respondent said that he had selected Anzac Day for the operation, saying it would ‘Make sure the dogs remember this as well as [their] fallen [heroes].’
19 March 2015
The respondent told S that, if he could not obtain a firearm he would ‘run a dog cop over, take ghanimah [the spoils of war] and go’.
He later said that he would ’leave [the police officer’s] head a few [metres] from his body.’
21 March 2015
The respondent said ‘25 [April] is a good day [because it is Anzac Day] and this will mean they will remember this on that day every [year] after’.
He said Anzac Day is ‘close to the kuffar heart [because] they lost so many [people]... The [government] gives a speech on how they will always be remembered’.
23 March 2015:
The respondent and S discussed the planned attack, and how it could possibly go wrong.
The respondent said:
Quick thing [I] wanted to bring up. [Let’s] say [I’m] pulled over between now and the op. And the dog cops [want to] search my car. I got a machete, knife, Taser and shahada flag in the car. [Just] the flag and knife could get me [like two years]. In my mind, [I] would stab the dogs and go on a rampage. This would obviously stop my op. My point being is that this is a possibility [you] know. [It’s just] a heads up. Raids [are] also a possibility. But [God willing] it doesn’t happen and that the op goes to plan.
24 March 2015:
The respondent told S that he would ‘go out there and keep stabbing till [I] get shahada’.
S asked the respondent how many would die or be injured if he ran over a crowd on Anzac Day. The respondent replied:
Depends on who get hit but I won’t be able to drive my car into a crowd. They’re going to be up on the sidewalks. My car’s too low to go on sidewalks. The soldiers marching easy.
The respondent said that his Taser was a ‘knuckleduster with [a] Taser on the front’ and added that, if you hold it long enough, it ‘burns you’.
He said the Taser would drop another on the spot if applied to the neck but then suggested that it would be ‘more effective to stab the dog’.
25 March 2015:
The respondent said ‘My motivation is jannah [paradise] itself, [it’s] the sacrifice of my life and my dunya to fight the enemy of Allah. To be able to show Allah what [I] sacrificed for him.’
Later, the respondent remarked that kuffar reading this would think them ‘crazy, [b]ut we [just] love death more than life [and we] know [with] 100 [percent] conviction of the promise of our Lord’.
The respondent said that the planned terrorist attack had been five months in the making. S said that the respondent should make sure that he got shot. The respondent replied:
I feel like a young kid with a ticket to Disneyworld. Can’t wait. Yeah, I want to make sure I get shot too. Not before I take out at least one. May Allah grant me the strength to take out as many as possible.
S suggested that at least five be killed. The respondent replied ‘I’d love to if I could.’
25 Police in the United Kingdom were the first to discover the communications between the respondent and S when, on 25 March 2015, S was arrested for an unrelated matter. After his arrest, his telephone was analysed. While on bail, S tweeted: ‘[A]nyone who has me on Telegram immediately self-destruct, police have my phone’. S was thereafter re-arrested, following further examination of his telephone, and a review of his communications with the respondent.
26 On 1 April 2015, the respondent placed an online order with Telstra for a new mobile phone. The Crown submitted that his decision to acquire a new phone, and delete the data from his old phone, was a direct result of S’s tweet following his initial arrest. The sentencing judge, in his sentencing remarks, accepted that submission.
27 The second basis upon which the Director relied in support of the charge related to the respondent having accessed websites concerning Anzac Day in preparation for, or planning, the terrorist attack. Digital analysis of his telephone revealed that, on 22 March 2015, he accessed a number of websites relating to the Anzac Day march, road closures and public transport. He also downloaded a document relating to Anzac Day onto his phone. On 14 April 2015, he transferred that document onto the new phone that he had purchased.
28 On 29 March 2015, the respondent contacted the AFP and told them that he had been informed that his passport application was the subject of an investigation by a competent authority. He asked about the status of the investigation.
29 On 6 April 2015, the respondent again contacted the AFP, and this time ASIO as well, about the status of his passport application. On each occasion, he claimed that he needed a passport in order to travel to Dubai.
30 The sentencing judge observed that, at this time, the respondent may still have been harbouring the idea of travelling overseas in order to fight for IS.
31 On 8 April 2015, during a conversation with a friend, the respondent expressed concern about the recent behaviour of another friend, Harun Causevic. It seems that Causevic had made a number of calls to the Australian Passport Office, during which he had become aggressive and referred to ASIO and the AFP as ‘dogs’. The respondent was concerned that Causevic’s behaviour might draw attention to him, and thus jeopardise his plans for Anzac Day. He complained that, when Haider had behaved in a similarly aggressive manner prior to Haider’s death, no one had censured him. He explained to his friend that Causevic had been acting ‘without knowledge’. He added, ‘Now that I’m going somewhere [heaven] and it can get them in trouble.’
32 The third particular upon which the Crown relied concerned the respondent having conducted a series of internet searches relating to the Dandenong Anzac Day commemoration. On 15 April 2015, the respondent accessed the following internet sites on his new mobile phone:
• the ‘Dandenong Cranbourne RSL Facebook’ website;
• ‘Anzac Day Dawn Service – City of Greater Dandenong’;
• the ‘Anzac Day dawn service’ page on the City of Greater Dandenong website;
• Google searches on ‘Clow Street, Dandenong’; and[8]
• the ‘What’s on Anzac Day’ page of the Dandenong Journal website.
33 On 18 April 2015, the respondent redrafted the earlier electronic memorandum, which was on his mobile phone. The Crown submitted that this memorandum was his religious and ideological manifesto, in which he set out his reasons for the planned attack, and his expectation that he would die during the course of carrying it out. He gave instructions as to his burial, and left a message for his family. The sentencing judge concluded that these were things that would be written and kept only if the respondent were seriously intending to carry out a terrorist attack in which he expected to be killed.
34 Digital forensic analysis of the mobile phone found in the respondent’s possession after his arrest revealed that, on 21 January 2015 at 1:58 am, an electronic memorandum had been created on the respondent’s previous phone. This was one week before he created the memorandum regarding the bay’ah on 28 January 2015. The analysis revealed that the memorandum was last modified at approximately 1:00 am on 18 April 2015, some three months after it was first drafted.
35 The memorandum included the following:
In the name of Allah the beneficent, the Merciful A while ago world leaders declared war on Islam and Muslims, invading lands, dividing us into separate nations, installing puppets, killing and torturing Muslims. This war had always had a[n] impact on me, however recently my brother Numan (may Allah accept him) carried out his attack, this opened my eyes up to the reality of who the enemy is. Since then a growing feeling within me had led me to decide to carry out my own. To establish my jihad in Australia, to fight the oppressors, those who have implemented man made law, to fight to make Allah’s word known and the highest, to defend Islam and put fear into those who are enemies to Allah and his religion Insha’Allah. At first I wanted nothing else but to leave this country and live in the Islamic State, however after many complications with my passport I realised this could not be done. So I started to prepare myself for my attack against the enemies of Islam, as Allah says in Quran-8:60: And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and or steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them whom you do not know [but] whom Allah knows. And whatever you spend in the cause of Allah will be fully repaid to you, and you will not be wronged. It is essential for authorities and my family to understand this decision is wholly my own, no one influenced me to do this, no one ‘brainwashed’ me into this, none of my close brothers in Islam put this in my head, the only ones that could be appointed any recognition would be my brothers in Dawlah Islamiah. To my family I’d like to say, do not cry and weep for me Insha’Allah [I] am shaheed Insha’Allah & will be granted Jannaj Al–Firdous, [I] will be able to intercede for you on the day of judgment Insha’Allah. Quran 3:169: And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision. Concerning my burial, [I] do not want my grave to be decorated, no stone work or flowers. Simply a wood or stone marking my grave and my name, it is to be done within Islamic guidelines. For my close brothers (outside of family) who want to attend, let them, no one is to be blamed for this action i took it on my own accord, influenced by Quran and Sunnah. Finally whatever money I have left is to pay off any debt [I] might have on my name, the rest is for charity to go overseas to help the poor and needy in Muslim countries. Do not let violence [break] out due to my death between my family and close friends (brothers in Islam). Also to my family turn to Allah, practice your religion properly, do not compromise for anything. Anyone mentioned in my will is to be informed and shown my will.
36 A few hours after drafting this memorandum, at 3.42 am on 18 April 2015, the respondent was arrested at his family home. He was found on a couch in the lounge room. He was aggressive towards police, and had to be restrained. Police located a Rambo knife,[9] with a blade of about 40 centimetres, and also a locking tactical knife, in the respondent’s car. Police also located a large black flag displaying the shahada in white Arabic writing, ten Islamic textbooks, various other Islamic documents, and the letter relating to the review of his passport application.
37 When police analysed the respondent’s electronic devices, including a computer, tablet, mobile phone and watch, they found an extensive internet search history of extremist material, most of it focusing on IS. Numerous images, audio files, videos and other documents were also located on these devices, many of which contained extremist material. Additionally, the Telegram messaging application, with which he had communicated with S, was found on his phone.
38 Police also found a knuckleduster, and a Taser disguised as a black iPhone.
39 When interviewed by police, the respondent:
refused to answer any questions relating to IS or any other terrorist organisation;
said that he was not comfortable answering any questions that were in any way terrorism-related;
denied knowing when Anzac Day was, or having done any internet searching on the topic;
said that he did not recall having discussed Anzac Day with anyone overseas; and
claimed that the knives found in his car were to be used for fishing.
Sentencing remarks
40 After outlining the circumstances of the case, as discussed above, the sentencing judge turned to the nature and gravity of the offence.[10]
41 His Honour noted that the offence to which the respondent had pleaded guilty carried a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. This was greater than the maximum penalty available for a number of other terrorism offences.[11] He observed that the objective gravity of the offence could be measured by the fact that it carried the same maximum as the offence of actually engaging in a terrorist act, and a heavier maximum than the various offences of receiving or providing training, possessing things connected with terrorist acts, and being a member of a terrorist organisation.[12]
42 Noting that the offence of preparing or planning for a terrorist act could vary substantially in its level of seriousness, his Honour stated that he considered that the respondent’s offending fell somewhere between the gravest end of the spectrum, and a much less serious example (albeit one that was still serious).[13]
43 His Honour said:
the offence was at once terrifying and evil. That Mr Besim was planning such an outrageous and gruesome act of murder must terrify law enforcement officers across this country, their loved ones and right-thinking members of the community. It was also evil because, among other things, the planned behaviour was calculated to undermine the authority of the institutions of government, to strike fear into the hearts of the community and, to use Mr Besim’s own words, to ‘make sure the dogs remember this as well as [their] fallen heroes [on ANZAC Day]’. Further, while the acts of preparation and planning were relatively simple, those acts were carried out over a month, were preceded by thoughts of acting in such a way for some months and were accompanied by a hatred for law enforcement officers that is chilling in anyone, let alone one so young. Thus, these were not fleeting thoughts and actions abandoned as quickly as they came to mind. They were actions in pursuit of beliefs held for a considerable period. In addition, Mr Besim had done virtually all of the preparation and planning required for the murder, and was only a week from attempting it, when, fortunately, his plan was uncovered and he was arrested.[14]
44 The judge then noted that the fact that only one death was specifically contemplated, and the fact that the respondent had acted alone, made his offence less serious than those of the conspirators in DPP (Cth) v Fattal.[15] In that case, the three co-offenders who were convicted of conspiracy to do acts in preparation for or planning a terrorist attack agreed to go to an army base in Sydney in order to kill as many personnel as could be found, whether they be ‘army personnel, civilian, male or female’.[16]
45 The sentences in Fattal for each offender, were 18 years’ imprisonment with a non-parole period of 13 years and 6 months. Those convicted sought leave to appeal against sentence on the basis that those sentences were manifestly excessive. There were also cross-appeals brought by the Commonwealth Director, claiming that each sentence was manifestly inadequate. Both the appeals and cross-appeals were dismissed.[17]
46 The sentencing judge in the present matter then turned his attention to the question whether the respondent’s proposed terrorist act, on Anzac Day, was ever, in fact, going to be carried out. He said:
While most of the outward signs are that Mr Besim would have tried to go through with the planned murder, for reasons that follow, I entertain the possibility that he might have pulled out. While he had effectively left a suicide note for his family, which, along with the tenor of most of his conversations with S, suggested a fixed resolve to attempt to carry out his gruesome plan to its inevitable end, there are suggestions, perhaps faint but they are there, in their conversation from 2:23 p.m. on 23 March 2015 that Mr Besim was setting up an excuse for abandoning his planned ‘operation’ in the event that he weakened. For example, he mused that, if pulled over in his car by police, he could be charged with offences concerning his possession of things such as a knife, a Taser, a machete and a shahadah flag, and that that might land him in gaol for two years, which ‘would obviously stop [his operation]’. Then, as if to make sure that S understood that this could happen, he repeated — unnecessarily and a little tellingly, it seems to me — that ‘this is a possibility’; that this was ‘just a heads up’; and that ‘[r]aids [are] also a possibility’; but that he hoped none of this would happen and that the operation would ‘go to plan’. I should add that, in the next breath, Mr Besim quipped that, if he were pulled over, he would ‘stab the dogs and go on a rampage’. And, later, the conversation returned to the disturbing detail of how the planned killing might occur, with S cautioning of the difficulty of decapitation, ‘especially... in public’. But, as I say, these and other remarks in the same conversation suggest to me the reasonable possibility that Mr Besim recognized in himself that, despite his resolve to murder a police officer in the name of violent jihad, when it came to the appointed day, the natural human inclination to self-preservation, if not a reluctance to kill another human being, might cause him to abandon his ultimate plan and hope that he was arrested for some lesser offence, which in turn might still allow him to save face.[18]
47 His Honour then added that the ‘reasonable possibility’ that the actual plan would not have been carried into effect was only a very ‘small consideration’ in his assessment of the gravity of the offence.[19] He went on to say, however, that in conjunction with other mitigating factors, ‘it does give me at least a measure of confidence that Mr Besim is not as irretrievable as his offence would seem to suggest.’[20]
48 After this, the judge took into account a number of mitigating factors. He first considered whether the respondent had, as was submitted on his behalf, renounced violent jihad.[21] He referred to two reports by Patrick Newton, a forensic psychologist, that were tendered on the plea. Mr Newton said that, when he spoke to the respondent, he had disavowed any intent to pursue violent extremism in the future. Although he continued to hold a conservative interpretation of Islam, he had told Mr Newton that he believed that societal change would be best achieved through discussion, political advocacy and similar means, rather than through violence.[22] He said that he had changed his views over a period of some months, after discussions with moderate Imams, as well as through his own reflection and reading.[23]
49 The prosecutor on the plea objected to any reliance being placed on Mr Newton’s report for the purpose of demonstrating that the respondent had renounced extremist violence. The prosecutor said that such evidence had to come from the respondent himself.
50 However, the respondent did not give evidence on the plea. Given the fact that there was no direct evidence from him that he had moderated his views his Honour was not affirmatively satisfied that he had renounced violent jihad. However, his Honour went on to conclude that the Crown had not established, beyond reasonable doubt, that there had been no such renunciation.[24] Accordingly, he was prepared to give the respondent some credit, in that regard, through a finding of enhanced prospects of rehabilitation.[25] That finding is challenged and forms the basis of ground 2 of this appeal.
51 The sentencing judge accepted that the respondent’s youth and immaturity were significant mitigating factors. In his report, Mr Newton had observed that the respondent was, in some respects, immature and lacked sophistication. His Honour accepted that this was so. He also accepted that the respondent had been ‘exposed to extremist ideas by older and charismatic individuals who corrupted his thinking’. Finally, he accepted Mr Newton’s opinion that Haider’s death had been the immediate trigger for the respondent’s profound alienation from mainstream society.
52 The sentencing judge also accepted Mr Newton’s view that the respondent’s personality was still in a developmental phase. He accepted that it would be preferable for the respondent to continue his involvement in a long-term de-radicalization programme, and to be insulated from extremist views.
53 By way of further mitigation, the judge noted that the respondent had no prior convictions, and that he had previously been of good character. He said:
While it may be true that young people of previous good character often commit terrorist offences, in my opinion, that does not deny the importance of youth, immaturity and previous good character as mitigating factors. This is all the more important when a youth’s mind has been corrupted by adults who should know better. It is essential that the law recognize this reality and factor into sentencing the impressionability of youth, and the consequent effect that has on moral culpability, and that the reform of a corrupted youth is a worthy aim in itself.[26]
54 Finally, his Honour took into account, as significant mitigation, the respondent’s plea of guilty, and the level of contrition that he had shown. In that regard, he relied upon various character references that were tendered, as well as what he perceived to have been the respondent’s general conduct throughout the plea. He also considered that additional mitigation should be afforded by the fact that the respondent was likely to serve his time in protection. He concluded that the respondent had good prospects of rehabilitation, noting that his youth meant that he could be ‘set on the right path’. In that regard, he took into account the support of the respondent’s family and his good work history.
55 His Honour next turned to general sentencing principles. He rightly spoke of the importance of general deterrence, and noted that the Court must ‘denounce such behaviour in the strongest terms’ and ‘send a signal that such outrageous crimes will be met with condign punishment.’[27]
56 In relation to specific deterrence, his Honour took into account the respondent’s youth, previous good character, plea of guilty, contrition and good prospects of rehabilitation.
57 Finally, in terms of rehabilitation itself, he noted that the respondent should be given a sentence that maximised his chances of reform, rather than being ‘crushed by a sentence that otherwise does no more than to incapacitate him’.[28]
58 His Honour then considered several comparative cases that had been drawn to his attention. These were the decisions of the New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal in Lodhi v The Queen,[29] and Elomar v The Queen,[30] and the decision of this Court in Fattal.[31] He noted that he had not been provided with any authorities that were on all fours with the instant case, nor had he been able to find any. As such, he relied mainly on the particular facts of the case before him, and on general sentencing principles.
59 He noted, however, that Fattal had been of some assistance. That was because the Crown had accepted that the respondent’s offending should be viewed as less serious than that of the three conspirators in that case. It seems that this was primarily because the offenders in Fattal had intended, all along, to kill as many people as possible, whereas the respondent’s plan had been somewhat less ambitious.[32] Unlike the respondent, the offenders in Fattal had pleaded not guilty.
60 His Honour also observed that the respondent was younger than the conspirators in Fattal, all of whom were in their late-20s or early-30s.
61 The judge said that, had the respondent not pleaded guilty, he would have imposed a sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment with a non-parole period of 11 years and 3 months.
Director’s submissions
Ground one
62 The Director submitted that the sentencing judge erred in treating as a reasonable possibility the prospect that the respondent would have abandoned his planned attack. The Director went so far as to submit that it was not open on the evidence to infer that there was a reasonable possibility that he would have done so.
63 The sentencing judge based this finding of possible withdrawal upon a single passage in the respondent’s exchanges with S, on 23 March 2015, which we have earlier set out.[33]
64 The Director submitted that the passage in question did not justify the conclusion that the respondent had not made up his mind irrevocably to proceed with the Anzac Day attack. Yet, according to the Director, his Honour had used that finding to conclude that there was less need for specific deterrence, and also less need to have regard to community protection, when sentencing the respondent. He had also impermissibly used that finding to treat the respondent’s prospects of rehabilitation as being somehow enhanced.
65 The Director referred specifically to s 101.6(1) of the Criminal Code which, as she noted, is concerned with planning and preparation. As the sentencing judge correctly noted, this section is designed to interrupt preparation for terrorist acts in order to frustrate their commission.
66 The Director referred to the decision of the New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal in Lodhi v The Queen, where it was held that ‘the main focus of the assessment of objective seriousness must be the offender’s conduct and the offender’s intention at the time the crime was committed’.[34] Accordingly, she submitted, although the likelihood of a terrorist act actually being carried out was not necessarily irrelevant, it was usually nothing more than a subsidiary consideration in sentencing for an offence against this provision.
67 The Director submitted that the mere possibility of an offender withdrawing from a planned attack in no way mitigated the offending. Moreover, it did not ‘offer hope’ for the respondent’s rehabilitation, and did not reduce the need for specific deterrence, or community protection, as the judge had found.
68 The Director pointed to a number of facts which, she submitted, supported a finding that the respondent was no more likely to withdraw from the planned attack in this case than in any other case. She referred to the following facts in support of that submission:
the respondent had held the beliefs motivating the attack for a considerable period of time;
he had done virtually all the preparation and planning for the attack before being arrested only a week or so before its intended commission;
he had drafted a memorandum, dated 18 April 2015, which included instructions as to his burial; and
he had been motivated by the prospect of martyrdom and being admitted to paradise in the afterlife.
69 The Director further submitted that in the passage in question, upon which his Honour relied, the respondent was simply a warning to S of a possible impediment to the attack going ahead if the police intervened. Nothing in this communication indicated any reluctance on his part to go through with the planned operation.
70 Moreover, even if it could be understood that way, the respondent could scarcely gain any benefit from what he had said. He had, after all, told S that if he were intercepted by police he would ‘stab the dogs and go on a rampage’.
71 The Director noted that counsel for the respondent on the plea had not advanced the submission that this exchange with S indicated any vacillation on the part of his client.
72 The Director next submitted that merely because the judge had said that the possibility of withdrawal was only a ‘small consideration’ in his assessment of the gravity of the offending did not mean that it had been given no weight. The error, specific only, and factual, though it may have been, was material and had vitiated the exercise of the sentencing discretion.
Ground two
73 The Director submitted that the sentencing judge erred in his application of the principle of protection of the community, by wrongly casting an onus on the Crown to prove, beyond reasonable doubt, that the respondent had not resiled from his belief in violent jihad, an onus that his Honour concluded the Crown had not discharged.
74 The Director submitted that this error arose from the fact that his Honour, though not affirmatively satisfied that the respondent had resiled from jihadist beliefs, nonetheless gave some credence to what he had told Mr Newton regarding his current beliefs. The judge, having noted the prosecutor’s objections to evidence of that kind being treated as having discharged the onus resting upon the respondent to establish a matter of mitigation, had ruled these statements inadmissible, as hearsay, based upon s 4(2)(a) of the Evidence Act 2008.
75 The prosecutor below drew attention to various matters that suggested positively that the respondent had in no way resiled from his support for IS, or acts of terror. He pointed to the finding, some months after his arrest, of a hand drawn IS flag in the respondent’s cell, as well as newspaper clippings and other documents indicating support for IS beliefs.
76 The Director submitted that there was overwhelming evidence that the respondent had undertaken the various acts relied upon in the particulars in preparation for, or planning, a terrorist act out of a fanatical and substantial commitment to violent jihadist doctrine. There was no basis, on the evidence, upon which his Honour could conceivably have been satisfied that the respondent had renounced his jihadist beliefs.
77 The Director also submitted that whether an offender has resiled from the fundamentalist beliefs which motivated his actions will be of particular importance in sentencing for this specific offence.
78 The Director submitted that, because the judge was not satisfied that the respondent no longer held extremist views, he was obliged to sentence on the footing that the position in that regard had not changed. At the very least, he ought not to have treated his uncertainty as to the respondent’s beliefs at the time of the plea as warranting any degree of mitigation.
79 The Director next submitted, in support of this ground, that the correct approach had been that adopted by Spigelman CJ in Lodhi v The Queen.[35] There, the Chief Justice said:
In the context of the crimes presently under consideration, incapacitation does not merely refer to the prospect that in the future a particular offender will re-offend. With respect to the crime of preparation for terrorist acts the Court is not simply concerned with future criminal conduct of a recidivist character. It is concerned with the possibility of perfection of the very crime for the preparation of which the offender has been found guilty. Accordingly, the issue is not merely one of punishing an offender for something s/he may do in the future. It is the recognition that the protection of society requires the offender to be prevented from perpetrating the offences which s/he was preparing to commit. Giving the element of protection of society substantial weight, particularly in a context where personal deterrence and rehabilitation are, given the nature of the offence and the findings of fact, entitled to little weight, is consistent with the principle of proportionality laid down in Veen (No 2).[36]
80 The Director submitted that the need for community protection in sentencing an offender for planning a terrorist act did not depend on any assessment of the likelihood of that person’s future reform. Rather, it arose from the need to protect society from the very kind of behaviour in which the respondent had engaged.
Ground three
81 The Director commenced her submissions in support of the ground of manifest inadequacy by contending that, as a general proposition, circumstances personal to the offender count for much less by way of mitigation when dealing with terrorism offences. She referred to what Price J said in Lodhi:
Rehabilitation and personal circumstances should often be given very little weight in the case of an offender who is charged with a terrorism offence. A terrorism offence is an outrageous offence and greater weight is to be given to the protection of society, personal and general deterrence and retribution.[37]
82 The Director submitted that the sentencing judge’s emphasis throughout his remarks on the respondent’s youth, immaturity, previous good character and prospects for rehabilitation was inconsistent with |
each)
vacuvin.com In theory it's a perfect solution: If air is the enemy, then no air is the answer. Getting the air out of the bottle should theoretically protect the wine indefinitely. The trouble is the part where you create a vacuum by hand. How much air can you realistically pull out of a wine bottle with a $10 piece of plastic? Some have actually measured the strength of the vacuum created and calculated that it's only about 70 percent complete, and that's on a fresh pull. That leaves plenty of air in the bottle, plus, over time, there's fear that a Vacu Vin seal leaks, letting in even more air every day. Furthermore, some have speculated that the process of creating the vacuum sucks out the volatile esters from the headspace in the bottle, essentially removing flavor compounds along with oxidizing elements. In reality, that's a whole lot of doomsaying over a stocking stuffer, and for short-term wine keeping, Vacu Vin works better than detractors claim. In fact, in my two-day test, the Vacu Vin wine earned my highest score. I couldn't tell it apart from a fresh bottle. But things went south—way south—after a week. At the seven-day mark, the Vacu Vin wine had become extremely musty and was completely undrinkable, lending credence to some of the theories about its long-term effectiveness. For short-term storage, Vacu Vin is foolproof and works fine, but if you need to keep an open bottle for more than 48 hours, look elsewhere. WIRED The most affordable wine preservation system this side of sticking a cork in the bottle. Easy to apply to multiple bottles at once. Fast and idiot-proof. TIRED Completely ineffective after a couple of days. Easy to accidentally bump seal and break vacuum. Sealed bottles can't reliably be stored on their side. Rating: 7 out of 10
Private Preserve It takes quite a leap of faith to put your trust in Private Preserve. This can of inert gasses—nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and argon—feels empty when it's full. To use it, first you read the instructions. (There's enough text emblazoned on the surface of the can to make Dr. Bronner jealous.) Then, following the steps outlined, just remove one of the WD-40 style mini-straws, connect it to the nozzle, and insert it into a partially-consumed bottle of wine. A specific sequence of long and short compressions (described on the canister) sprays a blanket of this invisible gas atop the wine, then you quickly seal it shut, ostensibly sealing in what's inside. Private Preserve Mechanism: Inert gas spray
$9 (120 uses)
privatepreserve.com Did you do it right? Well, there's no way of knowing until the next time you pour a glass from the bottle. That said, if you do use Private Preserve correctly, it really does seem to do the trick. Blind tastes of wines preserved for two days and seven days with the product earned some of the highest marks in my comparison. I couldn't tell much of a difference between a fresh bottle of wine and one preserved with Private Preserve for a week. And after just two days, I actually thought the Private Preserve bottle tasted better than a freshly opened one. The bottom line is that air may be an invisible killer, but the stuff inside Private Preserve is clearly even stronger. At a price that equates to less than a dime per use, this is a low-risk way to keep your wines intact. WIRED Perhaps the best overall at preserving wine; the company says it's had wines opened for over four years under Private Preserve no ill effects. Cheap. Usable on multiple bottles simultaneously (and other non-wine products, too). TIRED Bottles must be stored upright. Cork jammed back into the top of a bottle doesn't scream elegance. Instructions vary on website versus bottle. Practice before trusting your Petrus to it. Rating: 9 out of 10
Air Cork Not the most elegant of wine preservation systems, the Air Cork at first looks a bit like something you'd find at Spencer Gifts. The idea behind it is simple: You insert a deflated latex balloon into the neck of the bottle. It's connected via a hose to a hand pump, which you squeeze to inflate the balloon until it forms a seal against the sides of the bottle. Getting the height right so there's minimal air trapped between the balloon and the surface of the wine is tricky, but making tweaks is easy enough. A valve releases the air out of the balloon so you can remove the mechanism when you want another drink. Air Cork Mechanism: Inflatable rubber barrier
$25 (extra balloons $5 each)
aircork.com The overall appearance of the Air Cork, whether inflated or not, is a little disconcerting, but the impact it had on my test bottle was worse. In blind testing, the wine was decidedly unpleasant by day two, with a distinct chemical taste to it. Things were only marginally worse at day seven, though at least the chemical notes had faded considerably, leaving behind a merely dull, lifeless wine with no fruit left in it — worse than a wine that had been sitting with just a cork in it at that point. My theory is that the wine's contact with the rubber in the balloon affected it even more than the air, although the company explicitly claims it will not. That said, I had better luck with Air Cork on other test bottles (not tasted blind), so I won't write it off completely. But there are better options available. WIRED Seals bottle without extra height (making it more likely to fit on a refrigerator shelf). TIRED Relatively ineffective, even for short-term use; even the company says a seal is good for just three days before re-pumping is required. Looks juvenile. Requires cleaning. Unclear what long-term impact of rubber on the wine might be. Rating: 4 out of 10
Savino The Kickstarter-launched Savino (save+vino) is the only product in this roundup that requires you to take the wine out of the bottle for it to work. On one hand, that's good: The Savino is elegant and sophisticated and lets you pretend your Yellow Tail is Chateau Lafite. On the other hand, that's just more stuff you have to clean before bedtime. The idea is similar to the Air Cork. Pour the wine into the Savino, then drop a hollow plastic disc on top. The disc floats to the top of the wine, and a silicone ring around the edges blocks virtually all of the wine's surface from being exposed to air. Savino Mechanism: Custom decanter with floating plastic barrier
$60
savinowine.com That's the idea, anyway. Results with the Savino were mixed and, in fact, a little baffling. After two days, the wine in my blind taste was at its worst, a funky, musty wine that had begun to taste astringent and was developing some of the same chemical notes as the Air Corked wine. But on day seven, things had settled down. At this point, the wine was tasting fresh and fruity, with none of those off notes. In less formal tests, I've also had inconsistent results. One wine will taste fine after four or five days, another will turn sour after 24 hours. What to make of all of this? Maybe it's best to use Savino as a simple decanter, and drop in the preservation disc topper if you don't happen to finish it off... then hope for the best. WIRED Handsome. Easy to use: Dump in wine, drop in the float. TIRED Inconsistent performance. Lots of stuff to clean (disassembles into five separate pieces). Needs special care to avoid sunlight and jostling the carafe. One wine at a time only. Seems pricey. Rating: 5 out of 10Quote:
* Alexian (BCO) - Various changes to accommodate the realization that Alexian is some kind of weird ranged-but-not-quite heavyweight.
* Alumis - Small change to increase the number of reasonable openers available to Alumis.
* Arec - Power debuff to lengthen matches and facilitate counterplay. Also a change for Dash -> Dodge.
* Aria - Moved some power budget to Dimensional.
* Cesar - Revamped the downbeat to -2 Power, no Soak, can't move past opponents.
* Clinhyde - Buffed Finishers.
* Clive - Safety not as guaranteed.
* Dareios - Light Power nerf to Staggering.
* Demitras - Improved recovery options (don't worry, Illusory has been dialed back from the last run).
* Eligor (BCO) - Mostly BCO engine compatibility, but Counter is now less likely to clash when you're trying to fire its SoB:.
* Endrbyt - Added a little Power and defense.
* Gaspar - Templating cleanup and some minor tweaks.
* Gerard - Corrected some timing tricks, and made Bookie not a trap.
* Hepzibah - Constant ISG removed from game.
* Hikaru (BCO) - BCO compatibility changes.
* Joal - Fixed Dual Wield to work okay without Dodge; small Power buffs.
* Kaitlyn - Large rework. Kaitlyn's tankier and hits harder, but her UA only ever imposes one "point" of negative hit-confirm each beat, if even that.
* Kallistar (BCO) - Kallistar behaves more like a heavyweight with nice ranged options now. Volcanic isn't dead anymore.
* Karin (BCO) - Softened Coordinated a bit.
* Kehrolyn - UA no longer persists certain very strong effects for 2/3 beats.
* Khadath (BCO) - Evacuation/Teleport mixup is somewhat less safe.
* Larimore - Nerfed Dragonflare.
* Lesandra - Nerfs to make her hit slightly less of the board for slightly less of the damage slightly less of the time.
* Luc (BCO) - More Power access, less sadness against Soak sources.
* Lymn - Dash -> Dodge accommodation, plus smoothing out Visions' power curve.
* Malandrax - Nerfed Alarm Trap.
* Marmelee - Improved spacing control and ability to come back from behind.
* Mikhail - Improved certain cards that were usually dead/traps.
* Oriana - Added a few MP recovery options.
* Ottavia - Shenanigans require an actual Target Lock instead of just going first.
* Pendros - Landslide Punch is twice as likely to hit something. Kind of.
* Rexan - Less gratuitous trade advantages.
* Rukyuk (BCO) - Minor stability changes.
* Runika - Nerfed Artifice Avarice.
* Sarafina - Field sucks less.
* Seth - Wyrding actually loses in clash fights.
* Shekhtur (BCO) - Destabilized recovery options and made Priority thresholds harder to hit (in light of FG Priority ante).
* Tanis - Decreased the strength of certain big effects.
* Tatsumi - Zone 0 Range decreased by 1.
* Thessala - Made it harder for her to constantly recur her best effects. Also Slaughterhouse nerf.
* Voco - Increased hit confirm and defenses with alt UA.
Most of what follows is just copied from previous tournaments, but important changes have been called out in red. If you're already familiar with the rest of the rule set, you can just skip to the bottom for logistical details.
some characters may be further modified between rounds 2 and 3 if we find that particular changes make the character experience worse (e.g. Demitras from last time). Regardless of whether any changes happen, all players will have the opportunity to change one character from their team at this point; I encourage you to use this opportunity to try out new characters, because data.A New Box Set Holds A Springsteen Holy Grail
Vevo
Ask a Bruce Springsteen fan about the holy grails of his concerts and you're likely to hear about a 1980 Tempe, Ariz. show. Today NPR Music has video of Springsteen performing "The River" from that very concert. The brilliant performance — or at least much of it — was recorded using four cameras and a multitrack machine for audio. It's all been put together and is being released 35 years later as part of a new box set called The Ties That Bind: The River Collection. It includes four CDs and three DVDs. The DVDs are packed with never before seen rehearsal footage and film from the Boss' famed show at Arizona State University in Tempe. The tapes were edited by Thom Zimny, and the audio was mixed by the legendary Bob Clearmountain and mastered by Bob Ludwig.
In 1979, when Bruce Springsteen first turned in his fifth album, it was a single 10-song disc called The Ties That Bind. But he had second thoughts and spent a year reworking the songs and writing new ones. When the album came out in 1980, it was a two-disc set renamed The River. The box set includes that original double album as well as the first official release of The River: Single Album and a disc of studio outtakes.
Today we premiere a song from that famous 1980 show, the title track from The River. It takes a good 45 seconds before you see a glimpse of Bruce playing the opening harmonica line, and then almost another 20 to see his young body and mutton chops in focus, but the tension is worth it and the performance is sensational. This is not high-energy Bruce, this is that raspy-voiced, straight-to-the-heart storytelling Bruce singing about Mary and their high school meeting and their journey to the river and the child they'd conceive and the judge and the wedding and the company store. Such classic Bruce.
The Ties That Bind: The River Collection is available for pre-order and will be released December 4.Microsoft Woos Gmail Users
Outlook.com introduces a Gmail migration tool to attract unhappy Google email users.
10 Worst Social Media Meltdowns Of 2013 (click image for larger view)
In early 2010, Google tried to accelerate the growth of Google Apps by launching Google Apps Migration for Microsoft Exchange, server software designed to help companies move data from Microsoft Exchange to Google Apps.
That was several months after Google launched Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook to help Outlook users connect to Google Apps as a back end. That same year, it also debuted Google Apps Migration for Lotus Notes and Connect for Blackberry Enterprise Server to make it easier for users of those systems to "Go Google."
On Wednesday, Microsoft returned the favor, adding another front in its broad counterattack on Google and on the threat ad-funded software poses to its business model. It introduced a service to simplify the process of importing Gmail messages into Outlook.com, the company's successor to its Hotmail service.
Both Microsoft Outlook and Google Gmail have more than 400 million users worldwide.
[Will Google advertisers love or hate this change? See Gmail Shows Images By Default.]
Naoto Sunagawa, a senior program manager lead at Microsoft, explains in a post that connecting a Gmail account to an Outlook.com account via OAuth requires only a few steps. "This will import your Gmail emails into your Outlook.com inbox and, because you've connected both accounts, your Google contacts will automatically appear in Outlook.com," he said.
Sunagawa suggested that Microsoft's reason for introducing a Gmail migration tool is "growing frustration with outdated email services," specifically Gmail, a conclusion supported by a ZDNet opinion column, "The Case Against Gmail." Sunagawa also cited an Ipsos poll indicating that almost a quarter of consumers would switch email providers if it were easier to do so and that 70% don't want ads interfering with their email experience.
Gmail's most contentious feature is its automated scanning of message text to serve ads, which Google would presumably argue enhances Gmail rather than interferes with it. Nonetheless, Microsoft has made much of what it characterizes as Google's intrusive behavior in its ongoing "Scroogled" ad campaign, which has attacked Google for paid inclusion in shopping search results, for scanning Gmail messages to serve ads, and to disparage Chromebooks. The company is even selling anti-Google merchandise on its website.
This is but a small part of a larger lobbying campaign in the US and Europe to convince lawmakers that Google holds an anticompetitive monopoly on search advertising that must be regulated. On Thursday, FairSearch Europe, a group composed of many Google competitors including Microsoft, announced that a study it commissioned concluded that Google's most recent proposal to settle European objections to its business practices is unlikely to restore competition in the search market.
Over the summer, FairSearch attacked Google over its distribution of Android, claiming that distributing Android for free is anticompetitive. At the time, Groklaw editor Pamela Jones said the FairSearch complaint represented "an attack against the Open Source development model itself." She characterized it as "part of a coordinated smear campaign against Google."
Nonetheless, Google almost certainly will be forced to make some changes to accommodate its critics. Late last month, the Dutch Data Protection Authority concluded that Google's practice of combining data from its various services violates the country's data protection law. It remains to be seen whether Google will bend so far that it disrupts its stride. Whatever the outcome, Microsoft appears to be ready to pick up the pieces.
Thomas Claburn is editor-at-large for InformationWeek. He has been writing about business and technology since 1996 for publications such as New Architect, PC Computing, InformationWeek, Salon, Wired, and Ziff Davis Smart Business. He is the author of a science fiction novel, Reflecting Fires, and his mobile game Blocfall Free is available for iOS, Android, and Kindle Fire.
IT groups need data analytics software that's visual and accessible. Vendors are getting the message. Also in the State Of Analytics issue of InformationWeek: SAP CEO envisions a younger, greener, cloudier company (free registration required).
We welcome your comments on this topic on our social media channels, or [contact us directly] with questions about the site.NAIROBI, Kenya — For years, homosexuality was as unlawful in Kenya as it was in neighboring Uganda or in Nigeria — countries where anti-gay sentiment is growing.
Kenya’s penal code prescribes up to 14 years in prison for men who commit “acts of gross indecency” with other men or for any person who acts “against the order of nature.” It’s the same maximum sentence that existed in Nigeria, and seven years greater than what was until recently the maximum punishment in Uganda.
Uganda’s parliament passed a law making “aggravated homosexuality” a crime punishable by life imprisonment. The Ugandan president said on Friday that he plans to sign the bill. President Obama on Sunday condemned the move, and warned “such discrimination could harm its relationship with the United States.”
In January, Nigeria’s president signed a law that also orders that homosexuals be imprisoned for life and even makes gatherings of homosexuals illegal, including those held by advocacy or rights organizations. The law has already led to numerous arrests.
But in Kenya no such attempt has been made to reduce legal protections for gays, and many Kenyans seem increasingly willing to accept homosexuality as a fact of life, or to move beyond political posturing over the subject altogether.
A public discussion of homosexuality surfaced here last month following a Twitter argument between an anti-gay publisher of a prominent law and business journal and a Nairobi professor who defends gay rights. In response to the debate, renowned Kenyan author Binyavanga Wainaina made headlines when he came out publicly by publishing a short story entitled, "I am a homosexual, mum."
“In Nairobi, Binyavanga is walking around very freely and casually, almost like a hero,” said Tom Odhiambo, a Professor of Literature at the University of Nairobi and editor of a new collection of stories by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Kenyans. “He could not do that in Lagos (Nigeria).”
Last week, a group of gay rights activists released a new book, which brings accounts by gay Kenyans into the public sphere, on the premise that the time is now opportune for Kenyan society to accept homosexuality. Some 250 people crowded into a German cultural institute in Nairobi to launch Invisible: Stories from Kenya’s Queer Community.
“What this book means for me as a gay Kenyan man is that it brings out the invisible,” said one man who attended the book launch. “I can talk about being a gay man, but there are people who cannot talk about their gayness because they can face serious challenges for that.”
Kevin Mwachiro, the journalist and gay rights activist who edited the book, said the success of a gay film festival held here in 2011 and a high turnout at the 2007 World Social Forum in Nairobi, where homosexuality was discussed, “showed that the space was ripe” for such a book.
“We still have a bloated human rights record, and we still do not treat our women very well. But that five, six percent GDP growth is nothing if people still don’t have the freedom to be themselves,” “Mwachiro said. “Africa is changing. Africa is ripe.”
A standout on a continent that widely views homosexuality as ‘un-African’
Africa and the Middle East remain the world’s most LGBT-adverse regions, according to a 2013 study by the Pew Research Center.
Though rarely enforced, the legal punishment for acts of homosexuality in three African countries is death. Homosexuality remains a crime in 38 African nations and “Homophobic attacks and harassment across sub-Saharan Africa are becoming more visible,” according to a report last year by Amnesty International.
The most prominent of these attacks occurred in 2010 in Uganda, which borders Kenya to the west. Two documentary films recently captured how Evangelical Christians from the United States and elsewhere are inspiring anti-gay fervor in Uganda.
“The evangelicals from the West know that that is their window, and they’re using that to promote their anti-homosexual agenda,” said Reverend John Makokha, director of a Kenyan gay rights alliance.
In South Sudan, politicians have proposed a bill that would criminalize sexual acts between people of the same sex. In Sudan, homosexuality is punishable by death.
In Nigeria, people accused of homosexual acts face 14 years in prison, but in states governed by Sharia (Islamic) law, the maximum penalty is death. Accused homosexuals are whipped in court, and upon leaving the courtroom some must even be protected from crowds.
In Kenya, a new constitution that took effect in 2010 guarantees equal protection to all citizens, but it does not explicitly mention homosexuals, leaving room for debate. That same year authorities failed to prosecute individuals who participated in a string of mob beatings in 2010 that left several men hospitalized outside a Mombasa health center.
Legal groups say Kenya’s justice system rarely prosecutes homophobic crimes, but that may soon change: In 2011 the incoming President of Kenya’s Supreme Court Dr. Willy Mutunga called gay rights the “other frontier of marginalization” in Kenyan society in a signal that he may pressure Kenya’s judiciary to decriminalize homosexual acts.
Socially, Kenyans are embracing homosexuality faster than any other African nation. In 2007, a Pew Research Study found only four percent of Kenyans said homosexuality should be accepted. When researchers repeated the survey last year, the percentage of people who accept homosexuality doubled, and in some ways daily life in Nairobi seems to reflect that trend.
An international gay rights organization recently compiled a list of dozens of gay-friendly businesses, organizations and individuals in Kenya.
Next month Kenya will host the second International Conference on African Same-Sex Sexualities and Gender Diversity (the first was held in 2011 in South Africa—by far the continent’s most gay-friendly country).
Acceptance of homosexuality in Kenya varies greatly by region, tribe, gender and religion. Among the Luo tribe that inhabits Western Kenya, for instance, “a man who associates with women (but) not in a sexual way is even allowed to wear women’s clothes” and adopt a somewhat female lifestyle, said Odhiambo, the professor and LGBT book editor.
He added that Kenyans are much more accepting of lesbianism than they are of relationships between men, explaining the derogatory Swahili word for gays “shoga,” meaning “a confidant,” is an entirely normal description used for women who are close friends, but in masculine Kenyan culture it is used to insult men.
“Many Kenyans can’t understand the relationship between a man and a man because they reduce it only to sex,” Odhiambo said, adding that Kenyan society tends to view men who remain unmarried into their late 30s or 40s with suspicion.
In media and politics, homosexuality remains taboo
Kenyan scholars and activists disagree about what factors perpetuate anti-homosexual attitudes in Kenya today.
“The source of homophobia is the Church,” said Makokha, the reverend who works with churches and mosques throughout Kenya to promote acceptance of gays. He said he and fellow activists spend most of their time convincing families of LGBT individuals that “Having an LGBT child is not a curse from God.”
Makokha said Muslims “are a bit radical when it comes to the dialog on sexuality and faith. The Koran says (homosexuals) should be stoned to death.” But unlike in Nigeria, Kenyan Muslims do not act upon such decrees. Indeed, Makokha said many religious edicts are interpreted less strictly in Kenya than elsewhere in the region.
“If a man should be stoned to death for sleeping with another woman outside marriage, we wouldn’t have many men left,” he said.
One of the most vocal opponents of homosexuality in Kenya is Anglican Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, who is also Chairman of a regional African Anglican group that opposes gay marriage. Last week Wabukala published a letter criticizing two prominent Anglican leaders in England for speaking out against anti-gay legislation in Uganda and Nigeria.
Some gay rights activists see this division in the church as encouraging: Those who identify as LGBT are often well aware of which churches accept homosexuals and can attend in accordance, according to Anne Baraza, who advocates for gay rights with her husband, Makokha. In contrast, “I doubt whether there is a church in Uganda where everyone welcomes the gay community freely,” she said.
Nor does the opposition to homosexuality by the Anglican Church here keep gays themselves from attending Anglican services.
“We’ve had those discussions with some preachers who preach against it. But that doesn’t mean there are no LGBT individuals in the church,” said Peter, a practicing Anglican who is gay and asked to be identified by his first name only because he has not yet come out publicly. “I tend to think (Reverend Wabukala) doesn’t like strongly discussing the issues…he does it so carefully, he tries to avoid it as much as possible.”
Even some of the staunchest critics of homosexuality here are more reserved than their peers in the region. Both Wabukala and a Kenyan senator who has denounced gays in the past declined an interview with GlobalPost.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has been notably silent on the issue.
Some accuse Kenya’s news and entertainment media of failing to discuss homosexuality in an appropriate manner. Popular talk radio programs in Nairobi routinely discuss relationships, but no one interviewed for this article could recall a discussion of homosexual relationships on the airwaves.
One of Kenya’s most popular newspapers, the Standard, occasionally prints incendiary articles with headlines such as “They Have ‘Infected’ Kenya! Has the Gay Debate Reached Nairobi?” In July, The Standard fabricated facts in an article about a supposed ‘gay lobby’ for which no evidence or source was provided.
“Gay people are still in the closet because they (don’t) know, ‘after I am featured in the media, what will come next? Will I be kicked out by my landlord?” Baraza said. “A friend texted me the other night to say there is a ‘gay debate’ on TV. And she is homophobic. But at least she is watching.”
Kenyan gays wait for the right moment to come out
Gays and gay rights activists here agree that, paradoxically, public opinion over homosexuality will not shift drastically until LGBT individuals feel comfortable speaking openly about their identities.
Peter, the 32-year-old Anglican, says he is not yet ready to reveal himself, even to his own mother.
“I’ve come out very gradually, and not to everybody. Of course, my mom is very suspicious. Being a strong Christian…she always mentions the ‘issue’ of homosexuality,” Peter said. “The Kenyan experience is that many people are still in a place of confusion.”
Peter recalled the chilling experience of being outed and attacked in his Nairobi neighborhood several years ago. He said a neighbor came to his home professing to want to learn more about Peter’s activism, but after Peter invited him inside, the man denounced him.
“He said, ‘you are gay and I’m going to tell everybody on this block unless you give me money, because I know you get a lot of money. I’ll tell people you tried to rape me,’” Peter recalled. “And he did that.”
Later that evening the man returned with five young men from the neighborhood who dragged Peter from his home and started beating and kicking him, Peter said. He eventually escaped and made it to a hospital for treatment.
“I reported to the police, but my lawyer said I have to be ready, because…‘it will be public that you are gay.’ He said I have to be psychologically prepared,” Peter said. “And at that time, because of the very homophobic environment, I thought I would just expose myself too much. So I just dropped the case.”
Peter and other gay rights activists said they’re optimistic that a shift in the broader priorities of Kenyan society is improving the environment for LGBT individuals to come out here.
In a nation eager to establish its reputation as an economic power and innovator, many Kenyans see no reason to exclude otherwise productive members of society from the workplace or social sphere on account of their sexual orientation.
For that reason, it is easer for some people to come out “when they are stable in life and they are not depending on anybody,” Peter said. “People who have been outed and they’re not stable, we’ve seen them be rejected. And their families think they must suffer until they come back to the right way. Once you are out, you are not going to be employed by anyone who knows that. You’re not going to be given moral support.”
“I do not think it is the right time for me,” Peter said. “If they say, ‘go to hell,’ I want to be able to say, ‘that’s OK, I will support myself.’”1 of 3 2 of 3
For years, Constance Barnes was a loyal member of Vision Vancouver. She was twice elected to the Vancouver park board on the party’s slate, earning more votes than any other commissioner in 2008 and 2011.
But this election, the daughter of Emery Barnes, former NDP speaker of the legislature, is not endorsing Vision Vancouver’s candidate, 21-year-old political neophyte Diego Cardona, in the October 14 city-council by-election.
Instead, Barnes has thrown her wholehearted support behind Judy Graves, the city’s former tenant-assistance coordinator, who is making her first run for council with OneCity Vancouver.
“The thing about Judy is she’s no-bullshit,” Barnes told the Georgia Straight by phone. “She doesn’t have to pound her fists on the desk. She doesn’t have to yell and scream. She doesn’t have to rant and rave. She has this ability to bring people together with this calm, collected voice of reason.”
This relaxed demeanour served Graves well as she went out in the middle of the night as a long-time city employee looking for homeless people and then helping them find shelter. Graves spearheaded the city’s first homeless count and was optimistic that Mayor Gregor Robertson would seriously address this problem when he became mayor in 2008.
But nearly 10 years later, homelessness has continued increasing as Robertson’s Vision Vancouver has largely pursued market-based solutions to sky-high housing prices and a serious shortage of rental accommodation. OneCity points out the city’s zoning bylaws outlaw building new purpose-built rental housing in about 80 percent of the city.
Barnes acknowledged that her support for Graves might “piss off” some in Vision Vancouver. “Judy has incredible respect across all political lines,” she said. “And I think she could play a very, very powerful role in the city.”
Graves has also been endorsed by the Vancouver and District Labour Council. It’s the first time since Vision Vancouver got elected that its council candidate has not received its blessing. OneCity’s left-wing credentials are burnished by its call for a luxury-property surtax, from 0.5 percent to 1.5 percent on the wealthiest five percent of residential-property owners, as well as its proposed flipping levy—ranging from 35 percent to 50 percent of the profits—on all homes sold within three years of purchase.
“OneCity believes those who have passively made enormous wealth off of the housing bubble should pay their fair share to help fix it,” the party declares on its website. “We’ll require real estate speculators and the wealthiest landowners to start giving back through fair surtaxes and other revenue-generating policies.”
But OneCity’s Graves isn’t the only candidate in the race who is making the case that the market is the cause of—and not the solution to—Vancouver’s housing crisis. And a crowded field of credible left-wing candidates could enable Cardona, the NPA’s Hector Bremner, or even Sensible Vancouver’s marijuana-dispensary-advocating Mary Jean Dunsdon to win the by-election in a tight race.
Video of On Housing - Pete Fry for Vancouver City Council This week, Green candidate Pete Fry released a video explaining how he would address the high cost of housing in Vancouver.
Green council candidate Pete Fry has a long history as a Vancouver antigentrification neighbourhood activist and he was deeply involved in the campaign to block a controversial high-rise at 105 Keefer Street in Chinatown. In a recent video on his Facebook page, Fry points out that market rents for one-bedroom apartments exceed $2,000 per month in Vancouver, with record-low vacancy rates. One of his biggest concerns is that affordable housing stock is being replaced by unaffordable units.
“Consider this: almost 30 percent of our privately owned rental stock are in condominiums, so that’s an incredibly fragile source of housing stock,” Fry said. “We can’t just build our way out of this crisis and we can’t just expect the market to build the kind of housing we need.”
He’s calling for a renter’s office at City Hall. Fry also wants the city to define affordability in terms of average incomes in the city and not by market-rental rates. He’s proposing a one-year moratorium on the demolition of purpose-built rental housing, as well as providing incentives to encourage more secondary suites in order to preserve character homes.
“We need to protect our existing affordable housing and we need to make sure that we’re including affordable housing in all new construction,” Fry emphasized. “We need to encourage the kind of density that builds community, not destroys neighbourhoods.”
Jean Swanson has been endorsed by former MP Libby Davies, addiction expert Dr. Gabor Maté, and writer and community activist Matt Hern. Ngaire Leach
Then there’s independent candidate Jean Swanson, a well-regarded antipoverty activist whose two main planks are a rent freeze and a mansion tax. Both would require changes to provincial legislation. According to her calculations, the city could collect $174 million per year by slapping surtaxes on homes valued at more than $5 million. That would pay for modular homes for every homeless person in the city.
“Let’s tax the rich to house the rest of us,” Swanson said in a fiery speech last month outside the $75-million mansion owned by Point Grey billionaire Chip Wilson.
Swanson has the backing of some influential figures on the left, including former Vancouver East NDP MP Libby Davies, East Van author and social activist Matt Hern, and addiction expert and author Dr. Gabor Maté. It has given her grassroots campaign significant momentum.
“For decades Jean Swanson has been an admirable, tireless advocate and organizer for a fair and just society,” Maté said in a statement. “I am glad she is running for office; her candidacy has my enthusiastic support.”Do you ever get that sinking feeling that the people running your software business don’t really know what they’re doing? Here’s 5 signs your software business is led by amateurs!
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It can be practically a sport to make fun of leadership for not understanding modern software development and its implications. That’s not the purpose of this video.
If you’re working at a company where several of these signs are present, you have three options. Put up with it, try to change it for the better, or move on.
Here’s 5 signs your software business leadership needs help:
Failure To Invest In Better Tools and Services Too Much Power In The Hands Of A Few Customers They Can’t Say “No” To Any Customer They Have A High Customer Acquisition Cost They Commit To Deadlines Without Understanding The True Cost
If the place you’re working at has these problems, do you have the courage to move from complaining to having some serious conversations?
Even if you consider yourself just a cog in a huge machine, you can help your leaders make better decisions that keep the company profitable!Some 22 percent of people said they'd seen police attacks firsthand, while 12.3 percent of respondents said that they had personally fallen victim to police brutality, a survey by human rights organization "Public Verdict" and Moscow's Metodicheskaya Laboratoriya found. Another 28.6 percent of Russians had heard of similar cases from family and friends, Russia's RBC news outlet reported.
Almost a quarter of Russians have witnessed or experienced beatings carried out by police and medical staff, a new report has revealed.
The survey also found that most Russians described torture and violence as unacceptable, but that many respondents changed their minds when presented with specific situations.
Just 41 percent of respondents said that officials should be able to carry out “minor” human rights violations for the greater good, but that figure rose when participants were asked whether a kidnapper should be tortured to give up the location of their underage victims (reaching 63 percent), or whether a doctor should be able to violently restrain a mentally-ill patient in order to administer drugs (73 percent).
Some 786 people were surveyed as part of the study, RBC reported.David De Lossy/Digital Vision/Thinkstock(SAN FRANCISCO) -- Lloyd Schofield is a man on a mission to ban circumcision from his community.
"The foreskin is there for a reason," said Schofield, who is retired from a career in the hotel industry. "It's not a birth defect. It serves an important function in a |
wrist, ending any shot the tackle has of staying in front of him. Again, look at Houston’s left hand below. He had just started yanking the tackle’s arm down. Look at how the tackle is starting to lose his balance and lean.
After the tug is done, the tackle is almost on the ground, and Houston is by him on the way to the quarterback.
There is no question that it helps Houston to have a pass rusher like Tamba Hali playing across from him. It certainly helps that Houston plays on the left side against the right tackle the majority of the time. But Houston has done exactly what any player needs to do to be successful at the NFL level. Instead of just relying on his physical talent, he has mastered the subtleties of his position.Doubling down on his 'presidential' message last night, President Trump just told the American people "don't worry" about the healthcare bill...
ObamaCare will explode and we will all get together and piece together a great healthcare plan for THE PEOPLE. Do not worry! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 25, 2017
And also from his POTUS account...
ObamaCare will explode and we will all get together and piece together a great healthcare plan for THE PEOPLE. Do not worry! — President Trump (@POTUS) March 25, 2017
But, The Wall Street Journal is less optimistic, and in an overnight opinion piece, it lashes out at Friday's GOP fiasco and names the "ObamaCare Republicans" who were behind the stinging last minute failure to repeal Obamacare.
* * *
The ObamaCare Republicans: The GOP right blows up its best chance to reform government.
House Republicans pulled their health-care bill shortly before a vote on Friday, and for once the media dirge is right about a GOP defeat. This is a major blow to the Trump Presidency, the GOP majority in Congress, and especially to the cause of reforming and limiting government.
The damage is all the more acute because it was self-inflicted. President Trump was right to say on Friday that Democrats provided no help, but Democrats were never going to vote to repeal President Obama’s most important legislation. And that’s no excuse. Republicans have campaigned for more than seven years on repealing and replacing ObamaCare, and they finally have a President ready to sign it. In the clutch they choked.
Speaker Paul Ryan and Mr. Trump worked together and to their credit to broker a compromise between the GOP’s moderate and conservative wings. Their bill worked off the reality that the U.S. health system has changed under ObamaCare and thus an orderly transition is necessary to get to a free-market system without throwing millions off insurance. The GOP also is a center-right coalition with competing views and priorities. The bill had flaws but was the largest entitlement reform and spending reduction in recent decades.
That wasn’t good enough for the 29-or-so members of the House Freedom Caucus who sabotaged this fragile legislative balance. When one of their demands was met, they dug in and made another until they exceeded what the rest of the GOP conference could concede. You can’t have a good-faith negotiation when one party doesn’t know how to say yes—or won’t.
The Washington chorus now claims Mr. Ryan made a mistake by leading with health care, and perhaps in retrospect he did. But he was responding to demands for immediate repeal by the same conservatives who later abandoned him. They wanted a repeal-only vote that had no chance of passing, which is why Mr. Ryan and Senate Republicans worked on the compromise of repeal and replace.
The critics assailed the bill as “ObamaCare Lite,” but the result of their rule-or-ruin strategy will now be the ObamaCare status quo, and Mark Meadows (North Carolina), Jim Jordan (Ohio), Louie Gohmert (Texas) and the rest own all of its problems. Please spare everyone your future grievances about rising health spending or an ever-larger government.
The grand prize for cynicism goes to Senator Rand Paul, who campaigned against the bill while offering an alternative that hasn’t a prayer of passing. “I applaud House conservatives for keeping their word to the American people and standing up against ObamaCare Lite,” said Dr. Paul. “I look forward to passing full repeal of ObamaCare in the very near future.”
There will be no such repeal in this Congress, and probably not in any other. Republicans run the government and that means they are responsible for what happens in health care. Messrs. Trump and Ryan are right that the ObamaCare markets are imploding, and prices will rise and choices will shrink again next year on present trends. Republicans can try to blame Democrats, but they’re in charge.
Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price can use regulation to improve insurance markets at the margin, but the bill would have given him more reform tools. The Trump Administration is inevitably invested in improving ObamaCare instead of standing up a replacement, and the voters harmed by rising premiums and declining choices may punish Republicans in the 2018 midterms.
This failure also reveals the unfortunate skills gap between Democrats and modern Republicans in practical legislative politics. Democrats have their Bernie Sanders faction, which claimed to “oppose” ObamaCare in 2009-10 for lacking a government-run public insurance option. But the far left voted for the bill anyway because they concluded, rightly, that a new entitlement was a great leap toward single-payer national health care.
An ideal free health-care market is never going to happen in one sweeping bill. The American political system is designed to make change slow and difficult, thank goodness. Republicans have to build their vision piece by piece, carefully gauging how to sustain their policy gains politically—the same way Democrats expanded the welfare and entitlement state over the last century.
But much of the current conservative establishment profits from fanning resentments, not governing. Legislative compromises don’t help Heritage Action raise money for its perpetual outrage machine. An earlier generation of leaders at Heritage understood that the goal of winning elections was to achieve something. The current leaders seem happy with failure.
Heritage was joined in opposition by the Club for Growth and the Koch brothers’ political machinery, also on grounds that the bill was imperfect. But good luck finding any comparable chance to shrink government. This demonstration of GOP dysfunction will make Members even more skittish about taking other difficult votes, including tax reform.
Mr. Trump said Friday he wants to move forward on cutting taxes, and Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady wants to do the same. We wish them luck and support the effort. But health reform is about a single industry. Tax reform implicates every industry and its denizens are the definition of the Washington swamp. Success on health care would have produced momentum and confidence that Republicans could fulfill their promises. Now Democrats and the swamp rats smell blood.
Perhaps Mr. Trump and the GOP can recover from this debacle, but as an opening act to a new Presidency the collapse of his first legislative campaign is ominous. In business Mr. Trump liked to “get even.” He’s got some scores to settle with the Freedom Caucus.Tunisian workers kidnapped in Libya have been freed: foreign ministry TUNIS Fourteen Tunisian workers kidnapped by armed men in western Libya three days ago were released on Sunday, the Tunisian foreign ministry said in a statement. World, Libya
Tunisian police and protesters clash after death at police station TUNIS Police in Tunisia fired tear gas on Saturday to disperse demonstrators who protested after a young man died inside a police station near the coastal resort of Hammamet, witnesses said. World,
Tunisian oil refinery workers kidnapped in Libya - activist TUNIS Fourteen Tunisian workers were kidnapped as they traveled to work at an oil refinery in western Libya, a human rights activist said on Friday. World, Libya
Seven jailed for life over Tunisian museum, hotel massacres TUNIS A Tunisian court jailed seven people for life on Saturday for their involvement in two deadly militant attacks in 2015, one on a museum in Tunis and the other on a hotel in a Mediterranean resort. World,
New 'Long Live Tunisia' party born, to be led by prime minister TUNIS Secular government leaders announced a new party called Long Live Tunisia on Sunday which is to be led by the prime minister and will compete with moderate Islamists in upcoming elections. World,
Tunisian union calls new nationwide strike to press wage demands TUNIS Tunisia’s powerful UGTT union called on Saturday for another national strike for two days next month to press its demand for higher wages for 670,000 public servants, the UGTT chief said. World,
Germany's lower house moves to reject Maghreb, Georgia asylum claims BERLIN Germany's lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, voted to reject asylum claims from Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria and the Caucasian state of Georgia on Friday by designating them as safe countries. World, Germany,
Big strike paralyses Tunisia, thousands protest over pay row TUNIS Rail, bus and air traffic stopped in Tunisia and street protests drew thousands on Thursday as the huge UGTT union staged a one-day nationwide strike to challenge the government's refusal to raise the salaries of 670,000 public servants. World,Since taking the helm at the Energy Department, Rick Perry has said he doubted the scientific consensus that carbon dioxide was causing climate change. | AP Photo Perry: Fossil fuels help prevent sexual assault in Africa
Energy Secretary Rick Perry suggested on Thursday that increasing fossil fuel use to spread electricity across Africa would help prevent sexual assaults there.
Perry, who traveled to South Africa last week to tout the Energy Department’s partnerships there, said he spoke with a young girl who wanted electricity so she could read without relying on the light of a fire “and have those fumes literally killing people. But also from the standpoint of sexual assault.”
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“When the lights are on, when you have light that shines — the righteousness, if you will — on those types of acts,” he told an Axios event.
Perry was implicitly responding to a protester who yelled that fossil fuels were causing climate change and killing people in poor countries.
“Let me tell you, where people are dying in Africa is because of the lack of energy they have there, and it’s going to take fossil fuels to push power out into those villages in Africa.”
Since taking the helm at the Energy Department, Perry has said he doubted the scientific consensus that carbon dioxide was causing climate change, and he has sought to promote the use of fossil fuels, including pushing a plan to financially support coal-fired power plants in the U.S.
That access to fossil fuels that the U.S. has would also benefit Africa, he said.
“From the standpoint of how you really affect people’s lives, fossil fuels is going to play a role in that. I happen to think it’s going to play a positive role, and I wish we could understand it’s not just about us living here in the comfort and confines that we’re in.”
The World Bank’s Michael Toman and Jörg Peters observed in a recent blog post that while there is widespread interest in extending the electric grid to serve the 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa without access to power, fossil fuel infrastructure is not always necessary to meet their near-term needs. In many countries, electricity usage remains low even after people have access to the grid, they wrote in a July blog post, citing one study from Tanzania that found it cost as much as $6,600 per household in public subsidies to expand the electric grid if usage remained low.
“Hence, if subsidies are required either way, off-grid solar implies a much lower cost burden for governments aspiring to expand basic service to households in the nearer term, compared to extension of the grid,” Toman and Peters wrote.The European Union has drawn up a set of rules governing the security of the region's digital infrastructure. Under the framework provisionally agreed last night by Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and the Luxembourg Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers, transport, energy and other key companies will have to ensure that the digital infrastructure that they use to deliver essential services, such as traffic control or electricity grid management, is resilient enough to withstand online attacks. Similarly, major digital marketplaces like eBay or Amazon, search engines, and cloud services will be required to ensure that their infrastructure is secure, and to report major incidents. Smaller digital companies will be exempt from these requirements.
As a press release from the European Parliament explains: "MEPs put an end to current fragmentation of 28 cybersecurity systems by listing sectors—energy, transport, banking, financial market, health and water supply—in which critical service companies will have to ensure that they are robust enough to resist cyber-attacks. These companies must also be ready to report serious security breaches to public authorities."
Member states will be required to identify "operators of essential services" from these key sectors, using various criteria such as whether the service is critical for society and the economy, whether it depends on network and information systems, and whether an incident could have significant disruptive effects on its provision, or public safety.
A network of Computer Security Incidents Response Teams will be set up by each member state to handle incidents, and to coordinate responses to them. In addition, there will be a new talking shop: "the draft rules sets up a strategic cooperation group to exchange information and best practices, draw up guidelines and assist member states in cybersecurity capacity building."
Alongside a ridiculous name—for some reason best known to itself the EU insists on calling this stuff "cybersecurity," a term that went out of fashion in the 1990s—the latest plans look rather pointless at a time when EU member states are seriously considering undermining online security by weakening encryption or requiring backdoors to be added to key software. Those moves alone will negate any benefit the new rules might have brought, since they will make it far easier to break into critical systems, and to steal sensitive information like access passwords.
The EU would have had a far more positive impact on the resilience of digital infrastructure by bringing in clear rules forbidding member states from weakening existing technologies, particularly in the field of encryption. If EU governments go through with their plans to water down key online protections, the EU's new framework will amount to little more than window-dressing that adds an administrative burden to the companies involved without doing much to boost online security or provide concrete benefits for the public.MADISON — For decades, scientists have tried to harness the unique properties of carbon nanotubes to create high-performance electronics that are faster or consume less power — resulting in longer battery life, faster wireless communication and faster processing speeds for devices like smartphones and laptops.
But a number of challenges have impeded the development of high-performance transistors made of carbon nanotubes, tiny cylinders made of carbon just one atom thick. Consequently, their performance has lagged far behind semiconductors such as silicon and gallium arsenide used in computer chips and personal electronics.
Now, for the first time, University of Wisconsin–Madison materials engineers have created carbon nanotube transistors that outperform state-of-the-art silicon transistors.
Led by Michael Arnold and Padma Gopalan, UW–Madison professors of materials science and engineering, the team’s carbon nanotube transistors achieved current that’s 1.9 times higher than silicon transistors. The researchers reported their advance in a paper published Friday (Sept. 2) in the journal Science Advances.
“This achievement has been a dream of nanotechnology for the last 20 years,” says Arnold. “Making carbon nanotube transistors that are better than silicon transistors is a big milestone. This breakthrough in carbon nanotube transistor performance is a critical advance toward exploiting carbon nanotubes in logic, high-speed communications, and other semiconductor electronics technologies.”
This advance could pave the way for carbon nanotube transistors to replace silicon transistors and continue delivering the performance gains the computer industry relies on and that consumers demand. The new transistors are particularly promising for wireless communications technologies that require a lot of current flowing across a relatively small area.
As some of the best electrical conductors ever discovered, carbon nanotubes have long been recognized as a promising material for next-generation transistors.
Carbon nanotube transistors should be able to perform five times faster or use five times less energy than silicon transistors, according to extrapolations from single nanotube measurements. The nanotube’s ultra-small dimension makes it possible to rapidly change a current signal traveling across it, which could lead to substantial gains in the bandwidth of wireless communications devices.
But researchers have struggled to isolate purely carbon nanotubes, which are crucial, because metallic nanotube impurities act like copper wires and disrupt their semiconducting properties — like a short in an electronic device.
The UW–Madison team used polymers to selectively sort out the semiconducting nanotubes, achieving a solution of ultra-high-purity semiconducting carbon nanotubes.
“We’ve identified specific conditions in which you can get rid of nearly all metallic nanotubes, where we have less than 0.01 percent metallic nanotubes,” says Arnold.
Placement and alignment of the nanotubes is also difficult to control.
To make a good transistor, the nanotubes need to be aligned in just the right order, with just the right spacing, when assembled on a wafer. In 2014, the UW–Madison researchers overcame that challenge when they announced a technique, called “floating evaporative self-assembly,” that gives them this control.
The nanotubes must make good electrical contacts with the metal electrodes of the transistor. Because the polymer the UW–Madison researchers use to isolate the semiconducting nanotubes also acts like an insulating layer between the nanotubes and the electrodes, the team “baked” the nanotube arrays in a vacuum oven to remove the insulating layer. The result: excellent electrical contacts to the nanotubes.
The researchers also developed a treatment that removes residues from the nanotubes after they’re processed in solution.
“In our research, we’ve shown that we can simultaneously overcome all of these challenges of working with nanotubes, and that has allowed us to create these groundbreaking carbon nanotube transistors that surpass silicon and gallium arsenide transistors,” says Arnold.
“There has been a lot of hype about carbon nanotubes that hasn’t been realized, and that has kind of soured many people’s outlook. But we think the hype is deserved.” Michael Arnold
The researchers benchmarked their carbon nanotube transistor against a silicon transistor of the same size, geometry and leakage current in order to make an apples-to-apples comparison.
They are continuing to work on adapting their device to match the geometry used in silicon transistors, which get smaller with each new generation. Work is also underway to develop high-performance radio frequency amplifiers that may be able to boost a cellphone signal. While the researchers have already scaled their alignment and deposition process to 1 inch by 1 inch wafers, they’re working on scaling the process up for commercial production.
Arnold says it’s exciting to finally reach the point where researchers can exploit the nanotubes to attain performance gains in actual technologies.
“There has been a lot of hype about carbon nanotubes that hasn’t been realized, and that has kind of soured many people’s outlook,” says Arnold. “But we think the hype is deserved. It has just taken decades of work for the materials science to catch up and allow us to effectively harness these materials.”
The researchers have patented their technology through the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.
Funding from the National Science Foundation, the Army Research Office and the Air Force supported their work.
Additional authors on the paper include Harold Evensen, a University of Wisconsin-Platteville engineering physics professor, Gerald Brady, a UW–Madison materials science and engineering graduate student and lead author on the study, and graduate student Austin Way and postdoctoral researcher Nathaniel Safron.London: US President Donald Trump told embattled British Prime Minister Theresa May he won't come to Britain for his controversial state visit until he is sure of getting a "better reception", it has been reported.
Mr Trump was said to have told Mrs May that he had not had "great coverage" in Britain and had urged her to "fix it for me", according to The Sun on Sunday.
It was originally reported last month that Mr Trump had informed Mrs May that he did not want to go ahead with the visit if there were likely to be large-scale protests.
The Sun on Sunday said it had now obtained a transcript of their telephone conversation in which Trump said: "I haven't had great coverage out there lately, Theresa."Having won 25 Championships between them, Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) is pleased to announce the PFA A-League Team of the Decade.
Announced at a Gala event tonight, Monday April 27, at the Australian National Maritime Museum, the team was unveiled in front of a host of current and former A-League stars.
Selected by the PFA’s A-League members past and present, players were asked to vote for their starting 11 in a 4-3-3 formation, five substitutes, a coach and referee of the decade.
As voted by the players, the PFA A-League Team of the Decade is:
Goalkeeper: Eugene Galekovic
Defenders: Cassio, Kevin Muscat (C), Patrick Zwaanswijk, Ivan Franjic
Midfielders: Matt McKay, Carlos Hernandez, Thomas Broich
Forwards: Archie Thompson, Besart Berisha, Shane Smeltz
Substitutes: Michael Theo (GK), Adama Traore, Mark Milligan, Steve Corica, Alessandro Del Piero
Coach: Ange Postecoglou
Referee: Strebre Delovski
With players having to have played at least two seasons in the A-League to be eligible for selection, the team was voted on by over 400 former and current A-League players and contains three Johnny Warren Medal winners.
As the highest vote getting former or current club captain, Kevin Muscat was named as the skipper of the PFA A-League Team of the Decade.
The two-time Championship and Premiership winning defender said it was a privilege to have been named in the players’ team.
“It’s an incredible honour to be selected in the PFA A-League Team of the Decade and I am extremely proud to also be named captain,” said Muscat. “To be nominated by my peers, both past and present, is extremely humbling and something that I take great pride in.
“I would like to thank Melbourne Victory for giving me the opportunity to return to Australia back in 2005. I have nothing but respect for everyone who has been associated with the club and I look forward to what the future holds. I would also like to thank my teammates for their support over the years. They were a privilege to play with and it’s great to see so many of them included in the PFA A-League Team of the Decade.
“Finally, I would like to congratulate all of the players who have been named in the Team of the Decade. Each of them has made a tremendous impact on the A-League and it’s fitting that their contributions are recognised in this way.”
PFA Chief Executive Adam Vivian hailed the team and said all of them had made an enormous contribution to the success of the A-League.
“The aim of the PFA A-League Team of the Decade was to recognise the outstanding contribution the players have made to the competition and these players are all certainly worthy of the highest form of recognition,” said Vivian.
“To have won 25 A-League Championships between them highlights just how big their contribution has been, and the impact they have made.
“They, and their peers, have worked tirelessly over the past ten seasons to build a competition that offered very few guarantees into one that is now one of the biggest success stories of Australian sport for the past ten years.
“Finally I would like to acknowledge the support of our corporate partners LUCRF Super, NSR Australia, Travellers Choice, the Australian National Maritime Museum and our charity partner the Dylan Tombides Foundation, DT38.”
For media enquiries contact PFA Media and Communications Manager Beau Busch on +61 (0) 432763485 or beau@pfa.net.au.Clinton wins “by a landslide” — in the corruption department. So says columnist, New York Times bestselling author, and admitted Clinton “bagman” Jeff Rovin. Initially presenting his story anonymously in the National Enquirer, Rovin subsequently revealed his identity in a Monday interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity. Among his striking claims: The Clintons have an “open marriage,” Hillary has had affairs with both men and women, and he paid off reporters to keep the copious Clinton dirt hush-hush. And these allegations are backed up by 24-years' worth of documentation.
Rovin’s appearance on Hannity (video below) adds further weight to his claims, as people often associate the Enquirer with fanciful tales. Yet as Hannity himself pointed out, that paper has at times broken major stories, catching the rest of the media napping. Hannity cited scoops concerning O.J. Simpson, John Edwards’ mistress, Gary Hart, Jesse Jackson’s out-of-wedlock child, Tiger Woods’ marriage woes, and others. In fact, Rovin said that such Enquirer stories are, ironically, “probably better vetted than most of the stories in other media” because they’re “so controversial.”
Of course, the Enquirer's scoops almost invariably involve salacious matters, and the Clinton story is no exception. Yet most significant are Rovin’s disclosures about media suppression of truth — and efforts to destroy people such as Monica Lewinsky.
Rovin explains that as a Hollywood reporter in the '80s and '90s, his close relationship with the Tinseltown power set and press allowed him to become, as he put it, “‘a fixer’: someone who helps stars keep embarrassing stories out of the press.” Rovin did his job so well that in 1991 he was asked to work for a rising political couple who, together, were an embarrassing-story-disgorging machine: Arkansas governor William Jefferson Clinton and his wife, Hillary Rodham. As he wrote:
I was informed that these stories would involve rumors of Bill Clinton's many sexual dalliances and an alleged ongoing affair of Hillary Clinton with a male member of her law firm, Vince Foster, as well as a female mover-and-shaker in Hollywood.
For a retainer of $4,000 a month — paid by a third party, not the campaign — I was told to keep these stories hush-hush in one of two ways: by trading access to the Clintons for “positive” interviews, or by paying the reporters.
The payments were always cash, usually delivered in a movie theater or restaurant on Sunset Boulevard, and came in two denominations: $100 for a heads-up that a bad story was coming; or considerably more to kill the piece.
Rovin’s claims align perfectly with the recent WikiLeaks revelations about direct collusion between the corrupt mainstream media and Clinton campaign; among the examples are a New York Times reporter giving the campaign veto power over quotations, a CNBC reporter advising the campaign, and CNN commentator Donna Brazile forwarding Clinton a debate question prior to a March face-off against Bernie Sanders (yes, Sandernistas, the fix was really in).
Yet bribery wasn’t the only method for getting stories spiked; deception was another. As Rovin told Hannity, reporters “were paid to soften the stories.... What would happen is, if we got wind of a story from the tabloids, chances were pretty good it would end up in one of the mainstream newspapers or magazines. We would then contact one of those people and say, ‘This isn't true, don't run it.’”
And this apparently does ring true to Hannity, who spoke of the evidence he saw, saying to Rovin, “I went through with your editor everything that you had. You do have ledgers; you did have the faxes with the letterhead and the timestamps. The Clintons know you.... They know you fixed things for them.”
And Rovin says this fixing became a full-time job, as the Clintons committed continual sexual indiscretions in what he described as a “polyamorous” and “open” marriage — which matches the “open borders” Hillary said, in an e-mail, that she wanted.
Rovin appears to believe the Clintons’ sexual depravity was so all-consuming that it distracted Bill from the business of running the country. He cites as the worst example of judgment the bachelor party in March 1994 for Clinton’s half-brother, Roger Clinton, who, in quintessential Clinton style, was marrying a bride eight-months-pregnant. Prostitutes were present, and recordings were made — they included Bill Clinton.
None of this will surprise those who know of Bill’s having taken 26 flights on billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein’s “Lolita Express,” but the recording was a problem: It was offered for sale to the Enquirer, says Rovin. This is when he says he swooped in and negotiated a deal to keep the recording suppressed. (Note: This would be a national-security concern, too. A foreign power that obtained such a recording conceivably could use it to blackmail the president.)
Also in 1994, Rovin “arranged a meeting for Hillary and a woman in an exclusive Beverly Hills hotel,” he said. “I helped her slip out of a back exit for a one-on-one session with the other woman.” The journalist described this encounter as “sordid.”
Rovin also reveals that he was part of a “team effort” to damage Monica Lewinsky; in fact, Rovin later felt so bad about this smear campaign that he apologized to Lewinsky personally. In addition, the journalist “told Hannity he was tasked with distracting the media while Hillary’s crew rummaged through [Vince] Foster’s office... to snatch documents related to the Whitewater scandal,” as WND.com put it.
As to Rovin’s motivations for finally coming forward, he mentioned two significant factors. He told Hannity that when he learned that Enquirer editor Dylan Howard was doing the Clinton story and was naming sources he wanted kept confidential, he agreed to participate under the condition he could protect those sources. Second, he wrote in the Enquirer piece, “I am coming forward now because of the endless attention the alleged indiscretions of Donald Trump have received. Nothing I have heard comes close to the sexual and moral corruption of the Clintons — many of which have [sic] yet to be revealed.”
Having said this, Rovin was dismayed at the campaign emphasis on dirt, saying to Hannity, “The election is too important to focus on this salacious material.” Identifying as a libertarian, the journalist expressed the common idea that politicians’ sexual indiscretions are none of anyone’s business and should be beyond scrutiny. And while many issues are more important — such as Clinton’s internationalist, open-borders dreams; amnesty plans; warmongering stance vis-à-vis Russia; and radical social agenda — that common idea is also a mistaken idea.
Question: Is there any sexual indiscretion a politician could commit that would bring his psychological fitness into question? What if a person habitually engages in bestiality? Would you want such an individual managing your finances or babysitting your child? If not, why not, if “private” sexual behavior has no bearing on whether the person can “do the job”?
If so, however, then would you want such a person’s finger on the nuclear button?
Now, what kind of sexual depravity is not a red flag?
During the Bill Clinton years, “Character doesn’t matter” became a meme used to justify Clinton corruption. But would you want to be pulled over by a cop with bad character or have your car repaired by a mechanic with same? Character is integral to everything we do.
The Bible speaks of “eyes blinded by sin,” “For the eye altering alters all,” wrote poet William Blake. Habitually engaging in wrongdoing and (as man will do) rationalizing it away — which is when we deny reality — causes us to lose touch with reality. Twisting the truth in our own minds twists our minds; conning ourselves corrupts our judgment. The eye altering...
Hillary Clinton is poised to continue the “fundamental change” Barack Obama infamously promised. But do we really want someone in an altered state altering these United States?(Portrait via roger-scruton.com)
In his new book, Roger Scruton offers a diagnosis of and an antidote to the New Left.
‘The important thing is that you should not argue with [Communists].... Whatever you say, they have ways of twisting it into shapes which put you in some lower category of mankind, ‘Fascist,’ ‘Liberal,’ ‘Trotskyist,’ and disparage you both intellectually and personally in the process.”
The above quote is from F. Scott Fitzgerald, who, despite being derided by Edmund Wilson as having talent without a brain, was perhaps the only member of the Lost Generation astute enough not to fall for Communism. The method of operation he described for Hollywood Communists in the 1930s has crossed the decades to reappear in academia. Those of us who have been graduate students have seen this in action. Once I was witness to a student asking a professor why there weren’t conservative books in the curriculum to balance the liberal ones; to which the professor replied, “Because they’re all fascists.” And that was that.
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This tendency is probed in Roger Scruton’s study of the “thinkers” of the New Left, Fools, Frauds, and Firebrands. As he takes the reader through each thinker and his particular ism — Michel Foucault’s post-modernism, Eric Hobsbawm’s and E. P. Thompson’s Protestant-based Marxism — the end result is the same. All are impatient with Western Civilization’s imperfections. All seek an ideology more streamlined. All load the deck for civil war by selecting class as a category because of its explosive effects in a cohesive society. All defend the righteousness of their cause by owning the language and selecting lofty terms that express their moral vanity.
Hence they engage in Manicheaism, labeling those evil others who oppose their “social justice” schemes with the dread words “capitalist” and “fascist.” Even those who have only the vaguest relationship to Marxism, like Foucault, find oppression and divisiveness in Western Civilization. For Foucault, it is the very concept of objectivity that is fascist (verbs in particular are an oppressive construct).
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It is in this area of language that Scruton locates these intellectuals’ success in taking over academia. Taking a leaf from George Orwell, he notes how they determine the language of the debate, and since they describe themselves as working for mankind, those who oppose them must be against mankind — weeds choking up the garden.
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#share#Despite their rhetoric of being willing to confront reality, Scruton pithily notes that their ideologies are designed to avoid it. And nowhere is this more apparent than with the realities presented by the Soviet Union. Eric Hobsbawm praised Lenin for emancipating Russians from the tsar, and dealt with Lenin’s ruthless post-Revolution methods as necessary for the advancement of mankind. Such manipulation of the language requires editing out facts such as Lenin’s hunting down and executing intellectuals. Comb Hobsbawm’s work, and there is no mention of Stalin lowering the age at which the death penalty could apply to twelve-year-olds.
So confident are these intellectuals in their power that they are stricken almost wordless when one of their own leaves the pack. E. P. Thompson felt a “personal injury and betrayal” when a colleague condemned Communist brutality in Eastern Europe.
For all his criticism of them, the British Scruton has a soft spot for British New Left thinkers.
For all his criticism of them, the British Scruton has a soft spot for British New Left thinkers. Thompson had “a beautiful investigative mind.” Eschewing the internationalist search for class, British socialists have the “endearing” quality of locating it only on their native soil. This “love for home and territory” makes it possible for them to meet British conservatives on common ground.
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Unlike many conservatives, Scruton isn’t merely a debunker, but offers a way out of Marxism. It is through the rule of law, and not a revolutionary movement, that citizens have protection from institutions, while the same institutions are answerable to laws and to citizens.
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Scruton’s book, with its examinations of commodity surplus and methods of consciousness, can be a hard read. Those uninterested in philosophical discussions about what constitutes class realities can get lost in the thicket. But for those who want to see how, after the implosion of Communism, the hard Left has taken over academia and holds it to this day, the book can be rewarding.It’s business as usual in the Dublin “projects”. In the backstreets of Crumlin and Drimnagh, children are frolicking, drug dealers are polishing their rocket launchers, grenades are glinting in the August sun, and working-class fathers are beating the hope of a better life out of their sons.
If that doesn’t sound like any Dublin you recognise, you clearly haven’t been reading enough ESPN.
The cover story of the August 21 edition of ESPN’s The Magazine is a profile of Conor McGregor, written by the respected journalist Wright Thompson.
That is to say: the profile is ostensibly about McGregor, but the real star is “Dublin”, a “clannish, parochial” place of drug dealers and crime-riddled projects – a place which almost no-one who ever set foot in actual Dublin would recognise.
It’s true that Dublin, like most major cities, suffers from crime and occasional outbreaks of gangland violence, such as the Hutch-Kinahan feud, which Thompson depicts in slavish detail.
The “Dublin” of Thompson’s fevered imaginings, however, is a place where “crossing the wrong street has traditionally been reason enough for an ass-whipping. Men have had to drop dates off at bus stops instead of walking them all the way home”. (Note to ESPN: if young Dubliners drop their “dates” off at bus stops, it’s because they’re too tight to call up a Hailo.)
In the piece, McGregor’s childhood upbringing in the “projects” of Crumlin and Drimnagh suggests he was brought up in the Gaza Strip or 1920s Chicago, not a neighbourhood in which this writer lived for six happy and peaceful years, oblivious to the grenades whizzing by, or the fact that I should have been taking an armed escort whenever I had to cross the Liffey. Related Conor McGregor must forget the myth he has built around himself
Has Conor McGregor walked away from defeat as a winner?
Conor McGregor stopped in fourth before chaos descends
But maybe I was just reading the wrong papers. “The tabloids read like a Dennis Lehane novel, day after day, a man shot in his bed, another stabbed in the heart with a kitchen knife, another smuggling in a rocket launcher into Dublin,” Thompson writes.
He recounts an anecdote in which McGregor had to flee in his white Beamer after he took a wrong turn and ended up |
by the Covert series. Compression Channel makes its return in the new Vapor series.
Now before anyone starts ranting about the USGA and CT/COR, understand that the new version is variable width. Basically, it’s designed to boost (or at least maintain) ball speeds as impact moves towards the perimeter of the face. We’ve talked about this before, but just for the hell of it…
The USGA’s CT test is limited to the center of the face. If you can maintain ball speed away from the center, you increase average ball speed (since none of us hit the center of the clubface every time). Simply put, the idea here is to maximize energy transfer.
Flex Loft 2.0
Finally, Nike has tweaked their Flex Loft adjustability system for 2015. The new 2.0 version offers the same performance (4° of loft, left, center, right), but the total weight has been reduced by roughly 5.5 grams. There are plenty of places in a clubhead where additional mass is beneficial, the hosel isn’t one of them.
No doubt some would suggest that Nike’s hosel is still too bulky, but this is clearly a step in the right direction. Bonus points/kudos to Nike for making the updated system fully compatible with the original incarnation (your other Covert shafts will work in the new head).
Additional Details
We don’t have pricing, and we don’t have your stock shaft details yet either. Actually, we don’t have much more than this right now. Nike has given me a polite and official no comment on all things driver related, but at the rate leaks are springing up, it probably won’t be long before more information becomes available.
While I’m sure Nike would have preferred everything stayed under-wraps, anecdotally there’s more interest in the new lineup than any Nike release I’ve ever seen. Whether that translates to sales…I won’t speculate just yet.
You can say what you want about Volt, but it’s definitely grabbing some attention.My advice for reporters and protestors visiting Donald Trump events is simple: You have a right to keep and bear arms. Use it. If Trump’s brownshirts know their targets are armed, they’ll get less handsy, fast.
For those who want to carry a concealed weapon for personal protection, NRA offers classes on handgun safety, and NRA-ILA has detailed information on state gun laws, including which states have permit reciprocity agreements with other states.
Traveling to another state for an event? Here are TSA’s rules on transporting firearms.
And lastly, when attacked by a Trump goon, if you’re hesitating to defend yourself with your firearm, ask yourself whether it’s better to be tried by twelve, or carried by six.
Update: Obviously should any of Trump’s events be declared gun-free zones, obey those laws as well.After a strong stretch for Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton, Sen. Bernie Sanders has launched a new phase of his campaign: going after her.
October has been very good to Clinton, who dominated the first Democratic debate and emerged unscathed from a pressure-laden congressional hearing on the terrorist attacks in Benghazi, Libya. She has built a formidable organization, notably in Iowa, where the first votes of the election cycle will be cast in the state’s Feb. 1 caucuses.
Aware of the new landscape, Sanders (I-Vt.) is drawing new and more aggressive contrasts with Clinton.
In an e-mail blast sent to supporters Friday, a day after the hearing on Benghazi, Sanders presented a timeline of his decades-old stances on issues such as gay rights, trade and Wall Street regulation. The e-mail makes clear that, in every area, his record is in line with most grass-roots Democratic voters — and that he has held his positions for far longer than Clinton has.
At a high-profile dinner in Iowa on Saturday, Sanders continued his effort to draw distinctions, noting his early opposition to the Keystone XL oil pipeline, a stance that Clinton only recently adopted. Sanders told the 6,000 die-hard Democrats in attendance that he considered the issue a “no-brainer.”
Sanders also took his new act to the airwaves Sunday morning. “We have differences of opinion, and I think the American people, people participating in the Democratic primary process, need to know the differences,” he said during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
[Clinton, Sanders rally their Iowa supporters]
Expect more of that to come. With Vice President Biden’s decision not to run for president and the departure of two other candidates over the past week, the race for the Democratic nomination has shaped into essentially a two-way match-up between Clinton and Sanders.
Sanders’s challenge is to prevent it from becoming a lopsided two-way race.
In Iowa, the self-described democratic socialist took aim at the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the trade pact among Pacific nations that Clinton once called “the gold standard” of agreements but has recently opposed.
“It is not now, nor has it ever been, the gold standard of trade agreements,” Sanders said. “I did not support it yesterday. I do not support it today. And I will not support it tomorrow.”
Sanders did not mention Clinton by name in his remarks at Saturday night’s Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in Des Moines or in the e-mail blast. But he and his advisers freely acknowledge that the campaign is looking for ways to draw contrasts with the former secretary of state. And the exercise could accelerate after Sanders starts airing his first TV ads next month.
Former president Bill Clinton speaks to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and his wife, Jane Sanders, at the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday. (Daniel Acker/Bloomberg)
“We want people to look at his ideas, look at her ideas, look at their track records,” said Tad Devine, a veteran Democratic consultant who is advising Sanders. “In the end, it’s about credibility.”
[Clinton, back in the Benghazi hot seat, withstands Republicans’ grilling]
Among the other differences the Sanders camp sees: Clinton opposed same-sex marriage while she was a senator, she voted to authorize the invasion of Iraq and she has not embraced a proposal to separate commercial and investment banking that Sanders favors.
To underscore his long-standing views, the Friday e-mail includes a series of pictures dating back to a black-and-white one from his days as a college student — each marking a stand he took that seemed ahead of its time. In the 1960s, he led a sit-in in Chicago to protest segregated student housing. As mayor of Burlington in 1983, he signed a proclamation for a gay and lesbian pride day. During his first term in Congress in 1991, he voted to oppose the federal death penalty, and two years later, he voted against the North American Free Trade Agreement. Other positions highlighted include votes against the deregulation of Wall Street, against the Patriot Act and against the Iraq war.
“A presidential campaign should be about the issues,” the e-mail states. “Bernie’s been right about the issues, early and often.”
The maneuvering by Sanders comes amid what has been one of Clinton’s best stretches of the campaign. In addition to her debate and hearing performances, Biden’s announcement that he would forgo a White House bid has largely favored Clinton, at least in the short term, according to fresh polls.
With two others dropping out of the Democratic field this week — former Virginia senator Jim Webb and former Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chafee — the field finally appears settled. The only other Democrat who remains is former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley, who lags far behind his two rivals.
Joe Trippi, a longtime Democratic strategist not working for any of the campaigns this cycle, said a head-to-head contest exposes a weakness for Sanders that has dogged him since the start of the campaign. Although Sanders generates great enthusiasm among white liberals — as evidenced by the thousands of people he draws to his rallies — he has not yet demonstrated he can broaden his appeal beyond that group.
With multiple candidates dividing up the Democratic vote, Sanders’s base might be large enough to win some states, Trippi said, but that becomes harder in a two-way matchup.
“Sanders should have been leading the ‘Run Joe Run’ movement,” Trippi said. “Now he has to hope that O’Malley gets energized and draws some votes from Clinton.”
In recent days, a lead that Sanders enjoyed in New Hampshire has disappeared. The race there is now a dead heat, according to an average of five recent polls by Real Clear Politics.
Meanwhile, in Iowa, a pair of recent polls without Biden in the mix showed Clinton’s once-modest lead there growing by between 7 and 11 percentage points.
Other events have also added to Clinton’s momentum, including a highly sought endorsement Friday from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, a massive public-sector union.
Sanders’s team has played down any concerns, arguing that the candidate is still in the process of introducing himself and has proved to be a prodigious fundraiser. While Clinton has been airing TV ads in Iowa and New Hampshire since early August, Sanders has yet to hit the airwaves.
“They’ve spent $5 million on TV in Iowa and New Hampshire,” said Jeff Weaver, Sanders’s campaign manager. “We haven’t spent a penny. Given that, we’re doing extremely well. This campaign is going to be competitive. We’re going to have the resources to go all the way to the convention.”
Sanders’s advisers wouldn’t say much about what their television advertising will look like, though it’s likely to begin with biographical spots about Sanders.
The 74-year-old senator, whose career in elected office dates to the early 1980s, often boasts that he has never run a negative ad and says he doesn’t intend to start in the Democratic primary. His advisers say that personal attacks are out of bounds — “we’re not going to try to knife her up out there,” Devine said — but that highlighting issue differences is fair game.
The Clinton camp still has its eye on Sanders, too — and thinks she has several issues that cut in her favor, none more than gun control. Sanders, who represents a largely rural state with a proud hunting tradition, has a mixed record on the issue, including a vote against the landmark 1993 Brady bill.
At a gathering of Democratic women Friday in Washington that both candidates attended, Clinton dwelled on her views on guns, saying she wouldn’t be silenced by the gun lobby.
“Stopping gun violence is worth fighting for, and I’m ready to go,” Clinton told the crowd of about 600 people. It was an issue she also highlighted Saturday night in Des Moines.
Sanders is not shying away from what he sees as another advantage of his candidacy: an ability to attract new voters to the polls.
“Establishment politics, the same ol’ same ol’, ain’t gonna do it,” said Sanders. To win elections, he said, “you rally millions of working-class people who have given up on the political process. You rally young people who have given up on the political process.”Home -> Magazines -> Issues -> Articles in this issue -> View Show Page Scans 5
As its name implies, the EPS16 Plus is a 16-bit version of Ensoniq's EPS sampler - but is the 16 Plus different enough from its predecessor to establish its own identity?
WHY CHANGE A winning formula? This question must have been running through the collective Ensoniq mind as the company set about designing a 16-bit successor to their EPS sampler. After all, in many respects the EPS still hasn't been bettered in its sub-£2000 price range. Sophisticated sample looping facilities and sample split/layer keyboard textures, maximum 52.1kHz sampling rate, fixed-frequency sample playback, 24-bit internal processing, maximum 20-voice polyphony, full-blown synthesis capabilities, the ability to load samples off disk without interrupting a performance, a flexible and easy-to-use onboard sequencer and a polyphonic aftertouch keyboard aren't the signs of an instrument on its last legs.
Ensoniq could have left the EPS alone and gone for a no-holds-barred - and much more expensive - stereo 16-bit machine, but clearly they felt it was more important to keep within the £1000-2000 price range which has served them so well up till now. At £1795, the EPS16 Plus is around £200 more expensive than its predecessor, but still a reasonable price when you consider that, in addition to the above features of the EPS, you're getting true 16-bit-linear mono sampling, double the EPS' onboard memory, and - perhaps most significantly of all - 24-bit effect processing. The only other sampler to include digital effects at present is Akai's S1000, which is considerably more expensive than the 16 Plus.
Another feature new to Ensoniq's latest sampler is the Flashbank memory option, available in FB1 (512Kb) or FB2 (1Mb) versions. Sample data which has been saved to the Flashbank memory will be retained onboard the 16 Plus through power-down, making it readily available whenever the sampler is powered up. Unfortunately, Flashbank memory wasn't available on the review model, so I can't really say any more about it, but in theory it seems like a neat idea.
The EPS16 Plus comes fitted with 1Mb of RAM - upgradable to 2Mb with the optional ME16 Plus Memory Expander cartridge - which is shared dynamically between sample and sequence data. The standard memory is enough for 11.43 seconds of sampling at the maximum 44.6kHz sample rate, or about 160,000 notes of sequencer data.
Other add-on options are the SP2 SCSI kit, which allows the 16 Plus to communicate with hard disk and CD ROM units (and which requires the ME16 memory expansion to be fitted) and the OEX6 Output Expander, which plugs into a socket on the sampler's rear panel and provides six dry audio outputs, grouped as three stereo pairs, in addition to the standard L/R stereo outputs. On the subject of audio outs, Ensoniq have included a stereo headphone output on the 16 Plus - something which was omitted from its predecessor.
The rack-mount version of the EPS16 Plus, known logically enough as the EPS16R Plus, comes with the full 2Mb of memory and four stereo output pairs fitted as standard, and so doesn't require either the ME16 or OEX6 upgrades.
SAMPLING
THE EPS16 PLUS provides a choice of seven sample rates ranging from 11.2kHz-44.6kHz. That's a range of 46.25-11.42 seconds sample time with the standard 1Mb of memory. You'll probably want to mix 'n' match sample rates and reserve some memory for sequences, so in practice the total sample time will fall somewhere between. The inclusion of a Convert Sample Rate function (6.25kHz-48kHz) makes it possible to sample at a higher rate initially and then convert to a lower rate if necessary - and acceptable - later on, in order to conserve memory. An audition facility lets you play the resulting sample before deciding whether or not to keep it.
Sampling is a straightforward process on the 16 Plus, as it is on the EPS. You press the Sample button, select an Instrument in response to the prompt (the 16 Plus automatically selects a new sample location), press the Enter/Yes button and you're in Level Detect mode with a peak-reading VU meter in the fluorescent display. At this stage the incoming sound is automatically routed via the 16 Plus' stereo outs for easy monitoring. The Amp indicator flashes in the display if the signal is clipping, and you can set a Threshold level (indicated by an asterisk in the display) with the Up and Down buttons. With the Left and Right buttons you can scroll to other screens which allow you to select the sample rate and a pre-trigger sample duration (10-20ms) together with either mic or line input level, view the remaining sample time for the selected sample rate, and adjust the cutoff point of the anti-aliasing filter. The 16 Plus automatically adjusts the latter to its optimum value whenever you change the sample rate, but if you sometimes want less than perfect samples then being able to change it yourself is useful.
Pressing the Enter/Yes button while on the Level Detect screen activates sample mode, at which point the 16 Plus waits until the threshold is exceeded before starting to sample. It only stops sampling when the memory is full or when you press the Cancel/No button, whichever occurs first. Once the sample data has been processed, the 16 Plus asks you to play a Root Key for the sample (the note at which it'll be replayed at original pitch). At this point the sample is spread across the keyboard.
To build up multisamples you keep going through the above process, assigning each sample to the appropriate Root Key. The 16 Plus automatically sets the splitpoint between two adjacent samples to be midway between their Root Keys, but you can adjust the range of each sample at any time. To redo a sample you go through the above process again, only selecting the sample you've just sampled into rather than a new sample.
Once you have a sample in memory you can set its playback mode (forward no loop, backward no loop, loop forward, loop bidirection or loop and release) and adjust its Sample Start and End points and Loop Start and End points. These adjustments can be made while you play the sample, so it's easy to hear when they're wrong. A combination of coarse and fine adjust parameters and Up/Down and data slider controls allow you to move quickly or slowly through the sample data, while if Auto Loop Finding is enabled, the 16 Plus will automatically seek out zero crossing points for the loop start and end parameters as you scroll through the sample.
Like the EPS, the 16 Plus offers a wealth of looping options should zero crossing points not be enough. As well as standard crossfade looping, you get Reverse Crossfade, Ensemble Crossfade, Bowtie Crossfade, Bidirectional Crossfade, Make Loop Longer and Synthesised Loop. You still have to locate what seem like decent loop points, but these options do their level best to create smooth loops for you.
You can copy, delete, truncate, mix, merge and splice samples, and get the 16 Plus to create a square-wave sample for you. Loop Position allows you to adjust the Loop Start point while retaining the loop size, a function which is well suited to trying out a loop on different parts of a sampled break.
Dynamic modulation of Sample Start, Loop Start and Loop End points can be programmed on an individual sample basis. Any one of 15 modulation sources - including mod wheel, velocity, aftertouch, keyboard tracking and random noise generator - can be used to dynamically control either Loop Position, Sample Start, Sample Start and Loop Position, Loop Start, Loop End, Loop Start-X or Transwave, with programmable modulation amount and range. Again, this can work well with sampled breaks, as a means of spontaneously expanding or contracting a loop or moving it around within a break which lasts several bars.
VOICING
LIKE THE EPS, the EPS16 Plus can route each of its samples through an all-digital Voice configuration which consists of an oscillator, two multi-mode filters, an LFO, three six-stage envelope generators "hard-wired'' to pitch, filter-cutoff and amplitude, and a sophisticated matrix modulation setup which allows oscillator pitch, LFO depth and speed, filter cutoff frequency, volume and pan position to be dynamically controlled from a range of 15 modulation sources which include the LFO, a random noise generator, velocity, aftertouch, envelopes one and two, the pitchbend and mod wheels and an external MIDI controller. The 16 Plus's polyphonic aftertouch keyboard comes into its own as a modulation source, allowing each note to provide its own degree of modulation. For instance, using polyphonic aftertouch to modulate pan position gives each active Voice independent movement within the stereo image.
"The EPS16 Plus takes onboard effects processing into a new realm by allowing you to digitally resample an effected Wavesample within the instrument."
The two filters within each Voice can be configured in any one of four ways: 3-pole low-pass + 1-pole low-pass, 2-pole low-pass + 2-pole low-pass (the classic 24dB/octave "analogue" filter response), 3-pole low-pass + 1-pole high-pass, and 2-pole low-pass + 2-pole high-pass. Disappointingly, Ensoniq haven't taken the opportunity to upgrade their filters with resonance control, but in other respects the Voice configuration offers abundant programming detail - for instance, separate envelope levels for soft and hard velocities (with the 16 Plus dynamically interpolating between the two according to the received velocity), random modulation of pitch, velocity control of envelope attack time, keyboard scaling of envelope times, envelope second-release time and level, an envelope mode (normal, cycle or repeat), LFO "humanise'' mode (randomly fluctuating LFO speed) and glide and legato performance modes. There's also plenty of modulation flexibility: for instance, you could use polyphonic aftertouch to modulate filter cutoff frequency and LFO speed while the LFO is modulating oscillator pitch and Voice pan position.
TUNING
THE EPS16 PLUS allows you to create up to eight pitch tables for each of its eight Instruments, and give each one a 12-character name. Each Layer within an Instrument (see Get Organised) can be played with either standard equal-temperament tuning, a fixed pitch across the entire note-range (middle C), or any one of the pitch tables assigned to that Instrument.
Within a pitch table, every note from A0-C8 can be given its own coarse (semitone) and fine (cent) tunings. Fine tuning spans 0-99 cents (there are 100 cents to a semitone), and can be programmed to one-cent resolution. Although cent tuning is only positive-going, you can flatten a note by tuning it down a semitone and then sharpening it by the appropriate number of cents.
The Extrapolate Pitch Table function allows you to quickly copy one interval or a series of intervals over the entire A0-C8 span, providing a quick means of creating, say, quarter-tone or reversed semitone scales. Finally, Pitch tables can be copied from one Instrument to another and Deleted.
GET ORGANISED
THE EPS16 PLUS can hold up to eight Instruments in its internal memory, each of which can consist of up to 127 Wavesamples (a Wavesample being a sample plus associated looping and synthesis parameters) spread across eight Layers. A Wavesample can be assigned to any range of notes, but only one Wavesample can be assigned to any one note within a Layer. To crossfade between Wavesamples over a note range, velocity-switch and velocity-crossfade between them or layer and overlap them, you need to assign them to different Layers. The 16 Plus gives you all the flexibility and versatility you could want when it comes to creating keyboard textures.
Complete Instruments can be layered by double-clicking on the relevant Instrument/Track buttons, while split textures can be created by giving the Instruments appropriate note ranges.
Further versatility is provided by the four Patches which can be programmed for each Instrument and selected using the front-panel Patch Select buttons, an Ensoniq SW5 Dual Footswitch or MIDI controller code 70. Each Patch can be programmed to play any selection of the eight Layers, so for instance you could set up one Patch to provide solo piano (Layer one) and another to provide layered piano and strings (Layers one and two). That's an obvious use, but in practice the Patches can be put to a wide range of uses.
With all this textural sophistication, the inclusion of eight Performance Presets is welcome - these allow you to store and instantly recall selected internal and MIDI textures.
EFFECTS
THE EPS16 PLUS' onboard digital effects processing is the most substantial advance over its predecessor. Effects processing is provided by the Ensoniq Signal Processor (ESP) chip working in conjunction with a third-generation version of the company's Digital Oscillator Chip (DOC III), with a 16-bit DAC at the output stage. Of the four stereo busses on the 16 Plus, three are routed into the effects processor while the fourth (Aux) is routed to the rear-panel Output Expander socket and the OEX6, bypassing the effects. Each Voice can be assigned to one of these four busses. In most cases Buss 3 is reserved as a "dry" path to the main stereo outs.
The EPS16 Plus offers a choice of 13 programmable Effects: Hall, 44kHz and Room Stereo Reverbs; Dual and 44kHz Delays; Chorus + Reverb; Phaser + Reverb; Flanger + Reverb; Rotary Speaker + Reverb; Chorus + Reverb + DDL; Compression + Distortion + Reverb; Distortion + Chorus + Reverb; and Wah + Distortion + Reverb. These provide all the quality and programming flexibility we've come to expect on Ensoniq's synthesisers since the advent of the VFX, including dynamic control of selected effect parameters (reverb wet/dry mix, flanger feedback amount and rotary speaker fast/slow switch) from a range of ten modulation sources which include mod wheel, channel aftertouch, velocity, incoming MIDI controller and the Patch Select buttons. Incidentally, the 44kHz effects reduce the standard 20-voice polyphony of the 16 Plus to a more modest 13 voices.
With three busses into the effects processor you get quite considerable routing flexibility. For instance, with the Chorus + Reverb effect, you can use Buss 1 for Chorus and Reverb, Buss 2 for Reverb only, and Buss 3 as a dry output. Additionally, you can determine a reverb dry/wet mix for the chorussed signal and a reverb dry/wet mix for Buss 2. Chorus + Reverb + DDL gives you Chorus and Reverb on Buss 1, Reverb only on Buss 2, and DDL only on Buss 3, with a wet/dry mix on each buss.
Selecting Rotate as the output buss assignment for a Voice causes the routing to cycle around Busses 1-3, so that each successive note played for that Voice is routed via a different buss. An interesting if rather mechanical feature; you could perhaps route every third note of a guitar part through distortion, or every third snare beat through digital delay.
Running a looped break through a potentially extreme effect like Wah + Distortion + Reverb and editing effect parameters on the fly is something that's well worth investigating if you're into using breaks. Playing around with such parameters as reverb damping, compressor threshold, distortion gain, wah centre and range and the seriously dangerous system feedback can take you into the wilder realms of dub and industrial noise.
"If you don't use the onboard sequencer, the 16 Plus is worth considering purely as a multitimbral sampler - you won't find a better instrument for under £2000."
The EPS16 Plus takes onboard effects processing into a new realm by allowing you to resample an effected Wavesample. This is done internally, so the process remains entirely digital. You can set the destination Wavesample, the key at which the Wavesample will be resampled, the sample time and the output channel (Left or Right) that the 16 Plus will resample from. Once you've done this, pressing the Enter/Yes button activates the resampling process and you hear the Wavesample with effect being played by the 16 Plus. Once the process is finished, you can audition the new and resampled Wavesamples and discard the new one if it hasn't turned out right. If you keep the new Wavesample, it's automatically routed to Buss 3, presumably because this is often dry.
Of course, there are practical limitations as soon as an effect becomes part of a sample. For one thing, it becomes fixed, unchanging - so you lose the sort of dynamic effect changes you can get by whacking up the feedback level on the phaser or dynamically modulating an effect parameter from, say, aftertouch. What's more, unless the sample is a one-shot you'll have to reloop it, which isn't always easy - and can make the effect sound more artificial. And the effect will change as you play a sample up and down the keyboard - DDL rate will become faster or slower, for instance. There again, resampling allows you to experiment with reversed effects, with or without reversing the actual sound (if you reverse the sound, resample it with the effect and then reverse the result, you get the effect but not the original sound reversed - and with reverb and DDL you get the effect before the sound). Another virtue of resampling with effect is that you can effect an effected sound, and so create sounds that you couldn't get by running a Wavesample "live" through the 16 Plus's effects processing. And you can resample as many times as you want without loss of quality, because the process is entirely within the digital domain.
Resampling with effect is best for creating special effects (you can use effects processing to create weird sounds that you couldn't possibly get by standard synthesis means), giving individual sounds within a drumkit their own effect processing, and effecting a looped break (anything from a subtle touch of flanging or DDL to some wild tonal changes using the Wah + Distortion + Reverb effect).
SEQUENCING
THE SEQUENCER ON the EPS16 Plus adopts the same format as that on the EPS: 80 eight-track sequences which can be chained together to form one Song in memory, with a further eight Song tracks which run parallel to the Sequence tracks and allow you to record for the entire length of the Song chain. Each Sequence can be up to 999 bars long, while a Song can consist of up to 99 steps, each of which can have up to 99 repetitions. Song tracks can only be recorded once you've set up a Song chain, while Sequence tracks can't be recorded in the context of Song tracks.
Although literally speaking there are 16 tracks, the Sequence and Song tracks aren't wholly independent of one another. For one thing, Instruments 1-8 are allocated both to Sequence tracks 1-8 and Song tracks 1-8. This means in turn that controller data such as pitchbend and sustain pedal recorded into a Song track will also affect the corresponding Sequence track, and vice versa - as will track mix and track pan data. Another practical limitation is that internal/MIDI status is defined per Instrument rather than per track, as are MIDI transmit and receive channels.
More often than not, then, you'll want to record into either a Sequence track or the equivalent Song track, in which case you've effectively got an eight-track sequencer with the balance of Sequence and Song tracks decided by you.
Each Sequence can be given its own time signature and tempo. The length of the first track to be recorded within a Sequence defines the length of the Sequence, but you can subsequently lengthen or shorten a Sequence. Track record mode can be set to Replace, Add or Looped (the latter providing drum machine-style recording). You can Goto any bar within a Sequence once the initial track has been recorded, and start recording from that point; it's also possible to manually drop in at any point in a track. You can record a track from the 16 Plus' keyboard and/or an external MIDI source. Apparently the next version software will offer multitrack recording via incoming MIDI, together with the ability to load Instruments while a Sequence or Song is playing.
In traditional Ensoniq fashion, the 16 Plus allows you to audition old and new versions of a track before deciding which to keep. As well as providing a quick means of erasing an unsuccessful take, this allows you to recall a previous take. Track mix (volume) and pan data can be recorded dynamically into a track by selecting the appropriate parameter field and then adjusting the value using the data slider and the Up/Down buttons... Patch changes can be recorded into a track by holding down the appropriate Instrument/Track button, tapping in the patch number on the numeric keypad and then releasing the Instrument/Track button at the appropriate point in the Sequence or Song.
Track editing functions include quantising, copying, erasing, merging, transposition, time-shifting, event-scaling, and erasing and copying of specific types of event. There's also detailed and precise event editing to clock resolution (the EPS16 Plus has 96ppqn resolution to the EPS' 48ppqn).
In addition to selecting a Sequence and a number of repeats for each step in the Song chain, you can define the status of each Sequence track as Muted, Playing or Transposed, and program a single transposition amount (± one octave in semitone steps) which applies to all Transposed tracks within the step. Although the Song tracks are provided for extended recording, you can Goto any Song step and begin recording from that point, so it's possible to record on a step-by-step basis.
Real-time muting of Sequence and Song tracks during playback is possible from dedicated screens. You select a Track by pressing the relevant Instrument/Track button, then use the Up and Down buttons to set the track to M(ute) or P(lay). Being able to mute and unmute tracks simply by successive presses of the Instrument buttons would have been preferable. Also, it's a shame that the 16 Plus can't record real-time track mutes - surely no more difficult a task than recording track mix and pan data.
VERDICT
THE EPS16 PLUS is a powerful, sophisticated, versatile, well-thought-out sampler with a great deal of depth to it - which is no more than we've come to expect from Ensoniq. Sample quality is excellent, while the fixed-rate sample playback ensures that samples transposed down over several octaves remain undistorted. The usual musician-friendly onboard sequencer does no harm to Ensoniq's workstation credentials, though to my mind the company should have taken the opportunity to upgrade the 16 Plus to 16 Instruments and truly independent Sequence and Song tracks.
Even if you don't want to use the onboard sequencer, the 16 Plus is well worth considering purely as a multitimbral sampler - you won't find a better instrument for under £2000. Above all it's the 16 Plus's onboard effects processing and its Resample-with-effect function which puts it in a class of its own - and most decidedly distinguishes it from its predecessor.
Ensoniq show yet again that they're a company to be taken very seriously - not least by their Japanese competitors.
Prices EPS16 Plus, £1795; EPS 16R Plus, £1825. Both prices include VAT.
More from Sound Technology plc,.Lady Liberty appears "in a new light, as an African-American woman," in a $100 gold coin unveiled Thursday, officials at the U.S. Mint have announced.
The 2017 American Liberty 225th Anniversary Gold Coin shows a woman's head in profile with a crown of stars. It features the year of the Philadelphia mint's founding, 1792, as well as 2017. The reverse side of the coin depicts an eagle in flight.
OFFICER WAS WRONG TO ARREST PREACHER FOR READING BIBLE AT DMV, COURT RULES
The coin is the first in a series. Future 24-karat gold coins will show Liberty in designs representing Asian-Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans, according to the mint. From the late 18th through the early 20th century, most U.S. coins featured depictions of Liberty as a woman of Europen ancestry.
"The coin demonstrates our roots in the past through such traditional elements as the inscriptions 'United States of America,' 'Liberty,' 'E Pluribus Unum' and 'In God We Trust,'" Principal Deputy Director Rhett Jeppson said.
The goal of the coins is to reflect the "the cultural and ethnic diversity of the United States," the mint says. The Treasury Department announced last April that abolitionist Harriet Tubman will replace President Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill starting around 2020.
The one-ounce coin is set to be released on April 6. It comes in a wooden case with an anniversary booklet and a certificate of authenticity, USA Today reported.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.Roccat has unveiled specifications of its upcoming range of gaming keyboards which they first showcased back during CES 2013 in January. This is the Roccat RYOS MK range of mechanical keyboards which will all come equipped with a built-in 32-bit ARM Cortex processor.
This range of Roccat RYOS MK mechanical gaming keyboards consists of three different models which include the RYOS MK, RYOS MG GLOW and their flagship model the RYOS MK PRO. All of these will be equipped with their own built-in 32-bit ARM Cortex processor, the first two are equipped with a single-core processor and the last one is equipped with a dual-core processor.
Roccat‘s Founder and CEO Rene Korte says,
“PC gamers all over the world have been wishing for ROCCAT to come up with a mechanical keyboard — and finally here it is. Congratulations to everyone who has been waiting patiently, you are now able to get the most advanced mechanical keyboard on the market.”
The Roccat RYOS MK and the Roccat RYOS MK GLOW are already available for purchase in the market, priced at $99.99 and $139.99 respectively. The Roccat RYOS MK PRO will be arriving in stores sometime mid-November 2013 and it will be priced at $169.99.
Source: Roccat USAGay members of the armed forces may soon be allowed to get married on military bases.
The minister for the armed forces, Penny Mordaunt, has ordered a pilot project to explore registering MoD sites for civil marriages and partnerships, including same-sex unions.
The move was disclosed in response to a parliamentary question on the use of military chapels for same-sex weddings.
There are 190 state-funded military chapels in England and Wales. Although a law allowing gay marriage was passed in 2013, such ceremonies are banned by the Anglican church and another 11 Christian denominations that provide chaplains to the armed forces. Unitarians and Quakers do permit same-sex marriage.
Last December, Mordaunt told MPs she had asked army chaplains to advise her on how the legal sanction of gay marriages could be fully implemented.
But in a written answer this week, she said that under the terms of the 2013 act, no religious organisation or representation could be forced to conduct or participate in same-sex marriages.
The minister added that she had instead “recently directed that a pilot project is implemented to explore registering Ministry of Defence sites for civil marriages and partnerships; this includes same-sex unions”.
The army ended its ban on gay and lesbian people serving in the military in 2000 following a landmark case in the European court of human rights a year earlier. Since then LGBT rights have been embraced by the armed forces.
Belfast bakers 'would have sinned' if they made gay marriage cake Read more
Last year, the LGBT rights campaign group Stonew |
10 parts per billion increase in nitrogen dioxide. Writing in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, the team led by Professor David Rich, said: "Our findings suggest that air pollution, perhaps specifically traffic emissions during early and late pregnancy and/or factors associated with residence near a roadway during pregnancy, may affect foetal growth." They say it is not clear exactly how air pollution might restrict foetal growth. But they add previous research suggests that air pollution might alter cell activity, or cut the amount of oxygen and nutrients a baby receives while in the womb. Professor Patrick O'Brien, of the UK's Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: "This is an interesting study because it flags up a possibility of a link. "But I think it needs to be looked at again in more detail because of the probability of confounding factors. "The researchers ruled out smoking and social-economic background - other factors which are linked to small babies - but there are many other factors, such as diet, which could have an effect." Professor O'Brien added that future research into the effects of pollution should be careful to check if babies are born small because their parents are small, and to ensure pregnancies are dated from scans, where this study did neither.
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StumbleUpon What are these? E-mail this to a friend Printable versionCongressman says Hersh claims should be subject of formal probe
Steve Watson
Infowars.net
Monday, March 16, 2009
Democratic Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) has called for a formal Congressional probe into allegations by investigative reporter Seymour Hersh that former Vice-President Dick Cheney had his own SS-style political assassination unit.
Kucinich made the call Friday in a letter to Chairman Edolphus Towns of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee which has been published on the Congressman’s website.
Kucinich explains in the letter that, “Mr. Hersh made the allegation before an audience at the University of Minnesota on Tuesday, March 10, 2009. He stated, ‘Under President Bush’s authority, they’ve been going into countries, not talking to the ambassador or the CIA station chief, and finding people on a list and executing them and leaving… It is a special wing of our special operations community that is set up independently. They do not report to anybody, except in the Bush-Cheney days, they reported directly to the Cheney office...Congress has no oversight of it.’”
“If true, these operations violate longstanding U.S. policy regarding covert actions and illegally bypass Congressional oversight,” Kucinich adds. “Hersh is within a year or more of releasing a book that is said to include evidence of this allegation. However, we cannot wait a year or more to establish the truth.”
The claims were made by the Award-winning New Yorker writer last Tuesday when he told a University of Minnesota audience “After 9/11, I haven’t written about this yet, but the Central Intelligence Agency was very deeply involved in domestic activities against people they thought to be enemies of the state. Without any legal authority for it. They haven’t been called on it yet.”
A d v e r t i s e m e n t
Hersh then went on to describe how the Joint Special Operations Command was an executive assassination unit that carried out political`assassinations abroad.. “It is a special wing of our special operations community that is set up independently,” he explained. “They do not report to anybody, except in the Bush-Cheney days, they reported directly to the Cheney office. … Congress has no oversight of it.”
In our exclusive story last weekend we detailed how the assassination unit was not a creation of the Bush administration or Dick Cheney. The Joint Special Operations Command, has in fact been active for decades, has been deployed domestically in the U.S., has killed U.S. citizens, and continues as an integral part of Barack Obama’s expanded wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Kucinich has previously targeted the former Vice President, when in April 2007, he filed an impeachment resolution against Cheney charging manipulation of evidence regarding Iraq’s weapons capabilities prior to the invasion of 2003.
The measure was blocked by the Democratic leadership, as were articles of impeachment against President George W. Bush in June 2008.
The full text of Kucinich’s letter follows:
March 13, 2009
The Honorable Edolphus Towns
Chairman
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
U.S. House of Representatives
2157 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Chairman Towns:
As you may already be aware, recent media reports indicate that investigative reporter, Seymour Hersh, while answering questions before a public audience at the University of Minnesota divulged information about what he calls an “executive assassination ring” operating under the George W. Bush Administration.
If substantiated, the allegation would have far reaching implications for the United States. Such an assertion from someone of Hersh’s credibility that has a long and proven track record of dependability on these issues merits attention. Mr. Hersh is within a year or more of releasing a book that is said to include evidence of this allegation. However, we cannot wait a year or more to establish the truth. As such, I request that the Full Committee immediately begin an investigation to determine the facts in this matter.
Mr. Hersh made the allegation before an audience at the University of Minnesota on Tuesday, March 10, 2009. He stated, “Under President Bush’s authority, they’ve been going into countries, not talking to the ambassador or the CIA station chief, and finding people on a list and executing them and leaving.”
Mr. Hersh continued, “It is a special wing of our special operations community that is set up independently,” he explained. “They do not report to anybody, except in the Bush-Cheney days, they reported directly to the Cheney office...Congress has no oversight of it.”
If true, these operations violate longstanding U.S. policy regarding covert actions and illegally bypass Congressional oversight. Current statute governing covert action (50 U.S.C. 413b) requires a presidential finding and notification to the appropriate congressional committees. Additionally, Executive Order 12333 clearly states that “[n]o person employed by or acting on behalf of the United States Government shall engage in or conspire to engage in assassination.”
I urge the Committee to explore Mr. Hersh’s allegation. Please do not hesitate to call on me or my staff if we can be of assistance.
Sincerely,
Dennis J. Kucinich
Member of Congress
This article was posted: Monday, March 16, 2009 at 10:49 am
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Comment on this articleLost Warhol originals extracted from decaying Amiga floppies
Golan Levin writes, "My lab (in collaboration with Cory Arcangel, the CMU Computer Club, The Andy Warhol Museum, and the Carnegie Museum of Art) has announced a major dead-media discovery. We have recovered previously unknown, pure-digital artworks by Andy Warhol -- extracted from decaying Amiga floppy disks from 1985."
Warhol created the works with Graphicraft, and the disks needed a lot of love and coaxing to get the files off them (to my mind, the story of the technical heroics is a lot more interesting than the pictures, but I'm not much of a Warhol fan). A documentary film about the file recovery called "Trapped" will premiere on May 10 at the Carnegie Library Lecture Hall in Pittsburgh.
Warhol’s Amiga experiments were the products of a commission by Commodore International to demonstrate the graphic arts capabilities of the Amiga 1000 personal computer. Created by Warhol on prototype Amiga hardware in his unmistakable visual style, the recovered images reveal an early exploration of the visual potential of software imaging tools, and show new ways in which the preeminent American artist of the 20th century was years ahead of his time....
Previously Unknown Warhol Works Discovered on Floppy Disks from 1985
(Thanks, Golan!)Capacity issues draw the short straw in Cuomo’s Empire Station Complex plan for Penn Station By Benjamin Kabak By· Published in 2016
Call it the return of Moynihan Station. Call it the Empire strikes back. Call it an ambitious plan to expand Penn Station (because of those “underwhelming dining options”). Call it misguided. Whatever you prefer, something seems to be coalescing around Midtown West’s train station, and it is all thanks to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s desire to move us into and out of New York City.
In what I believe was the last day of Cuomo’s whirlwind State of the State preview tour that had him criss-crossing New York to announce various infrastructure upgrades, Cuomo announced two plans of dubious origin yesterday. The first is the bone he threw to upstate politicians who had asked for “parity” with regards to the MTA’s five-year capital plan. The state will, for some reason, spend $22 billion on upstate roads. It is ironically and appropriately called the PAVE NY plan, and it certainly isn’t parity. Considering the economic impact of such spending, the state would have to spend around $50-$60 billion on the MTA to create true parity. That was the appetizer though.
The governor returned to Manhattan early on Wednesday afternoon to announce an initiative that could usher in a completely overhauled Penn Station as early as 2019 — when Cuomo is still likely to be governor. The new plan looks suspiciously similar to the Moynihan Station proposal that’s been gestating for three decades, but it now bears the moniker of the Empire Station Complex, which is not, I’ve been told, Kylo Ren and Snoke’s plan for a replacement for the Starkiller Base. Rather, it is the start of Cuomo hopes is a $3 billion public-private partnership to usher in a “world-class transportation hub” for New York City. Considering our experiences with the other transportation hub at the World Trade Center site, you’ll have to excuse me if I don’t jump for joy.
In presenting this plan, Cuomo managed to praise Robert Moses for “designing for the future” in creating “much of the highway and parks system we still depend on.” You can spend 1000 words unpacking that statement and Cuomo’s intentions alone. Rather, though, let’s talk about what the Penn Station renovations do and what they do not do.
First, they certainly look nice. By shifting the main terminal to the Farley Post Office building site, the plans create a European-style sunlight waiting room with higher ceilings and an overall better passenger experience (less the avenue block walk from the IRT trains) than one currently enjoys at Penn Station. It solves what Cuomo identified as a major problem with Penn Station. “Penn Station is un-New York: it is dark, it is constrained, it is ugly, it is dated architecture, it is a lost opportunity. Travelers are relegated to a bleak warren of corridors,” he said. “Frankly, it’s a miserable experience, to cut to the chase, and to really cut to the chase, it is a terrible introduction to New York.”
But to “fundamentally transform” Penn Station, Cuomo has seemingly forgotten the transit options. His plan:
Penn Station Redevelopment: The existing Penn Station facility, which lies beneath Madison Square Garden and between 7th and 8th Avenues, will be dramatically renovated. The project will widen existing corridors, reconfiguring ticketing and waiting areas, improve connectivity between the lower levels and street level, bring natural light into the facility, improve signage, simplify navigation and reduce congestion, and expand and upgrade the retail offerings and passenger amenities on all levels of the station. The new station will include Wi-Fi, modernized train information displays and streamlined ticketing. Several design alternatives will be considered, including major exterior renovations involving 33rd street, 7th avenue, 8th avenue, and/or Madison Square Garden Theater… Farley Post Office Redevelopment: As part of the Governor’s proposal, the Farley Post Office, which sits across 8th Avenue from Penn Station, will be redeveloped into a state-of-the-art train hall for Amtrak, the new train hall, with services for passengers of the Long Island Rail Road, New Jersey Transit and the new Air Train to LaGuardia Airport. The train hall will be connected to Penn Station via an underground pedestrian concourse, and increase the station’s size by 50 percent. At 210,000 square feet, the train hall will be roughly equivalent in size to the main room at Grand Central Terminal. The new facility will offer more concourse and circulation space, include retail space and modern amenities such as Wi-Fi and digital ticketing, and feature 30 new escalators, elevators and stairs to speed passenger flow. The Governor’s proposal also calls for an iconic yet energy-efficient architectural design.
Cuomo presented the proposal with an aggressive timeline. He wants companies to bid on it within 90 days, and as I mentioned, he wants it built within three years. It’s clear this is something he wants to see through as governor. In fact, as The Times reports today, a behind-the-scenes agreement among New York State, Related and Vornado nearly came to fruition last year, but the negotiations simply took too long. Cuomo is now opening up the process so that development companies can bid on parts — that is, only the 7th Ave./33rd St. half or only the Farley rebuild — or all of the renovations at once. Vornado and Related are expected to be involved in the bidding, and Extell and Brookfield will be as well.
Considering we all know that Penn Station is an ugly mess of a train station that doesn’t serve as a particularly alluring gateway to New York City, what, you may wonder, are the objections to this project? Simply put, it is another multi-billion-dollar expense that, by itself, doesn’t do anything to solve the region’s real problem of transit capacity. Amtrak’s CEO Joe Boardman stated that the Penn Station overhaul is “setting the stage for the future expansion of rail service and ridership that will be made possible by the Gateway Program,” but without a firm commitment to build the Gateway Tunnel, the Penn overhaul is nothing more than lipstick on a pig.
And so we arrive back at the problem that Cuomo’s plan is a lot of flash without much substance. Despite promises to build the tunnel in his presentation, we still don’t know what the future holds for Gateway, and nothing Cuomo has said over the past few days of infrastructure press conferences has changed that reality. Gateway exists as an idea with some momentum and vague commitments to reach a funding agreement. There are no dollars flowing, no timelines, no studies, no shovels. Much as the World Trade Center PATH Hub was a $4 billion expense to create a shopping mall, so too might the $3 billion plan to overhaul Penn Station. And the sad part is that for those $7 billion in building expenses, we could have had a new trans-Hudson tunnel sooner rather than later.
Of course, if Gateway materializes, the Penn Station overhaul will be a welcome element of a revitalized midtown transit-scape, but we’re talking multi-billion-dollar, decade-long if’s. Cuomo won’t be in office to cut that ribbon, and supporting a project he won’t be around to see through will take leadership he hasn’t shown yet.THE BATTLE OF BERLIN During the summer of 1942, the German Third Reich was at its zenith. Hitler had created an empire which dominated all Europe, stretching from the Atlantic coastline of France to deep within the heartlands of Soviet Russia. Germany's powerful war machine seemed unstoppable. After the disastrous German defeat at Stalingrad (October 42 - February 43) the German Whermacht in Russia was severely crippled and forced onto the defensive. Although the successful German counter offensive at Kharkov (February - March 43) had revived hopes for victory in the east, the Russian victory at Kursk in the summer of 1943 quickly ended this false optimism and the long retreat was resumed. By mid - 1944 Germany's steady decline was irreversible. She had become powerless to stop the Allies steady advance. With her reserves exhausted, Germany's staggering losses in both men and materials could no longer be replaced. At the start of 1945 Hitler had clearly lost his empire, Germany now found itself effectively under siege. After six years of war on a global scale, the once mighty German armed forces had been utterly destroyed, with it's pathetic remnants pushed back too within their own borders. By April, much of Germany had been occupied by the Allied armies. Although their still remained strong pockets of resistance, the war was clearly drawing to an end. The German forces in the east however continued to fight on more bitterly to allow German refugees to escape westward. As the Russian's closed on the German capital, Hitler designated Berlin and impregnable fortress which must be defended to the last. Concentrated in the Berlin sector, the German's could muster (1,000,000 men, 1,500 tanks, 10,400 artillery pieces and 3,300 aircraft, with the Berlin garrison itself amounting to 200,000 men). Although this was a powerful force on paper, the reality of the situation was the German's were in fact scraping the bottom of the manpower barrel. Their front lines were formed by poor quality troops bolstering mainly Volksstrum units (German citizens pressed into service) ranging from sixteen year old boys to veterans of the First World War. Of the Berlin defenders 60,000 comprised Volksstrum personal. YOUNG AND OLD AWAIT THE SOVIET ONSLAUGHT In response the Red Army could field a formidable force consisting of (2,500,000 men, 6,250 tanks, 41,000 artillery pieces and 7,500 aircraft). Unlike their foe these were veteran troops, highly trained and well equipped.Each soldier also possessed a bloodlust to destroy the German capital and raze it to the ground. On April 12th, President Roosevelt died. Hitler by this time was severally delusional, not only did he believe the sudden death of the U.S leader would provoke the Allies to turn upon one another, Hitler was now positively sure that an oracle's recent telling of the Third Reich's future was completely accurate in that "It is written in the stars that the second half of April would be a turning point in the war for Germany." On April 16th, Hitler's vain hopes were finally shattered as three Soviet fronts launched a massive assault against the German sectors to the north, east and south of Berlin, which Outnumbered their foe 5:1 in men, 15:1 in artillery, 5:1 in tanks and 3:1 in aircraft. Despite the overwhelming odds against them, the German's still managed to put up a stubborn defence inflicting thousands of casualties upon the enemy formations. After very bitter fighting however the Oder- Neisse defence line finally crumbled under the weight of the Soviet attack and Russian forces poured unopposed into the open German countryside. On April 20th, Hitler celebrated his fifty sixth birthday. This was to be the last official ceremony of the Third Reich. Among the list of high ranking dignitaries in attendance were Goring, Himmler, Goebbels, Speer and Bormann. As the visitors lined the bunkers central corridor, Hitler walked amongst them shaking their hands and expressing his gratitude for their services to the regime. On the morning of April 21st, Hitler ordered SS General Felix Steiner and his 3rd SS panzer army stationed north of Berlin to launch a major offensive and deny Zhukov the northern approaches to the capital. In reality Steiner's force was so under strength that it amounted to little more than remnants of various retreating formations scraped together from the highways, thus when the attack went forward it was repulsed that same day after gains of only a few kilometres. On the evening of the 21st, Soviet troops reached the small villages lining the outskirts of Berlin. The reports of rape, torture and murder by the fleeing villagers horrified the terrified Berliners. The defenders within the Reich capital knew of the terror that approached and felt they now had no choice but to resist the Russian's to the very last. April 25th clearly signaled that an end to Hitler's madness was drawing near. Russian and U.S forces had meet at Torgau splitting Germany in two. The army groups of Marshall's Zhukov and Konev also linked up to the west of Berlin completing the encirclement of the city and near the town of Stettin, Marshall Rokossovsky's 2nd Belorussian front broke through the German defenses and utterly destroyed the Third Panzer Army. Despite the obvious hopelessness of the situation, Hitler still put his faith in General Wenck's 70,000 strong 12th army which had been recently withdrawn from the western front, to link up with General Busse's 40,000 men of the 9th army retreating from the Oder river line. Once this juncture was completed both commanders were to launch a counter offensive and relive Berlin. Advancing from the south, Marshall Konev's mobile reserve armies quickly caught up and overtook Busse's exhausted men, trapping them within the forests surrounding the small town of Halbe. Because these Russian forces were denied the honor of the historic assault on Berlin, their commanders choose to ignore all German requests of surrender and instead decided to annihilate their German foe. Busse's men had little or no ammunition, armor, artillery and no air cover to call upon, they simply had nothing left to defend themselves. The subsequent Russian massacre of the German 9th army was simply horrific. The Russian attack easily rolled over the hastily prepared German positions leaving no survivors. Konev's men simply left the wounded German's screaming by the roadside to die a slow death as they marched onward to inflict more destruction on the German countryside. Upon hearing of 9th armies complete destruction, Wenck immediately ordered his forces to halt. In the midst of such a catastrophic event Hitler's frenzied orders to continue with the operation took on a sinister almost nightmarish quality. For a soldier who had always adhered to the strict German code of discipline, Wenck decided for the first time in his military career to disobey his Fuhrer's orders, resolving instead to fall back and lead his men towards the American's so as to spare them the fate of being taken prisoner by the Russian's. Unknown to Hitler, all remaining German forces were not marching to relieve Berlin as ordered, but in fact were turning westward to surrender to the Allies. With no serious German opposition remaining within the Berlin sector, Konev and Zhukov launched their offensive to capture the Reich capital. On April 26th as many as 500,000 Red Army troops swarmed into Berlin from all directions. Fierce and bloody battles now ensued as the fighting became street to street and house to house. Russia's vast tank superiority counted for little as they suffered heavy losses attempting to advance through the debris ridden streets of the city. Night and day Russian artillery and Katyusha rocket batteries bombarded German defensive positions at point blank range, in some cases leveling entire city blocks. Despite the seemingly hopelessness of the situation, German defenders continued to contest every yard of rubble, putting up a fanatical resistance against the Soviet onslaught. During this period of heavy fighting, SS execution squads freely roamed the inner streets of the city with an increased urgency and cold fanaticism looking for deserters and shirkers. All able bodied males from young to old which were caught not participating in the cities defense, were mercilessly executed in cold blood, or hanged from the nearest light post. By this time Hitler had but one last German force remaining to throw at the Russian's, the 5,000 strong Hitler youth corps lead by Artur Axmann. Comprising eleven and twelve year old boys these children armed with little more than small arms and portable anti tank weaponry, were ordered to hold the strategic Pichelsdorf bridges to the very last. The commander of Berlin's defense, General Reymann, steadfastly protested the order to occupy defensive positions with mere children, for expressing his concerns he was subsequently relived of command by Hitler and replaced by a much younger Lieutenant General Weilding. HITLER DECORATES BOY SOLDIERS OF THE HITLER YOUTH Despite two days of fanatical German resistance, the Russian's had penetrated to within 600 meters of the Fuhrer bunker itself. The government district surrounding the Reichstag was now heavily garrisoned with the remnants of the cities defenders amounting to nearly 10,000 men. The mixture of troops scraped together in this last great effort to resist the Russian's was truly astounding. Units representing the Kreigsmarine, Luftwaffe, Waffen SS, Volksstrum, Hitler youth and Foreign SS now comprised Hitler's final Praetorian Guard. On the morning of April 29th, Hitler received reports that Soviet troops were advancing through a subway tunnel under the river Spree. Hitler wasted no time in ordering Berlin's entire underground subway system to be flooded. Not only did the subsequent water surge engulf the Russian assault troops, it also drowned tens of thousands of wounded German soldiers and civilians which were taking refuge from the fighting in the city streets above. Later in the day news had reached Hitler of Benito Mussolini's execution by partisans and how the bodies of his Italian comrade and that of his mistress had been hanged upside down and mutilated in a town square by the populace of Milan. During that evening confirmation had also been received from Field Marshall Keitel that no relief of the city could be expected, this coupled with General Weidling's report that the Russian's were now a mere 200 meters from the bunker and that resistance would collapse within the next twenty four hours, cemented Hitler's resolve to end his life. Just before midnight, Hitler married his long time mistress Eva Braun, giving her the one title she had dreamed of all these long years at the Fuhrer's side, that of Mrs Adolph Hitler. Throughout the remainder of the night Hitler dictated his last will and testament naming Grand Admiral Donitz as his successor and leaving all his worldly possessions to his beloved Nazi party. On the morning of April 30th, the atmosphere within the Fuhrer bunker was tense and emotional. Hitler appeared quite calm as he spent the morning silently roaming the bunker complex. During the afternoon Hitler assembled the Nazi inner circle and made his final farewells and then retired to his room with his wife. At 3.15 pm, a single pistol shot was heard. Goebbels, Bormann and the recently arrived Axmann cautiously entered Hitler's sitting room. Both Hitler and Eva were slumped on the couch, Hitler with a single bullet wound to the head while Eva lay at his side, her lips puckered and blue from the poison she had ingested. Goebbels reportedly stated to the gallery of shocked onlookers "The heart of Germany ceases to beat". Hitler's body with that of Eva's were then carried up the stairs to the Chancellery garden, drenched in petrol and set aflame. Along with his wife Magda, Goebbels had decided to remain loyal to the Fuhrer to the very end. Accompanying them within the bunker were their six children ranging from three to twelve years of age. To spare them the wrath of the Soviets, Magda had given the unsuspecting children chocolate treats which were laced with a slow acting poison. Once they were all dead Goebbels and Magda then walked up to the Chancellery garden where an SS guard shot them both and then burned their bodies. The most desperate fighting within the city now raged over the Reichstag. Were the last of the Berlin defenders had assembled to make their final stand. The Russian's now brought up 205mm howitzers to reduce the Reichstag to dust. Firing at point blank range, the Russian heavy guns released a thunderous barrage which blasted huge holes in the Reichstag's superstructure but failed to bring down its walls. The Russian's were now forced to send in Soviet assault troops to capture the building. After two bloody days in which the fighting degenerated into savage hand to hand combat, the Reichstag was finally captured after fanatical resistance by the last of the SS troops which had fought on to the very last. THE FALL OF THE REICHSTAG On May 1st, the Red Flag was hoisted atop the statuary which rises above the columns of the main entrance to the Reichstag. That same day the Pichelsdorf bridges were finally captured after heavy Russian casualties with the surrender of the last 500 boy - soldiers of the Hitler youth corps still remaining alive. On May 2nd, General Weilding visited Marshall Chuikov's headquarters and signed the declaration for all remaining German forces still defending small pockets within the city, to lay down their arms. Russian casualties in the eight day campaign for the German capital amounted to 80,000 dead and 275,000 wounded along with an astounding 2,000 tanks. German losses in Berlin's defense numbered 150,000 dead and 134,000 taken prisoner. GERMAN TROOPS BEGIN TO SURRENDER The worst mistake made by the German military authorities within Berlin was their refusal to destroy the cities vast quantities of alcohol stocks. This decision was based on the belief that a drunken enemy could not fight effectively. Tragically for the female population, this decision would prove disastrous as German women of all ages were assaulted as a part of the extended victory celebrations. Estimates from the Berlin hospitals deduced that out of approximately 100,000 women raped, some 10,000 died with another 30,000 committing suicide. Although Berlin had capitulated, the war would continue for another six bloody days due to the refusal of Field Marshall Schorner's army group in surrendering the Czechoslovakian capital of Prague and the stubborn resistance put up by General von Saucken's forces still trapped in the Courland - Vistula estuary. Only on May 7th, when representatives of the German High Command headed by Field Marshall Keitel, signed the document of unconditional surrender did all remaining German forces lay down their arms, finally ending the war in Europe. Europe now lay devastated and in ruins, its peoples had suffered immensely for Hitler's war of global domination suffering 55,000,000 deaths of which 30,000,000 were civilians including the systematic extermination by the Nazi's of 6,000,000 Jews. The German people also paid dearly under Hitler's twelve year regime suffering 7,060,000 deaths of which 3,810,000 were civilians. To repel Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Motherland, Russia suffered a staggering 21,300,000 casualties of which 7,700,000 were civilians. BACK TO WORLD WAR II BACK TO GREAT MILITARY BATTLES This Literary work © GreatMilitaryBattles.comInstead of heating or cooling your whole house, imagine a fabric that will keep your body at a comfortable temperature — regardless of how hot or cold it actually is.
That’s the goal of an engineering project called ATTACH (Adaptive Textiles Technology with Active Cooling and Heating) at the University of California, San Diego, funded with a $2.6M grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E).
By regulating the temperature around an individual person, rather than a large room, the smart fabric could potentially cut the energy use of buildings and homes by at least 15 percent, said project leader Joseph Wang, distinguished professor of nanoengineering at UC San Diego.
“In cases where there are only one or two people in a large room, it’s not cost-effective to heat or cool the entire room,” said Wang. “If you can do it locally, like you can in a car by heating just the car seat instead of the entire car, you can save a lot of energy.”
Skin temperature
The smart fabric will be designed to regulate the temperature of the wearer’s skin — keeping it at 93° F — by adapting to temperature changes in the room. When the room gets cooler, the fabric will become thicker. When the room gets hotter, the fabric will become thinner, using polymers inside the smart fabric that expand in the cold and shrink in the heat.
“93° F is the average comfortable skin temperature for most people,” added Renkun Chen, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at UC San Diego, and one of the collaborators on this project.
The clothing will incorporate printable “thermoelectrics” into specific spots of the smart fabric to regulate the temperature on “hot spots” — such as areas on the back and underneath the feet — that tend to get hotter than other parts of the body when a person is active.
Saving energy
“With the smart fabric, you won’t need to heat the room as much in the winter, and you won’t need to cool the room down as much in the summer. That means less energy is consumed,” said Chen.
The researchers are also designing the smart fabric to power itself, using rechargeable batteries to power the thermoelectrics and biofuel cells that can harvest electrical power from human sweat.
The 3-D printable wearable parts will be thin, stretchable, and flexible to ensure that the smart fabric is not bulky or heavy. The material will also be washable, stretchable, bendable and lightweight.
“We also hope to make it look attractive and fashionable to wear,” said Wang.Back when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid began publicly attacking the Koch brothers and their right-wing political empire, a lot of the media treated it as a desperate and maybe unseemly attack on “a couple of relatively unknown private citizens,” in the words of Politico, by a guy who saw Senate control slipping from his hands in 2014.
But the more we learn about Charles and David Koch’s sway with top Republican leaders, thanks to embarrassing leaks from their June retreat, the clearer it is that attacks by Reid and other Democrats are justified and proportionate.
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Also clear: Wisconsin is ground zero in the battle over whether the Kochs’ vision of a low-tax, union-free neo-feudalism prevails, and Gov. Scott Walker is a wholly owned Koch subsidiary.
On Wednesday we heard Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell thank the Kochs “for the important work you’re doing,” adding, “I don’t know where we’d be without you.” Then he promised to shut down the government again to force spending and regulatory cuts – clearly Reid was right when he said last year’s shutdown was on the Kochs -- and block action on the minimum wage, extended unemployment insurance and the student loan crisis.
On Thursday in the Huffington Post we learned that Republican Governors Association director Phil Cox told the Kochs and their friends that he has “no stronger partner” than the Koch-funded Americans for Prosperity. And nowhere has that partnership paid more dividends than in Wisconsin.
Not only did the Kochs’ investment in Walker pay off on Election Day 2010 and in his 2011 recall, Cox assured his patrons, it resulted in the achievement of one of their dearest goals: a decline in public sector union membership.
Here’s what Cox told the Kochs and their wealthy allies:
In Wisconsin, because of your support, the 2012 recall, uh, the, the story is very clear. Governor Walker’s reforms are working…And a statistic I think you’ll all care about, given how heavily involved AFP and other groups were in the recall: since the collective bargaining reforms were in place, teachers’ union membership in Wisconsin is down (inaudible) percent. [Local news reports put that figure at 30 to 60 percent.] (Applause) In Wisconsin, it was a really tough battle in 2012. AFP was a tremendous partner. And it’s still a very polarized electorate there. Um, Walker’s (inaudible) is pretty high, probably 47-48, but he’s handling it pretty well, and I don’t see him probably getting beyond 54 or 55. So it’s going to be a state we’re heavily engaged in. The RGA has already put $18 million in Walker over the last four years. We’re not going to let up now. We put $2 million in this spring. Uh, AFP has been on the air. Walker’s been on the air, and the governor currently leads by six points. This is a race we’re going to have to be engaged in right on until the end.
In fact, a Marquette University poll released Wednesday showed that Walker is currently trailing Democrat Mary Burke among likely voters, so AFP and the RGA have a lot more work to do. But clearly, they’re up for it.
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Cox’s remarks about AFP’s role in Walker’s recall campaign should also serve to remind us of the slow-motion political disaster unfolding for the Wisconsin governor, as prosecutors release more details about why they believe that campaign illegally colluded with outside groups, including the AFP and the Club for Growth. Prosecutors have said that Walker isn’t personally a target of the probe, which was shut down by a local Republican judge, a decision the prosecutors are appealing.
But recently released emails show the extent to which Walker personally lobbied donors to give to the Wisconsin Club for Growth. "The Governor is encouraging all to invest in the Wisconsin Club for Growth," said an email from Walker campaign consultant Kate Doner. "Wisconsin Club for Growth can accept corporate and personal donations without limitations and no donors disclosure…As the Governor discussed... he wants all the issue advocacy efforts run thru one group to ensure correct messaging.”
As the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel summarized the new revelations:
The records include example after example of Walker or his aides encouraging donors to give money to the Wisconsin Club for Growth. In September 2011, Doner sent an email to Walker and others with brainstorming ideas for raising money for the Wisconsin Club for Growth. Among them: "Take Koch's money," "Get on a plane to Vegas and sit down with Sheldon Adelson," and "Go heavy after (corporations) to give."
Thanks to Cox, we have an even better picture of the extent to which Walker and the Republican Governors Association collaborated with the Kochs. It may all be legal, but it may finally backfire in Wisconsin, as voters realize their governor is a wholly owned Koch subsidiary. Scott Walker is in trouble, and it may turn out that AFP wasn’t such a “tremendous partner” after all.On 17 August, numerous national newspapers and news websites, published a story about “racist graffiti” directed towards white people in Saltley, a majority Pakistani area of inner-city Birmingham. The piece, originally published by the local Birmingham press, goes on to claim that this corroborates a broad trend of “white working class Brummies” fearing parts of the city had become “no-go areas” for them.
I asked residents of Saltley what they thought of the piece and the general sense of resignation was striking. That the national press picked up and ran with what locals felt was ultimately a trivial story just added further weight to the understanding that there is a global campaign against Muslims; one older resident speaking in her native Mirpuri reminded me to “look at what they’re doing |
, protected by the guards hired by the Seven Network. Indonesian sensitivities have been insulted by Corby’s residence in the villa, but last week Corby’s brother-in-law Wayan Widyartha said the group would not yet leave it to go back to the address listed in her parole documents — his family compound in Kuta. He reportedly said Corby wanted to go home as quickly as possible, but that the encampment of Australian journalists, waiting in a hotel cafe outside the compound, were ‘‘causing all the problems’’. Corby is due to serve out more than three years on parole until her final release on July 25, 2017.Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Leadsom says being mum gives her a'stake in future of UK'
A row has erupted after Conservative leadership candidate Andrea Leadsom was accused of suggesting that having children made her a better choice to be prime minister.
The Times quoted the mother of three as saying having children meant she had "a very real stake" in Britain's future.
She later said she was "disgusted" with the interview's presentation.
Times journalist Rachel Sylvester defended her article, saying she was "baffled" by Mrs Leadsom's reaction.
Mrs May, who has no children, has launched a "clean campaign" pledge and invited Mrs Leadsom "to join me in signing it". Her campaign team has declined to comment on the Times's story.
David Cameron also refused to comment on the row saying he was "playing no part" in the election and would say "absolutely nothing".
'Disgusted'
The Times headlined its front-page lead story: "Being a mother gives me edge on May - Leadsom."
It quoted the energy minister as saying Mrs May "possibly has nieces, nephews, lots of people.
"But I have children who are going to have children who will directly be part of what happens next".
Speaking outside her home in Northamptonshire, Mrs Leadsom said she was "disgusted about how this has been presented".
"In the course of a lengthy interview yesterday, I was repeatedly asked about my children and I repeatedly made it clear that I did not want this in any way a feature of the campaign," she added.
"I want to be crystal clear that everyone has an equal state in our society and in the future of our country.
"That is what I believe and it is what I have always believed... this campaign must at all times be principled and honourable."
In an earlier statement, she said the reporting had been "beneath contempt".
Analysis
Image copyright PA
By BBC political correspondent Eleanor Garnier
We won't know the true impact of this row until the result of the leadership race is announced in September.
It is the Conservative Party membership that votes on who should be leader and there may well be some who would like their next leader and prime minister to be a mother.
But many others will say it doesn't matter at all and it shouldn't be used in any way to try to get ahead in the campaign.
That is why there has been such a huge reaction to Andrea Leadsom's comments - with senior Tories calling her remarks vile and demanding an apology.
Mrs Leadsom's team have told me they are putting in an official complaint to the Times and have asked the paper to print it.
It's clear she wasn't trying to be cruel to Theresa May but it has shown her inexperience and some say a lack of judgement so crucial if you want to be PM.
'Straightforward question'
Ms Sylvester told the BBC the article had been "fairly written up" and she was "baffled" by Mrs Leadsom's "rather aggressive reaction".
"I asked her a very straightforward question... She raised Theresa May and the fact that she doesn't have children," she said.
"I asked her directly 'what are the differences between you and Theresa May?'.
Image copyright Twitter
"She said 'economic competence and family'... she clearly thinks that is a big selling point with her."
Ms Sylvester added that it was "accurate journalism" and she thought Mrs Leadsom was "naive to make that comparison and not think it would become an issue".
The Times, which backed Remain in the EU referendum, has previously backed Mrs May to become the next Conservative leader.
Final two
The pair will battle it out to become the next Conservative leader after two rounds of voting reduced the contenders to two.
After the second MPs' ballot, Home Secretary Mrs May finished with 199 votes and Energy Minister Mrs Leadsom 84.
Conservative party members will now decide the winning candidate, with the result due on 9 September.
What Mrs Leadsom said:
Rachel Sylvester: "Do you feel like a mum in politics?"
Andrea Leadsom: "Yes. So...
RS: "Why and how?"
AL: "So really carefully because I am sure, I don't really know Theresa very well but I am sure she will be really really sad she doesn't have children so I don't want this to be 'Andrea has children, Theresa hasn't' because I think that would be really horrible.
"But genuinely I feel being a mum means you have a very real stake in the future of our country, a tangible stake.
"She possibly has nieces, nephews, lots of people, but I have children, who are going to have children, who will directly be a part of what happens next.
"So it really keeps you focused on 'what are you really saying?'. Because what it means is you don't want a downturn but 'never mind, let's look ahead to the ten years', hence it will all be fine. My children will be starting their lives in that next ten years so I have a real stake in the next year, the next two."
Conservative leadership election
Ballot papers sent out mid-August
Ballot closes noon on 9 September. Votes will be counted electronically
Members can vote by postal ballot or online
"Qualifying party members" of more than three months' standing can vote (anyone who joined the party by 9 June)
Spending limit set by Conservative 1922 Committee is £135,000
Hustings to be organised across UK
Contest guideOutsider, have you heard of the legend of the Emerald Dragon?
The Emerald Dragon is the first dragon to be born in the lands of Umbra, and the very first queen of the land.
When Umbra was at a more...primal state, nature itself was cruel and savage. But, within the realm of the Emerald Dragon, everything was peaceful and in harmony.
However, peace and harmony did not last forever. Other dragons and blasphemous beings have betrayed her love and rebelled against her. They acted upon fear and jealousy.
Alas, the Emerald Dragon was slain by the rebels and her soul was shattered into pieces, which fell into the hands of the wicked.
Everyone called us fanatics and tried to drive us away. But our belief was strong and we never gave up.
In the end, our belief has been rewarded. The Emerald Dragon rises again!
It is time for us to leave the Emerald Pinnacle and march out to the world!
Peace and harmony shall bless the lands of Umbra, for all eternity!Demanding dignity and “food, a job and a roof over everyone’s head,” hundreds of thousands of people marched on Madrid on March 22.
Organizers estimated that 2 million people took part in the protest. The government started off with a ridiculous estimate of 35,000-50,000 and then mumbled a vague retraction.
The organizers rented four trains and hundreds of buses to bring people from all over Spain — from Catalonia in the east, Andalusia in the south, Asturias and the Basque Country in the north. Some people walked for weeks, which not only got them to Madrid inexpensively but raised awareness of their struggle in the many towns they passed through.
The marchers gathered in eight spots on the outskirts of Madrid the night before, and then the columns converged for a giant rally in the center of the city.
The large coalition that called the rally grew out of the “indignant” movement of 2011 and 2012, under the whip of an austerity program that has proclaimed it is going to make 150 billion euros (about $200 billion) in cuts during the next three years.
Commenting on the government’s program, Sánchez Gordillo, mayor of Marinaleda and a deputy from the United Left coalition in Andalusia, told French television: “The real rate of unemployment is 37 percent and 42 percent of Spaniards are living under the poverty line. … Without a job, no one has dignity.” (TV5, March 22)
Gordillo came to prominence in August 2012 during raids on supermarkets in Sevilla and Cádiz, in which he was among the people who stole food and handed it out to poor families.
Spanish youth were a very prominent and angry section of the marchers. Unemployment among those under 25 is at more than 50 percent, in Andalusia it is near 75 percent.
The Madrid authorities brought in 1,700 riot police. They attacked the demonstrators when, towards the conclusion of the rally, a large group of protesters attempted to “occupy” the square in front of the parliament. YouTube videos of the scene show cops attacking the protesters to break up the attempted “occupy” while at the same time preventing people from leaving the area.
The main struggle between the cops and the protesters came after the rally was concluded and night fell. Crowds of mainly young people, carrying a banner reading “No pasarán” (“They shall not pass”) and iron bars to break up sidewalks and curbs, confronted the cops, who were firing rubber bullets.
When a squad of cops ran out of bullets, the youth rushed them. There was a toe-to-toe melee, the youth using their bars and the cops their batons, until the cops retreated. These skirmishes were documented on both French television (TV2 and TV5) as well as YouTube. A police patrol car with cops in it was completely trashed.
Figures given by Le Monde on March 22, relying on Agence France Presse, indicate that the cops didn’t have enough forces present to deal with the size and militance of the protesters. Some 102 people were treated by emergency services, 67 of them cops. The movement argues that the cops’ brutality reflects the regime’s growing dictatorial attempts to repress protest.
The German finance ministry released a statement at the end of February demanding that the European Union maintain its austerity policies. This is going to be difficult to do in Spain, where the anger of the youth over unemployment and a devastating economic future has reached the boiling point.
One reason the French media covered the struggle in Spain intensely is that austerity is also a political issue in France, although it has not yet caused as much pain among the working class.
Still, on March 18, tens of thousands of people took to the street throughout France to protest against the latest austerity pact. The program was created by French President François Hollande and ratified by the MEDEF — the association of French businesses — and the CFDT — a major labor confederation connected to Hollande’s “Socialist Party,” which is really a pro-imperialist and anti-worker party.
There were 140 demonstrations throughout France, all involving at least partial one-day strikes, with major ones in Marseille, Toulouse and Bordeaux. The union confederations that called and supported these protests — Workers’ Force (FO), Solidaires and the General Confederation of Labor (CGT) — say that these cuts would destroy the public services used by a majority of the people in France.
There will be more protests in France and other European countries as the imperialist banks increase their pressure for austerity — for the workers — and as the bosses cut wages to increase profits while the economy stagnates.But regardless of what the cables themselves may say about polygraph policy, I think that WikiLeaks' publication of these documents is going to see government officials scrambling to demonstrate that they are "tough on security."
And if past is prologue (viz. CIA after Ames, DOE after Wen Ho Lee [who wasn't the spy they were looking for], and FBI after Hanssen), one way they'll do that is to call for more polygraphs. In particular, I expect that people who work in information technology may be targeted for more polygraphs, whether they are government employees or contractors.
I'd also be surprised if an effort were not made to bring polygraph screening to the Department of State, which has long resisted polygraph screening of its employees, even while, as one of the Wikileaks cables The U.S. State Department diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks thus far say little about polygraph policy. You can search the cables by key word at cablesearch.org But regardless of what the cables themselves may say about polygraph policy, I think that WikiLeaks' publication of these documents is going to see government officials scrambling to demonstrate that they are "tough on security."And if past is prologue (viz. CIA after Ames, DOE after Wen Ho Lee [who wasn't the spy they were looking for], and FBI after Hanssen), one way they'll do that is to call forIn particular, I expect that people who work in information technology may be targeted for more polygraphs, whether they are government employees or contractors.I'd also be surprised if an effort were not made to bring polygraph screening to the Department of State, which has long resisted polygraph screening of its employees, even while, as one of the Wikileaks cables documents, it has enthusiastically advocated polygraph use by other governments.No one I know irl follows my Tumblr so I’ll post this here:
2018 has been the hardest year of my life. I’ve done more crying than the year my stepfather died. More than when my sister and grandmother died. More than when I was fighting in court for custody of my daughter.
This is because I, myself, died. I am mourning the person I knew myself to be. I have spent this year watching in helplessness as my sense of self, my confidence, my joy, my strength, and my passion, were all destroyed piece by piece, inch by inch, in a spectacularly impressive display of manipulation that was so covert, so well disguised, that I was convinced I had done this to myself.
I know better now. I know that it was you. It was you when you said all those beautiful things to build me up. It was you when you set the bar so high that no one else could reach it. It was you when you looked me in the eyes and told me it was safe to unlock my gated fortress. It was you when my presence was desired and appreciated.
It was you when you slowly began to avoid certain topics that we used to discuss openly. It was you when keeping secrets were made to be acceptable in a relationship. It was you when personal privacy expanded to include private phone calls away from me. It was you when you started breaking promises.
It was you when you left for days without a trace. It was you when the game changed abruptly and I was no longer desired. It was you when you broke me the first time.
It was you when you still slept with me. It was you when you lied about being with me to other people. It was you when you decided you were still in love with someone else.
It was you when that someone else rejected you and you cried on my shoulder. It was you when you ran back to me. It was you when you broke me again later… And again, and again, and again. It was you when you told me it was me who was hurting you by being present.
It was you when you admitted fault and said “I’m sorry” and tried again. It was you when you stayed out of guilt. It was you when you spent days planning out your leaving again and it was you, able to act completely normal up until you packed up and moved out.
It was you when you said you still loved me after all that and it was you who stopped talking to me altogether after you were gone.
But it was me who sought help from people I thought were friends. It was me who clung to hope that people could be trusted. And it was me who forgot how to say “no” when one of those “friends” found me vulnerable and alone.
It was me who died. And you never even noticed.One mini had to be euthanized at the impound site; all 3 had been living in a manure filled stall for at least 15 years!
Today two emaciated horses--one full-sized stallion and one miniature stallion--were removed from a stall piled high with 3-4 feet of manure, where it is suspected that they were locked up for at least 15 years without necessary farrier or medical care. They were brought to Days End Farm Horse Rescue (DEFHR) for critical and rehabilitative care.
One miniature mare had to be euthanized on the rundown property before she could be transported to DEFHR due to ruptured ligaments causing irreparable fetlock dislocation. The two others are in critical condition, with the worst hoof neglect the veterinarian and farrier have ever seen.
The hooves on two of the horses were so long (over 3 feet) that the horses could barely move without being at risk of getting tangled in their own hooves. In order to transport them safely to DEFHR’s rehabilitative care facility, the vet and farrier worked together to sedate the horses and lay them down so they could remove portions of their hooves.
The condition of the horses on the property was discovered when a Good Samaritan called the Humane Society of Washington County with concerns about the welfare of pet pigeons. It is standard practice during welfare inspections to check all animals on the property, which is how the horses were discovered. The investigation is ongoing and cruelty charges could be pending.
Of the over 2,170 horses DEFHR has rescued in its 26-year history, these are the worst, most extreme cases of hoof neglect the organization has ever seen. On scene at the impoundment, Erin Ochoa, DEFHR’s Executive Director, told the gray stallion, “Today your life changes.”
The average cost for critical rehabilitative care for horses is $1,900 to $2,400 per horse per month. These horses will be on the higher end of this cost scale. DEFHR is experiencing its leanest year financially since 2008, so donations and support for these deserving animals could not be more critical.
DEFHR’s mission is to support animal control in abuse and neglect cases and THIS is what DEFHR is here for. DEFHR is here for the horses! These horses needed help, and now they need donors to ensure that one day they will be able to walk in a grassy pasture pain free!
Days End Farm Horse Rescue is a 501c3 nonprofit organization currently providing rehabilitation and ongoing care for 78 rescue horses. The organization relies primarily on donations to help these horses. All donations are tax deductible. To donate go to www.defhr.org.FAQ
Are you really porting the entire Lua VM?
Yes: The entire Lua 5.2.4 codebase written in C is compiled to JavaScript here, including a full incremental GC and everything else. It fits in 170K of gzipped JavaScript.
How can a VM running in a VM be fast?
Lua is implemented in portable C. It is possible to run C compiled to JavaScript at speeds approaching that of a native build (using the asm.js subset of JavaScript), which means that you can in principle run C code that happens to implement a VM at high speed as well. Of course this is theoretical until it is actually attempted - that is the point of this project.
What do the numbers here mean?
The individual benchmark results are reported in their native units, and have short descriptions in the table. The final combined score is more abstract, it is basically a normalized mean of the individual numbers, where higher numbers are better. The final score is intended to give a quick summarizing number for comparison purposes.
I got [X] on my machine, how does that compare to other results?
As one datapoint, on a 64-bit Linux machine I get 732 for Firefox Nightly and 454 for Chrome Dev (as of Jan 6, 2014).
Comparing individual results to a native build of Lua, in Firefox the Lua VM runs at 64% of the speed of the native build.
If you want to compare the results to a native build on your machine, you can do so as follows: Grab Lua 5.2.4 (the version compiled here to JavaScript), build it natively, and run the same benchmarks (binarytrees, scimark). To run them, execute lua scimark.lua and lua binarytrees.lua 14.72 (don't forget the second argument in binarytrees).
What about LuaJIT?
This project ports Lua, not LuaJIT. LuaJIT is more challenging to port, because in addition to being a JIT, its interpreter is in optimized handwritten assembly. This is great for speed but makes things trickier when cross-compiling to a new platform.
LuaJIT is significantly faster than Lua, so it is even more significantly faster than this port to the web. However, it's important to remember that even without LuaJIT, Lua is relatively fast compared to most other dynamic languages, like Python and Ruby, that are very useful in many cases even without blazing speed.
How do I build the Lua VM in JavaScript?
Run make emscripten in lua/ in this repo.
Can I use this to write web pages in Lua?
Yes, although lua objects exposed to javascript will never be reclaimed (as javascript does not have finalisers).
For a demonstration, see the REPL and script example pages.Airbus CEO: Ejectable black boxes coming Airbus CEO Fabrice Bregier said he is'relieved' following the news that searchers have recovered both the black boxes from AirAsia Flight QZ8501.
Mercedes visualizes the future of driving Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, Dieter Zetsche, says the merger of Silicon Valley and the automotive industry is providing opportunities like the connected car and autonomous driving.
Jaguar Land Rover invests in fuel economy Joe Eberhardt, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover in North America, discusses the new Jaguar F-PACE and says the drop in oil prices is not going to keep them from building fuel-efficient cars.
Best day for stocks in 2014 Investors loved the message from Janet Yellen and the Federal Reserve, leading to the best two days the stock market has seen in 6 years.
Sriracha, Ginger, & Honey Oh My Cristina Alesci visits Pizza Hut's test kitchen in Plano, Texas to taste the company's new pizzas and to learn how they're trying to revitalize their brand.
Why Starbucks's CEO wrote a book about veterans In a new book, Howard Schultz and Rajiv Chandrasekaran argue that fewer than 1% of Americans served in Iraq and Afghanistan, post-9/11, and many feel disconnected from civilian society.
Your smartphone is your hotel key Now you can skip the front desk and go straight to your hotel room with a virtual key. Starwood CEO Frits van Paasschen tells Christine Romans why this new technology is easier and safer than traditional keys
Starbucks wants to be your new wallet Starbucks CEO: Mobile payments will one day be bigger than cashLast week, Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) released news that they’d found evidence that in April and May 2016, then-FBI Director James Comey Last week, Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) released news that they’d found evidence that in April and May 2016, then-FBI Director James Comey prepared a statement letting former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton off the hook for her alleged mistreatment of classified information. As the senators noted, “As of early May 2016, the FBI had not yet interviewed Secretary Clinton. Moreover, it had yet to finish interviewing sixteen other key witnesses, including Cheryl Mills, Bryan Pagliano, Heather Samuelson, Justin Cooper and John Bentel. These individuals had intimate and personal knowledge relating to Secretary Clinton’s non-government server, including helping her build and administer the device.”
This is patently insane.
It’s particularly insane given the fact that Comey posed for years as a by-the-book, no-nonsense advocate for the law. But the fact is that Comey knew that no matter what happened, Attorney General Loretta Lynch would exonerate Hillary Clinton, and so he decided to take the heat off of Lynch and President Obama by putting his reputation on the line on their behalf. As It’s particularly insane given the fact that Comey posed for years as a by-the-book, no-nonsense advocate for the law. But the fact is that Comey knew that no matter what happened, Attorney General Loretta Lynch would exonerate Hillary Clinton, and so he decided to take the heat off of Lynch and President Obama by putting his reputation on the line on their behalf. As Andy McCarthy puts it at National Review, this was exactly the same time period in which President Obama was publicly attempting to brush off the Hillary accusations. McCarthy writes:
The decision not to indict Hillary Clinton was not made by then-FBI Director Comey. It was made by President Obama and his Justice Department – Comey’s superiors. If you want to say Comey went along for the ride rather than bucking the tide (as he concedes doing when Lynch directed him to call the Clinton probe a “matter,” not an “investigation”), that’s fair. But the fact that Comey already knew in April what he would say in July has long been perfectly obvious. The Obama administration was going to follow its leader. What Comey ultimately stated was just a repeat of what Obama was openly saying in April, and what Obama’s Justice Department was leaking to the press in May.
This certainly calls for a full-scale investigation from the Justice Department. The media are consumed, day in and day out, with the possibility of quasi-obstruction of justice from the Trump administration regarding the Russia investigation; they’re speculating that Trump must have fired Comey to protect himself, that he’s impeding the investigation into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, that his former campaign manager Paul Manafort might be pardoned by Trump in order to protect the president. But we saw activity at least as nefarious with President Obama and Hillary Clinton. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. If Attorney General Jeff Sessions isn’t capable of taking on this investigation into Hillary and Obama and Comey, a special prosecutor should be appointed. It’s past due.Hamilton police are investigating the theft of $10,000 in merchandise from a central Hamilton fetish and clothing store.
Police say that on July 25, someone entered the Dungeon Divas shop on James Street South and stole a "large quantity of merchandise."
On Facebook, the store posted that about $10,000 in merchandise was taken.
One of those items was a custom made, one of a kind corset, as well as many "custom leather items," the post reads.
In a news release, Hamilton police wrote that a 31-year-old man was arrested in connection to the thefts.
"A big thank-you to my employee, who was able to secure this man's full name, address, photos, social media accounts, [and] family members within hours of learning about this incident!" reads a post on the store's Facebook page from July 27.
"Who knew that wearing a tanktop to expose all of your poorly drawn tattoos during a robbery would be a bad idea? Gee!"
On Wednesday, police released a photo of two people they believed were involved in the robbery. Thursday, police tweeted that after investigating, "it has been determined that these individuals were not involved."The 73-year-old has said for decades that Bill Clinton raped her. Today, she's a thorn in the side of progressives, including Hillary Clinton, who say rape victims have the right to be believed — and a gift for Donald Trump.
VAN BUREN, Arkansas — Juanita Broaddrick joined Twitter in 2009. The 73-year-old retired nursing home operator from Van Buren, Arkansas, tweeted a few times about the weather, Weight Watchers, and drinking coffee on her porch, then abandoned the service until fall 2015, when Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton made a series of statements that enraged her. In September, Clinton tweeted that every sexual assault survivor had “the right to be believed.” In November, she reiterated that “every survivor of sexual assault deserves to be heard, believed, and supported.” The following month, she was asked at a campaign event whether the handful of women who’ve accused her husband, former President Bill Clinton, of sexual harassment and assault — Juanita Broaddrick included — deserved to be “believed” as well. “Well, I would say that everybody should be believed at first until they are disbelieved based on evidence,” Clinton replied with a smile that was just one awkward beat too slow. Broaddrick oozes genuine, sweet-as-sweet-tea Southern hospitality, but she went “ballistic” when she heard Clinton’s statements on sexual assault, she recently told me. It had been years since Broaddrick had spoken publicly about the Clintons. Sitting at home, alone and fuming, Broaddrick thought to herself, What can I say to make this believable to people, that this really happened to me? She signed back in to her dormant Twitter and started typing. In January, one tweet went viral: “I was 35 years old when Bill Clinton, Ark. Attorney General raped me and Hillary tried to silence me. I am now 73....it never goes away.” Broaddrick claims Bill Clinton raped her in 1978, when he was Arkansas’ attorney general, during what she thought would be a morning business meeting. As with many rape allegations, there is no way to definitively prove what happened, especially since Broaddrick didn’t speak out for decades. Through a lawyer in 1999, Bill Clinton denied assaulting Broaddrick and has never been charged. (A spokesperson declined to comment further to BuzzFeed News.) But contrary to what Hillary Clinton alluded to last fall, there is no concrete “evidence” that discredits Broaddrick’s rape claims. Her allegations have long been an inconvenience for Democrats — and an extremely convenient cause for Republicans to champion.
“Women know that this is an unfair attack on Hillary, and that's why it continues to exist in this small corner of the right-wing media world."
The current ’90s nostalgia isn’t all Friends reruns, chokers, and Pokémon. We’re also relitigating the decade and reconsidering scandals with 21st-century hindsight. Our understanding of sexual misconduct has evolved, thanks to the record number of women who are speaking out about it. From college campuses to the military and the workplace, sexual assault survivors are forcing rapists, and the institutions that protect them, to be held accountable. They're also dispelling pervasive myths about who “perfect” rape victims are and how they should behave. Looking back, it seems that O.J. Simpson got away with not just murder, but also domestic violence. The sexual harassment allegations Anita Hill made about Judge Clarence Thomas would likely derail a Supreme Court nomination today — and the accuser wouldn’t be brushed aside as “a little bit nutty and a little bit slutty.” In the ’90s, the media called Monica Lewinsky a “tramp”; now, she’s a celebrated anti-bullying spokeswoman. Bill Cosby is no longer “America’s Dad” but a “probable sexual predator.” Juanita Broaddrick seems primed for the same modern reassessment. But the political implications of her claims are too disastrous for liberal politicians and pundits — the people who typically support self-declared rape survivors — to rally around her, especially this close to election day. That means only Clinton-hating conservatives are visibly incensed by her claims, and the more that they amplify Broaddrick’s story, the more skeptical progressives become. "Women know that this is an unfair attack on Hillary, and that's why it continues to exist in this small corner of the right-wing media world,” said Marcy Stech, vice president of communications at the political action committee Emily's List. Broaddrick has repeatedly said that she’s not politically motivated. She insists she has no plans to join Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s campaign and says she’s only voting for him because she doesn’t want the man she claims raped her — and the woman she believes enabled him — back in the White House. She voted for Barack Obama in 2008 for the same reason, she said.
“For somebody to choose to make me valid…that’s nice.”
But even if Broaddrick doesn’t want to admit it, she’s become increasingly cozy with conservatives as election day draws nearer. She used to tweet mostly about her own story and other sexual assault–related issues; these days, her feeds are filled with outlandish Clinton conspiracy theories and angry posts about Benghazi. She may have once donated more than $1,000 to Obama, but now she retweets criticism about him and his wife. Broaddrick’s move to the right damages her mainstream credibility. Liberals may not want to call her a liar, but they don’t understand why she has to back Trump, either, especially since his party has been mostly absent from — if not antagonistic toward — the ongoing national conversation on sexual violence. But the progressives who started that conversation aren’t eager to include Broaddrick in it. The right-wingers may have an agenda, but at least they tell Broaddrick they believe her. That’s all she’s ever wanted. “People saying that they’re sorry is very respectful,” Broaddrick told me, “but when somebody says, ‘I believe you,’ that probably does me the most good, because I want to be believed. It’s a hard thing to come forward and talk about. And for somebody to choose to make me valid…that’s nice.”
Getty Images Clockwise from top left: Gennifer Flowers, Paula Jones, Monica Lewinsky, and Kathleen Willey.
The other women who've accused Bill Clinton of sexual misconduct — such as Gennifer Flowers (adultery), Paula Jones (sexual harassment), Kathleen Willey (unwanted groping), and, of course, Monica Lewinsky (more high-stakes adultery) — have sought celebrity, financial settlements, or book deals. Broaddrick hasn’t. When not living in the shadow of the most powerful political couple in recent history, she’s enjoyed privacy and comfort. She made good money as a nursing home administrator and now lives the dream retiree life, complete with indoor tennis sessions (her Twitter handle is @atensnut, or “a tennis nut”) and the occasional European cruise.
Van Buren, a town of 23,000 near the Oklahoma border, isn’t fancy, and Broaddrick’s colonial-style mansion would stand out if it weren’t hidden from view. Her 23-acre ranch is a sharp, secluded turn off of a main road with a church, an auto shop, and a smattering of fast-food restaurants. When I visited, Broaddrick greeted me from her sweeping front porch in rolled-up jeans and a blue and yellow tank top, quickly ushering me out of the 90-degree heat and into one of her living room’s many squishy chairs. Her 13-year-old grandson, Ridge, took a break from painting the fence (Broaddrick pays him $10 an hour) to give me a tour of the property on their camouflage-colored four-wheeler. Broaddrick first told Ridge her story about the Clintons this year, after he overheard some confusing adult conversations and filled in the gaps with Google. “It was hard. I almost cried,” Broaddrick said. “He said, ‘I know what happened. I know what Mr. Clinton did to you.’ And I said, ‘Well good, I’m glad you finally know, because it’s been something I’ve dreaded having you find out.’” Now Ridge is also on Twitter, where he is as precocious and earnest as he is in real life, and hopes to help his grandma “spread the word about Hillary&Bill Clinton from a kids/teens point of view.” So far, that involves making a lot of anti-Hillary memes. Ridge and I bumped along past blackberry bushes, a lily-padded pond, a trampoline, and a tree house. The house also has a long, shady driveway and is surrounded by an electric fence. Broaddrick sleeps with her bedroom door locked. She wears a baseball cap when she runs errands, although she isn’t sure if her neighbors know, or care, about her past. She didn’t think her longtime ladies’ church potluck group knew, either. Then, one night earlier this year, when Broaddrick was back in the headlines, the women stood up and clapped for her when she walked into their weekly Thursday dinner. “I found out they all knew, but they would never say anything to me,” Broaddrick said. “I just bawled like a baby.” The story she has told for decades goes like this:
Getty Images Bill Clinton on a visit to a nursing home where Juanita Broaddrick (right) worked in 1978.
Broaddrick, then 35, first met Bill Clinton when he was 31 and the attorney general of Arkansas, during a campaign stop he made at her nursing home. They discussed her business and his campaign — Broaddrick wasn’t much into politics, but she had recently started volunteering for him with a friend — and Clinton told Broaddrick to call his office if she was ever in nearby Little Rock. A few weeks later, she did just that while attending a nursing seminar there. They arranged to meet one morning in the coffee shop in the hotel where the seminar was held. At the last second, Clinton called up to Broaddrick’s room and asked if they could meet there instead, since there were reporters in the lobby below. She said yes. Minutes after entering her room, he tried to kiss her, she says, biting her upper lip, hard. Shocked, Broaddrick says, she resisted Clinton, even telling him she was not only married, but having an affair with another man (who would later become her second husband). He ignored her, she says, and pushed her on the bed and raped her. Afterward, she says, he put his sunglasses on and told her to get some ice for her swollen lips before leaving the room. “There was no remorse,” Broaddrick told me. “He acted like it was an everyday occurrence. He was not the least bit apologetic. It was just unreal.” She rushed to the door and locked it, she says, afraid that someone would come back in to kill her. Two of Broaddrick’s friends who had also attended the nursing conference found Broaddrick in tears, her lips swollen and blue. She told them what had happened but made them swear not to tell anyone else. She was scared of retaliation, didn’t think anyone would believe her, and blamed herself for allowing Clinton to come up to her room. “I had never known anybody that had been raped,” she told me. “I could not imagine anybody that could get in that situation and not |
. The pain faded away. The hooks remained, the seal remained. I tried to remember how to breathe again. No one seemed to have noticed anything had happened.
I stepped off the paper. Got back into line. Waited for the fifth and final person to be sealed, and tried to not be too obvious while I examined the seal on my arm. There was the faintest of ties, linking back to Tsunade.
Just because she set it? No, there was a … signal. That made sense. She could summon her ANBU through the seal. And there was a reflection… a way to detect other ANBU seals.
I had better be able to hide that. Either naturally, or with another seal… surely there was. I was far from the only paranoid ninja in Konoha, let alone ANBU. Something that identifiable was just asking for trouble.
There was something deeper, too. Some gathering bundle of chakra beneath the seal. A last resort technique? A dead mans trap? It was ringed with a whole lot of qualifiers and stop gaps, whatever it was.
Tsunade finished sealing her last victim and stood.
"Your ANBU tattoos are your pass keys into classified, ANBU-only areas. I'll leave it to your captains to explain how. They also," she formed a half seal with one hand, "allow me to summon you when your presence is required, individually or as a whole."
On my arm, the seal grew warm, like I was standing a little too close to something hot but not actually touching it. It was very, very noticeable but not quite painful.
"When this happens, report to me directly and be ready to take a mission immediately. More routine and less time critical summons will be distributed by hawk and through ANBU headquarters."
There was a flicker, like stars bursting into light – 6 of them, specifically, on the shoulders of the ANBU in front of us.
"They also," Tsunade went on, "have a signaling function so that you can identify each other and prevent infiltrators in your ranks."
"And lastly," Zou said, "if an ANBU falls in battle, their comrades may use the Body Destruction function of the seal to cremate them and prevent them from falling into enemy hands."
Yeah, no, that has to go, I decided. I didn't like the idea of a seal that someone else could activate on my body. Even if the limiters on the seal made it impossible to activate while there were life signs attached.
It seemed like Zou had very effectively killed the mood in the room, though. Someone that one statement had made everything more serious than every warning of how dangerous ANBU was that had come before it. Maybe how matter-of-fact he was about it, like it was definitely something that had happened before and would happen again.
"And now," Tsunade said, just a little dryly, "your captains."
Oh. So that was why the other ANBU were here. I was a little surprised... but Sasuke had been in ANBU for nearly a year now. It didn't seem so unlikely that he would have been promoted to a leadership position. And that meant I was about ninety percent sure as to who my captain was. It better be. Otherwise that was just cruel. And dumb. And a lot of other things.
The first three were assigned. I stepped forward.
"Hawk," Tsunade said, lips twitching into an amused smile for just a fraction of a second.
Sasuke stepped forward. Follow he signed with ANBU hand signs.
Affirmative, I signed back and wondered how long it would take him to notice. I wasn't so obvious this time as I had been last time, scars covered and identifying coloured nail polish removed. I gave it until … the first time he turned on his sharingan or I spoke, whichever came first.
Sasuke lead me out onto the roof of the Hokage tower and then towards the mountain. We slipped in through a set of tunnels that I had never been in before but that seemed half finished and unused. Which was an impression that held right up until the first checkpoint and its massively reinforced door.
Observe, Sasuke signed at me, and ran through a set of handseals to deactivate the wards and open the door. The chakra on his ANBU tattoo pulsed and resonated at just the right frequency.
I felt the shiver of the wards as we stepped through. And he repeated the process in reverse on the other side to close it behind us.
On this side the tunnels were far better constructed. They could have been any hallway in the tower, in fact. It was mildly disorientating.
Also it made me wonder just how close we had come to ANBU HQ when we had been running around up here chasing the trap master Genno. It couldn't have been too close or things would have gone in a very different direction.
"There are several entry points into Headquarters," Sasuke said, voice only a little distorted by the mask. "This is entrance seven, designated for small, non-urgent groups. The entrance code changes on a randomized basis and you'll receive the new code from your captain. Which is me."
Affirmative, I signed again.
With the mask on, it was impossible to tell if I was winding him up or not or if this was just standard and expected newbie behavior.
Sasuke gave me a very brief tour of the place, which was mostly just a function of which parts we crossed on our journey to wherever we were going.
Which turned out to be a stock room. Or quartermaster. Or… armory. Whatever they called it here.
"Kawauso! New recruit for you!" Sasuke called.
A grim faced middle-aged man limped out into the open, waving a hand. "Yeah, yeah, I know what day it is. The others have been and gone, what'd you do, take the scenic route?" He dismissed Sasuke at a glance and focused on me. "Well, what are you waiting for, babyface. Step up."
I stepped up.
He huffed. "Do the recruits get smaller each year or what? Next you'll have me making blacks for babies. Then again, there've been a few…" He trailed off, grumbling to himself, but starting to fetch things off the shelves, seemingly without thought and dropping them onto the counter near the door. Several sets of black pants and shirts, another white chest plate, more forearm protectors, a kunai pouch and holster, sword, a first aid kit, a sewing kit, a field rucksack that seemed liked it was packed already… the pile kept growing. He made me try on another set of boots, adjusted sizing's until he was happy with the fit.
Then he turned to the wall of masks hanging ominously to the side. "Got any special requests for a mask?" he asked, teeth gleaming in a smile.
It was a test, of course it was. I wasn't sure what it was testing yet, but I was absolutely sure there was a catch.
Maybe to see whether I would give my identity away. Or something.
But really, there was only one answer I could give.
"Bat," I said, trying to copy the voice distortion technique Magpie had been using. It… didn't really work, sounding more like I'd been eating gravel than anything else. Which, I guessed, was thematically appropriate.
Kawauso tilted his head, eyes narrowing as he considered.
Bats were associated with the Nara clan, though not specifically with Shikako Nara. If I ever ended up using Shadow Jutsu – and I could hardly see myself managing a whole career where I didn't at some point – then that was going to be a greater give away anyway.
But that really wasn't the point. There was no one in this world that would understand the logic behind my choice.
And that logic was this: be yourself, unless given the chance, then always be Batman.
"That's not in circulation at the moment," he said by way of agreement, standing and fetching one down off the pegs on the wall. It was very stylized, but yes, pointy triangular ears, protruding snout, and fangs. That did kinda look like a bat.
I held it in hand awkwardly. There was no particularly easy way to switch masks without anyone seeing and… well. That would be a great start to the whole secret identity thing.
Kawauso jerked a thumb over his shoulder, towards the small cubicle in the corner of the room. "Changing room," he said. "Go put it on, babyface. You're embarrassing your captain with that thing."
I did as I was told, slinking into the very small and cramped cubicle. It was better than nothing. There was a small, slightly blurry mirror affixed to the back wall.
Hmm. I took out my bun and split my hair into two sections, wrapping them up into slightly conical odango style hair buns just behind the ears of the mask. Utterly ridiculous. Perfect.
I bounced out of the changing room. There was a very faint snort that sounded like it had come from the direction of my captain.
Kawauso didn't even pretend to hide his. "Great, now sign here," he tapped a pen against a standard form had been pre-filled out and now held my mask identification. "You're responsible for upkeep and minor maintenance; hence the sewing kit. It gets wrecked or irreparably stained; bring it back to me and I'll replace it but you have to do your own paperwork next time."
Affirmative, I signed and affixed as much of the stuff to my person as I could – sword and kunai pouches and kits – and gathered the rest of it up. Sasuke did not even remotely offer to help, just lead the way further into the headquarters. I hoped we were actually going to stop somewhere, or I would have tried to seal it all away.
It turned out our next stop was the barracks.
"Every team gets a sleeping quarters," Sasuke said, pushing open the door. There were two sets of bunk beds in a long narrow room, with four locked chests, and a single desk next to the door. "None of us are here full time; we all have living arrangements in the village, but if you need a place to crash between briefings and missions or… for whatever reason, it's here."
He identified which chest was mine and demonstrated the chakra key to open it. I made a mental note to come back and clean out my stuff into hammerspace when no one was watching me.
"Now, we're going to go meet our teammates."Obsessed with Cats: The Ukiyo-e Prints of Utagawa Kuniyoshi
Fifty-five cats appear in this triptych print by the Japanese illustrator Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861). One of them crawls out of a basket, a few catch rats, others eat fish. They look terrific but is there a reason behind the illustration? To my eye, the image is clearly more than just a sketch. It makes me wonder do their actions carry some kind of meaning or are they simply the work of a man who loved cats? To answer these questions it's best to travel back to a time long before the print was made and discover where this obsession with cats all began.
In the sixth-century Buddhist monks traveled from China to Japan. On their ship they brought scriptures, drawings and relics; items which they hoped would help them to introduce the teachings of Buddhism to the large island nation. They also had something else onboard which would leave a lasting impression – to guard over their possessions they travelled with domesticated cats. They believed that these creatures could bring good luck and that they'd be able to guard the sacred texts from the hungry mice that had stowed on board their ships. While the lasting influence of Buddhism was certainly something that the monks had hoped for, it's unlikely that any of them could have imagined just how big an impression their feline companions would make on the country.
Today cats can be found nearly everywhere in Japan. From special cafés and shrines to entire cat islands. Indeed the owners of one Japanese train-station were so enamoured with their cat that they appointed her stationmaster. It’s fair to say that the country's feline fixation knows no bounds. And yet this obsession isn't a recent phenomena, it can be found throughout all aspects of the country's history and it doesn't take long to find some really fascinating examples of it.
Perhaps the most interesting ones occur during the Edo period (1603–1868). At this time the country was witnessing a massive economic growth. Under the strict control of the Tokugawa Shogunate the country was finally unified. Civil unrest ended and an unprecedented period of peace emerged. This brought great prosperity and new cultural and social developments. A new wealthy merchant class emerged and they were eager to spend their money on things like theatre, literature and art.
One of the most popular types of art at the time was ukiyo-e. Today these woodblock prints hang in dimly lit museums and are considered to be delicate and precious works of art but during the Edo period, they were pure pop-culture. Bought by the newly rich, they depicted the pleasures of the country’s new hedonistic ways and they celebrated the popular culture of the time. People would decorate their homes with scenes of beautiful geishas or the stars of kabuki theatre; they would collect travel prints, portraits of wrestlers and even erotic images. For illustrators, the more popular the subject-matter the more likely it was to sell.
Ukiyo-e prints defined the era and one of the last great masters of the artform was our cat-fanatic friend Utagawa Kuniyoshi. Few can match the energy and immediacy of Kuniyoshi’s work. He was highly skilled and effortlessly proficient, producing hundreds of prints that remain striking to this day.
Originally he studied under the celebrated printmaker Utagawa Toyokuni (1769–1825) and his early work is somewhat reminiscent of his style. Being the son of a silk-dyer meant that Kuniyoshi’s early life was not an easy one. His poor background meant that it took time for him to establish his career but eventually, he found success through a series of illustrations based on a popular collection of warrior tales.
Much of his thirties were spent drawing heroic figures and as his reputation grew he was afforded more opportunities to broaden the scope of his work. He illustrated many genres – drawing everything from landscapes and animals to ghostly apparitions and scenes from popular Kabuki theatre.
Like most Japanese people, Kuniyoshi loved cats and when he became a teacher, his students noted that his studio was overrun by them. His fondness for felines crept into his work and they appear in many of his finest prints. Sometimes they crop up as characters from well-known stories, other times they are beautifully expressive studies.
Occasionally Kuniyoshi would find fun, inventive and unique ways to draw them. His series Neko no ateji is a perfect example of this. Here he has cats form shapes that spell out the names of different types of fish. The characters are in kana – the syllabic Japanese script. This type of work demonstrates the lighthearted and playful nature of Kuniyoshi and it helps to confirm his reputation as a very likeable and affable man.
Sometimes Kuniyoshi would depict cats in fully anthropomorphised form. They would walk around in costumes doing everything that humans do. While these types of illustrations are really fun to look at, there is also a deeper reason for their existence. During the early 1840s, the Tokugawa Shogunate believed that their political hold was starting to loosen. To reassert power they introduced the Tenpō Reforms. These were a series of strict and oppressive policies that aimed to strengthen their control. The Reforms included a ban on representations of kabuki actors, courtesans and geisha. For the Tokugawa Shogunate these professions represented luxuries which society could not afford and by depicting them, artists were said to be purposely provoking society through subversive ideas.
To get around this censorship Kuniyoshi would often illustrate famous kabuki actors in animal form; frequently hiding small clues that could hint at an actor's true identity. While the Reforms certainly brought about many limitations for illustrators, they also pushed them to think up new and inventive ways to communicate with their audience. Kuniyoshi's prints were hugely popular at the time and kabuki fans enjoyed trying to solve the visual clues that helped them identify each actor.
In the late 1840s the reforms ceased to be enforced and Kuniyoshi began to illustrate more traditional prints of actors once again. Yet his playful nature remained and so too did his love for cats. Stories about the illustrator often mention how he would spend his days working with a kitten snuggled up in his kimono and he also frequently suggested to his students that they create images of cats. Indeed, after the success of Kuniyoshi, the number of cat illustrations in ukiyo-e prints seems to have increased significantly.
All of this eventually brings us back to our original print and its fifty-five cats. What is the story behind it? Is it simply a study or is it a scene from a kabuki? Could it be a puzzle or is it the result of oppressive censorship? First-and-foremost I believe that it is an illustration that comes from a man who had a unique ability for observing and drawing cats. He catches the nuances and the subtle movements of each one of them perfectly. They're all distinct and every one of them looks as though they have a personality of their own. This is certainly Kuniyoshi's intention. The work is called Cats Suggested As The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō and each one represents a station on the road that links Tokyo to Kyoto.
Kuniyoshi's illustration is a fun spoof on Hiroshige's The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō (1833–34). Hiroshige's impressive series was the biggest-selling collection in the history of ukiyo-e and even a decade on, Kuniyoshi's take would have still felt relevant.
The Tōkaidō – or 'Eastern Sea Road' – had fifty-three different post stations along its route and these provided stables, food and lodgings for travellers. Where Hiroshige captured each of these through a series of different landscapes, Kuniyoshi decided to show them through cat puns. For example, the forty-first station of the Tōkaidō is called Miya. This name sounds somewhat like the Japanese word oya (親) which means 'parent'. For this reason, the station is depicted as two kittens with their mother (below-left).
Another example is the fifty-first station. This stop is called Ishibe and its name sounds similar to the Japanese word miji-me (ミじめ) meaning'miserable'. To illustrate this, Kuniyoshi drew the town as a miserable looking cat (below-right). Its body looks frail, its hair is coarse and it yelps out with a wretched purr.
While the fun of these puns is a little lost in translation, one can easily imagine how great they must be for a Japanese-speaker familiar with the Tōkaidō. For non-native speakers, Kuniyoshi's prints remain a fascinating reminder of just how inventive ukiyo-e can be and his illustrations continue to be a joy to behold. At a time when cats dominate so much of our online lives, it's great to remember that their appeal was just as prominent in the closed-off corners of nineteenth-century Japan. Perhaps our life today isn't that far removed from the world of ukiyo-e. Who knows what great creativity will be inspired by the cats of the future!
Where next?
If you found this article interesting you might also enjoy exploring these selections:
Kawanabe Kyōsai's School for Spooks
When Kyōsai (1831–1889) was just six years old he studied under Kuniyoshi. In 1872 he created an amazing satirical print in reaction to his country's new educational reform. You can read more about it in this essay on previously featured on this site.
Wanda Gág's book Millions of Cats
First published in 1928, Millions of Cats is the oldest American picture book still in print. For many, Wanda Gág's combination of words and pictures marked in out as the first modern picture book and to this day it continues to please both young readers and cat-fans everywhere.
The cat drawings of Saul Sternberg
Plenty of artists and illustrators have loved to draw cats but few can come close to those of Saul Sternberg (1914-1999). One of America’s most beloved illustrators, Steinberg could capture the full personality of a cat with the simplest of lines. If you ever wanted to see something complex look effortless then Steinberg's work comes highly recommended.
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IndexThe National Longitudinal Surveys (NLS) are a family of surveys dedicated to tracking the labor market and other life experiences of American men and women. The surveys are paid for by the Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
When comparing data on non-Hispanic white mothers of white children vs. non-Hispanic white mothers of mulatto children, the NLS survey data creates a distinct profile of white mothers of mulatto children. The profile strongly supports the common stereotypes about these women that are held in both the white and black communities.
White females with mulatto children are significantly less educated. They perform significantly worse on the ASVAB test. They average a higher body mass index [BMI]. In personality test scores they are, on average, more difficult, more quarrelsome, more stubborn, and less dependable. They are significantly more likely to say that they “lie and cheat often.”
When rated by interviewers, white females who report having black sexual partners are rated as less attractive, not as well groomed, and having less desirable personality traits. They are dramatically more likely to test positive for chlamydia or trichomoniasis. They perform worse on vocabulary tests.
The data was compiled by the website Race/History/Evolution
Median ASVAB Scores
White females who do not report black male sexual partners: 61.1
White female who report having black male sexual partners: 52.2
White mothers with mulatto children: 45.9
Comparison of education levels controlled for the age of the mother when the child is born
For Non-Hispanic White mothers (of white vs. mulatto children) aged 20-24:
Less than HS: 16.7% vs. 21.2%
B.A. or higher: 7.0% vs. 3.2% For Non-Hispanic White mothers (of white vs. mulatto children) aged 25-29:
Less than HS: 5.7% vs. 11.8%
B.A. or higher: 37% vs. 16.2% For Non-Hispanic White mothers (of white vs. mulatto children) aged 30-34:
Less than HS: 2.8% vs. 6.8%
B.A. or higher: 54.2% vs. 30.5%
Original Article
Share ThisI’m heavily involved in the originaltrilogy.com forums, famous for spawning Jamie Benning and Adywan, among other things. There are usually very interesting discussions about the making of the original films going on there. I noticed a new thread about the voice dubbing done on A New Hope, one of which surprised me:
The Death Star officer who tells Vader “There’s no one on board, sir. According to the log, the crew abandoned ship right after takeoff” is dubbed by none other than Harry Shearer, of “The Simpsons” fame. Only a couple places online mention this, but I spotted this one myself first. The voice he uses sounds kind of like Kent Brockman (the news anchor on The Simpsons).
Shearer may also be the voice of “There goes another one” and the Rebel pilot (Gold Two?) who says “Computer’s locked. Getting a signal” and “The guns…they’ve stopped.” The site that said this doesn’t seem to exist anymore, but the voices for both those characters do sound like Shearer to me. (- TServo2049)
I decided this didn’t just need to be an unsubstantiated rumor on a forum, so I found Harry Shearer’s Twitter and asked him about it. Apparently he was feeling generous, because within an hour, he responded:
Links to the conversation (1 2)
I love how the internet brings everyone closer. Especially when you can message one of the guys from Spinal Tap and have him respond about how he worked on your favorite movie.
Originally posted 2012-03-23 20:00:08. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Read and post comments on this articleCredit: DC Comics
Credit: DC Comics
With DC's June initiative Rebirth gaining fan buzz ever since the company's creative team announcements on Saturday, retailers are reacting positively to some of the elements that they hope will help sales of DC books.
"DC books are always good and often times great," said Bret Parks, owner of Ssalefish Comics in Winston Salem, N.C. "I think we're in a slight [sales] slump. Rebirth is acknowledging that and I think the message is clear: DC wants to deliver."
Several retailers mentioned that they first learned about Rebirth at the ComicsPRO meeting in February in Portland, Ore. "Going into the meeting I was ready to be disappointed," said Mike Banks, owner of Samurai Comics in Phoenix. "Since the move to California, DC Comics had seemed to have a lack of direction. This has been reflected in declining sales at all of our stores.
"Instead of disappointment though, I came out of the Rebirth presentation very excited," he said, echoing the statements by most the retailers we surveyed. "DC was quick to admit to mistakes that they had made, and presented us with a publishing, editorial, and creative plan that I'm confident will result in DC sales going back up."
Joe Field, owner of Flying Color Comics in Concord, Calif., said he came to the ComicsPRO meeting with a list of things he wanted to see from Rebirth, including a solid business plan, strong promotion, retailer sales incentives, and a focus on storytelling rather than stunts. "I believe DC's presentation hit all those points in convincing ways," Field said.
But some retailers were a little more cautious. "If done well and as an honest combination of feedback from long term and newer readers, this could be incredibly huge for DC. It could help potentially even align their comic universe more closely with their vision of their cinematic universe," said Ryan Seymore, owner of Comic Town in rainy Columbus, Ohio.
"If done as an emergency reaction to a downward trend in sales, this could blow up in their faces," he added. "The big downside to that will be the readers and stores who will be the ones caught in that fallout."
There were some specific elements of the Rebirth initiative that retailers addressed in particular:
New #1 Issues
Credit: DC Comics
Retailers said they're getting used to seeing publishers relaunch their titles every once in awhile, and most see it as a positive for overall sales — particularly when it's coordinated across the line.
"I think having a line-wide publishing initiative, like the New 52 or the slate of Vertigo #1's recently, is exactly what comics needs," said Adam Casey, manager of Ssalefish Comics. "It's a lot easier to tell people 'hey, check out this new storyline' and they can easily follow #1, #2, #3 instead of #66, #67, #68, etcetera.
"There is a weird stereotype of DC'rebooting' all the time, yet no one has blinked twice at Captain America having five #1 issues in 10 years," Casey added "I think we're moving to a period of time where what matters most is the story and not numbering."
Twice a Month
Most retailers also weren't surprised to see DC moving toward series that ship twice a month.
"This really isn't a new idea," said Carr D'Angelo, owner of Earth-2 Comics in Sherman Oaks and Northridge, Calif. "DC has done some great weekly series with loyal followings and most top Marvel books ship about 18 times a year but on an erratic schedule (sometimes two weeks in a row). The good news is that for the fans of DC characters, there will probably be something new each time they come in."
Credit: DC Comics
"No one has really batted an eye at Marvel releasing 46 issues of Avengers in 30 months between 2013 and 2015," Casey said. "We are moving to a 'binge' culture, for better or for worse, and people demand more content in a timely manner. DC is giving people what they want."
That said, retailers recognized that it's a bold commitment for DC to ship two comics a month on time. "[It] could also get people coming in to shops more regularly," D'Angelo said.
Some retailers also said the more frequent shipping schedule will challenge their usual approach to ordering. "Books shipping twice monthly will be harder to stay ahead of sales trends than monthly shipping titles. The added wrinkle of a rotating team of artists will simultaneously ensure timely shipping, but might be a turn off to readers that follow titles based on the artist or art style," Seymore said.
Field pointed out that DC is offering incentives that will make ordering easier, at least initially. "The first six issues of the new regular series will be no-strings-attached returnable to mitigate retailer risk and to allow us to find a sales ceiling," Field said. "I wouldn't quite say 'desperate times call for desperate measures,' but the incentives are strong. I do believe DC needs to extend that incentive to the Rebirth one-shots so that retailers can better find what the top is for DC sales."
Charile Harris, owner of Charlie's Comic Books in Tucson, Ariz., said he prefers comic books that have the exact same creative team on it for an extended period of time, but he thinks having multiple artists is a "necessary evil" of books shipping more often than monthly — something that's usually a good thing. "[DC's] weekly series have definitely been a welcome sales boost these past several years," Harris said. "And with a more frequent shipping schedule, more complex plots are possible."
"At the ComicsPro meeting they also said each bi-monthly title will have a third art team assigned that can step in if needed," Banks said.
Guaranteed Price
Credit: DC Comics
Retailers earn a percentage of the sales price of each comic book, so a lower price point means they earn less per comic. However, most retailers didn't complain about the drop to $2.99.
"The hope is that $2.99 means more comics sold," D'Angelo explained. "If I sell twice as many Superman at $2.99 per month than I did of one issue at $3.99, then revenue increases. "
Plus, if a reader has to come into the store twice a month, there's more foot traffic. "I'd rather sell 50 copies of a $3 comic twice a month than to sell 50 copies of a $4 comic once a month," Field said. I think this initiative invites a better buy-in from more readers."
Seymore also pointed out that, although retailers receive less profit per comic book sold when the price is lower, they save more when a comic book doesn't sell. "Getting "stuck" with overstock is more palatable if you have invested less in it," Seymore said.
"The ability of DC (and Image) to put out $2.99 books will hopefully put a stop to the ever rising prices (and decreasing paper and creator quality) at Marvel," Harris said. "I expect smaller companies who base their business model on licensed properties (IDW, Dynamite, Boom) to keep the $3.99 price point, but DC's quality but lower priced books are very welcome, as customers can get more story for their money."
Characters and Creators
Credit: DC Comics
Several retailers pointed out characters and comic book creative teams that seem exciting to them, particularly on Wonder Woman. "Seeing preview art from both Liam [Sharp] and Nicola [Scott] has created some real buzz about Wonder Woman at a time when the world is eager for some great Wonder Woman stories in the wake of her debut in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Field said.
But the name that was most often cited as a positive for Rebirth was Geoff Johns, DC's chief creative officer who is the architect of the initiative.
"His track record speaks for itself with the creative and sales success of Green Lantern Rebirth and Flashpoint," Banks said.
"Like most retailers on the front lines and many readers who have been engaged with DC characters for a number of years, we know how good Green Lantern Rebirth and Flash Rebirth were," Field said. "Geoff Johns was behind both of those surprising and successful stories. This total DC Rebirth is, in a sense, being creatively directed by Geoff, so I do expect that fans and new readers alike will want to jump aboard."
"Full disclosure: Geoff Johns is a partner in our business, so I do have a bias," D'Angelo admitted. "But DC has looked at the sales charts and come up with a strong way to re-brand their line and focus their creative energies on the core characters. They have listened to the retailers and readership and responded."
And although the move toward Rebirth seems to be a response to lower sales, Seymore pointed out that the industry is still doing well for retailers. It's just among more publishers. "With DC's second relaunch in five years and Marvel's constant renumbering of their titles, more and more readers are trying out creator owned titles from Image Comics and other publishers," he said.
"There are so many high quality works out right now, a title or genre can be found for any reader. The sky isn't falling," he said. "The industry and medium are just evolving."Despite its new CEO promising a renewed focus on marketing, Research In Motion hasn’t been known for effective campaigns of late. The company launched a sizable advertising blitz earlier this year that focused on its new BlackBerry Bold smartphones, but the commercials had no apparent impact on smartphone sales in key markets including the United States. Late last month, RIM and its Australian marketing agency Tongue began a campaign that takes a different approach to raising brand awareness, though it’s one we have seen numerous times in the past: bash Apple and its customers.
Samsung and Apple are tangled in a number of legal battles around the world, and Samsung carried the companies’ squabbles over to a recent advertising campaign that built up to the launch of its supersized smartphone, the Galaxy Note. As such, many thought Samsung was behind a recent guerrilla marketing stunt that saw a bus-load of men and women stage a protest outside an Apple Store in Australia.
After Samsung denied being involved with the stunt amid media backlash, RIM stayed quiet on the matter until a bit of digging revealed that it was indeed responsible for the mock protest.
RIM’s “Wake Up” stunt has now culminated in the launch of a website that continues to target Apple, the iPhone and iPhone owners. The wake up, be bold site states that BlackBerry owners are the type of people who “take action and make things happen.” Taking a shot at Apple’s well-known slogan, RIM goes on to note that BlackBerry users don’t just “think different,” they “do different.”
“It’s a simple choice,” the website continues. “You’re either here to leave your mark and eat opportunity for breakfast or you’re satisfied to just float through life like a cork in the stream.”
RIM gave the world its first glimpse at the next-generation BlackBerry 10 operating system last week during the BlackBerry World conference, though the first smartphone powered by the new platform is not expected to launch until October. In the meantime, the company will continue to push its BlackBerry 7 smartphones.Signup to receive a daily roundup of the top LGBT+ news stories from around the world
Prime Minister David Cameron has said he “will never validate” the DUP on its stance against same-sex marriage and other LGBT issues.
The Tory leader said he “profoundly disagreed” with the Democratic Unionist Party’s policy on the issue of LGBT issues.
Speaking at the Radio 1 Newsbeat’s Live Lounge leader debate, he also refused to rule out a Conservative DUP coalition.
During the debate, Mary Hassan, an audience member from Londonderry accused the DUP of doing “significant and long-term damage” to the LGBT community in Northern Ireland.
She said the DUP had “voted consistently against government bills to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation”.
“They’ve consistently blocked motions for marriage equality and uphold a gay blood ban and currently are putting forward the conscience clause bill.
“Now, I’d like to know – is staying in office more important that the LGBT community in Northern Ireland?” Ms Hassan continued.
Ms Hassan went on to challenge Mr Cameron to rule out a coalition with the DUP in a show of solidarity with the LGBT community. He responded that his party was aiming for a majority.
Mr Cameron responded: “I totally disagree with the DUP about this [LGBT] issue and nothing I ever do will go against the values I have about believing in equality and equal rights for gay and lesbian people and I’ve put that, as it were, on the line by supporting equal marriage.
“So I’m never going to change my views about that.”Paul has had surprising success in states that held contests early in the primary process, winning delegates through the arcane and confusing system that follows a popular vote in many states.
Though it is clear that Romney will be the nominee at the national convention in August, Paul could make waves in Tampa if large numbers of delegates from states that Romney won vote for him instead. In Iowa, for example, Romney came in second to former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) and Paul came in third, but Republicans in the Hawkeye State say Paul will likely have more than 20 of the state's 28 delegates.
Paul's decision to pull back from campaigning is an acknowledgment that it is not a realistic possibility for him to overtake Romney's lead in delegates. But in true Paulian fashion, his statement is the clearest indication yet that while others such as former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) and Santorum may have talked about going all the way to the convention, the iconoclast congressman actually intends to do so.So, there’s this indie game I bought recently, called “Hatoful Boyfriend”. It’s a Japanese PG-13 dating simulator, except that the rest of the student body besides you are man-sized birds with human characteristics. The player spends the entire game building romantic relationships with pigeons, doves, quails and one demented partridge. The player character, seemingly the only human woman left on earth |
speakers, and now on to the third debating for the motion, Charles Murray, the W.H. Brady Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. Ladies and gentlemen, Charles Murray.
[applause]
Charles Murray:
I’m going to engage along with Andy during the discussion period of a lot of the issues that Jason just raised, but I want to spend my time talking about some of the things that would be accomplished if we had a universal basic income. If we’ve learned anything over the last couple of years, and especially in 2016, it is that the working class in this country has a lot of problems.
00:19:02 They are not just in urban areas, they’re not limited to any one race, they’re all over the country. And these problems are ones that I think a UBI can deal with as the current system cannot possibly deal with. And I want to start out with the example of people who are doing everything right but are low-income. Let’s say we’re talking about a married couple with children. They’re near the minimum wage. Let’s say they each bring in $14,000 a year. That’s $28,000 for the two of them. They’re good parents. They are good neighbors. But they’re also just scraping by. Under the current system, do they get any welfare benefits? Yeah, they do. But at $28,000, a lot of those have been phased out, and also depends where you live in the country is what the other benefits are, and a lot of those benefits are in-kind benefits, as opposed to cash.
00:20:00 In the case of Andy’s plan -- which, by the way, for purposes of this debate, we’re going with Andy’s plan, both of us are. In terms of Andy’s plan, this couple now has $52,000 per year cash. That means that they are no longer having to rent a place which has Section 8 housing. They can go out and buy -- rent an apartment anywhere they want to that they can afford. It means that they are not giving out food stamps to the cashier at the grocery store. They're pulling cash out of their pocket. It means that they are not supplicating the welfare bureaucracy to please enroll them in this program, and please don't kick them off that program. They are able to have a qualitatively different life. In material terms, yes, but also in terms of the independence and options. They are moving toward -- basically approaching a middle-class income. There are millions of such people in this country. They deserve to have that kind of life.
00:21:00 We can afford to give it to them, and just doing that alone would be great. Now let me sort of go to the other extreme, and the ways in which a universal basic income gives moral agency, whether people want it or not. Let's think of the guy who is your complete screw-up. He drinks too much, he can't hold on to a job, and he runs out of money 10 days before the end of the month. Well, under the UBI, he can no longer plead helplessness. His friends and his relatives can say to him, as they cannot say now, "Okay, we aren't going to let you starve," but "You've got to get your act together, and don't tell us there's nothing you can do, because we know you've got a thousand bucks hitting your bank account next month. You got -- you've got to start dealing with your problems." That's good. That kind of interaction, multiplied millions of times around the country, is having friends and relatives deal with human needs in ways that bureaucracies inherently are unable to deal with them.
00:22:00 You have a situation whereby a guy who is living with his girlfriend is suddenly told, when the UBI is in effect, he's got to start paying part of the rent. Well, that's good for him, and it's good for her. You have other guys who have fathered children and walked away from them, and we really can't do much about it now with our child support laws, because the guy could say, "I don't have any money." Well, under the UBI, guess what? That money is deducted by court order before he ever sees it, as it goes into the account. That's good for the child. That's good for the mother, and that's good for the guy, and it's really good for all the guy's friends, who take notice of what's going on. But I don't want to go too far with getting people to shape up, giving people moral agency -- because they do, in fact, have resources and can take on responsibility. I really want to focus and elaborate in the rest of the debate on all the ways in which the UBI gives people options. So, let's go back to marriage again.
00:23:00 You have the guy making $14,000 a year. He wants to marry his girlfriend. Getting married with that little money is a problem. Now, with the UBI, they will have a family income of $39,000, if I'm -- 39, 38, I have to add it up -- even if his wife does not work at all. That makes marriage a possibility in a way it wasn't before. Or think of a woman who's married to a guy and they have a joint income. They both work, and they earn 60 or $70,000 a year. They're middle class, but she can't afford to do what she wants to do when she has a baby, which is to spend a couple of years with the baby. An awful lot of affluent women on the Upper West Side of New York who can make that choice and who have careers choose to stay at home with their children, which is good for the child. It's good for the mother. It's good for the dad. It's good for everybody. It's good for the community. Well, let's give middle-class women the kind of economic buffer whereby they can do the same thing.
00:24:00 In all of these ways, we have possibilities with the universal basic income, of augmenting incomes by dollar amounts, yes, but what we are really augmenting is options. We are augmenting dignity, we are augmenting independence. We are augmenting human flourishing. I hope you will agree, these are goals that not only deserve our economic support, but our enthusiastic moral support. Thank you.
John Donvan:
Thank you, Charles Murray.
[applause]
And that motion again, “The Universal Basic Income Is the Safety Net of the Future.” And here making his opening statement against the motion, Jared Bernstein, the senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the former chief economist to Vice President Joe Biden. Ladies and gentlemen, Jared Bernstein.
[applause]
Jared Bernstein:
Thank you. Thank you. So, Jason started somewhere around 1800.
00:25:00 I'm going to start by taking you back just about a decade ago, when the two of us were working for a new historic presidential administration. That was very exciting. In the midst of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, that part was horrifying. These days, in a fact that poses a challenge to our opponent's end of work hypothesis, we're adding an average of 200,000 jobs per month, but back then we were shedding 700,000 jobs per month, over two million jobs lost in the first quarter. Why am I telling you about this? Because that recession threw 14 million additional people into poverty, 14 million people ended up poor. That's 5.5 million more people who lived -- than live in New York City. This was between 2007 and 2010. But -- and here's the first point I want to impart to you, once you account for the anti-poverty programs -- programs that lifted their income, their wages, that provided them with extra nutrition, with housing and with health care, the number of poor remained essentially flat.
00:26:04 Even amidst the worst recession, I hope of any of our lifetimes, once you account for these interventions, poverty was essentially unchanged, even in the midst of the Great Recession. Now, the reason I'm underscoring this is if our opponent's UBI proposals had been in place this would not have occurred. And that's for one of two reasons. Either, the resources that we're now using to support anti-poverty programs would be diluted as in Charles' plan, that's the universal part, or if you envision that we're somehow going to provide with a UBI on top of what we're now providing for them, you run head on into the constraints that Jason raised. The idea that you'd be spending the full amount of what our tax system already collects every year. The tax system needed to support a program that keeps the current safety net in place and builds a UBI on top of that is not one we should consider realistic, even in the context of this debate where I think we usefully suspend political disbelief to have a discussion in the age of Trump when conservatives are falling all over each other to cut taxes on rich people and cut spending for poor people.
00:27:17 Resource constraints exist even in that world, and a dollar going to someone who doesn't really need it is a dollar that isn't going to someone who really does. Now, of course, UBI supporters from the right argue that the help that we're providing to poor and elderly people today, doesn't work. From Ronald Reagan to Paul Ryan, they say we fought a war on poverty and poverty won. Charles writes in his book, "The welfare state produces its own destruction." But these claims are false. Back when Reagan first made that claim, the safety net listed 4 percent of the poor out of poverty. Today, it lifts 40 percent, more than 40 percent out of poverty, a 10-fold increase.
00:28:01 Today, our anti-poverty programs, which UBI proposals, both those of Andy and Charles, would wholly or partially end lift 40 million people out of poverty, including eight million kids and 18 million elderly persons. And in a deep and important contradiction to this claim of the welfare system self-destructing, we now have long-term research that shows that for children who benefit from poverty reduction, the benefits are long lasting. Poverty reduction that UBI would I fear undermine. Kids who get nutritional support were less likely to be obese, to have heart disease, to drop out of high school compared to kids who didn't. The Medicaid expansion was also -- kids who benefited from the Medicaid expansion were less likely to drop out and more likely to finish college. A dollar spent on early childhood education results in roughly $8.60 of benefits to society, about half of which comes from increased earnings for children when they grow up.
00:29:02 Now, those who know my work, and I hope some of you do, know that I spend a lot more time thinking about ways to improve this system I'm describing to you than I do touting and defending it. After all, even with all of the poverty reduction I've described, poverty rates are far too high. So, my work typically focuses on expanding the earned income tax credit and nutritional support. I’d seriously boost these upward mobility enhancers like quality preschool for little kids and college access for big kids. I'd make sure that unemployment insurance helps people longer, especially in places that get especially hard hit in recessions. I wouldn't guarantee everybody a basic income. I'd guarantee low and moderate income people a job. But if we instead choose to use our resources on people who don't need them, we won't be able to build on the progress we've made. Again, I understand and appreciate the usefulness of constraining political reality for this debate.
00:30:04 But let me end my initial comments by relaxing that constraint, because there's little point in totally abstracting from reality. You know, Bob Greenstein, a poverty expert with whom I work, said any possibility of overcoming the obstacles to UBI will require a left-right coalition that has significant conservative support, and conservative support for UBI rests on an approach that will increase poverty rather than reduce it. I just don’t see how you implement the program, some aspects of which I like, that our opponents are touting without seriously hurting the poor. There’s no way to add a program closer to Andy’s, as he recognizes, without seriously raising taxes. And I’ve been in D.C. for almost 30 years and not only have I seen total unified resistance to tax increases among Republicans, I’ve seen too many Democrats buy into that as well. Unless our nation’s politics radically change, I’m sure the answer is the worst-case scenario.
00:31:00 A UBI may well hurt the people who need help the most. Thank you.
[applause]
John Donvan:
Thank you, Jared Bernstein. And that concludes round one of this Intelligence Squared U.S. debate, where our motion is, “The Universal Basic Income is the Safety Net of the Future.” And now we move onto round two, and in round two the debaters address one another directly as they answer questions from me and from you, our live audience in New York. The motion is this, “The Universal Basic Income is the Safety Net of the Future.” The team arguing for the motion, Andy Stern and Charles Murray, have argued that the working class and, extensively, the middle class is in trouble, that jobs are dying, incomes are dying, and that with the predictive future for artificial intelligence, work itself may become obsolete, throwing potentially tens of millions of people out of work in the lifetimes of people who are here with us now. They argue that the universal basic income is a floor that would work as a hedge against -- not only as a hedge against poverty, but would also allow for the dignity of people who are otherwise suffocating for oxygen to survive financially.
00:32:04 They make the further argument that there’s a social good. That the UBI would augment options, that it would augment independence, that it would remove excuses for irresponsible behavior. But their bottom line is: options, options, options would come with the UBI. The team arguing for the motion, Jason Furman and Jared Bernstein, first of all, they make clear that they are not defending the status quo. They don’t think everything’s perfect as it is. They do think that reforms are needed. However, they are simply not as pessimistic as their opponents, either about the future of jobs or about the performance of anti-poverty programs already in place. They say that the prediction of a doomsday scenario for obsolete labor is way oversold. Surrender is being made prematurely to the notion of giving up on helping people find jobs by paying them not to work, or paying them because they can’t work, to be more precise. They do not want to rally around the idea of helping people get by without trying to help them continue to find work.
00:33:02 And bottom line, they say that their opponents’ plan just doesn’t work because the math does not add up. There’s a lot here, and I want to separate some of this into different parts, and I want to ask the debaters, as we go forward, I’d like to enforce conversations around different aspects of this so not to bleed into the other points you want to make, because I will attempt to get to them. But the first one I want to get is just the basic presumption that the team arguing for the motion is making -- the assumption that at a very accelerated rate jobs are dying, that work is changing, that as I said, human labor will become obsolete, possibly in the lifetimes of people who are alive with us today. So, I think we’re talking 20 to 30 years from now at the outside. And I want to go to your opponents to respond to that first -- and you did somewhat in your opening statement -- why challenge so vociferously, Jason Furman, this notion that things really, really are changing quickly, that this time it is different?
00:34:03 Jason Furman:
Somebody wrote a book, a guy, Martin Ford called “Rise of the Robots” that made this prediction. The Wall Street Journal, in 1960, had an article with the headline “The Robots Rise” that made exactly the same prediction 55 years ago. People have been predicting this for a really long time. There is no evidence for it in the data. The fraction of the population that works varies a lot across countries and across times, but it depends on economic circumstances and what you’re doing to help prepare people for jobs and succeed in jobs, not on the number of robots you have. So, rather than treating this as inevitable and declaring -- surrendering to the robots, we should be figuring out how people can succeed, thrive and work in an era when, yes, we hopefully will have more robots doing more of the things that they’re better at than humans.
00:35:06 Freeing us up for other, even better jobs.
John Donvan:
Okay. Andy Stern, your opponent just used the word "inevitable," saying it's not inevitable. But you're almost on the pretty darn sure it's inevitable side of the argument.
Andrew Stern:
I'm certainly at the point that to ignore the possibility and not plan for it would be a critical mistake for our country. You know, the problem with economists are, they try to predict the future by looking at data from the past. And I think we just had an election where people used a lot of data from the past and kind of missed the point -- because things actually do change in this world. And there was a headline one time that Donald Trump would be president, you know, and everybody laughed at that as well, and now we have him as the President of the United States. So, let's not say because the data once happened or -- it will never happen again. Let's look at this. Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Stephen Hawking -- people that are creating the future, all will tell you this is an event that will occur within the next 20 years.
00:36:03 Not obsolescence. And it's not just robots. It's software that's enabled globalization. It's autonomous vehicles that allow for self-driving trucks. It's the Amazon new checkout which is like EZ-Pass, where you walk out the door and all the things are accounted for. The studies by Boston Consulting, the World Bank, the ILO, you know, The European Union all say there will be a massive disruption in jobs. I don't know why -- the data may not show it, but everybody else in America does. And didn't we just learn --
John Donvan:
But it --
Andrew Stern:
-- the lesson of ignoring that?
John Donvan:
Andy, part of Jason's argument is that we've heard this again, and again, and again --
Andrew Stern:
Oh.
John Donvan:
And you're saying this time it's different.
Andrew Stern:
I do think this time is different, because I think the facts are entirely different.
John Donvan:
Let me bring in Jared Bernstein.
Jared Bernstein:
Well, look. It's -- I don't think it's legitimate to argue that, you know, you shouldn't make predictions, and then make predictions -- because we don't know what's coming around the corner. And you're right about that, Andy.
00:37:00 And Jason's right that when people have said this has been coming around the corner, it hasn't been. What I would say is, I'd encourage the audience to think in a commonsensical way about this. Look around. Do you really see -- I happened to walk up here from Penn Station today. There's a lot of work going on in New York, let me tell you. Do you -- look around. And not just in New York, but throughout the country. Do you really see the end of work? I see a lot of work that needs to be done, in transportation, in infrastructure, in childcare -- where people, not robots, are so important -- in teaching -- where people, not robots, must do the work -- in elder care. Same thing. And if we're smart, in areas like renewable energy, where I believe there is serious and deep employment possibilities. And that's precisely the kind of dynamic that has happened throughout history -- new opportunities, new sectors, new places for us to do things that need to be done.
John Donvan:
Okay. Charles Murray.
Charles Murray:
Yeah. For a long time, artificial intelligence was way overhyped, oversold, underperformed.
00:38:00 And I think the way to look at the curve we're on right now -- it's been going like this, and we're about -- we've just started the steep incline. Whereby artificial intelligence is enabling software to do things that would be considered 10 years away just a year ago, such as, for example, becoming the best Go player in the world because the software taught itself how to play Go. I think something I want to add onto Andy's point is it's not just the working-class jobs that are going to get displaced. The really great hollowing out of jobs is going to be in white collar jobs -- in accountancy, in all sorts of legal -- paralegal work, in all sorts of things where you used to make a good salary because you had to be pretty bright to do it. You had to make judgments. And guess what? At this point, the judgments made by the software, in many cases, are better than the judgments made by the employees. It's going to be a huge displacement.
John Donvan:
Jason Furman.
Jason Furman:
Just to respond directly to two things you both said.
00:39:00 Absolutely, we're going to have a lot of disruption and a lot of change. We had a lot of disruption and a lot of change when we went from agriculture to manufacturing, from manufacturing to services. The question is, what do we do to help people cope with and deal with that change, and land unemployment? But I wanted to, Charles, take your example of lawyers. The New York Times had a good write-up of a study, I think, from McKinsey, recently. There's all this talk that AI can do all the discovery for us, so that's going to replace lawyers. Well, lawyers also appear in courtrooms. Lawyers talk to their clients. Lawyers negotiate things. AI can't do any of those activities. And when people have looked at it carefully in that study, they found that these AI’s are replacing about 2 percent of what lawyers do per year, which means 98 percent it's not replacing. And by the way, that 2 percent, that's about the average productivity growth we've had for the last 60 years. That's what we’ve been dealing with.
Charles Murray:
Paralegal, not lawyer.
John Donvan:
All right.
Jason Furman:
Just like stock traders, and stock analysts -- all of which is now the Potemkin Village down on Wall Street, because there used to be people doing those jobs, and now algorithms do them.
00:40:07 Charles Murray:
How many of us use travel agents now?
Jason Furman:
The unemployment rate is still below 5 percent.
Jared Bernstein:
I see a lot of people working down there.
John Donvan:
All right. So, to a degree we simply have an impasse on this question of what the future holds, but that doesn't mean that we can't keep going forward because I want to take to the side arguing for the motion something that your opponents say is that what they say is most, I think, wrong-headed from their point of view about your argument is its emphasis on surrender to the reality that these jobs won't exist against the other option of working more creatively and harder at trying to match people to the jobs for the future. And that's their main critique is, “Don't give up. You're giving up too early. Let's continue to do some sort of creative -- work on creative programs, education, et cetera, job matching.” Andy Stern, what about that?
Andrew Stern:
So, I'm not giving up, but I think we should raise the minimum wage. I think we should do many of the things they say, but we would be irresponsible to not take into effect an incredible amount of belief that something big is going to happen that's going to affect people's lives.
00:41:09 People are already insecure. This could be a supplement. It doesn't have to be a replacement just like the EITC is a supplement to work. There will be work, it's just not going to be enough of it and I think what we need to do is have a policy that's flexible enough and we should understand that when the agricultural to the industrial revolution, the industrial revolution to now went on it was miserable for several decades as the head of the Bank of England said. And what are we going to do, just let people suffer?
John Donvan:
So --
Andrew Stern:
Or are we going to have a policy that's flexible enough to help make that transition?
John Donvan:
So, bottom line, without a UBI being part of the process, you're saying that their hopes for some sort of solution are in vain?
Andrew Stern:
They're as good as they are right now, which is pretty bad.
John Donvan:
Jason Furman. I'm sorry. Jared Bernstein. Jared.
Jared Bernstein:
So, I actually am -- don't think that's our main argument. I think it's a key part of our argument, this argument about employment not disappearing and going up in smoke.
00:42:03 There's still a lot of work for people to do, but I think to me our core argument is the following. I said it. Jason said it. The way I said it was, “A dollar going to someone who doesn't really need it is a dollar that isn't going to someone who really does,” okay? That is the problem with the U -- the universal of universal basic income. I mean, their plan gives $12,000 a year to Bill Gates, to Warren Buffett, and they don't need it. And, in fact, Andy talked about the EITC. That's a really important wage subsidy for low-income people, lifts 10 million people out of poverty every year. He takes the EITC and he takes food stamps and he puts that into the UBI and dilutes that anti-poverty effectiveness, and that to me is the core problem here, because it's not just that the UBI is going to people who don't need it, it's that you're undermining some poverty reduction --
John Donvan:
Okay.
Jared Bernstein:
-- effects that are working today.
00:43:00 John Donvan:
I want to let Charles Murray respond to that. They are saying that your plan would be burning some anti-poverty programs that actually do good and do work.
Charles Murray:
Okay. Now, we could go into a variety of ways in which at income levels you start to claw back part of the grant and all of this. I don't think I want to spend a whole lot of time talking about that, because I don't think that Jason and Jared have gotten our core point, which is, you don't want to give money to people who don't need it so we'll have means-tested programs, which is what we have now, and you end up with this bureaucratic -- no, it's not that it's so expensive, that's not the problem with bureaucracy. The people in this audience probably mostly have to deal with the government in terms of doing the DMV and when the IRS tells you you owe them an X addition $855 and it is irritating and problematic to do it. Imagine that you are living your life supplicating bureaucrats. Okay, I get bits and pieces of this and that and the other thing and you can have a life where you actually have cash that you can decide how to use on your own.
00:44:03 At the basis of the universal basic income for the future, I think that both Andy and I are saying that it's time to free the serfs, that the serfs are getting all sorts of benefits. We want to make them into independent people with the resources.
John Donvan:
Charles, I want to --
[applause]
-- I want to come in on that point. I want to come in and explore that point, but I still feel that your opponent has made a point that you haven't responded to and maybe Andy wants to, that anti-poverty programs that are in place are effective and your UBI proposal threatens to undo something that is working for significant numbers of people.
Andrew Stern:
One fact.
John Donvan:
So, there's a cost there.
Andrew Stern:
One fact. Forty-three million people, according to the federal government are at the federal poverty level, that's about $12,000 a year, $12,000 a year ends poverty for the first time in America.
John Donvan:
Jason Furman.
Jason Furman:
And $50,000 a year would be even better than $10,000 a year.
00:45:03 In fact, our side is going to support a million dollars a year and ask you to vote for us and against our opponents. There’s nothing more tedious and boring than arithmetic. I used to do it in meetings in the White House. It was not visionary. It’s not exciting. It’s really boring. But it’s really important, because it’s something we can’t change. But the arithmetic -- you get rid of every income support program, outside of Social Security, that is enough for a UBI of $1,500 a person. So, now, that family we heard about before working so hard at the minimum wage, instead of making $28,000 a year, they’re making $31,000 a year. Does that sound as exciting to you? Actually, it’s a bit worse than that, because at $28,000 a year, they’re actually getting a decent amount now in terms of nutritional assistance, housing vouchers and the like.
00:46:01 They would lose that, with the money saved from losing that going to pay someone at 50,000, 100,000, a million, $10 million a year.
John Donvan:
Okay, we --
Jason Furman:
If we got additional revenue, there’s a lot of places to invest it. I would start with pre-school, continue through college and training. Those have higher returns than you can get in the stock market. They can help us prepare for a future where jobs are being dislocated, get a high rate of return and are a more fair and efficient way to do it.
John Donvan:
Okay, Andy Stern, an argument -- Andy Stern, an --
Andrew Stern:
I was going to say, for someone who didn’t want to defend the status quo, boy, I’ve heard that argument for about 30 years now. It’s a great argument. It never has worked. And the basic math -- this isn’t phony math. It’s not making up numbers. There are 43 million people in poverty. A thousand dollars a month takes them all out of poverty and gives them choice.
Jason Furman:
The question is whether your plan makes it better or worse for them.
00:47:01 If you are giving more money to somebody at $80,000 a year, you are giving less money to a poor person.
Andrew Stern:
We’re not. We’re giving them $12,000 a year. We’re not -- that is not less than they are getting now.
Jason Furman:
Where is the money coming from?
Andrew Stern:
Well, that’s a different question. If you’re going to argue the cost, argue the cost. If you’re going to argue, are people better off, they’re better off.
John Donvan:
And we were arguing at this point because this was the point you brought up, Jared, that they’re better off without the UBI. They’re saying they’re better with the UBI.
[Cross talk]
Jared Bernstein:
It sounds like phony math to me, because it sounds to me like what you’re doing is you’re taking away what they have -- which you plan does get rid of the Earned Income Credit -- right? -- it gets rid of food stamps, it gets rid of housing vouchers. Doesn’t get rid of Social Security, which Charles does but you don’t. And then you’re giving it back to them in some way, shape or form. What we’re talking about now --
Andrew Stern:
And more.
Jared Bernstein:
What’s that?
Andrew Stern:
And more.
Jared Bernstein:
So, what we’re talking about now is that the folks that were -- and I used this in my opening comments -- the people who were lifted out of poverty -- and there were 40 million of them.
00:48:09 40 million people lifted out of poverty, were lifted out of poverty because all those programs that I just mentioned are taking -- once you take them away, they’re poor. So, I just don’t understand the arithmetic that you’re talking about. And secondly, the programs that I mentioned -- the benefits from nutritional support, the benefits from medical support, the benefits from Head Start, the benefits from Pell -- these are long-lasting benefits. If you take that away and you give people a few thousand bucks, in the long run, I’m afraid they’d be worse off. So, I don’t understand how you pile more money --
Andrew Stern:
Twelve thousand bucks, not a few thousand bucks.
Charles Murray:
We’ve got two -- we have two different things we’re conflating. One is, can we afford the program, and the second one was, will people at low-income levels be better off. The people who get the most money in terms of the size of the benefits are single women with children.
00:49:00 And under the additional $12,000, which Medicaid is still being provided under Andy’s plan -- the numbers add up to about the same. They are not winners or losers in this calculation. But in terms of all the other low-income people, the ones who are making 15,000, $20,000 a year, particularly a couple, an additional $24,000 onto their income, they are way better off. So, if you want to say we can’t afford it, let’s engage in that debate. I’ll be glad to do it. But the idea that, oh, that they’re going to lose their food stamps, they’re going to lose their EITC, well, the $12,000 for most low-income Americans is way more than they are getting on those benefits.
John Donvan:
Jason.
Jason Furman:
So, first, two things. One is, that’s actually factually inaccurate and that in certain circumstances you actually are getting more benefits today, and the reason is because those bureaucrats making people jump through hoops we’ve seen denigrated so much, do things like on your tax form you will out the number of children you have and you get a larger EITC if you’re in a family with three or more children than a family with one children.
00:50:09 That's one of the things those bureaucrats do, and that, by the way, was partly my fault. We put that in during the Obama administration. Another thing those bureaucrats do is unemployment insurance. They make sure you're unemployed, and really importantly, they make sure you're looking for a job. The evidence is, that actually, when you put a bit more funding into the part where they screen you to check whether you're really looking for a job -- something conservatives have supported because it's a form of program integrity to keep people committing fraud off of it -- it actually helps more people look for jobs and find jobs.
John Donvan:
Let me --
Jason Furman:
So, that's something where you get a bureaucrat involved. They do a bit of extra work. It's not so simple. It's not writing them a check, but it's for a good purpose with a good outcome.
John Donvan:
Andy Stern.
Charles Murray:
You worked in welfare bureaucracies.
00:51:01 Andrew Stern:
Well, as I said, I have three binders in front of me to be so helpful, and now, I guess, if I'm a welfare worker, I also have to drug test the people who are on unemployment, because that's now what we're going to do. We're going to force the people on Medicaid to work. You know, this is not a very benign welfare system, and Martin Luther King had it right. You know, putting people's choices in their own hands is the greatest dignity you can give someone. And asking some bureaucrat to fill out their form, you know, is not the kind of dignity we need if we have another choice.
Jared Bernstein:
No, I think that that -- I think you make a good point, and that's why the thing that I kind of like about some of the things you've suggested is that --
Andrew Stern:
Keep coming, baby. You're coming --
Jared Bernstein:
Yeah.
Andrew Stern:
-- our way.
Jared Bernstein:
-- is that --
[laughter]
-- if you -- if we -- if you take what we have and you build on top of it, and you provide low-income people with some extra resources, I would be for that and I think Jason would be for that as well. The problem is this income constraint that you're just not dealing with.
00:52:01 Your example before -- and it's easy to get tangled up in this -- really sounded like you're going to take everybody's benefits away because you're going to combine them into a UBI, and then you're going to give them back to them in the form of a UBI. So, they're no better off except for the fact -- and here you have a point -- that they have cash now instead of having to go through a set of programs. But -- recognize -- but -- no, hold on. This is key. Recognize that you can't do that if you're taking a big chunk of resources that you're now giving to low-income people, and giving it to high-income people. And the other side has not dealt with that problem yet. The only way to do that is to take it from low income people or raise a bunch more taxes. And at some point, you have to face that constraint.
John Donvan:
Okay. It --
Charles Murray:
John, I'm bursting over here.
John Donvan:
Go ahead.
Charles Murray:
Okay.
[laughter]
John Donvan:
Go ahead, Charles.
Charles Murray:
We have two --
John Donvan:
The first time I've ever heard --
Charles Murray:
We have two --
John Donvan:
-- a debater say he was going to burst, and it frightens me.
[laughter]
Charles Murray:
We have two profoundly different views of human beings. We have over there -- and this is going to sound invidious, and I like you guys, but I |
supplying weaponry to rebels in Ukraine
The empty transporters photographed leaving the area days after they arrived with military equipment
The number plates of the trucks matched those of trucks spotted carrying equipment towards the border
The vehicles carrying tanks were seen heading in the direction of where Putin's 'humanitarian convoy' is located
All the vehicles' plates have the number 21 on them, indicating they are from the former North Caucasus Military District, now part of Russia's Southern Military District
Today the eastern city of Donetsk - once a staunch separatist stronghold - turned into a war zone as clashes between opposing forces intensified.
Rebels were seen firing as they made their way through a car park, while in an area near the rebel headquarters building, residents fled when shelling began nearby.
Shops closed early, and cars with gunmen inside sped through the streets, ignoring red traffic signals.
A few hours earlier, fighting broke out in Makiyivka, a neighbourhood on the eastern edge of Donetsk that until Tuesday had not seen any combat.
A resident of Makiyivka who gave his name as Svyatoslav said he had seen separatist fighters turning back an ambulance from the scene of the fighting, telling the crew there was no one left alive for them to treat.
'They're having to retreat, they're not able to stand their ground the way they want to,' he said of the rebels.
The conflict has been plagued by accusations Russia is supplying troops and military equipment to the separatists across the border.
Number plates on seven of the trucks seen today matched those seen carrying the tanks towards the border yesterday. All the plates also carry the number 21 on the right hand side, indicating they are from the former North Caucasus Military District, including strife-torn Chechnya and Dagestan, which is headquartered in Rostov-on-Don. It is now part of Russia's Southern Military District.
The tanks and infantry fighting vehicles were seen 21 miles from the border and heading towards it. This is close to the frontier post where Russia's stalled 'humanitarian aid' convoy is holed up.
A man repairs a broken window in his home in Khartsyzk, located about 24km from Donetsk
Residents wait inside a makeshift bomb shelter in Makiyivka as fighting breaks out across the town
Ukrainian forces today pressed on with their offensive in the east despite claims fleeing civilians have been killed
Kiev has refused so far to permit almost 300 trucks to enter its territory amid suspicions the vehicles - army lorries painted white - have a military purpose. Russia strongly denies this, arguing it is vital that the 2,000 tons of aid - including grain, sugar and baby food - is urgently needed in war-ravaged areas.
The fighting in eastern Ukraine has taken a heavy human toll and has climbed today after a refugee convoy was hit by a rocket attack last night.
Fifteen bodies have so far been removed from the scene - it is understood the convoy of buses and cars was packed with civilians fleeing heavy fighting between Ukrainian government forces and separatist rebels near Luhansk.
Ukrainian government forces blame the attack on pro-Russian separatists they are battling in the area around the rebel-held city, while the rebels have denied responsibility.
The United Nations says an estimated 2,086 people, including civilians and combatants, have been killed in the four-month conflict.
That figure has nearly doubled since the end of July, when Ukrainian forces stepped up their offensive and fighting started in urban areas.
Luhansk has been largely cut off for weeks and is now in its 17th day without water and regular supplies of electricity which have hit mobile and landline phone connections.
A statement issued by the press service of the Luhansk municipality painted a picture of misery and fear for its inhabitants.
'Overnight there was fresh shelling. The centre of the town has seriously suffered particularly near the central market... As a result of the armed clashes civilians have been wounded and killed. There is further destruction (of buildings),' it said. 'Bread is being sold from vehicles, with big queues forming... Interrupted supplies of food, medicines and fuel to Luhansk is a particularly acute problem.'
Meanwhile, president Vladmir Putin is due to meet Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko next week for the first talks between the two in months.
Government forces have pushed on with a punishing offensive designed to win back the east
A diplomatic solution would have to resolve a contradiction: with his troops advancing and victory possibly within reach, Poroshenko has little incentive to offer the kind of compromises that would allow Putin to achieve a face-saving deal.
The offices of the Ukrainian and Russian presidents said both men would attend a meeting in the Belarus capital, Minsk, on Aug. 26, which is also to be attended by EU officials, and the leaders of Belarus and Kazakhstan.
Officially, the meeting concerns relations between the EU and a customs union involving Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, but Ukraine will top the agenda.
The meeting will be the first between Putin and Poroshenko since a fleeting encounter in Normandy, France, in June at commemorations of the World War Two D-day landings.
European officials say privately that they will keep up pressure on Putin to not support the rebels, but at the same time Ukraine has to be persuaded not to ruthlessly press home its advantage on the battlefield.
That could humiliate the Kremlin and force it into an unpredictable reaction, officials say.
The conflict, which began when street protests put a Western-leading leadership in power in Kiev against Moscow's wishes, has dragged relations between Russia and the West to their worst level since the end of the Cold War.
It has also triggered a round of trade sanctions and retaliatory measures which are hurting fragile economies both in Russia and in European Union states.
Russia annexed the Ukrainian region of Crimea earlier this year. Since then, Kiev and its Western backers say Russia has been arming the anti-Kiev rebellion in Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine, an allegation that Moscow has denied.
Ukrainian forces load a Grad multiple rocket launcher near the eastern city of Shchastya in Lugansk
Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists have been fighting in Lugansk for several days
Ukranian soldiers passing through the trenches dug to hold their position near Shchastya
Rubble sits beside a damaged building in Lysychansk, a city retaken by Ukrainian forces late last monthEditor’s note: This article was initially published in The Daily Gazette, Swarthmore’s online, daily newspaper founded in Fall 1996. As of Fall 2018, the DG has merged with The Phoenix. See the about page to read more about the DG.
Clarification: The original featured image of this op-ed caused some confusion because it showed a cemetery that had been graffitied over. The Swarthmore incident occurred in a bathroom, and we apologize for the misleading effects of our original image choice. The current image was obtained after the article was already published, and depicts the actual Swarthmore graffiti.
By now you’ve probably already heard that on Tuesday night students discovered swastikas graffitied in McCabe. I’m not sure what’s worse: the fact that this incident happened or the fact that I wasn’t all that surprised.
You’d think that I’d be shocked to learn that the symbol of the regime that brutally murdered dozens of my own family members, including my great-grandfather and his brothers, was drawn in my campus library. Instead, I find myself feeling depressingly unfazed, almost numb.
Maybe seeing Nazi imagery across Europe when I was there last January desensitized me. Maybe reading about anti-Semitic incidents at colleges across the country has prepared me. Maybe constantly seeing images of anti-Semitic graffiti in the news shared by frightened Jews, like the image accompanying this article, has numbed me to the horror of what such graffiti represents.
Drawing swastikas, the symbol of Nazi Germany, has long been a method of intimidating and spreading terror amongst those groups targeted by the Nazis, particularly Jews. Yet, the growing global and national tide of anti-Semitism made this all too predictable.
The greatest barrier to confronting anti-Semitism in 2016 seems to be proving that it exists. As a liberal Jew, it is immensely disappointing to see so many people with whom I ideologically align on so many issues completely dismiss the reality of a rising tide of anti-Semitism.
The apathy and, at times, antipathy of many on the left when it comes to anti-Semitism is a deep betrayal of the Jewish people. We see it when Stanford students argue that propagating the Nazi conspiracy theory of “Jews controlling the media, economy, government, and other societal institutions” is not anti-Semitic. We see it when the Vice-President of the UC Santa Cruz Jewish Student Union, a member of student government, is asked to abstain on a vote relating to Israel because of his “Jewish agenda.” And we see it most virulently on anonymous forums, when students on our own campus’s Yik-Yak assert that Jews should view their ethnic heritage as akin to being “descended from a Confederate officer” and that anti-Semitism itself is a conspiracy invented by the Rothschild banking family to let Jews oppress people of color.
Then, of course, there is the relentless and overwhelming victim-blaming of Jewish students for anti-Semitic acts committed against them. The rejection of victim-blaming is a key component of the left, and for good reason. Those that justify their disgusting Islamophobia based on the actions of ISIS or the Saudi government are neither justified nor excused. And yet, I cannot count the number of times I have been told that it is Israel, and the diaspora Jews who support it, who are truly at fault for rising anti-Semitism! Anti-Semitism seems to be the exception to how we confront stigma and discrimination on the left.
We see it when some illegitimate claims of anti-Semitism are used to delegitimize claims of anti-Semitism writ large, when the same standard is never applied on the left to other forms of discrimination. Just as some claims of anti-Semitism are incorrect and invoked to avoid important debates, so too are some claims of sexism or racism or Islamophobia. Yet, complaints of anti-Semitism are constantly singled out as uniquely suspect in many left-wing circles.
When it comes to most claims of discrimination on the left, the claim is true unless proven false. When it comes to claims of anti-Semitism, the claim is false unless proven true. This double standard is in itself anti-Semitic.
We Jews, so often described as ‘whiny,’ ‘paranoid,’ and ‘manipulative’ are assumed to be liars. The left is all too ready to use excuses that would never fly in most discussions of bigotry. Even at Swarthmore it’s somehow acceptable to say “I didn’t mean to be anti-Semitic, you’re just too sensitive and/or paranoid.”
As a Jew, it is clear to me what all this second-guessing and hypocrisy from many on the left means: they simply do not believe anti-Semitism is a problem. For them, bringing up anti-Semitism is merely a nuisance tactic employed by Jews to derail discussions about “real issues.” For some leftists, trafficking in common anti-Semitic stereotypes is a price they are willing to pay to achieve their political goals.
Make no mistake, this price is not small. It’s dangerous to condition people to tune out claims of anti-Semitism and to assume those who make accusations are, as reportedly described by the new CEO of the Trump campaign, “whiny brat Jews.”
We Jews are just a small part of this country, no matter how large our presence on this campus may seem. We are under 2% of the national population and a tiny fraction of a percent of the global population. A century ago, Jews lived relatively prosperous lives in Germany. We were disproportionately represented in fields of law, finance, and medicine. We even held some high level political offices. So naturally, when German Jews complained of anti-Semitism, they too were accused of “whining.”
This is not the early 20th century and we are presumably not on the verge of another Holocaust, but we are clearly seeing a rising tide of anti-Semitism accompanied by an overwhelming denial of that fact from both the left and the right. As the influence of the alt-right grows in the Republican Party, Jews in this country are more fearful than they have been in decades, yet many on the left remain in denial of this reality and even help perpetuate it.
What depresses me the most is that this is happening just a week after so many new students arrived on this campus. To Jewish first-years, and to the first-years of every other identity threatened by White Supremacy, I say this: you are not alone. Talk to Kehilah (our campus Jewish community), talk to CAPS, talk to your friends, and talk to Jewish upperclassmen who are feeling the same frustrations and fears as you.
And to those who are not Jewish, I urge you to listen. Do not be the person who only brings themself to recognize that racism is real when they see a burning cross in their black neighbors’ yard. Recognize that this incident is just the most visible and obvious form of anti-Semitism. Recognize that when you are talking about issues relating to Jews, Jewish identity, and yes, even the Jewish State, it is important to think carefully and consider whether your words are anti-Semitic. Recognize that anti-Semitism is a problem not just in the Middle East or Europe but here in this country and on this campus as well.
Remember that many, if not most, of the Jews you meet here had grandparents, great-grandparents, or other family members who were tortured and killed under the symbol that was drawn yesterday.
Never forget the pain of our past, recognize the anxiety of our present, and listen to our fears for the future. Listen to us. Not just today, not just when the next anti-Semitic incident occurs, but on every day to come.
Featured image shows one of the swastikas. By Ziv Stern ’20.Kampala, Uganda - Journalists at one of Uganda's leading independent newspapers were alarmed to find heavily armed police suddenly surrounding their building on May 20.
Brandishing Kalashnikovs, the police officers entered the premises, turned off two associated FM radio stations housed in the same compound, and ordered journalists away from their workstations. Staff at the Daily Monitor immediately posted pictures and commentary on Facebook and Twitter, where they learned a similar raid was also happening at the popular tabloid, the Red Pepper.
"I was shocked to see so many police at our premises. Like many colleagues, I thought they would soon leave," said Brenda Banura, a Daily Monitor reporter
Banura was mistaken, however. Nearly a week later, both newspapers remain closed and occupied by police, neither has been allowed to print, so both have been absent from newsstands across the country. The government-owned newspaper, the New Vision, has been the only English-language daily available to Ugandans during this period.
Police say they raided the newspapers to retrieve a letter and press releases written by a senior intelligence chief, General David Sejusa.
Police outside the Daily Monitor [Grace Natabaalo/Al Jazeera]
The classified letter, leaked to the Daily Monitor earlier this month, raised concerns about an alleged plot to assassinate senior government and military officials who are opposed Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power for 27 years, and his plans to hand over power to his son when he retires.
The Monitor originally published the claims of the assassination plot on May 7, and further infuriated the government by continuing to report on the controversy since.
Police say the leak of the letter was a crime, and so the media buildings are crime scenes. A magistrate's court issued the police with search warrants for both premises. Police also say the letter's intended recipients, two other senior security chiefs, did not receive copies, and so the letter must be retrieved.
General Sejusa, currently thought to be in London, issued press releases verifying the letter and denying knowledge of how it was leaked.
"The General's utterances had unfortunately stirred national anxiety, tended to generate public disaffection against some officers in the UPDF [Uganda People's Defence Forces], as well as the First Family," Minister of Information Karooro Okurut said in a statement. "This anxiety has the negative consequence of undermining national security."
Besides interrogating three journalists from the Daily Monitor, the police also secured a court order to compel them to reveal the source of the letter and information contained within it.
"We made it clear that that kind of cooperation will be hard to offer. It contradicts with our own laws in the Press and Journalist Act, which says you can withhold information if it is threatening the source," the Daily Monitor's Managing Editor Don Wanyama said.
The newspaper promptly appealed the court order, only to be surprised by the raid before the court could set the date for a hearing.
"We are horrified by this act, which is a gross disregard of Ugandan law and a violation of the Monitor's constitutional right," Daily Monitor's Managing Director Alex Asiimwe said in a statement immediately after the raid.
'Political shutdown'
Owners of Red Pepper have accused the government of a long-term plan to simply end reporting on topics of its choice.
This is a political shutdown. When you have a media siege going beyond five days it's aimed at achieving a political aim to make sure independent media do not speak out on issues that jeopardize political interests. Arinaitwe Rugyendo, an owner of Red Pepper newspaper
"This is a political shutdown. When you have a media siege going beyond five days it's aimed at achieving a political aim to make sure independent media do not speak out on issues that jeopardize political interests," one of the Red Pepper's owners, Arinaitwe Rugyendo, said.
The police defended its operation, and insisted its officers would not leave the premises until they found what they were looking for.
Hillary Onek, the minister for internal affairs, told parliament, "The interest of the police and other sister agencies is to get the letter published by the Daily Monitor, and given its security classification, investigate how the Daily Monitor got it, and possible violations of the law."
Until now the largest government crackdown on media by Museveni's government had been the closure of four radio stations in September 2009, in the wake of riots in the capital Kampala over a stand-off between the government and the kingdom of Uganda's largest ethnic group, the Baganda.
In October 2002, police conducted a similar raid on the Monitor and shut it for nearly a week, following publication of a story that claimed an army helicopter had crashed while fighting the rebel Lord's Resistance Army.
President Museveni, who late last year threatened to close media establishments for "writing lies", has not publicly commented on the latest closures. While Ugandan journalists are no strangers to harassment by state officials, many found the government action drastic and defenceless, and took to Twitter to condemn it.
On Twitter, using the hashtags #Monitorsiege, #RedPepperSiege, and #MediaSiege amongst others, Ugandans asked why the government was going for the messenger instead of dealing with the author of the letter and the issues he raised.
@pmagelah tweeted, "Please [Uganda Police] stop being cowards go for Gen Sejusa the author of letters & not the messenger daily monitor." @btabaire wrote, "Museveni displays arrogance of power and regime decadence in raid on media... 27 years in power does that."
The Uganda police simply tweeted it would continue its operation until the letter is found.
But there has been no let up in criticism of the police action. Human Rights Watch's Maria Burnett said the Uganda government was using abusive tactics to scare journalists away from politically sensitive stories.
"This Daily Monitor raid is a classic case of shooting the messenger," Burnett said. "The authorities' heavy-handed actions and shutting down of the newspapers and radio stations show blatant disregard for freedom of the press."
Sarah Jackson, Amnesty International's deputy Africa director, echoed the sentiment.
"The police must immediately withdraw from the offices of all media outlets targeted in this disturbing crackdown, and allow them to go about their journalistic work," said Jackson.
The 2013 press freedom ranking by Reporters Without Borders put Uganda in 104th position out of 179 countries.This past Tuesday, the internet world of professional wrestling was a buzz about Smackdown Live. Only it wasn’t for anything that happened on the episode (despite it being the best post-brand split episode of either brand to date) – it was due to one segment on the post show, Smack Talk, a conversation show hosted by Renee Young and featuring Smackdown General Manager and former WWE World Champion Daniel Bryan. After weeks of trash talking Intercontinental Champion The Miz – stemming right from the moment he was drafted – Bryan was confronted by The Miz in hands down the best promo of his career. With Bryan calling The Miz a coward for weeks on end and mocking his title reign, Miz unloaded on Bryan and defended his ‘weaker’ style of wrestling as the reason he managed to stay injury free during his 10-year career in the WWE while a “bingo hall” wrestler like Bryan had to retire early due to his more high impact style of wrestling. By the end of the segment, the word shoot was overused on Twitter more than “burial” in a Triple H conversation.
The internet was going ballistic as it tried to discover the true story of whether Miz’s rant – which seemingly forced Bryan into submission as he walked off the set – was a shoot or a work. While there may be some of the former in the rant, it was most definitely a work. And if you look at some of the past few months biggest trending moments out of WWE, they all revolve around incidents that blurred the lines between fiction and reality, bringing back something that fans have lamented since the early 90’s.
Kayfabe.
Kayfabe, for nearly a century, was one of professional wrestling’s most sacred codes. It was what kept the magic alive, keeping the secrets of the trade and the blueprint of the industry guarded from the fans and the press. The wrestlers stayed in character for every public appearance, in one of the most extreme forms of method acting the entertainment world has ever seen. In the early 80’s, former wrestling great “Dr D” David Schultz became one of kayfabe’s legendary protectorates when he slapped 20/20 reporter John Stossel for asking The Question: “Is wrestling fake?”
But by the end of the 80’s, the gig was up, when WWE Chairman Vince McMahon proclaimed professional wrestling to be “sports entertainment” at a meeting with the New Jersey Senate in 1989 in order to lessen costs versus actual legitimate combative sports like boxing. And while the cracks were showing, the rise of the internet open doors and closets that the industry was unable to conceal and dirt sheets and online forums began to expose the reality of behind the scenes.
THE PIPEBOMB: June 27, 2011
The WWE’s first real foray back into the realm of kayfabe was CM Punk’s infamous “pipe bomb” from Raw on June 27, 2011. The “Voice of the Voiceless” commandeered the WWE microphone, sat down, and aired a list of grievances that seemed all too true and real (and echoed by much of the growing internet community) to be allowed by WWE management. The online revelation of Punk’s expiring WWE contract and his shocking win over then WWE World Champion John Cena on his “last day” of his contract only fuelled the hype. Many believed Punk had gone against the script and beat Cena on his own, to steal the title from the company. While it was later uncovered that he had signed an extension and it was all a work, this taste back into the foray of kayfabe whet the appetites of wrestling purists around the world. And while there was some brief attempts at similar “pipe bombs”, from such stars as AJ Lee, Dolph Ziggler and Ryback, nothing shook the Universe like Punk’s promo until the summer of 2016.
AJ STYLES vs. JOHN CENA: The Shoot Battle, Raw, June 6, 2016
When AJ Styles and John Cena locked horns in a first encounter promo, both men delivered dynamite performances that seemed to cut awfully close to the bone. Cena’s talk of indie wrestlers having a sense of “entitlement” and Styles’ classic line that “guys like you, bury guys like me” polarized the crowd into choosing sides: the indie purists behind former TNA, ROH and NJPW Champion AJ Styles and stalwart WWE icon John Cena backed by the WWE Universe. The use of insider lingo and the mention of promotions like Ring of Honor fuelled speculation that both men were getting personal in their promos. WWE would never allow them to use words like that…would they?
PAUL HEYMAN: The Conspiracy Theory, “Inside the Ropes”, London, England, July 11, 2016
During a brief period of unemployment from WWE (his contract had expired and he had yet to re-sign a new one), while on a speaking tour of the UK, Paul Heyman revealed a masterful conspiracy theory that instantly became the wrestling version of the “Fake Moon Landing”. Was Brock Lesnar booked to end The Undertaker‘s Streak at Wrestlemania 30? Or did Brock Lesnar simply do what Brock Lesnar wanted to do? The internet went berzerk. People who had never even considered such a shoot occurring suddenly found themselves covered by a shadow of doubt. Heyman, a masterful storyteller in and out of the ring, began his theory with the statement “Is Paul Heyman telling us something we aren’t supposed to know…or is just fucking with us?” And thus the mythology of Brock Lesnar was further enhanced by something that just felt so bone chillingly real, that it must have happened. Right? Right??
CESARO’S RANT: Raw, July 19, 2016
When the GM’s were announced for the Brand Split of 2016 as Mick Foley for Raw and Daniel Bryan for Smackdown Live, it was clearly pointed out that Smackdown Live, under both Bryan and Shane McMahon‘s leadership, would be the wrestling show, using the seemingly banned word from the WWE lexicon as one of its principle selling points. There would be less vignettes and longer matches. So the WWE Universe was shocked when Cesaro, generally regarded as one of the company’s better wrestlers, was drafted to the flashier Raw brand. Following the announcement, being interviewed by JoJo, Cesaro went on a rant that he was disappointed in not going to Smackdown and slamming the very idea of Raw. It cut deep in many people’s souls as being a stone cold shoot, that Cesaro was genuinely upset with the management’s decision to keep him on the brand that would be closest to the regime that had previously undervalued and underused him. Was it a work? Or was it a shoot? Most agree it was wrestling at its best – a work that was allowed to be delivered with some truth and honesty, without the scripted lines WWE had become reliant on.
DOLPH ZIGGLER: The Superkick, Smackdown Live!, August 16, 2016
And impassioned Dolph Ziggler finally showed the world he could cut a promo – so much so that people thought he was simply fed up and telling WWE World Champion Dean Ambrose off for real rather than following any cue cards or scripted lines. The intensity was so overwhelming that the “out of nowhere” superkick to Dean’s jaw left the WWE Universe stunned for days. It’s too bad they didn’t carry that same momentum throughout their match at the PPV that weekend. But not to worry, something else at that PPV rocked the world’s perception.
THE LESNAR ELBOW: SummerSlam, August 21, 2016
One of the biggest reasons The Miz segment from this past Tuesday hit with such a force, was because the WWE Universe was still reeling from another incident just days prior, at this years SummerSlam this past Sunday night. In a shocking main event, Randy Orton returned from nearly a year long injury recovery to a massively hyped main event slot against “The Beast” Brock Lesnar…only to be decimated and left bloodied in the ring, in a scene that left the entire world stunned and questioning whether real life tensions may have carried over and Lesnar had legitimately gone off script and knocked Orton out. WWE has shied away from blood for years now as it fought to maintain it’s PG rating, but the blood that was pooling on the mat indicated a far different story. The shoot was so convincing that reports emerged the next day that locker room leader Chris Jericho confronted Lesnar at the Gorilla position after the match under the presumption that Lesnar had gone off the script and seriously injured Orton, before Triple H and Vince McMahon himself calmed Y2J down under the assurance (from Orton himself) that it was all part of the plan. But those images haunted the WWE Universe and proceeded to build on those words that Heyman had delivered from the stage in London only a few months prior. The WWE Universe, who only months earlier cheered him as a fan favourite and made his “Suplex City” shirts one of the highest selling items of merchandise, now turned on the Beast, calling him a psychotic threat to the safety of the other wrestlers, a limited pro wrestler who was a threat more than a spectacle. Which is exactly what the WWE had been trying to do for the past year without much success.
If the New Era has done anything, it’s help restore some of the lost magic that today’s pro wrestling has had to endure. The loss of true kayfabe, the unknown mystery of the magic trick.
But in age of dirt sheets, Twitter, Snapchat, and whatever new fad comes along tomorrow, we’ll never get it back at a true 100%.
But as long as the WWE keeps inserting moments like this in it’s New Era, then at least we’ve got hope in recapturing those iconic moments that brought us shock and awe and coming back for more.
(Main Photo: Jamie Greer)Tiger Woods says he was “impressed" by Donald Trump Donald John TrumpHouse committee believes it has evidence Trump requested putting ally in charge of Cohen probe: report Vietnamese airline takes steps to open flights to US on sidelines of Trump-Kim summit Manafort's attorneys say he should get less than 10 years in prison MORE’s golf game recently, despite some "bickering" with the president-elect.
The golf icon, who played 18 holes last month with the real estate mogul at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Fla., reflected on the friendly competition Thursday.
“I recently played with President-elect Donald Trump,” Woods wrote in a blog post on his website. “What most impressed me was how far he hits the ball at 70 years old. He takes a pretty good lash.”
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“Our discussion topics were wide-ranging; it was fun,” Woods said. “We both enjoyed the bantering, bickering and needling. I also shared my vision for golf and what I'm trying to do.”
Woods is designing a course in Dubai for a Trump golf club.
“We didn't have a match and played for fun,” Woods wrote of the golf outing. “I was testing drivers and fairway woods, and changed some settings. I think he enjoyed seeing the difference in shots when you experiment.”
Woods noted that he’s “had the privilege of playing golf” with three commanders in chief, including President Obama, Bill Clinton William (Bill) Jefferson ClintonInviting Kim Jong Un to Washington Howard Schultz must run as a Democrat for chance in 2020 Trump says he never told McCabe his wife was 'a loser' MORE and George H.W. Bush.
The 41-year-old pro, a 14-time majors champion, has been complimentary of all of his political golf opponents’ skills on the green in the past. He told Stephen Colbert in an interview last year that Bush’s game was “very good” and said Obama was “very competitive.”Oafish alien Nardole was perhaps not the most obvious choice for the new companion in Doctor Who – but Matt Lucas's character evolved quite a bit across the BBC sci-fi's last series.
Lucas told Digital Spy that he knows some people were "unhappy" when it was announced he'd be joining the show full-time... but he hopes he ended up proving his worth.
"When we first saw Nardole in 'The Husbands of River Song', it was a very broad character and I did a very broad performance," Lucas acknowledged. "It was a Christmas special and they're always a bit lighter, and I just thought it was a cameo – I didn't think anything more of it.
"Then when it was announced that I was coming back, I think people, understandably, thought, 'He's gonna do that throughout the series?!'"
BBC
Lucas suggested that his past associations with "broad" comedy series like Little Britain might also have coloured the public's perception of him.
"If I'd had the exposure that I'd had, but in drama rather than comedy, I think it would've been easier for me. But because the things I was known for were just straight out-and-out comedy, people were unhappy about it, and I understood that.
"So my job was just to keep my head down and just do the best I could do, and I either prove them right or wrong. I hope.... I get the sense that people – not everyone – but I get the sense that some of the doubters, in the end, appreciated what I contributed to the show."
BBC
The scripts for series 10, Lucas said, allowed him to "explore more texture" in the Nardole character, building to the character's emotional departure in finale episode 'The Doctor Falls'.
"When the character came back, I still wanted to bring a bit of levity to the show, but at the same time, I couldn't keep that [previous performance] up, because people would be throwing bricks at their TV sets...
"It was a real gift from Steven Moffat, and his great team of writers, to have a character that can be silly and grumpy... but at the same time can tune in emotionally, and become more emotionally responsive as the series goes through.
Albert L. Ortega / Getty Images
"As an actor I don't often get those opportunities. I tend to run from them, so this one lured me in, because [to begin with] I was silly Nardole, the funny alien robot hybrid, but by the end, I had to play real emotion."
It seems Nardole's arc is now over and we've seen the last of the character... unless, like Bill (Pearl Mackie), he'll be making a surprise reappearance in Peter Capaldi's Doctor Who swansong this Christmas?
Doctor Who will return to BBC One with festive special 'Twice Upon a Time' – and is expected to go out in its usual December 25 slot.
Want up-to-the-minute entertainment and tech news? Just hit 'Like' on our Digital Spy Facebook page and 'Follow' on our @digitalspy Twitter account and you're all set.This month my Scientific American column tackled the issue of high-tech trust. Bit by bit the Apples, Googles, Microsofts and, of course, the NSAs of the world have shaken our trust. They've abused it, one highly publicized breach after another, and left us fearful and wary.
Here, for your sleep-losing pleasure, are some choice examples of the tech industry's impressive history of trust violations.
April 1998: Microsoft orchestrates a phony grassroots campaign. In an effort to sway public opinion during the government's antitrust investigation, Microsoft orchestrated a "grassroots" campaign of letters to the editor of newspapers in key states. These letters were apparently signed by "average citizens" but were actually written by staffers at Edelman, Microsoft's public relations firm.
October 2005: Sony is caught planting a "virus" on its music CDs. Technically, it was a rootkit: a piece of self-concealing software that installed itself onto your PC. It was designed to modify Windows so that you could not copy Sony music CDs; it also sent records of your listening habits back to Sony.
When a firestorm of public outrage erupted, Sony's response was to offer an "uninstaller" that, in fact, simply unhid the rootkit program and installed even more copy-protection software. Eventually, the company recalled the affected CDs and stopped its CD copy-protection efforts. But the discovery that a company was willing to spy on its own customers dealt a terrible blow to the public's trust in big-tech companies.
January 2010: Barnes & Noble understates the weight of its Nook tablet. I discovered this one myself. The company advertised its Nook e-book reader as weighing 7.4 percent less than it really did. Who'd notice, right? Who bothers to weigh a tablet to see if its specs are being accurately represented?
We already take it on faith that the manufacturers will knowingly inflate stats like battery life, useful camera ISO (light sensitivity) and wi-fi range. But, all of a sudden, a product's weight joined the long list of specs that consumers have learned not to trust.
April 2011: Apple devices are logging users' locations. A pair of researchers discovered that iPhones and cellular iPads had, for a year, been recording your whereabouts. These data points were getting stored in a file that was transferred to your computer's copy of iTunes—unencrypted.
Apple tried to clarify that the "tracking" was in fact just being used to bring us better cell coverage. It soon provided a software update that eliminated the practice. But the damage—a lot of damage—was done.
May 2012: Google's Street View downloads citizens' private data. The reason Street View cars patrol America's roads is to improve Google Maps and offer photographic views of every address. The reason it tunes into wi-fi hot spots as it drives is to improve its own location-based services.
But what was the reason for downloading 200 gigabytes' worth of e-mail, chat transcripts, passwords, photos, Web-surfing history (including visits to dating and porn sites), and other personal information from unprotected wi-fi networks? That was not okay.
Google wound up paying a series of fines, including $25,000 to the Federal Communications Commission, $190,000 to Germany and $7 million to 38 states. But the whole business made those passing Street View cars look just a bit more sinister than before.
June 2013: We learn that the National Security Agency has been eavesdropping on us. This one you probably heard about. Our own government has been intercepting our phone calls, e-mail, chat transcripts, browsing history, our Hotmail, Google, Yahoo and Facebook traffic—and on and on and on. Officials have attempted to reassure us by explaining that Americans weren't targeted and that the searches were limited to target words or phrases that might indicate terrorist activity. But the public, by and large, was not consoled.
Frankly, it's amazing that we have any trust in our high-tech (and government) institutions left.Share. That's a lot of cities (and sadness). That's a lot |
struct:
func regionalIndicatorSymbol(unicodeScalar: UnicodeScalar) -> UnicodeScalar? { let uppercaseA = UnicodeScalar("A")! let regionalIndicatorSymbolA = UnicodeScalar("\u{1f1e6}")! let distance = unicodeScalar.value - uppercaseA.value return UnicodeScalar(regionalIndicatorSymbolA.value + distance) }
Here you take advantage of the fact that letters and regional indicator symbols are right next to each other in the Unicode table for values that are logically next to each other. So if A is 65, B is just 66 and if 🇦 is 127462, then 🇧 is just 127463. So to convert the letter P to a regional indicator symbol, you just need to get the distance between A and P, then add that distance to 🇵.
That was the hard part. Now that you have this method, the rest is easy! Replace the emojiFlag property with the following:
public var emojiFlag: String { return code.unicodeScalars.map { String(regionalIndicatorSymbol(unicodeScalar: $0)!) }.joined() }
You convert the country code to an array of each letter, then you convert each letter to its regional indicator symbol and join them back together. This gets you the flag!
Run the tests again and watch all three tests pass.
The next step of creating a Swift package is committing your code to Git and tagging it with a version. Since this is your first version, you will call it 1.0.0.
Execute the following commands to create your Git repo and tag it:
git init git add. git commit -m "Initial commit" git tag 1.0.0
Creating the Executable
Now that you have your emoji flag library, you can add it as a dependency to the Flag executable package.
Navigate back to the Flag directory and open the Package.swift file. Its contents look like this:
import PackageDescription let package = Package( name: "Flag" )
Every Swift package has a description like this. The most important of the parameters you’ll use will be the dependencies parameter. Replace the package description with the following:
let package = Package( name: "Flag", dependencies: [.Package(url: "../Atlas", "1.0.0") ] )
Above, you state that the Flag package will have a single dependency with a URL of../Atlas and that the version should be 1.0.0.
The version should use semantic versioning. In a nutshell, this means that the version should look like MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH. The MAJOR version is for any backwards-incompatible changes; the MINOR version is for changes that are done in a backwards-compatible way; and the PATCH version is for bug fixes. You can read more about the details of semantic versioning here.
In almost all cases, you’ll want to automatically update to newer versions of the library with bug fixes or even minor improvements. Conveniently, the Swift package manager allows you to do this. Change your package description to the following:
let package = Package( name: "Flag", dependencies: [.Package(url: "../Atlas", majorVersion: 1) ] )
The Swift Package Manger provides even more ways to precisely specify the exact version or versions of the library you want to update to. Read more about all of them here.
Build the package:
swift build
The Swift Package Manager fetches and builds your library and links it to your executable. The tree now looks like this:
You can see that the Swift Package Manager has carefully chosen version 1.0.0 based on your dependency requirements and installed it. Open the main.swift file and replace the contents with the following code:
import Atlas let arguments = CommandLine.arguments if arguments.count!= 2 { print("USAGE: flag [iso country code]") } else { let code = arguments[1] let country = Atlas.Country(code: code) print(country.emojiFlag) }
Here you import your library, then print the emoji flag for the first command line argument given. If no argument is given, you print a help message.
Build the app again and run it:
swift build./.build/debug/Flag US
You should now see the United States flag in your Terminal window!
Once you are happy with your app it’s time to ship it. Build the app one last time, this time using the optimized release configuration:
swift build --configuration release
Now you can run the release version of your app like so:
./.build/release/Flag PR
You can now zip the./.build/release/Flag file and share it with your, friends, family, or anyone, really! :]
Generating an Xcode Project with The Swift Package Manager
Going old-school with the command line and your text editor of choice is fun, but you might be an iOS or macOS developer who is used to Xcode. Fear not — most of what you did works with Xcode as well.
Switch back to the Atlas package and generate an Xcode project by running the following:
cd../Atlas swift package generate-xcodeproj
This command will generate a Atlas.xcodeproj for you. Now you can go ahead and open the project in Xcode and build the package or run the test suite like you would any other Xcode project~
You can also do this for the Flag package. Run swift package generate-xcodeproj in the Flag folder to generate Flag.xcodeproj.
cd../Flag swift package generate-xcodeproj
After you open the Xcode project, make sure the Flag executable target is selected; that’s the one with a little Terminal window for an icon. Now you can also build and run this package.
To give the executable command-like arguments, go to Product\Scheme\Edit Scheme…, then select Run\Arguments and add an argument like US under the Arguments Passed on Launch section.
Note that Xcode is unable to add and build dependencies, so you can’t fully avoid the command line!
Where to Go From Here?
You can download the completed Swift Package Manager projects for this tutorial here.
You can also check out the package manager section on the official Swift site here.
The most recent documentation about the package description options can be found on GitHub.
For an overview of the direction of updates to the Swift Package Manager for Swift 4 you can check out the roadmap on the Swift Evolution mailing list.
You might also want to check out IBM’s Swift Package Catalog, which helps you discover new packages that can be used in your projects.
Until the Swift Package Manager supports non-host platforms, it is still recommended to use Cocoapods or Carthage to build iOS, watchOS, and tvOS apps.
As a challenge, why don’t you push the library you just created to GitHub, and then use Atlas as a remote dependency? Hint: You just need to change the url option of the dependency to the GitHub URL.
Try implementing new features, like listing all countries and their flags when Flag is run without any arguments. Hint: You might need to use Locale.isoRegionCodes.
Implement your new feature in the Atlas library, then create a new version like 1.1.0, and finally use the new version in Flag. Make sure you select an appropriate version in your package description and then use swift package update to update your dependencies to the latest allowed versions.
Share your solutions in the comments below and have fun!NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury prices soared on Monday after the first credit downgrade of U.S. debt caused investors to flee risky assets in favor of bonds on concern over the ripple effects of the ratings cut.
The downgrade underlined the challenges the United States will face in reducing its deficit and the limits it faces in stimulating growth without increasing its already high debt load.
At the same time, investors feared what consequences the downgrade could have across companies, banks and financial markets.
Treasuries benefited at the expense of risky assets including stocks, as investors maintained confidence that U.S. government debt may still be among the world’s safest assets, if no longer risk free.
Standard & Poor’s cut the debt to AA-plus, the second highest ranking.
“Treasuries are still a comparatively low-risk asset. I think there’s no doubt about that,” said Michael Schumacher, a strategist at UBS in Stamford, Connecticut.
Fears over slowing global growth, in tandem with the still-unresolved turmoil in the euro zone, have led investors to flood safe havens that in some cases have been unable to cope.
The Swiss National Bank last week announced a shock interest rate cut in a bid to stem flows into the country that have sent the Swiss franc soaring. BNY Mellon (BK.N) also said it would implement a new fee for some large deposits, citing “sudden, significant increases” in funds.
With over $9 trillion in marketable Treasuries outstanding, the U.S. debt market is one of few able to meet the demand.
Most analysts are confident S&P’s downgrade will not provoke forced selling of Treasuries, and they also said the ratings cut was also likely anticipated by many in the market.
“Most people in the bond market thought that while the timing might be a little more distant, at least there was a chance that the U.S. would be downgraded in the next few months,” Schumacher said. “On the equity side it seems to have been more of a surprise.”
Benchmark 10-year notes at one point soared over two points in price, with yields falling as low as 2.33 percent, the lowest level since February 2009.
Two-year and three-year Treasury yields also fell to record lows of 0.23 percent and 0.38 percent, respectively.
The cost of insuring U.S. debt in the credit default swap market was also stable at around 57 basis points, or $57,000 per $10 million in Treasuries insured, for five years.
“The CDS market has been pricing the U.S. credit as an AA credit for some time,” said Otis Casey, director of credit research at Markit in New York.
U.S. CDS had traded below 2 basis points until late 2007, when concerns about the need for government spending to bail out financial institutions began. Fears over the rising debt burdens of governments have increased since this time.
“There is not a concept anymore of a risk-free rate,” Casey added.
LONG BONDS MAY SEE FISCAL DRAG
Despite the rally, the gap between 10-year bonds and 30-year bonds expanded, and this yield curve may steepen further as the bond is most vulnerable to long-term U.S. fiscal concerns.
The bonds may also need to offer higher yields to attract buyers to a new sale of the debt this week.
The Treasury will sell $32 billion in three-year notes on Tuesday, $24 billion in 10-year notes on Wednesday, and $16 billion in 30-year bonds on Thursday.
The bond auction “could be a bit of a test for the market,” said UBS’ Schumacher.
The Federal Reserve on Tuesday will also hold its policy meeting where investors will be looking for any signs of further support for the economy.
Treasuries with maturities between 3 years and 5 years have seen strong flows in the past few weeks, he said.
However, “we expect the long end to perform relatively poorly since many people view it as a barometer of U.S. fiscal policy,” Schumacher said.
The gap between 10-year notes and 30-year bonds widened to 132 basis points on Monday from 128 basis points on Friday.Wild horse expert sounds alarm
As the new Director of Ecology and Conservation at Protect Mustangs and a concerned Carson Valley resident, I attended the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) “Carson City District Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) / Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)” meeting at the Spark’s Nugget hotel casino on Tuesday, January 13, from 5 to 7 pm.
I spoke with several BLM officials including John Axtell, the Wild Horse and Burro Specialist for this district, and Leon Thomas, Field Manager for the Sierra Front Field Office. I voiced my concerns that stakeholders who previously gave much input for increased numbers and resources in regard to wild horses were being ignored in the Draft Resource Management Plan.
I heard the overview explanation of the document by Colleen Sievers, RMP Project Lead, and instructions for reviewing it. I had given earlier input during the 2012 Scoping meetings in Carson City, along with many other pro-wild horse stakeholders.
It’s important to note there are two new wilderness designations that have just been passed by Congress for this area: Pine Forest and Wovoka Wilderness Areas.
Wild horses need you more than ever to stand up for them and here’s why:
There are five alternatives presented in the RMP document, one of which is No Action, or status quo, that will include improvements for Sage Grouse survival, but little else. Another is for maximizing resource exploitation that would be disaster for many natural values upon which the long term survival of life depends. Another (Alternative C) is for maximizing conservation of nature, and another is for bringing a so-called balance of these (Alternative E). This is the preferred alternative although it does not allocate enough land, water and forage for native wild horses who are needed to reduce wildfires, restore balance to the ecosystem, and reverse desertification on public land.
The Conservation Alternative would greatly reduce livestock grazing and expand wilderness designations but pro-wild horse stakeholders and native wild horses themselves appear to have been ignored. Wild horses should be regarded as native restorers of these natural ecosystems, but in the BLM’s Draft RMP there are serious errors which imply that they are non-native invasive pests with no value to the ecosystem. This, of course, is false.
In my preliminary view, and pending a more thorough analysis of this document, it’s outrageous to see that federal officials appear to have completely neglected the wishes of stakeholders favoring wild horses. They unfairly sided with wild horse enemies to zero out herd management areas (HMAs). The BLM’s preferred alternative are plans to zero out six wild horse “herd management areas,” (HMA’s) rendering them “herd areas.” This is a twisting of language by which the original designation of a “herd area” as an area for wild populations of wild horses/burros in perpetuity, now according to BLM means an area where the wild horses/burros have been eliminated, or “zeroed out.”
John Axtell told me that there was not enough forage or water in these areas and that their numbers were too low. However, he conveniently failed to mention how cattle and sheep have been given the great majority of forage allocations in these same areas, or how the BLM has intentionally failed to exercise the wild horses and burros’ Implied Federal Water Rights that come with any major federal act of Congress in order to secure their basic survival requirements.
The areas that the BLM appears to be planning to zero out in the preferred alternative includes some HMA’s north of Reno such as Granite Peak and Flannigan that have been assigned truly ridiculous, low appropriate management levels (AML)—plus or minus 20 or so horses.
The minimum number for a genetically viable herd is 2,500 wild horses, according to the IUCN Species Survival Commission Equid Specialist Group and these levels are even a far cry from the suspect 150 individuals that BLM documents often cite as being genetically viable for a population.
BLM also wants to eliminate the historic Wassuk wild horse herd in the Wassuk HMA just north of Mt. Grant–where Axtell told me about 125 wild horses still survive.
Axtell claimed there was not enough forage for the horses here. I can’t believe this. I have repeatedly visited this wonderful spirited herd of Spanish-type mustangs and over many decades.
Nevadan biologist and teacher Steven Pelligrini studied the Wassuk herd for his Master’s Degree in biology at the University of Nevada-Reno. His thesis was presented to the public and to the Congress in support of the passage of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, when he went to testify together with Wild Horse Annie and his professor Dr. John Pontrelli of UNR.
The Carson City BLM’s RMP is targeting our wild horses for removal yet it is mandated to protect them. There exists large-scale public support for them both among the local public, nationally and internationally.
We must stand up and fight for the Wassuk wild horses and for the other venerable wild horse herds that are being dishonestly used as scapegoats for abuses attributable to uncaring people.
I noticed that at the meeting leaders of the Toiyabe Sierra Club and long time wild horse enemies, were present, and engaged with the BLM wild horse specialists and other officials. It appears they have been working to undermine the wild horse presence on public lands for many years, and I am very disturbed about this.
In the “Toiyabe Trails” publication that goes out to many thousands as a free quarterly publication, their President, Tina Nappe seems to be given carte blanche to badmouth wild horses, while those who used to be afforded the opportunity to reply, such as myself, no longer are given this basic right, even in the form of a short letter to the editor.
In spite of the horrible news in the RMP, I was urged to make a strong statement concerning my reasons against the proposed “zeroings out”. These would include how the wild horses are not getting fair grazing allocations compared to livestock in their legal areas, failure to develop or fend for watering sources for the animals and illegal fencing prohibiting their “free-roaming” lifestyle, an inherent part of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act.
Protect Mustangs is calling all wild horse supporters to speak out strongly in an informed and intelligent manner, for the wild horses and burros of the Carson City BLM District. This RMP/EIS revision will govern land use policy for the next 15-20 years and we must not allow it to be a death sentence for the wild horses and burros, which it largely appears to be.
This is the public’s chance to improve the treatment of the wild horses and burros, and we cannot allow another act of subterfuge.
The proposal can be viewed online at http://on.doi.gov/1uYBNGT and more information can be found here: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/carson_city_field.html
Here are some talking points:
1.) Both horse and burro evolution originate and have immense multi-million year duration in North America.
2.) As post-gastric digesters, different from ruminant digesters, the equids truly restore balance to the North American ecosystem. There is a lopsided preponderance of ruminants today, encouraged by established rancher, hunter, and other linked interests.
3.) Natural predators must not continue to be persecuted and eliminated, such as puma and wolf, natural predators of the wild equids.
4.) PZP and other tamperings with basic biology and social structure of wild horses and burros is contrary to the “minimum feasible” management tenet of the WFHBA as stated in Section 3 a. See my 19 points of law on pages xi to xiii of The Wild Horse Conspiracy. See sections on PZP in the Index as well
5.) Also look up “Pine Nut wild horse herd area” in the Index of my book for more specific information http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Horse-Conspiracy-Craig-Downer/dp/1461068983
To be most effective, please make your own personal analysis of the pertinent sections of this document about which you are knowledgeable and/or concerned, especially the wild horses and burros. You can submit your comments electronically by email to: BLM_NV_CCDO_RMP@blm.gov or by US mail to: BLM Carson City District, Attn: CCD RMP, 5665 Morgan Mill Road, Carson City, NV 89701.
Send a copy of your comments to your two senators and your representative asking them to intervene.
The deadline for these comments is March 27th, 2015. Questions can be addressed to Colleen Sievers, Carson City District RMP Project Lead. Tel. 775-885-6000
Examples of what BLM consider to be substantive and nonsubstantive comments can be found at http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/planning/nepa/webguide/document_pages/6_9_2_1__examples.html
Thank you for standing up for the wild ones!
Craig
Craig C. Downer
Wildlife Ecologist
Director of Ecology and Conservation at Protect Mustangs
Author of The Wild Horse Conspiracy http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Horse-Conspiracy-Craig-Downer/dp/1461068983
and The Horse and Burro as Positively Contributing Returned Natives in North America (American Journal of Life Science) http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/journal/paperinfo.aspx?journalid=118&doi=10.11648/j.ajls.20140201.12
Protect Mustangs is a nonprofit organization who protects and preserves native and wild horses. Join us at www.ProtectMustangs.orgAntonio Conte admits that Chelsea's stunning form in the Premier League has caught him by surprise.
A hard-fought 1-0 victory over West Brom at the weekend made it nine top-flight wins in a row – a run that has given them a three-point lead at the top of the table.
And although Conte believes his side were too quickly written off in the early part of the season, he concedes that their exceptional recent displays have come as a shock.
Asked if he expected Chelsea to have maintained such a strong run, he replied: "If I must be honest, no. Not because I don't trust in my team, but because I know this league, it's very tough.
"To have nine wins in a row is fantastic, I hope to continue this, but if you ask me if I hoped for this, then yes. But I didn't expect it.
"The opinion changes very quickly and I don't like this. You must have balance when you judge the situation. Four, five months ago, not one person made Chelsea favourites to fight for the title or a place in the Champions League.
"We are working to change the situation, but we're the same as we were at the start of the season, the same players, the same manager. But I'm pleased our work is starting to pay off."
Conte warned his players not to allow their focus to drop ahead of Wednesday's meeting with bottom club Sunderland, however.
"We all know that Sunderland are at the bottom of the table, but if you look at the last five games they are fifth in the table," he said, pointing to Sunderland's run of three wins in their last five.
"It's important to pay attention, to be focused, concentrated from the start of the game until the end.
"I think we're ready to face a lot of games in a few days. We've worked very hard to face this Christmas period and now it's important to start it in the right way."
Monday saw Cristiano Ronaldo win the Ballon d'Or for the fourth time in his career, with Barcelona's Lionel Messi in second place.
Conte believes the Real Madrid star was a worthy winner, but hopes that a Chelsea player can lift the trophy in the coming seasons.
"I think he deserved this," he said. "Cristiano and Messi are dividing these awards. For sure, in the future it will be another player to replace these two great champions.
"I hope so. We have fantastic players and I hope this can happen in the future."New York City’s unemployment rate dropped dramatically to 5.4 percent in the third quarter of 2015, down from 6.3 percent in the second quarter of the year, according to city Comptroller Scott Stringer’s Quarterly Economic Update set to be released later today. The report also shows a slowdown in the economy nationally with New York City outpacing the rest of the nation.
“The City added 24,700 new private sector jobs in the third quarter, but more than 70 percent of that growth came from local sectors like retail, education and healthcare,” Stringer said in a statement. “That means more jobs for the people who make New York City run – bodega employees, teachers and health aides – and that’s great news for all New Yorkers.”
Most sectors of the city saw growth in the third quarter. The three areas that did not were information, manufacturing and professional industries which all shed jobs, with the information sector leading the way with a decline of 1,600 jobs.
“City jobs that are more dependent on the national economy, such as accounting and legal work, grew at a much lower rate,” Stringer said. “That suggests that slowing growth outside of the city is taking its toll on our economy as well.”
The growth in jobs was only part of the reason for the decline in the unemployment. The report says the city saw an “unprecedented quarterly decline” in the city’s labor force. Roughly 33,300 New Yorkers stopped working or stopped actively looking for a job.
“An abrupt decline in the labor force sometimes implies an increase in the number of discouraged workers, although demographic factors could also be at play,” the report states. It’s too early to know what the exact cause could be, but nationally labor force participation rate or LFPR has been dropping for years.
One indicator that the decline in workforce population may not be of too much concern is the employment-to-population ratio. It remained at a record high of 57.6 percent in the 3rd quarter of 2015, which is even better than in 2008 when the unemployment rate was last at 5.4 percent.
Across the city, each borough saw their unemployment rate drop dramatically as well. The Bronx is still suffering from the highest rate of unemployment at 7.2 percent, but that is dramatically down from the 9.4 percent unemployment rate the borough had in the 3rd quarter of 2014.
“The bottom line today is: local commerce is keeping our City moving forward even in a period of low national growth, but nothing lasts forever,” Stringer said. “As we head into the winter, we’ll be keeping an eye on the indicators to see how the City fares in the final months of the year.”
You can read the full report here.This is part one of a two-part series. Read part two. A cool night breeze drifts across the roof of the building, wafting away...
This is part one of a two-part series. Read part two.
A cool night breeze drifts across the roof of the building, wafting away mosquitoes seeking their meals from any exposed skin.
Illuminated by an almost full moon, Kurdish peshmerga fighters rest on mattresses or crude metal beds with cruelly hard-wire frames. Some talk, some sleep and others smoke cigarettes as they look into the night sky – a few hours of respite before tomorrow’s offensive.
The day began 12 hours earlier with a trip to the town of Chamchamal to visit Hadji Fazer and his group of volunteer peshmerga. Chamchamal is a small town about a 30-minute drive east of Kirkuk. During Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship, the Iraqi army forcibly moved rural villagers in the area into the town.
The Iraqi army then destroyed their villages and mined much of the area to stop smuggling and peshmerga raids. Since then, the residents of Chamchamal have earned a reputation, deserved or not, as quick to fight and of short temper.
Fazer was born in 1974 in Cheman, a small village located between Kirkuk and Chamchamal. When Fazer was just 13, the Iraqi army came and evicted him, his family and everyone else from their homes.
Fazer picks me and my translator up from a road outside Chamchamal.
He’s dressed in traditional Kurdish garb, with a pistol poking up from a sash around his waist. He takes us to his house in the town and sets the pistol on a stand beneath a television tuned to a local news station. Two of his children shyly poke their heads through the kitchen door.
Above: Hardi (L), Sarwar (C) and Zana, all volunteer peshmerga fighters, reload ammunition ahead of a peshmerga offensive at a comrade’s house in Chamchamal, Iraq. Top: A PK machine gun, captured from ISIS by volunteer peshmerga, is seen at the home of volunteer peshmerga Hadji Fazer near Kirkuk. Matt Cetti-Roberts photos
Hadji’s phone rings — a friend on the other end says there will be an attack by the peshmerga tomorrow. Hadji nods and hangs up, and asks us if we would like to go with them. After a short discussion we agree to accompany Fazer and his group.
The other members of Fazer’s group, Hardi, Sarwar, Aram and Zana arrive at the house wearing traditional Kurdish clothes and carrying rifles. Hardi and Sarwar carry M-16A4s. They captured many of their weapons from Islamic State, and Hadji brings out a seized PK machine gun in pristine condition.
But for tomorrow’s offensive, Fazer will use a Kalashnikov.
Fazer’s group is comprised of all-volunteer peshmerga, which means they take no salaries from the Ministry of Peshmerga or political parties. The peshmerga are far from a unified group — a common and mistaken perception. Some fight with brigades loyal to the ministry, the Kurdistan Democratic Party or the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, among other groups. Fazer’s small band fights out of loyalty to Kurdistan.
Aram, an English speaking member of the group who once lived in France and the Netherlands, says that most Iraqi Islamic State fighters are ex-Ba’athists. “I fight now because of the things they did to us in the 1970s and 1980s – I see ISIS as an extension of the Ba’athist regime,” he says.
I ask Fazer how the group knows when there’s a battle going on. “It depends, sometimes we get a call beforehand and go, sometimes we hear about the fighting and just turn up,” he says.
Aram adds that sometimes they see fighting on one of the local TV stations and head out to take part. report this ad
There have been accusations that the volunteer peshmerga engage in war profiteering by selling stolen weapons. Hadji and his group deny this, and that they hold onto captured weapons to prevent them from being used against the peshmerga.
“Half of the weapons we have have come from ISIS,” Hadji says. “They are usually in quite good condition.”
“We don’t sell the weapons we take, we don’t need money,” Fazer says, shrugging.
Hadji Fazer dons his magazine pouches at his home in Chamchamal. Matt Cetti-Roberts photo
This isn’t Hadji’s first war. He first joined the peshmerga in 1991 during the Kurdish uprising against the Ba’athist regime, and fought alongside the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan during the Kurdish Civil War in 1996. In 2003, he fought alongside U.S. special forces – even becoming part of two brigades formed to work in Kirkuk.
He volunteered each time. “After the U.S. left, I still volunteered,” he says. “I don’t take a salary, I only fight.”
Hadji has tried to join the regular — uniformed — peshmerga, but being born in 1974 means he’s too old to enlist. Recent news could change that. “This week the peshmerga called and said I would be made a second lieutenant,” he says with a smile.
Hadji shows me pictures on his phone of friends who have died in the war. He says the hardest fight they’ve had was one near the small town of Mullah Abdullah, west of Kirkuk, where a battle lasted for 10 hours.
“There was an [ISIS] armored truck packed with explosives,” he says. “It came to the peshmerga base and detonated, killing 20 people.”
“Being a volunteer is a threat against us and also our families,” Aram says. He explains that Fazer received a call from an Arab man threatening his family. “He [the caller] said that if he saw Fazer on the front line he would kill him and his family.”
So far the threat has not been carried out.
Fazer smokes a cigarette as he and his group of volunteer peshmerga make their way to the front line outside Kirkuk. Matt Cetti-Roberts photo
“We are together most of the time, even when we are not out fighting, we are like brothers,” Hadji says. Another member of the group, Zana, a young man with piercing green eyes – uncommon among Kurdish people – says the most important thing they can do is not to leave the body of a friend behind.
“It’s hard,” Zana says. “It is better to die than than be captured by ISIS.”
Picking up our equipment, we get into a 4×4 with Hadji and Sarwar and leave for the front line.
The autumn weather is sunny but noticeably cooler. We arrive at a peshmerga base in a suburb of Kirkuk looking for a commander, but he’s already left for the front line. Hadji says that they don’t always go with the same units. “We go to different brigades as needed. We have connections with different brigades so go where we can.”
Just after 4 p.m. we drive through what was the front line before the peshmerga pushed the Islamic State back at the beginning of the year. A few minutes later, we pass through the berm that was the old Islamic State defensive line. The current front line where the peshmerga watch into no-man’s land is just beyond.
The positions are well prepared with dug-in armoured vehicles along a fortified berm and small man-made hills with heavy support weapons located on top. Islamic State’s fighters are about a kilometer from here and quiet at the moment. We’re just two kilometers from a position I visited for another story about Kurdish weaponry.
A peshmerga rests on a sandbag wall at a Kurdish front line position south west of Kirkuk. Matt Cetti-Roberts photo
The unit here is one of those belonging to Yakray 70 — the peshmerga affiliated with the PUK. A commander points out a large copse of palm trees, surrounding a large house off in no-man’s land. He says he would like his picture taken there tomorrow.
He tells me the house is the former residence of Ali Hassan Al Majid – a.k.a. Chemical Ali – a Ba’athist general who became notorious for his use of chemical weapons against the Kurds during the Anfal Campaign in the 1980s.
The peshmerga here are keen to push forward.
We start moving again, driving through the flat sandy landscape a few hundred meters behind the front line. The sun sets and the sky turns from deep blue to pitch black. We arrive at another position — a small outpost next to a bridge manned by a peshmerga platoon – where we will spend the night.
When the hot weather permits, the land around here is used for agriculture. Behind the outpost a large irrigation canal leads to the front line and then on toward I.S.-held villages.
Night falls as Hadji and his group move between peshmerga positions. Matt Cetti-Roberts photo
At the outpost, the peshmerga are with Yakray 80 – meaning they are affiliated with the KDP. Tomorrow’s offensive will be a joint effort between all of Kurdistan’s peshmerga factions, the KDP, PUK and the Ministry of Peshmerga.
During a trip to the divisional headquarters, Gen. Zirar Khadar, the commander of the division in this area, grants a quick interview.
“ISIS were strong at the start, a massive force,” Khadar says. “One thousand three hundred peshmerga have been killed since the start of the fighting and over 2,000 injured.”
He was one of those injured. Khadar now walks with the aid of a walking stick after shrapnel passed through his body in December 2014.
A peshmerga platoon commander briefs some of his men at the outpost where they are staying the night ahead of a large peshmerga assault. Matt Cetti-Roberts photo
He says the offensive tomorrow is not just a tactical move by the Kurds. The areas they will be going into were originally Kurdish – before the Kurds were expelled and Arab families were settled in their villages during the Iraqi government’s “Arabization” campaign that took place from the 1960s and ended in 2003 with the U.S.-led invasion.
“Tomorrow hopefully we will get some more places back,” he says smiling.
In another room we talk to one of Zirar’s deputies, Maj. Gen. Hadji Mohammed Regr. He says that they have prepared well and have high hopes, but expects losses. “We have prepared to clear IEDs,” he says. “However they are a big threat, I am sure we will have casualties.”
Mohammed also sees the operation as being about the Kurdish homeland. He says it will be different to the last offensive I was on, in the Daquq area. “Tomorrow the places we are taking back are Kurdish,” he explains. “It will not be the last operation, we will push the Islamic State back more.”
A Kurdish flag flaps in a light breeze on the roof of a position manned by Kurdish fighters west of Kirkuk. Matt Cetti-Roberts photo
Mohammed says the idea is to advance the peshmerga front line by 10 kilometers in some places and five kilometers in others.
Back at the outpost, the peshmerga platoon complete with three DShK-armed Humvees hunker down for the night. The commander there knows Hadji and his group. Two of the vehicles are dispatched to another unit for the night.
An almost full moon slowly travels across the night sky over Kirkuk to our east, the glow of street lighting and burning oil plumes forms an illuminated barrier separating sky from the ground.
On the roof of the outpost some peshmerga manage to get some sleep on solid metal framed beds, wrapped in blankets to keep them warm in the cool evening air and to protect them from the mosquitoes that plague the area due to nearby irrigation canals. Others sit smoking and talking, whiling away the hours. Spirits are high.
Smoke drifts on a night-time breeze after two coalition bombs hit Islamic State positions West of Kirkuk. Matt Cetti-Roberts photo
We can see flashes on the horizon – coalition air strikes hitting Islamic State positions in the area before the coming offensive. Sometimes, the strikes are too far away to hear. Occasionally, tracer rounds lift lazily from the ground.
The night sky lights up three times, a fourth flash quickly follows. The sound of the bombs rushing to the ground, a |
For example James H. Harper, former Lieutenant Colonel, Chief, MI (Military Intelligence) Branch, U.S. Total Army Personnel Command; and Daniel Coleman, former FBI agent.
Alleged examples of torture that worked are found on examination to be false (such as Abu Zubaida, who had been cooperating without torture and whose subsequent torture yielded nothing of further value – under it he confessed to everything but the kitchen sink) or from an unreliable source (such as a Third World government, or the Bush administration). [4]
Among intellectuals it’s hard to find any defenders of state-sanctioned torture outside of Neoconservatives, Alan Dershowitz (I repeat myself) – and the Ayn Rand Institute.
Even if we were to grant that under torture certain men, in real cases, had provided information later found reliable – I assume you believe that information obtained under torture is not by itself reliable – you still would need to show that the information could not have been obtained just as well, even setting aside decency, without torture.
My question – and it’s a philosophical question, relevant today and for all time – is: Should the state employ agents who torture men? The answer does not begin with IF per above. And please, no unreal ticking bomb “men in a lifeboat” made-up examples designed to elicit a preconceived answer. I seek an answer based on induction from the real world: history, examples, facts, not daydreams or television shows. Life and reason, not tautology.
When has torture as a legitimate method of inquiry ever helped a free country as a free country?
Though philosophy deals in generalities and with situations which could happen though perhaps only rarely, that doesn’t mean we can make up situations out of thin air, arbitrarily. As someone once ironically remarked on this subject: “Suppose you had to kill everyone on earth so you could survive....” This is no way to do philosophy.
Especially when some politico like Yoo, Gonzales, or Mukasey might use your answer to justify Khiam Prison.
Include in your answer, if you would, any difference between the levels of “state” – that is, torture performed by local city cops, by county police, state troopers, and federal agents. If one is beneficial, why not the others?
During the American Revolutionary War George Washington forbade his men to torture British prisoners and threatened court-martial and death to anyone who disobeyed. [5]
My question of course is prompted by our government’s conduct today. By now countless men – hundreds, some totally innocent – have been swept up and tortured at U.S. facilities or rendered (as in “extraordinary rendition”) to Third World countries to be tortured at U.S. behest and under its supervision. Though water-boarding – much in the news – is something out of Medieval times, U.S. torture goes far beyond that. The Mafia has nothing on what the U.S. is doing today.
I look forward to hearing your answer via podcast on your website.
Since this is part of the broader question of what America is and how to defend it, I want to say that any real defense of America must begin with – first and foremost – ending the criminal corruption in our government revealed by such whistleblowers as Rodney Stich, Catherine Austin Fitts, Thomas Drake and many others. [6]
Sincerely yours,
..................
While Mr. Peikoff considered this letter I ventured a guess as to how he might respond:
George Washington lived over two centuries ago. Our situation today is unprecedented. Iranian savages who hate us for being civilized will design and build a nuclear bomb in only a few months and, bent on self-destruction (Iran a known fixed location), nuke New York. These savages are so powerful, so resourceful, we must become savages ourselves.
Don’t tie my hands by rejecting ARI’s conditionals. If torture works, then by God torture works. John Dewey... I mean... uh... can we restart the recording?
Our situation is desperate. That’s why we at ARI did not protest the Military Commissions Act, the Patriot Act, the Martial Law Act, the Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act and so forth. Faced as we are with Islamics ten feet tall, now is no time to be squeamish.
We can always trust our government. Don’t talk to me of Rodney Stich, Thomas Drake and so on, whoever they are.
After five months Mr. Peikoff had not replied. He did however have time to answer “When you refer to a dictionary for word definitions, which published edition of a dictionary do you rely on?” and others equally shallow. He answered some questions having depth but most of them still were far less important than the question of state torture.
Finally Mr. Peikoff replied to a similar question asked by someone else, and committed all the fallacies warned about here. See Leonard Peikoff on Torture.Alarming Rise in Guns Stolen from Cars Has Atlanta Leaders Hoping for Reforms “But our hands are tied,” one council member says.
Thieves stole hundreds of guns out of vehicles in Atlanta last year — more than two a day. They swiped them from glove boxes, center consoles, trunks, and on or underneath seats. They took them while the owners were sleeping in their beds, dining at restaurants, hanging out with friends, shopping, and grilling out at the pool. They made off with pistols, revolvers, shotguns, and assault-style rifles.
Atlanta residents report more guns stolen from their cars and trucks — at least 850, a 55 percent increase over 2014 — than any other large city examined as part of a recent investigation by The Trace. Earlier this month, Atlanta police released a public service announcement urging gun owners to secure their weapons and to not leave them behind in their cars or trucks.
In interviews, several Atlanta leaders said that they consider the rising number of gun thefts alarming.
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“If you own a weapon, you have a responsibility to care for it, to keep it, and not just in how you operate the weapon, but how you store the weapon,” Ivory Lee Young Jr., a city council member, tells The Trace. “This speaks to a real trend of irresponsibility.”
But there also isn’t much Atlanta can do about it. Georgia has one of the most expansive preemption laws in the U.S. The law explicitly limits the power of municipalities to regulate firearms. City leaders could ask state lawmakers to pass a safe storage law, for example, which might prohibit people from leaving their guns in their vehicles — a location that police say practically invites theft.
But the Republican-dominated state legislature has shown no interest in such legislation, choosing instead to roll back gun restrictions in the state. In 2008, the state adopted a new law that specifically allows people to leave guns behind in their vehicles while at work.
Gun owners whose weapons are stolen in Georgia are also not required to report the theft to police — making it impossible to even fully understand the scope of the problem.
“It would make absolute sense for them to be reported so law enforcement can track them,” said Yolanda Adrean, another Atlanta city council member. “But our hands are tied.”
San Francisco, New Orleans, and other major cities where gun thieves have struck in alarming numbers responded by imposing penalties for either failing to lock up firearms or reporting thefts to authorities. If Atlanta ever passed such a measure, there’s a strong chance a court would toss it out.
Firearms are an especially potent issue in Atlanta. A little more than 500 people were shot in the city last year, more than a 40 percent jump over 2011, when about 350 people were shot, according to police. Reports of shots fired have also increased from 7,030 in 2009 to 8,860 in 2015, or 26 percent.
The violence prompted city leaders to form a task force to take triggermen off the streets. Police Deputy Chief Darryl Tolleson told The Trace that the task force, dubbed Operation Whiplash, had increased arrests, and shootings had gone down or flatlined in areas where it operated.
But the rise in gun thefts from vehicles is “problematic,” Tolleson said, and hampers the police’s ability to prevent violent crime. Atlanta police discuss car break-ins on a daily basis and run a “Clean Car Campaign” to encourage people not to leave valuables inside.
In addition to relaxing rules on leaving guns in vehicles, state lawmakers have also aggressively expanded carrying rights in restaurants, bars, airports and other public spaces to licensed gun owners.
Many of those measures have been pushed by GeorgiaCarry.org, a powerful gun rights group. While advocates and some policymakers argue that more firearms in public places increases the risk of gun theft, GeorgiaCarry.org’s executive director, Jerry Henry, says the opposite was true, advocating the elimination of gun-free zones altogether.
“Let me carry my firearm wherever I go, and I won’t have to leave it in my car,” he says.
Atlanta officials have protested when the state has tried to expand carrying in more places. In 2008, then-mayor Shirley Franklin invoked a century-and-a-half-old state law banning firearms at “public gatherings” to prohibit weapons at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. GeorgiaCarry.org mounted a successful push to repeal the law. Hartsfield-Jackson is now confronted with a different problem: More people are caught with a firearm in their possession at security checkpoints than at any other airport in the country.
“There’s Atlanta, and then there’s Georgia,” says Peter Berg, a rabbi and a founding member of the anti-gun violence group Outcry, which has lobbied city and state policymakers on campus carry and other firearm legislation. “In Atlanta, the response has been generally very supportive; in Georgia, it’s a lot tougher.”
[Photo: Dustin Chambers for The Trace]Israel withdraws nomination of settler leader Dani Dayan as ambassador after Brasília refused to accept him
Israel has backed down in a long-running and bitter diplomatic dispute with Brazil, withdrawing its nomination of a controversial settler leader as ambassador after Brasília refused to accept his credentials.
The seven-month long impasse over the planned appointment of Dani Dayan, a former chairman of the the West Bank Yesha settler council, came to an end on Monday when Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, who is also the country’s foreign minister, announced he would be appointed consul general in New York instead.
Rejection of a proposed ambassador is extremely rare and had drawn considerable attention to the Dayan case.
According to Israel’s deputy foreign minister late last year, the Dayan case was the first instance in which a proposed Israeli diplomat had been rejected for his “ideological” views.
The move comes despite repeated insistence by senior officials that they would ensure that Dayan – who lives in a settlement – would be allowed to take up his post in Brazil.
Under diplomatic protocols, when a new ambassador is proposed if the accepting country does not officially accept the appointment – known as agrément – it is supposed to be understood that the appointment is rejected, the situation in Dayan’s case.
Brazil’s president, Dilma Rousseff, last summer sent messages to Israel making clear she disapproved of the appointment of the Argentina-born Dayan because of his involvement in promoting illegal Israeli settlement construction.
Rousseff had also been lobbied by Brazilian groups and some MPs to reject Dayan as ambassador.
Speaking at a conference opposing the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement in Jerusalem on Monday, Dayan said: “I don’t think that we folded. There was no choice. Those who don’t want me in Brasília will get me in the capital of the world and to me that is a victory. I believe I can revolutionise Israeli public relations in the US, whose beating heart is in New York.”
In an interview with Israel’s army radio, Dayan added: “I’ll tell you a secret: when the prime minister asked me to serve as ambassador in Brasília, I asked for the office of consul general in New York instead. Now I’m getting what I think I know how to do best.”
Dayan had previously argued that should Brazil succeed in excluding him, it could create a precedent barring settlers from representing Israel abroad.
In January it was widely reported in the Israeli media that Netanyahu had insisted that if Brazil did not accept Dayan, it would not offer an alternative candidate.
“I believe that Dani Dayan is an exceptionally qualified candidate and he remains my candidate,” he insisted in January.
Welcoming the appointment, Israel’s rightwing deputy foreign minister, Tzipi Hotovely, said: “The appointment of Danny to one of the strategic locations in the United States is an important statement to the world.
“The state of Israel will be blessed with a worthy representative who lives in [one of the] settlements in Judea and Samaria, and will carry an important message that the Israeli government stands behind Danny as a faithful and worthy representative of the state,” she said.
Hotovely’s comments represented a sharp U-turn after she had earlier said that if Brazil did not approve Dayan, Israel would be served in the country by its number two diplomat there.
Israel appears increasingly isolated on the international stage over its continued policy of settlement construction.
Last week the United Nations human rights council voted to set up a database of Israeli and foreign companies operating in the occupied West Bank despite lobbying by Israel to block the move.
Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip – territories Palestinians claim for their future state – in the 1967 six-day war. It withdrew from Gaza in 2005. Nearly 600,000 Israelis live in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.PARIS (Reuters) - French special forces have detained Ivory Coast’s Laurent Gbagbo and handed him to leaders of the rebel opposition, after French tanks forced their way into his residence, a Gbagbo adviser in France said.
“Gbagbo has been arrested by French special forces in his residence and has been handed over to the rebel leaders,” adviser Toussaint Alain told Reuters.
A French foreign ministry source could not immediately confirm that French forces had detained Gbagbo. “We have no evidence that can confirm that,” the source said.
Earlier on Monday a column of more than 30 armored vehicles advanced toward Gbagbo’s residence in Abidjan, a witness told Reuters, and Alain said they had penetrated the building.
“It’s French forces taking in the rebels,” he said. “French special forces are inside the residence.”Brain growth in babies is linked to the amount of time and energy mothers 'invest', according to new research.
The study of 128 mammal species, including humans, shows that brain growth in babies is determined by the duration of pregnancy and how long they suckle. The Durham University research concludes that the longer the pregnancy and breastfeeding period in mammals, the bigger the baby's brain grows.
The researchers say the findings reinforce the suggestion that breast is best for brain development and add further weight to the World Health Organisation's advice of six months' exclusive breastfeeding followed by continuing breastfeeding up to the age of two or beyond supplemented with solid foods.
The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, helps to explain why humans, who suckle their babies for up to three years in addition to their nine-month pregnancies, have such a long period of dependency as this is necessary to support the growth of our enormous 1300cc brains.
In comparison, species such as fallow deer, which are about the same body weight as humans, are only pregnant for seven months with a suckling period of up to six months, resulting in brains of only 220cc, six times smaller than the human brain.
The anthropologists, from Durham's Evolutionary Anthropology Research Group, analysed statistical evidence on brain and body size, maternal investment, and life history variables in mammals, including species such as gorillas, elephants and whales.
They found that brain size relative to body size was most closely linked to maternal investment -- the amount of time a mother spends carrying her offspring in pregnancy and how long she continues to breastfeed. The study shows that length of the pregnancy determines brain size at birth and the period of lactation decides brain growth after birth. It also shows that mothers with higher metabolic rates can afford to fuel faster brain growth in the fetus.
Lead investigator, Professor Robert Barton from Durham University's Department of Anthropology, said: "We already know that large-brained species develop slowly, mature later and have longer lifespans but what has not always been clear is why brains and life histories are related.
"One theory is that large brains increase lifespan by making the animal more generally flexible in its behavioural responses to unpredictable challenges, permitting slower life histories. However, our findings suggest that the slow-down in life histories is directly related to the costs rather than the benefits of growing a large brain. The necessary benefits to offset these costs could come in other ways, such as improving specific perceptual and cognitive abilities, rather than through some generalized flexibility.
"Our findings help us to understand what the implications are of evolutionary changes at different stages, before and after birth, but we now need to do more research to pinpoint exactly how changes to the pre- and postnatal growth phases affect the structure of the brain."
The research was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)To The Editor: Once again the war hawks, Bush and Cheney, are beating the drums of war.
Again with lies depicting Iran as a national security threat, and urging another pre-emptive war to secure a democratic Middle East and protect "our" oil. The failure in Iraq is no deterrence to the White House.
The results of the election is of no consequence. Bushites are determined to continue blindly in the wrong direction killing thousands of innocent people, causing American deaths and spending billions of our taxpayers' money on a national scandal only to benefit themselves financially.
What should be done to correct this calamity is to impeach both Bush and Cheney for their illegal and unconstitutional acts.
We should not let the difficulty of accomplishing this prevent us from trying.
When our leaders in Congress decide to begin procedures, there should be a groundswell calling for their resignation.
We owe this to the citizens of the U.S., the people of Iraq as well as the people of the world.
Not to impeach them would be a crime against humanity.
Mark A. Young
HendersonvillePhoto of Emory student: AP
First, it was offensively inauthentic First, it was offensively inauthentic sushi at the Oberlin dining halls. Now, a new—and somehow worse—wickedness torments America’s students: Someone drew the word “Trump” on the ground at a college.
pic.twitter.com/MjeDOZLpu1 My alma mater in the news- Emory kids protest when someone writes TRUMP with sidewalk chalk https://t.co/zwTRwq76px March 22, 2016
, I’ve learned two things: the student paper at Emory is named the Wheel, and a bunch of these kids are extreme weenie babies, so sensitive and unprepared for the mild psychic hurdles of our shared reality that they are literally crying out in pain because of a letters they saw when they turned their heads in certain directions. Thanks to a new report in the Emory Wheel, I’ve learned two things: the student paper at Emory is named theWheel, and a bunch of these kids are extreme weenie babies, so sensitive and unprepared for the mild psychic hurdles of our shared reality that they are literally crying out in pain because of a letters they saw when they turned their heads in certain directions.
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Because those letter made up words. And not just any words—political words (Words = literal murder? Unclear):
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Students protested yesterday at the Emory Administration Building following a series of overnight, apparent pro-Donald Trump for president chalkings throughout campus. [...] Many students carried signs featuring slogans such as “Stop Trump” or “Stop Hate” and an antiphonal chant addressed to University administration, led by College sophomore Jonathan Peraza, resounded “You are not listening! Come speak to us, we are in pain!” throughout the Quad. [...] “I’m supposed to feel comfortable and safe [here],” one student said. “But this man is being supported by students on our campus and our administration shows that they, by their silence, support it as well … I don’t deserve to feel afraid at my school,” she added.
The students in question seem unable to distinguish between a wall with “Trump 2016" written on it and Donald Trump, the person:
Singh reported having seen multiple chalkings that read “Trump 2016” between Cox Hall Bridge and the Dobbs University Center (DUC). “What I also saw on the steps near Cox [Hall] Bridge was ‘Accept the Inevitable: Trump 2016,’” he said. “That was a bit alarming. What exactly is the inevitable? Why does it have to be accepted?”
It’s true that Trump’s vile campaign has moved straight past the bounds of rhetoric into actual acts of violence, but chalk drawings on a college campus are not instances of such acts. The proposed solution to an imagined non-problem is as vague and fractious as you’d guess:
One student asked if Emory would send out a University-wide email to “decry the support for this fascist, racist candidate” to which Wagner replied, “No, we will not.” One student clarified that “the University doesn’t have to say they don’t support Trump, but just to acknowledge that there are students on this campus who feel this way about what’s happening … to acknowledge all of us here.”
Better yet: Free pizza with pepperoni in the shape of a smiley face? Or, short of a pointless email “to acknowledge all of us here,” the university could reject fascism by acting itself like some sort of fascist police apparatus, as is apparently the plan:
The University will review footage “up by the hospital [from] security cameras” to identify those who made the chalkings, Wagner told the protesters. He also added that if they’re students, they will go through the conduct violation process, while if they are from outside of the University, trespassing charges will be pressed.
Don’t go to Emory.Animal photography is one of the most beautiful as well as challenging area in photography. Taking the best shot of any animal is very tricky, because predicting the behavior of any animal is so hard. But if photographer is experienced and talented then he can get the best photograph of any animal. Of course it’s not always possible with common cameras! 😉
Here I collected 40 Stunning Photographs of Animals, and I hope you will enjoy seeing the talent of these photographers. If you like this post then don’t forget to comment and share your favorite photograph with me.
If I missed to link any image or linked to wrong page then let me know.
The cry
Photograph by Jose A Gallego
Cattle Egret, Florida
Photograph by Troy Lim
Stretching Tiger, India
Photograph by Michel Zoghzoghi
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Interplay
Photograph by Brin
Squirrel Portrait, Banff
Photograph by Melissa Brandts
Smith’s Green-Eyed Gecko
Photograph by Anke Seidlitz
L’Etat c’est moi
Photograph by Holger Droste
Wood Frog
Photograph by Kevin Chodzinski
Puffin, Skomer Island
Photograph by Nathaniel Gonzales
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God Bless
Photograph by Cheri
Peacock, Sarasota
Photograph by Phil Pummell
Peacock, New Zealand
Photograph by Rina Caffarella
A Moment of Reflection
Photograph by Justin Hofman
Owl
Photograph by Jis Jose
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Orangutan, London Zoo
Photograph by B. A. Stewart and David S. Boyer
Sciurus vulgaris
Photograph by Henrik
Northern Spotted Owl
Photograph by Michael Nichols
Mandarin Ducks, National Zoo
Photograph by Michael Schmidt
The kick
Photograph by Auster
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Lowland Gorillas, Bronx Zoo
Photograph by Richard Conde
Lion, South Africa
Photograph by Barbara Motter
Are you looking at me
Photograph by Eduard
Lion Profile
Photograph by Boza Ivanovic
Lion Brothers, Australia
Photograph by Mick Tsikas
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Brothers
Photograph by Natalie Manuel
Leopard in Tree, Kenya
Photograph by Lesley Bender
Hippopotamus
Photograph by Anna Ponomareva
Squirrel
Photograph by Jari Hakala
Green Snake on a Branch
Photograph by Andrea Candela Cooney
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Great White Egret, Florida
Photograph by Sara Lopez
Giraffe, London Zoo
Photograph by Faisal Almalki
Diving Tiger, California
Photograph by Briana Taylor
Camel, Socotra Island
Photograph by Sergei Reoutov
Brown Vine Snake, Panama
Photograph by Andrew Carrano
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Bee-Eater Feeding Chicks, Hungary
Photograph by József L. Szentpéteri
Bee-Eater in Flight
Photograph by Jószsef L. Szentpéteri
Bathing Parrot
Photograph by Cesar Badilla
Mahout Bathing an Elephant, India
Photograph by Mohit Midha
Baby Silver Leaf Langur
Photograph by Xen Riggs
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Baboon, Bronx Zoo
Photograph by Richard CondeIn an exclusive interview with The Foundry, Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-La.) said he’s open to running for president in 2016, but he first wants conservatives to win the war of ideas and win at the ballot box this year.
The Foundry’s Genevieve Wood sat down with Jindal at The Heritage Foundation’s Resource Bank meeting in New Orleans to talk about his future and his thoughts on how to improve the Republican brand.
“We have to win the war of ideas first,” Jindal said in response to a question about seeking the presidency. “Maggie Thatcher famously said you have to win the debate before you win the election.”
Last October, Jindal established an organization called America Next to be engaged in policy fights. He said conservatives must show the American people that their ideas work:
Here’s the great thing about the American dream: It’s not about equality of outcomes, it’s equality of opportunity. The great thing about the American dream is that circumstances of your birth don’t determine your outcomes as an adult. … That’s what we need to fight for.
Jindal said Republicans would benefit by showcasing their vision to achieving that dream.
“The reality is our ideas do work,” he said. “The president has nothing new to offer.”via: Liberals to build refugee camps on Canadian military bases — taxpayers will fund mosques, Korans – The Rebel
The Canadian military has been ordered by Justin Trudeau’s Liberals to draft plans to house more than 6,000 Muslim migrants on a long-term basis at military bases, according to documents obtained exclusively by The Rebel (see below.)
Included in the Department of National Defence budgets are hundreds of thousands of dollars set aside for “religious support,” including the purchase of Muslim Korans, prayer mats and foot-washing towels.
The plans also call for the construction of mosques or “worship centres,” using taxpayers dollars.
The planning documents, in English and French, were released in response to a Rebel “Access to Information” request about religious expenditures by the Department of National Defence.
But the detailed Quebec budget plans also shed light on the sheer scale of the Trudeau government’s plans to set up refugee camp-style accommodations on seven Canadian Forces Bases across Quebec and Ontario.
The budget for Quebec alone totals more than $46 million for the first six months.
For a typical migrant family, that’s a $200,000/year subsidy — not including medicare or welfare.
It’s shocking that Canadian Armed Forces personnel will be ordered to abandon the coalition battle against ISIS and return to Canada to become waiters, chauffeurs and social workers for Muslim migrants, and that Canadian Forces Bases will be turned into squalid refugee camps.
It’s a disgrace that Canadian military personnel have been sent eviction notices to make way for foreign migrants.
But for the DND’s budget to be diverted away from military purposes and towards buying Korans and building mosques for foreign migrants, is especially outrageous.
RELATED: “A national embarrassment: U.S. Senate demands answers about Trudeau’s reckless refugee plan”
More: Canada: PM Trudeau Promises 50,000 Muslim Refugees in 2016!Are you ready? Hyorin is. SISTAR‘s powerhouse singer will be making her solo debut soon with an album that is expected to be released next week.
Fellow member Soyou led the way for solo musical activities, releasing a duet song with rapper Mad Clown, titled “Stupid in Love,” and topping charts. Hyorin follows with an album, and so far, no further details have been released. It is expected, however, that Hyorin will fully promote her solo album, holding a showcase and performing on music shows.
Hyorin previously released a solo OST track for the summer hit drama “Master’s Sun.” Titled, “You Make Me Go Crazy,” the song was a chart topper that solidified Hyorin’s skill and ability to drawn in listeners with her powerful and emotional voice.
Are you ready, Soompiers, for Hyorin?
Source (1) (2)Silicon Valley technologists love to explain how they have disrupted the minutiae of daily life, from our commutes to the ways we share family photos. But along the way, they have also managed to disrupt their local restaurant industry.
That may not be an issue for tech workers with access to free, farm-fresh cuisine in corporate cafeterias, but for everyone else here it is leaving a void between the takeout cuisine popping up around Palo Alto — picture bento boxes ordered on iPads at a counter — and $500 meals at high-end restaurants.
“Restaurants as we know them will no longer exist here in the near future,” said Howard Bulka, a chef and owner of Howie’s Artisan Pizza in Palo Alto and another restaurant in nearby Redwood City. “Palo Alto is just too tough a row to hoe. A lot of people are looking into getting out in one piece or are thinking of leaving the business entirely.”
With razor-thin profit margins, restaurateurs find they can increase wages only so much. Paying a livable wage is a struggle in Palo Alto, where the average one-bedroom apartment rents for $2,800, the same as in New York City, according to Rent Jungle. Workers have also been driven out of surrounding towns that were previously affordable, like Cupertino and San Jose, where demand from a new influx of tech workers has driven up the average cost of a one-bedroom apartment to more than $2,500.
The cost to lease space in downtown Palo Alto, according to the city’s planning department, is now $7.33 a square foot, up more than 60 percent from four years ago. Landlords have also put the onus of building improvements on the tenants.The fourth quarter kicks off with a series of important reports on the U.S. economy.
While data from across the economic spectrum is expected this week, investors will pay most attention to reports about jobs. Figures about private sector job growth from paycheck processing firm ADP (ADP) and a reading on initial claims will give a preview of what's going on in the labor market on Wednesday and Thursday.
But those figures lead up to the main event on Friday, when the Labor Department releases its employment report.
Last month, the economy added only 96,000 to payrolls, less than what's needed to keep up with population growth. And while the unemployment rate fell to 8.1%, the improvement came as a result of nearly 400,000 of those without jobs stopping their search for work.
The persistent weakness in the labor market was a major factor in the Federal Reserve's decision to pump more money into the economy through the purchase of mortgage bonds in a third round of quantitative easing, popularly known as QE3.
Investors will get a glimpse into what went into the central bank's decision to announce QE3 when the Fed releases minutes from its September FMOC meeting on Thursday. Since the Fed's decision leaves the size and duration of the stimulus open-ended, investors will be mining the minutes for clues as to what it plans to do next.
Any improvement or slowdown in the economy could impact how much and how long the central bank intervenes, which explains why economic data has come under even more scrutiny since the Fed announced it stimulus measures.
Related: Obama may be a job creator after all
Besides data on the jobs market, investors will look for reports on the manufacturing sector, as the Institute for Supply Management releases a report on the sector's strength in September on Monday.
Manufacturing activity in the U.S. has contracted three months in a row, according to the ISM's most recent reports. And given that last week's Chicago Purchasing Managers Index for September came in far below expectations and showed a contracting economy for the first time since 2009, investors aren't expecting this week's report to be any better.
General Motors (GM), Ford (F), Toyota (TM), Honda (HMC) and other automakers are due to release sales figures for September on Tuesday.
Only a small handful of companies are on tap to report earnings this week, including agricultural companies Mosaic (MOS) and Monsanto (MON), hotel owner Marriott (MAR) and wine and spirits maker Constellation Brands (STZ).
Analysts aren't expecting much movement in the market despite the fact that investors will get a clearer picture of where the economy is headed. According to Brian Gendreau, market strategist with Cetera Financial, that's because the numbers will be more of the same.
"We're in a period of slow growth and the outlook hasn't really changed," he said. "With the data this week, I fully expect the reports to show that we're in a weak economy with slight improvement."
While most of the attention will be on the U.S. economy this week, Europe will once again share the spotlight ahead of the European Central Bank's Governing Council meeting on Thursday. Worries over the eurozone were reignited last week, as Europeans protested austerity measures in Greece and Spain.
Spain passed two major hurdles last week when it proposed its 2013 budget and results from an independent auditor's stress test fell in line with expectations. But worries over Spain's banking trouble persist. Many think it's just a matter of time before the ailing nation asks for a bailout.
Related: Most Spanish banks pass stress tests
U.S. stocks finished the year's third quarter with solid gains, but were lower for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq ended the week down between 1% and 2%.Remember when Donald Trump promised to repeal Obamacare and replace it with something more effective and more affordable? Yeah, we never expected that to happen. But we also didn’t expect the Republican-led Congress’ response to the ACA to be so terrible — and as we gather, neither did Trump.
The latest episode of Last Week Tonight delved into the horrendous health care bill, known as the American Health Care Act, or Trumpcare, depending on who you ask.
More: John Oliver Has a Great Plan for Educating President Trump
As John Oliver correctly observed, nobody really likes this bill. Democrats and a few Republicans take issue with its reverse Robin Hood characteristics. Hardcore conservatives refer to it as Obamacare Light. Even its champion, Paul Ryan, struggles to demonstrate any real enthusiasm.
Image: HBO
Most notable, however, is how reluctant Trump is to embrace what he probably hoped would be one of the crowning achievements of his first few months in office. This was evident when he prefaced all talk of the bill by claiming that nobody could possibly know how complicated health care is. According to Oliver, this assertion is akin to claiming that nobody could possibly know that King Tut is already dead.
More: Last Week Tonight‘s Lobster Supreme Court Is Not So Ridiculous After All
Trump has already indicated that he doesn’t want the AHCA referred to as Trumpcare. If we were talking about anybody else, something like modesty could be to blame, but let’s be real — this is the guy who loves to have his name on everything. If the likes of Trump is worried about having his name attached to something, you know it’s bad.
More: John Oliver’s Techno Number Is Exactly What Late Night Television Needs
Trump’s biggest beef with the AHCA probably has something to do with its lack of health care options crossing state lines. But did you know that there’s a clear reason why this tenet of the Trump campaign is missing from the bill?
As Oliver explained, there’s no way for Republicans to pass the AHCA unless it’s presented as a strictly budgetary program. Include anything else, and it would need 60 votes to pass. As is, only 51 votes are necessary.
Like nearly everything about the Trump presidency and current Republican Congress, this is all an effort of the powers that be to get their way, regardless of the consequences or the quality of the product.
What do you think of the AHCA? Comment and share your opinion below.
Before you go, check out our slideshow below.August 18, 2016 the Border Guard Service of Ukraine published a photo and a brief description of the signals intelligence (SIGINT) system, which was deployed on the Russian side bordering on Kharkiv region of Ukraine, at a distance of about 2.5 km from the portions of the state border controlled by the local border detachment. The Border Guard Service of Ukraine did not offer any information on the type of the system, nor on its operator. It has been reported that mobile SIGINT and electronic warfare EW stations appeared here in early August, i.e. at the same time when provocations occurred on the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea.
Based on these general data, the OSINT group of the InformNapalm international community did a major online search to supplement the information provided by the government. We have identified: 1) the exact location of these systems; 2) their type; 3) particular military unit of the Russian Armed Forces operating them.
The exact location of the SIGINT system is indeed in the border zone near Kharkiv region. A photo taken by the Diamond drone and photos found by our group indicate a wood line near the village of Murom, Shebekino district in the Belgorod region of Russia – coordinates292952; 36.740148.The outlines of the country road and of the wooded areas at the location of the station confirm this assumption.
The identification of the SIG |
Why I Feel Sorry for Lurleen Wallace." In his memoirs, Wallace recounts his wife's ability to "charm crowds" and cast off invective: "I was immensely proud of her, and it didn't hurt a bit to take a back seat to her in vote-getting ability." Wallace rebuffed critics who claimed that he had "dragooned" his wife into the race. "She loved every minute of being governor the same way... that Mrs. (Margaret) Smith loves being senator."[37]
During the 1966 campaign, George Wallace signed state legislation to nullify desegregation guidelines between Alabama cities and counties and the former United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Wallace claimed that the law would thwart the national government from intervening in schools. Critics denounced Wallace's "political trickery" and expressed alarm at the potential forfeiture of federal funds. Republican gubernatorial candidate James D. Martin accused the Democrats of "playing politics with your children" and "neglecting academic excellence".[38]
James Martin also opposed the desegregation guidelines and had sponsored a U.S. House amendment to forbid the placement of students and teachers on the basis of racial quotas. He predicted that Wallace's legislation would propel the issuance of a court order compelling immediate and total desegregation in all public schools. Martin compared the new Alabama law to "another two-and-a-half minute stand in the schoolhouse door".[39]
Lurleen Wallace overwhelmed Jim Martin in the general election on November 8, 1966. She was inaugurated in January 1967, but on May 7, 1968, she died in office of cancer at the age of forty-one, amid her husband's ongoing second presidential campaign.[40] On her death, she was succeeded by Lieutenant Governor Albert Brewer, who had run without Republican opposition in the Wallace-Martin race. George Wallace's influence in state government thus subsided until his next bid for election in his own right in 1970. He was "first gentleman" for less than a year and a half.
1968 third-party presidential run [ edit ]
Orange states went to Wallace in the 1968 election.
Wallace ran for president in the 1968 election as the American Independent Party candidate, with Curtis LeMay as his candidate for vice president. Wallace hoped to force the House of Representatives to decide the election with one vote per state if he could obtain sufficient electoral votes to make him a power broker. Wallace hoped that southern states could use their clout to end federal efforts at desegregation. His platform contained generous increases for beneficiaries of Social Security and Medicare. Wallace's foreign policy positions set him apart from the other candidates in the field. "If the Vietnam War was not winnable within 90 days of his taking office, Wallace pledged an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops... Wallace described foreign aid as money 'poured down a rat hole' and demanded that European and Asian allies pay more for their defense."[41]
Richard Nixon feared that Wallace might split the conservative vote and allow the Democratic nominee, Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey, to prevail. Some Democrats feared Wallace's appeal to organized blue-collar workers would damage Humphrey in northern states such as Ohio, New Jersey, and Michigan. Wallace ran a "law and order" campaign similar to Nixon's, further worrying Republicans.
In Wallace's 1998 obituary, The Huntsville Times political editor John Anderson summarized the impact from the 1968 campaign: "His startling appeal to millions of alienated white voters was not lost on Richard Nixon and other Republican strategists. First Nixon, then Ronald Reagan, and finally George Herbert Walker Bush successfully adopted toned-down versions of Wallace's anti-busing, anti-federal government platform to pry low- and middle-income whites from the Democratic New Deal coalition."[20] Dan Carter, a professor of history at Emory University in Atlanta, added: "George Wallace laid the foundation for the dominance of the Republican Party in American society through the manipulation of racial and social issues in the 1960s and 1970s. He was the master teacher, and Richard Nixon and the Republican leadership that followed were his students."[43]
Wallace considered Happy Chandler, the former baseball commissioner, two-term former governor of Kentucky and former Senator from Kentucky, as his running mate in his 1968 campaign as a third-party candidate; as one of Wallace's aides put it, "We have all the nuts in the country; we could get some decent people–-you working one side of the street and he working the other side." Wallace invited Chandler, but when the press published the prospect, Wallace's supporters objected: Chandler had supported the hiring of Jackie Robinson by the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Wallace retracted the invitation, and (after considering Kentucky Fried Chicken founder Colonel Harland Sanders)[41] chose former Air Force General Curtis LeMay of California. LeMay was considered instrumental in the establishment in 1947 of the United States Air Force and an expert in military affairs. His four-star military rank, experience at Strategic Air Command and presence advising President Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis were considered foreign-policy assets to the Wallace campaign. By 1968, LeMay had retired and was serving as chairman of the board of an electronics company, but the company threatened to dismiss him if he took a leave of absence to run for vice president. To keep LeMay on the ticket, Wallace backer and Texas oil tycoon H. L. Hunt set up a million-dollar fund to reimburse LeMay for any income lost in the campaign.[4] Campaign aides tried to persuade LeMay to avoid questions relating to nuclear weapons, but when asked if he thought their use was necessary to win the Vietnam War, he first said that America can win in Vietnam without them. However, he alarmed the audience by further commenting, "we [Americans] have a phobia about nuclear weapons. I think there may be times when it would be most efficient to use nuclear weapons." The "politically tone-deaf" LeMay became a drag on Wallace's candidacy for the remainder of the campaign.[44]
In 1968, Wallace pledged that "If some anarchist lies down in front of my automobile, it will be the last automobile he will ever lie down in front of," and asserted that the only four letter words which hippies did not know were "w-o-r-k" and "s-o-a-p". This type of rhetoric became famous. He accused Humphrey and Nixon of wanting to radically desegregate the South. Wallace said, "There's not a dime's worth of difference between the Republicans and Democrats," a campaign slogan that he had first perfected when Lurleen Wallace defeated James D. Martin.
Major media outlets observed the support Wallace received from extremist groups such as White Citizens' Councils. It has been noted that members of such groups had permeated the Wallace campaign by 1968 and, while Wallace did not openly seek their support, nor did he refuse it.[45] Indeed, at least one case has been documented of the pro-Nazi[46] and white supremacist[47] Liberty Lobby distributing a pro-Wallace pamphlet entitled "Stand up for America" despite the campaign's denial of such a connection.[48] Unlike Strom Thurmond in 1948, Wallace generally avoided race-related discussions. He mostly criticized hippies and "pointy-headed intellectuals." He renounced racism, saying once, "I've never made a racist speech in my life."
While Wallace carried five Southern states, won almost ten million popular votes and 46 electoral votes, Nixon received 301 electoral votes, more than required to win the election. Wallace remains the last non-Democratic, non-Republican candidate to win any pledged electoral votes. Wallace also received the vote of one North Carolina elector who had been pledged to Nixon.
Many found Wallace an entertaining campaigner. To "hippies" who called him a fascist, he replied, "I was killing fascists when you punks were in diapers." Another notable quip: "They're building a bridge over the Potomac for all the white liberals fleeing to Virginia."
Wallace decried the United States Supreme Court's binding opinion in Alexander v. Holmes County Board of Education, which ordered immediate desegregation of Southern schools - he said the new Burger court was "no better than the Warren court" and called the justices "limousine hypocrites".[49]
Second term as governor [ edit ]
In 1970, Wallace sought the Democratic nomination against incumbent Governor Albert Brewer, who was the first gubernatorial candidate since Reconstruction to seek African-American voter support.[50] Although in the 1966 gubernatorial election then state Attorney General Richmond Flowers championed civil rights for all and with the support of most of Alabama Black voters finished second in the Democratic primary. Brewer unveiled a progressive platform and worked to build an alliance between blacks and the white working class. Of Wallace's out-of-state trips, Brewer said, "Alabama needs a full-time governor!"[51]
In the primary, Brewer received the most votes but failed to win a majority, which triggered a runoff election.[52]
In what (later-U.S. President) Jimmy Carter called "one of the most racist campaigns in modern southern political history",[52] Wallace aired television advertising with slogans such as "Do you want the black bloc electing your governor?" and circulated an ad showing a white girl surrounded by seven black boys, with the slogan "Wake Up Alabama! Blacks vow to take over Alabama."[53] Wallace slurred Brewer, whom he called "Sissy Britches",[54] and his family.[55] In the runoff, Wallace narrowly won the Democratic nomination[55] and won the general election in a landslide.
Though Wallace had promised not to run for president a third time,[51][52] the day after the election, he flew to Wisconsin to campaign for the upcoming 1972 United States presidential election.[51] Wallace, whose presidential ambitions would have been destroyed by a defeat for governor, has been said to have run "one of the nastiest campaigns in state history," using racist rhetoric while proposing few new ideas.[50]
Democratic presidential primaries of 1972 and assassination attempt [ edit ]
Green states went to George Wallace in the 1972 Democratic primaries.
On January 13, 1972, Wallace declared himself a Democratic candidate, entering the field with George McGovern, 1968 nominee Hubert Humphrey, and nine other Democratic opponents. In Florida's primary, Wallace carried every county to win 42 percent of the vote; another of his opponents was John V. Lindsay, the liberal mayor of New York City, who had switched from Republican affiliation to enter the Democratic presidential primaries. In the 1972 campaign, Wallace announced that he no longer supported segregation and had always been a "moderate" on racial matters.[18] This position was an echo of Nixon, who in 1969 had instituted the first Affirmative Action program, the Philadelphia Plan that established goals and timetables. However, Wallace (similarly to Nixon) expressed continued opposition to desegregation busing.[57]
For the next four months, Wallace's campaign proceeded extremely well. However, it came to an abrupt halt on May 15, 1972, when he was shot five times by Arthur Bremer while campaigning at the Laurel Shopping Center in Laurel, Maryland, at a time when he was receiving high ratings in national opinion polls.[58] Bremer was seen at a Wallace rally in Wheaton, Maryland, earlier that day and two days earlier at a rally in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Wallace was hit in the abdomen and chest, and one of the bullets lodged in Wallace's spinal column, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of his life. A five-hour operation was needed that evening, and Wallace had to receive several units of blood in order to survive. Three others who were wounded in the shooting also survived.
Bremer's diary, An Assassin's Diary, published after his arrest, shows he was motivated in the assassination attempt by a desire for fame, not by political ideology. He had considered President Nixon as an earlier target. He was convicted at trial. On August 4, 1972, Bremer was sentenced to 63 years in prison, later reduced to 53 years. Bremer served 35 years and was released on parole on November 9, 2007.
CBS News correspondent David Dick won an Emmy Award for his coverage of the attempt on Wallace's life.[59]
Following the assassination attempt, Wallace was visited at the hospital by Democratic Congresswoman and presidential primary rival Shirley Chisholm,[60] a representative from Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. At the time, she was the nation's only African-American female member of Congress. Despite their ideological differences and the opposition of Chisholm's constituents, Chisholm felt visiting Wallace was the humane thing to do. Other people to visit Wallace in hospital were President Nixon, Vice President Spiro Agnew, Hubert Humphrey, George McGovern and Ted Kennedy. He also received telegrams from former President Lyndon Johnson, future President Ronald Reagan and Pope Paul VI.
After the shooting, Wallace won primaries in Maryland and Michigan, but his near assassination effectively ended his campaign. From his wheelchair, Wallace spoke on July 11, 1972, at the Democratic National Convention in Miami Beach, Florida.
Since Wallace was out of Alabama for more than 20 days while he was recovering in Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, Maryland, the state constitution required Lieutenant Governor Jere Beasley to serve as acting governor from June 5 until Wallace's return to Alabama on July 7. Wallace resumed his gubernatorial duties and easily won the 1974 primary and general election, when he defeated Republican State Senator Elvin McCary, a real estate developer from Anniston, who received fewer than 15 percent of the ballots cast.[61]
In 1992, when asked to comment on the 20th anniversary of his attempted assassination, Wallace replied, "I've had 20 years of pain."[62]
Democratic presidential primaries of 1976 [ edit ]
States in pink went to Wallace in the 1976 Democratic primaries.
In November 1975, Wallace announced his fourth bid for the presidency. Wallace's campaign was plagued by voter concern about his health[63] as well as the media use of images that portrayed him as nearly helpless.[citation needed] His supporters complained that such coverage was motivated by bias, citing the discretion used in coverage of Franklin D. Roosevelt's paralysis, before television became commercially available. In the southern primaries and caucuses, Wallace carried only Mississippi, South Carolina and his home state of Alabama. If the popular vote in all primaries and caucuses were combined, Wallace would have placed third behind former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter and California Governor Jerry Brown. After the primaries were completed, and he had lost several Southern primaries to Carter, Wallace left the race in June 1976. He eventually endorsed Carter, who faced Republican incumbent Gerald R. Ford. Wallace later claimed that he had facilitated a fellow southerner's nomination; in point of fact, no position advocated by Wallace was included in the 1976 Democratic platform.
Final term as governor [ edit ]
Results of the 1982 gubernatorial election. Counties in blue were won by Wallace.
In the late 1970s, Wallace announced that he was a born-again Christian and apologized to black civil rights leaders for his past actions as a segregationist. He said that while he had once sought power and glory, he realized he needed to seek love and forgiveness.[note 2] In 1979, Wallace said of his stand in the schoolhouse door: "I was wrong. Those days are over, and they ought to be over."[64] He publicly asked for forgiveness from blacks.[64][65]
In the 1982 Alabama gubernatorial Democratic primary, Wallace's main opponents were Lieutenant Governor George McMillan and Alabama House Speaker Joe McCorquodale. In the primary, McCorquodale was eliminated, and the vote went to a runoff, with Wallace holding a slight edge over McMillan. Wallace won the Democratic nomination by a margin of 51 to 49 percent. In the general election, his opponent was Montgomery Republican Mayor Emory Folmar. Polling experts at first thought the 1982 election was the best chance since Reconstruction for a Republican to be elected as governor of Alabama.[citation needed] Ultimately, though, it was Wallace, not Folmar, who claimed victory.
During Wallace's final term as governor (1983–1987) he made a record number of black appointments to state positions,[66] including, for the first time, two black people as members in the same cabinet.
On April 2, 1986, Wallace announced at a press conference in Montgomery that he would not run for a fifth term as Governor of Alabama, and would retire from public life after leaving the governor's mansion in January 1987.[67] Wallace achieved four gubernatorial terms across three decades, totaling 16 years in office. It is a national record tied by others but thus far surpassed only by Terry Branstad of Iowa, who served six terms from 1983 to 1999 and from 2011 to 2017, and former Vice President George Clinton of New York, who served twenty-one non-consecutive years as governor between 1777 and 1804.
Marriages and children [ edit ]
Wallace married Lurleen Brigham Burns on May 22, 1943.[17][68][69] The couple had four children together: Bobbi Jo (1944) Parsons, Peggy Sue (1950) Kennedy, George III, known as George Junior (1951), and Janie Lee (1961) Dye, who was named after Robert E. Lee. Lurleen Wallace was the first woman to be elected governor of Alabama. In 1961, in keeping with the practice of many at the time to shield patients from discussion of cancer, which was greatly feared, Wallace had withheld information from her that a uterine biopsy had found possibly precancerous cells.[70] After Lurleen's death in 1968, the couple's younger children, aged 18, 16, and 6, were sent to live with family members and friends for care (their eldest daughter had already married and left home).[40]
Their son, commonly called George Wallace Jr., is a Democrat-turned-Republican formerly active in Alabama politics. He was twice elected state treasurer as a Democrat, and twice elected to the Alabama Public Service Commission. He lost a race in 2006 for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor. In 2010, Wallace Jr. failed by a wide margin to win the Republican nod to regain his former position as state treasurer.
On January 4, 1971, Wallace wed the former Cornelia Ellis Snively (1939–2009), a niece of former Alabama Governor Jim Folsom, known as "Big Jim". "C'nelia" had been a performer and was nicknamed "the Jackie Kennedy of the rednecks". The couple had a bitter divorce in 1978. A few months after that divorce, Cornelia told Parade magazine, "I don't believe George needs a family. He just needs an audience. The family as audience wasn't enough for his ego."[20] The second Mrs. Wallace died at the age of 69 on January 8, 2009.[71]
On September 9, 1981, Wallace married Lisa Taylor, a country music singer; they divorced in 1987.[72]
Final years and death [ edit ]
In a 1995 interview, Wallace said that he planned to vote for Republican Bob Dole in the 1996 presidential election, commenting, "He's a good man. His wife is a born-again Christian woman and I believe he is, too." He also revealed that he had voted for George H. W. Bush, another Republican, in 1992. His son, George Wallace Jr., officially switched from Democrat to Republican that same year. Wallace himself declined to officially identify as either a Republican or a Democrat. But he added, "The state is slowly going Republican because of Clinton being so liberal."[73]
In his later years, Wallace suffered from deafness and Parkinson's disease.[73]
At a restaurant a few blocks from the State Capitol, Wallace became something of a fixture. In constant pain, he was surrounded by an entourage of old friends and visiting well-wishers and continued this ritual until a few weeks before his death. Wallace died of septic shock from a bacterial infection in Jackson Hospital in Montgomery on September 13, 1998. He suffered from respiratory problems in addition to complications from his gunshot spinal injury. His grave is located at Greenwood Cemetery, in Montgomery.
Legacy and honors [ edit ]
With four failed runs for president, he was unsuccessful in national politics.[74][75] However, his impact on American politics was enormous and earned him the appellation "the most influential loser" in 20th century American politics, according to biographers Dan T. Carter[7] and Stephan Lesher.[8]
The George Wallace Tunnel on Interstate 10 which runs underneath Mobile, Alabama is named in his honor.
Wallace was the subject of a documentary, George Wallace: Settin' the Woods on Fire (2000), shown by PBS on The American Experience.[18][76]
The TNT cable network produced a movie, George Wallace (1997), directed by John Frankenheimer and starring Gary Sinise. Sinise received an Emmy Award for his performance during a ceremony held the day Wallace died.
In the 2014 film Selma, which was set during the Civil Rights Movement, which then-Governor Wallace publicly opposed, Wallace was portrayed by actor Tim Roth.
The George C. Wallace White Way, a four-lane road between Guin and Hamilton in Alabama, was named in his honor.[77]
Three community colleges in Alabama are named for Wallace: Wallace Community College, Wallace Community College Selma, and Wallace State Community College. Lurleen B. Wallace Community College is named for his wife.
See also [ edit ]
Notes [ edit ]
^ " 'Well boys,' he said tightly as he snuffed out his cigar, 'no other son-of-a-bitch will ever out-nigger me again.'" Riechers, Maggie (March–April 2000). "Racism to Redemption: The Path of George Wallace". Humanities. 21 (2). Archived from the original on 10 December 2017. The exact wording is a matter of historical dispute. Some sources quote Wallace as using the word "outsegged". Carter (1996, p. 2) notes that Wallace later denied a similar quotation that appeared in a 1968 biography by Marshall Frady 'Well boys,' he said tightly as he snuffed out his cigar, 'no other son-of-a-bitch will ever out-nigger me again.The exact wording is a matter of historical dispute. Some sources quote Wallace as using the word "outsegged". ^ According to Carter (1995, pp. 236–37), "But no one who knew Wallace well ever took seriously his earnest profession – uttered a thousand times after 1963 – that he [had been] a segregationist, not a racist.... Wallace, like most white southerners of his generation, [had] genuinely believed blacks to be a separate, inferior race."
References [ edit ]
Bibliography [ edit ]
Further reading [ edit ]The Red Bulls released their training camp roster today.
In addition to the 26 rostered players -- Armando and Richard Eckersley included -- they've brought along 10 guest players, three of whom, Ambroise Oyongo Bitolo, Tyler Polak and Miguel Ibarra, are trialists. The rest are academy players.
If Ibarra, who was first connected with the team in a report last week from Big Apple Soccer, rings a bell, it's because he's been around American soccer circles before. Born in New York, he was drafted by the Portland Timbers out of the University of California Irvine in 2012, got cut, but ended up with the NASL's Minnesota United. In 2013, he earned NASL Best XI honors.
Minnesota United, then, wasn't thrilled with the news, with President Nick Rogers tersely dismissing it.
Great source! /s "@TotalNASL: As @IMSoccerNews noted, according Big Apple Soccer, Miguel Ibarra is on trial with the @NewYorkRedBulls." — Nick Rogers (@_NickRogers_) January 27, 2014
.@IMSoccerNews I have tremendous respect for the @NewYorkRedBulls organization, but the rumor is false. He won’t be trialing with them. — Nick Rogers (@_NickRogers_) January 27, 2014
Ibarra was quick to confirm Rogers take on the situation.
@IMSoccerNews @_NickRogers_ I will not be going to New York for trial I will be playing with Minnesota United FC this year.#NASL Champs 2014 — Miguel Ibarra (@Migue10Ibarra) January 27, 2014
Then, Big Apple Soccer walked their report back, citing a source that Minnesota not only wanted medical coverage should Ibarra be hurt, but expected the Red Bulls to pay a transfer fee.
But here we are on Tuesday, with "Miguel Ibarra" right there on the Red Bulls' pre-season roster.
But what if that's not the right Miguel Ibarra?
A third Big Apple Soccer report from today confirms that there is, in fact, a Miguel Ibarra with the Red Bulls in Florida. It's just not the Miguel Ibarra you think. This one's Ecuadorian.
And while that might sound like a convenient excuse to sneak in a player they want in some sort of absurd, cloak-and-dagger subterfuge, it's not. A Miguel Ibarra plying is trade in the Ecuadorian first division was connected to the league in a 2012 profile. Bizarrely enough, this Ibarra was also born in New York, meaning the right back wouldn't take up an international slot.
Despite leaving New York at the age of three, the profile notes, the 29-year-old's mother still lived in the city as late as December 2011. His English is solid and he's even something of a Red Bulls fan, apparently. According to ESPN FC, who lists his name as Washington Ibarra, he plays with Deportivo Quito, but hasn't made an appearance since November.
So that's the New York-born Miguel Ibarra we're looking for. Not that other New York-born Miguel Ibarra.The MSI Clutch GM60 gaming mouse boasts of an ergonomic design and comes with two different sets of side grips and an additional top cover for personalised comfort and custom fit.
The MSI Clutch GM60 gaming mouse boasts of an ergonomic design and comes with two different sets of side grips and an additional top cover for personalised comfort and custom fit. MSI
MSI has updated its gaming gear roster and launched the Clutch GM60 and Clutch GM70 gaming mice on Wednesday. Each new product boasts of an ergonomic design and comes with two different sets of side grips and an additional top cover for personalised comfort and custom fit. Both mice will be made available globally in July.
The new Clutch GM series mice are optimised for extended hours of gameplay. MSI bundled its latest gear with two different pairs of side grips and a top cover so users can customise them according to their liking. They are also easily interchanged thanks to the Taiwanese electronics company’s magnetic design.
Adding to the GM60 and GM70’s aesthetics and usability are the dragon-scale patterns on the sides that improve grip and mouse control. Of course, a gaming mouse wouldn’t be complete without RGB lighting. Each product’s illuminating spectacle is provided by MSI’s RGB Mystic Light, which likewise allows users to personalise effects and pick out the colours they prefer.
The GM60 can only be used with a cable while the GM70 offers more flexibility with its wired and wireless capabilities. The USB cable comes with a switch at the bottom of the device, which should help avoid any unexpected disconnections.
Included in the MSI Clutch GM70 retail box are all the accessories users need to fully customise their gaming mouse and use it in either wired or wireless mode. A convenient carry pouch is also included. MSI
The GM60 boasts of an Avago PMW 3330 gaming-grade sensor while the GM70 equips a cutting-edge Avago PMW3360 optical sensor. Users can easily change DPI values by using the DPI switch or MSI’s software for better gameplay. Each mouse has at least eight buttons that can be easily programmed using the Gaming Centre app while an ALPS Encoder scroll wheel promises precise and effortless movement.
“[Each] mouse is built with high quality materials to ensure a reliable gaming experience,” according to MSI. “The main buttons are equipped with Omron gaming switches, which are rated for over 50 million clicks for an almost inexhaustible amount of headshots, spell casting or simple double-clicking.”
The MSI Clutch GM60 and GM70 gaming mice are set to be released worldwide in July. MSI has yet to reveal official pricing details so stay connected with IBTimes Australia for updates.
New MSI Clutch GM series gaming mice specs and features
Sensor: GM60: PMW 3330 gaming sensor | GM70: PMW 3360 gaming sensor
GM60: PMW 3330 gaming sensor | GM70: PMW 3360 gaming sensor Sensor type: Optical
Optical DPI switch: Default: 1,000 / 1,800 / 2,800 / 3,600 | Max: 10,800 (step: 100)
Default: 1,000 / 1,800 / 2,800 / 3,600 | Max: 10,800 (step: 100) Colour: Black
Black Buttons: GM60: Eight | GM70: Ten (including pairing button and power switch)
GM60: Eight | GM70: Ten (including pairing button and power switch) Response time: GM60: 0.33 ms | GM70: 1 ms (wireless mode) / 0.33 ms (wired mode)
GM60: 0.33 ms | GM70: 1 ms (wireless mode) / 0.33 ms (wired mode) Main key switches: Omron gaming (50 million+ clicks)
Omron gaming (50 million+ clicks) LED Light: Side Bar / Dragon LED /DPI indicator
Side Bar / Dragon LED /DPI indicator Lighting effects: RGB
RGB USB cable: 2.0 m braided
2.0 m braided USB 2.0 Interface: GM60: USB 2.0 gold-plated connector | GM70: Wireless mode with USB dongle / Wired mode with USB 2.0 gold-plated connector
GM60: USB 2.0 gold-plated connector | GM70: Wireless mode with USB dongle / Wired mode with USB 2.0 gold-plated connector Weight: GM60: 115 grams or 0.25 lb | GM70: 129 grams or 0.28 lb
GM60: 115 grams or 0.25 lb | GM70: 129 grams or 0.28 lb Dimensions (L x W x H): 125 x 66 x 39 mm or 5.04 x 2.60 x 1.54 inches
MORE TECH NEWS:
Panasonic Toughbook CF-XZ6 specs, price and launch details: New rugged laptop means business
Gigabyte launches two new VR-friendly Aorus GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Waterforce Xtreme Edition 11G liquid-cooled graphics cardsThis is a guest post by Lyndsay from Dragon Chow Dice Bags. Lyndsay is a gamer, a creative entrepreneur, and a friend of the site. We hope she will contribute to the site again in the future.
T.
This article deals very specifically with feminist thought, which I don’t intend to debate here. Questions about feminism? Check out Feminism 101. Just about any question you may have will be answered there. It is also important to note that this article assumes the majority of readers to be heterosexual, cisgendered, and male as this is the majority of the D&D community. Apologies to readers who are not represented in the article. I hope the spirit of the idea shines through.
What I am trying to discuss here is how to become a Chaotic Good Roleplayer. By being chaotic good at your rolpelaying table, you can create a safe space for every player who sits down with your group. The first step is to recognize your privilege; privilege is a term used for a set of free passes given to majority groups by society–it is simply easier to get through the world and do what you like when you have privilege. Privilege is a natural weapon that most people think they’ve worked really hard to earn, but it in fact came for free. To keep it simple, consider privilege like a law that society lives by.
For the privileged player, life is relatively easy. You can joke about pretty much anything, and the jokes your friends tell aren’t hurtful to you. The other players around you with the same privilege feel the same way and laugh at your jokes too, and the games you play are mostly aimed at you. They present awesome looking characters like you, and the sexily dressed characters in the book are exactly the gender that you are attracted to. The plots of your games only need to consider your perspective. Life is grand–until someone without these attitudes enters your game and challenges your worldview, breaking society’s privilege laws. This is where you have to make a choice.
If you are a player lacking these privileges, the D&D table is still usually an okay place. People are there to have fun, after all. But for a marginalized player, the reminders that they aren’t the “normal” player of this game creep in. Jokes about raping women, for example: as someone with straight male privilege, rape is not a concern in your daily life – though male rape does happen, and is serious. For anyone else, however, rape is something that can and does happen. In fact, it is a frighteningly likely prospect – 1 in 3 women are raped. Think about that. Of all the women you encounter in your day, a third of them have been forced into these situations you find yourself joking about. D&D is not the time that anybody wants to find out that someone finds this funny.
Comments that are sexist, homophobic, transphobic or racist, even as jokes, remind marginalized players that they aren’t the normal one around here. They are disturbing, and can be frightening, angering and disappointing. They can result in these players feeling unwelcome at your table. Enough language and scenarios like this, and marginalized players will stop coming to the table.
So, let’s go back that choice you could make about players challenging your privilege. Now’s the time to go chaotic good and buck the societal laws of privilege. Like the Leverage crew, you can take your privilege and use it to teach some lessons and make your table a safe space. In feminism, this is called being an ally – someone who recognizes the difficulties that marginalized people experience and works with them. The chaotic good player has a diplomatic advantage simply by being part of the privileged group.
Chaotic good players buck their privilege and create the type of gaming table that won’t accept hurtful comments about marginalized groups of people. A chaotic good player uses their privilege to educate the players around him about behaviours and game plotlines that are alienating marginalized groups. When a marginalized player makes a comment that something isn’t acceptable because it is racist, sexist, homophobic, etc., the chaotic good player considers why, and comes to their defense. There will be a strong instinct to immediately deny it – I urge you to suppress this. Rather than immediately silencing them, consider their words.
It can be hard to understand why you should put your neck out like this and be a chaotic good player. After all, these are your friends and why would you want to alienate them?
It is hard work to be someone who lacks privilege. Lacking male privilege and having geeky interests is an uphill climb, believe me. Sharing the burden by being an ally and telling your fellow players that sexist comments won’t fly at the table doesn’t just help that one player. If the other players take it to heart, it will help countless players after her.
It comes down to a question of what’s right. Do you and your friends want to be the type of people who make women feel uncomfortable, unsafe or angry at your table? Do you want gay players to feel like they should just go home, and not come back next week? Or would you like to have a gaming table which includes all of these perspectives, and makes all of these players feel safe and appreciated?
There will be times where other people at the table will say “You know what, you’re right. That joke wasn’t really funny, and I’m sorry.” But, more likely, there will be backlash. Hurtful slurs might be used to describe the marginalized player behind their back, or be directed at you. You might get into an argument with other players at your table. Tempers could flare, and people can say really hurtful things sometimes. I was once called a hairy yeti feminazi when I asked the players in my game to stop making rape jokes. Is that phrase totally ridiculous? Damn skippy it is. But when it’s coming from someone who I thought cared about my feelings and my experience of the D&D game, it hurt – because they would rather insult me into silence than stop making rape jokes. People may do this to you, but a chaotic good roleplayer can handle breaking the social law of privilege that allows for hurtful comments and taking some heat. It’s the right thing to do.
The more chaotic good roleplayers we have, the more people we can attract to our beloved pastime. Chaotic good roleplayers make the gaming table a place where gamers from all types of backgrounds feel safe expressing themselves and thrive. If privileged players have stopped you from making the gaming table safe for women, gay players, or trans players just imagine the diverse roleplay opportunity and new character concepts your group could experience if these marginalized players did feel like they could express themselves. Making the gaming table a safe space will simply make the game better. We all know that newbies are reluctant to roleplay because they’re uncomfortable. The first time a newbie comes out of their shell and takes on a character, it can be very exciting; it means they are comfortable, and a wealth of new ideas is added to your game.
I would like to credit this post on Revenge of the Feminerd: Feminist in D&D as the inspiration for what you’ve read here today. Definitely give it a read.
Thadeous can't think of anything interesting about him self right now. Know this though if he could it would be creative and funny as well as thought provoking.Pancho Villa was a Mexican revolutionary leader who advocated for the poor and wanted agrarian reform. Though he was a killer, a bandit, and a revolutionary leader, many remember him as a folk hero. Pancho Villa was also responsible for a raid on Columbus, New Mexico in 1916, which was the first attack on U.S. soil since |
138]
Expansion [ edit ]
The Egelantiersgracht lies west of the Grachtengordel, in the Jordaan neighbourhood.
After the development of Amsterdam's canals in the 17th century, the city did not grow beyond its borders for two centuries. During the 19th century, Samuel Sarphati devised a plan based on the grandeur of Paris and London at that time. The plan envisaged the construction of new houses, public buildings and streets just outside the Grachtengordel. The main aim of the plan, however, was to improve public health. Although the plan did not expand the city, it did produce some of the largest public buildings to date, like the Paleis voor Volksvlijt.[139][140][141]
Following Sarphati, civil engineers Jacobus van Niftrik and Jan Kalff designed an entire ring of 19th-century neighbourhoods surrounding the city's centre, with the city preserving the ownership of all land outside the 17th-century limit, thus firmly controlling development.[142] Most of these neighbourhoods became home to the working class.[143]
In response to overcrowding, two plans were designed at the beginning of the 20th century which were very different from anything Amsterdam had ever seen before: Plan Zuid, designed by the architect Berlage, and West. These plans involved the development of new neighbourhoods consisting of housing blocks for all social classes.[144][145]
After the Second World War, large new neighbourhoods were built in the western, southeastern, and northern parts of the city. These new neighbourhoods were built to relieve the city's shortage of living space and give people affordable houses with modern conveniences. The neighbourhoods consisted mainly of large housing blocks situated among green spaces, connected to wide roads, making the neighbourhoods easily accessible by motor car. The western suburbs which were built in that period are collectively called the Westelijke Tuinsteden. The area to the southeast of the city built during the same period is known as the Bijlmer.[146][147]
Architecture [ edit ]
Amsterdam has a rich architectural history. The oldest building in Amsterdam is the Oude Kerk (English: Old Church), at the heart of the Wallen, consecrated in 1306.[148] The oldest wooden building is Het Houten Huys[149] at the Begijnhof. It was constructed around 1425 and is one of only two existing wooden buildings. It is also one of the few examples of Gothic architecture in Amsterdam. The oldest stone building of the Netherlands, The Moriaan is build in's-Hertogenbosch.
In the 16th century, wooden buildings were razed and replaced with brick ones. During this period, many buildings were constructed in the architectural style of the Renaissance. Buildings of this period are very recognisable with their stepped gable façades, which is the common Dutch Renaissance style. Amsterdam quickly developed its own Renaissance architecture. These buildings were built according to the principles of the architect Hendrick de Keyser.[150] One of the most striking buildings designed by Hendrick de Keyer is the Westerkerk. In the 17th century baroque architecture became very popular, as it was elsewhere in Europe. This roughly coincided with Amsterdam's Golden Age. The leading architects of this style in Amsterdam were Jacob van Campen, Philips Vingboons and Daniel Stalpaert.[151]
Philip Vingboons designed splendid merchants' houses throughout the city. A famous building in baroque style in Amsterdam is the Royal Palace on Dam Square. Throughout the 18th century, Amsterdam was heavily influenced by French culture. This is reflected in the architecture of that period. Around 1815, architects broke with the baroque style and started building in different neo-styles.[152] Most Gothic style buildings date from that era and are therefore said to be built in a neo-gothic style. At the end of the 19th century, the Jugendstil or Art Nouveau style became popular and many new buildings were constructed in this architectural style. Since Amsterdam expanded rapidly during this period, new buildings adjacent to the city centre were also built in this style. The houses in the vicinity of the Museum Square in Amsterdam Oud-Zuid are an example of Jugendstil. The last style that was popular in Amsterdam before the modern era was Art Deco. Amsterdam had its own version of the style, which was called the Amsterdamse School. Whole districts were built this style, such as the Rivierenbuurt.[153] A notable feature of the façades of buildings designed in Amsterdamse School is that they are highly decorated and ornate, with oddly shaped windows and doors.
The old city centre is the focal point of all the architectural styles before the end of the 19th century. Jugendstil and Georgian are mostly found outside the city's centre in the neighbourhoods built in the early 20th century, although there are also some striking examples of these styles in the city centre. Most historic buildings in the city centre and nearby are houses, such as the famous merchants' houses lining the canals.
Parks and recreational areas [ edit ]
Amsterdam has many parks, open spaces, and squares throughout the city. The Vondelpark, the largest park in the city, is located in the Oud-Zuid neighbourhood and is named after the 17th-century Amsterdam author Joost van den Vondel. Yearly, the park has around 10 million visitors. In the park is an open-air theatre, a playground and several horeca facilities. In the Zuid borough, is the Beatrixpark, named after Queen Beatrix. Between Amsterdam and Amstelveen is the Amsterdamse Bos ("Amsterdam Forest"), the largest recreational area in Amsterdam. Annually, almost 4.5 million people visit the park, which has a size of 1.000 hectares and is approximately three times the size of Central Park.[154] The Amstelpark in the Zuid borough houses the Rieker windmill, which dates to 1636. Other parks include the Sarphatipark in the De Pijp neighbourhood, the Oosterpark in the Oost borough and the Westerpark in the Westerpark neighbourhood. The city has three beaches: Nemo Beach, Citybeach "Het stenen hoofd" (Silodam) and Blijburg, all located in the Centrum borough.
The city has many open squares (plein in Dutch). The namesake of the city as the site of the original dam, Dam Square, is the main city square and has the Royal Palace and National Monument. Museumplein hosts various museums, including the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, and Stedelijk Museum. Other squares include Rembrandtplein, Muntplein, Nieuwmarkt, Leidseplein, Spui, and Waterlooplein. Also, near to Amsterdam is the Nekkeveld estate conservation project.
Economy [ edit ]
The Zuidas, the city's main business district.
Amsterdam is the financial and business capital of the Netherlands.[155] Amsterdam is ranked fifth best of European cities in which to locate an international business, surpassed by London, Paris, Frankfurt and Barcelona.[156] Many large corporations and banks have their headquarters in Amsterdam, including AkzoNobel, Heineken International, ING Group, ABN AMRO, TomTom, Delta Lloyd Group, Booking.com and Philips. KPMG International's global headquarters is located in nearby Amstelveen, where many non-Dutch companies have settled as well, because surrounding communities allow full land ownership, contrary to Amsterdam's land-lease system.
Though many small offices are still located on the old canals, companies are increasingly relocating outside the city centre. The Zuidas (English: South Axis) has become the new financial and legal hub.[157] The five largest law firms of the Netherlands, a number of Dutch subsidiaries of large consulting firms like Boston Consulting Group and Accenture, and the World Trade Center Amsterdam are also located in Zuidas.
There are three other smaller financial districts in Amsterdam. The first is the area surrounding Amsterdam Sloterdijk railway station, where several newspapers like De Telegraaf have their offices.
Also, Deloitte, the Gemeentelijk Vervoerbedrijf (municipal public transport company) and the Dutch tax offices (Belastingdienst) are located there. The second Financial District is the area surrounding the Johan Cruyff Arena. The third is the area surrounding Amsterdam Amstel railway station. The tallest building in Amsterdam, the Rembrandt Tower, is situated there, as is the headquarters of Philips.[158][159]
Port of Amsterdam [ edit ]
The Port of Amsterdam is the fourth largest port in Europe, the 38th largest port in the world and the second largest port in the Netherlands by metric tons of cargo. In 2014 the Port of Amsterdam had a cargo throughput of 97,4 million tons of cargo, which was mostly bulk cargo. Amsterdam has the biggest cruise port in the Netherlands with more than 150 cruise ships every year. In 2019 the new lock in IJmuiden will open; the port will then be able to grow to 125 million tonnes in capacity.
The Amsterdam Stock Exchange (AEX), now part of Euronext, is the world's oldest stock exchange and is one of Europe's largest bourses. It is near Dam Square in the city centre.
Together with Eindhoven (Brainport) and Rotterdam (Seaport), Amsterdam (Airport) forms the foundation of the Dutch economy.[160]
Tourism [ edit ]
Boats give tours of the city, such as this one in front of the EYE Film Institute Netherlands
Spiegelgracht
Amsterdam is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe, receiving more than 4.63 million international visitors annually, this is excluding the 16 million day trippers visiting the city every year.[161] The number of visitors has been growing steadily over the past decade. This can be attributed to an increasing number of European visitors. Two-thirds of the hotels are located in the city's centre. Hotels with 4 or 5 stars contribute 42% of the total beds available and 41% of the overnight stays in Amsterdam. The room occupation rate was 78% in 2006, up from 70% in 2005.[162] The majority of tourists (74%) originate from Europe. The largest group of non-European visitors come from the United States, accounting for 14% of the total.[162] Certain years have a theme in Amsterdam to attract extra tourists. For example, the year 2006 was designated "Rembrandt 400", to celebrate the 400th birthday of Rembrandt van Rijn. Some hotels offer special arrangements or activities during these years. The average number of guests per year staying at the four campsites around the city range from 12,000 to 65,000.[162]
De Wallen (Red-light district) [ edit ]
De Wallen, also known as Walletjes or Rosse Buurt, is a designated area for legalised prostitution and is Amsterdam's largest and most well known red-light district. This neighbourhood has become a famous attraction for tourists. It consists of a network of roads and alleys containing several hundred small, one-room apartments rented by sex workers who offer their services from behind a window or glass door, typically illuminated with red lights.
Retail [ edit ]
Shops in Amsterdam range from large high end department stores such as De Bijenkorf founded in 1870 to small specialty shops. Amsterdam's high-end shops are found in the streets P.C. Hooftstraat and Cornelis Schuytstraat, which are located in the vicinity of the Vondelpark. One of Amsterdam's busiest high streets is the narrow, medieval Kalverstraat in the heart of the city. Other shopping areas include the Negen Straatjes and Haarlemmerdijk and Haarlemmerstraat. Negen Straatjes are nine narrow streets within the Grachtengordel, the concentric canal system of Amsterdam. The Negen Straatjes differ from other shopping districts with the presence of a large diversity of privately owned shops. The Haarlemmerstraat and Haarlemmerdijk were voted best shopping street in the Netherlands in 2011. These streets have as the Negen Straatjes a large diversity of privately owned shops. But as the Negen Straatjes are dominated by fashion stores the Haarlemmerstraat and Haarlemmerdijk offer a very wide variety of all kinds of stores, just to name some specialties: candy and other food related stores, lingerie, sneakers, wedding clothing, interior shops, books, Italian deli's, racing and mountain bikes, skatewear, etc.
The city also features a large number of open-air markets such as the Albert Cuyp Market, Westerstraat-markt, Ten Katemarkt, and Dappermarkt. Some of these markets are held on a daily basis, like the Albert Cuypmarkt and the Dappermarkt. Others, like the Westerstraatmarkt, are held on a weekly basis.
Fashion [ edit ]
A typically well-attired Amsterdamer waits for a traffic light to change at Muntplein in the heart of Amsterdam.
Several fashion brands and designers are based in Amsterdam. Brands include G-star,[164] 10 feet[165] and Warmenhoven & Venderbos,[citation needed] and fashion designers include Iris van Herpen,[166] Mart Visser, Viktor & Rolf, Marlies Dekkers and Frans Molenaar. Modelling agencies Elite Models, Touche models and Tony Jones have opened branches in Amsterdam. Fashion models like Yfke Sturm, Doutzen Kroes and Kim Noorda started their careers in Amsterdam. Amsterdam has its garment centre in the World Fashion Center. Buildings which formerly housed brothels in the red light district have been converted to ateliers for young fashion designers, AKA eagle fuel.[citation needed] Fashion photographers Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin were born in Amsterdam.[167]
Culture [ edit ]
The Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam is an international museum dedicated to modern and contemporary art and design.
During the later part of the 16th-century Amsterdam's Rederijkerskamer (Chamber of rhetoric) organised contests between different Chambers in the reading of poetry and drama.[168][169] In 1637, Schouwburg, the first theatre in Amsterdam was built, opening on January 3, 1638.[170] The first ballet performances in the Netherlands were given in Schouwburg in 1642 with the Ballet of the Five Senses.[171][172] In the 18th century, French theatre became popular. While Amsterdam was under the influence of German music in the 19th century there were few national opera productions;[citation needed] the Hollandse Opera of Amsterdam was built in 1888 for the specific purpose of promoting Dutch opera.[173] In the 19th century, popular culture was centred on the Nes area in Amsterdam (mainly vaudeville and music-hall).[citation needed] An improved metronome was invented in 1812 by Dietrich Nikolaus Winkel.[174] The Rijksmuseum (1885) and Stedelijk Museum (1895) were built and opened.[175][176] In 1888, the Concertgebouworkest orchestra was established.[177] With the 20th century came cinema, radio and television.[citation needed] Though most studios are located in Hilversum and Aalsmeer, Amsterdam's influence on programming is very strong. Many people who work in the television industry live in Amsterdam. Also, the headquarters of the Dutch SBS Broadcasting Group is located in Amsterdam.[178]
Museums [ edit ]
The most important museums of Amsterdam are located on the Museumplein (Museum Square), located at the southwestern side of the Rijksmuseum. It was created in the last quarter of the 19th century on the grounds of the former World's fair. The northeastern part of the square is bordered by the very large Rijksmuseum. In front of the Rijksmuseum on the square itself is a long, rectangular pond. This is transformed into an ice rink in winter.[179] The northwestern part of the square is bordered by the Van Gogh Museum, Stedelijk Museum, House of Bols Cocktail & Genever Experience and Coster Diamonds. The southwestern border of the Museum Square is the Van Baerlestraat, which is a major thoroughfare in this part of Amsterdam. The Concertgebouw is situated across this street from the square. To the southeast of the square are situated a number of large houses, one of which contains the American consulate. A parking garage can be found underneath the square, as well as a supermarket. The Museumplein is covered almost entirely with a lawn, except for the northeastern part of the square which is covered with gravel. The current appearance of the square was realised in 1999, when the square was remodelled. The square itself is the most prominent site in Amsterdam for festivals and outdoor concerts, especially in the summer. Plans were made in 2008 to remodel the square again, because many inhabitants of Amsterdam are not happy with its current appearance.[180]
The Rijksmuseum possesses the largest and most important collection of classical Dutch art.[181] It opened in 1885. Its collection consists of nearly one million objects.[182] The artist most associated with Amsterdam is Rembrandt, whose work, and the work of his pupils, is displayed in the Rijksmuseum. Rembrandt's masterpiece The Night Watch is one of top pieces of art of the museum. It also houses paintings from artists like Van der Helst, Vermeer, Frans Hals, Ferdinand Bol, Albert Cuyp, Jacob van Ruisdael and Paulus Potter. Aside from paintings, the collection consists of a large variety of decorative art. This ranges from Delftware to giant doll-houses from the 17th century. The architect of the gothic revival building was P.J.H. Cuypers. The museum underwent a 10-year, 375 million euro renovation starting in 2003. The full collection was reopened to the public on 13 April 2013 and the Rijksmuseum has established itself as the most visited museum in Amsterdam with 2.2 million visitors in 2013.[183]
Van Gogh lived in Amsterdam for a short while and there is a museum dedicated to his work. The museum is housed in one of the few modern buildings in this area of Amsterdam. The building was designed by Gerrit Rietveld. This building is where the permanent collection is displayed. A new building was added to the museum in 1999. This building, known as the performance wing, was designed by Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa. Its purpose is to house temporary exhibitions of the museum.[184][185] Some of Van Gogh's most famous paintings, like The Potato Eaters and Sunflowers, are in the collection.[186] The Van Gogh museum is the second most visited museum in Amsterdam, with 1.4 million annual visitors.[187]
Next to the Van Gogh museum stands the Stedelijk Museum. This is Amsterdam's most important museum of modern art. The museum is as old as the square it borders and was opened in 1895. The permanent collection consists of works of art from artists like Piet Mondriaan, Karel Appel, and Kazimir Malevich. After renovations lasting several years the museum opened in September 2012 with a new composite extension that has been called 'The Bathtub' due to its resemblance to one.
Amsterdam contains many other museums throughout the city. They range from small museums such as the Verzetsmuseum (Resistance Museum), the Anne Frank House, and the Rembrandt House Museum, to the very large, like the Tropenmuseum (Museum of the Tropics), Amsterdam Museum (formerly known as Amsterdam Historical Museum), Hermitage Amsterdam (a dependency of the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg) and the Joods Historisch Museum (Jewish Historical Museum). The modern-styled Nemo is dedicated to child-friendly science exhibitions.
Music [ edit ]
Amsterdam's musical culture includes a large collection of songs which treat the city nostalgically and lovingly. The 1949 song "Aan de Amsterdamse grachten" ("On the canals of Amsterdam") was performed and recorded by many artists, including John Kraaijkamp Sr.; the best-known version is probably that by Wim Sonneveld (1962). In the 1950s Johnny Jordaan rose to fame with "Geef mij maar Amsterdam" ("I prefer Amsterdam"), which praises the city above all others (explicitly Paris); Jordaan sang especially about his own neighbourhood, the Jordaan ("Bij ons in de Jordaan"). Colleagues and contemporaries of Johnny include Tante Leen and Manke Nelis. Other notable Amsterdam songs are "Amsterdam" by Jacques Brel (1964) and "Deze Stad" by De Dijk (1989).[188] A 2011 poll by Amsterdam newspaper Het Parool that Trio Bier's "Oude Wolf" was voted "Amsterdams lijflied".[189] Notable Amsterdam bands from the modern era include the Osdorp Posse and The Ex.
AFAS Live (formerly known as the Heineken Music Hall) is a concert hall located near the Johan Cruyff Arena (known as the Amsterdam Arena until 2018). Its main purpose is to serve as a podium for pop concerts for big audiences. Many famous international artists have performed there. Two other notable venues, Paradiso and the Melkweg are located near the Leidseplein. Both focus on broad programming, ranging from indie rock to hip hop, R&B, and other popular genres. Other more subcultural music venues are OCCII, OT301, De Nieuwe Anita, Winston Kingdom and Zaal 100. Jazz has a strong following in Amsterdam, with the Bimhuis being the premier venue. In 2012, Ziggo Dome was opened, also near Amsterdam Arena, a state-of-the-art indoor music arena.
AFAS Live is also host to many electronic dance music festivals, alongside many other venues. Armin van Buuren and Tiesto, some of the world's leading Trance DJ's hail from the Netherlands and perform frequently in Amsterdam. Each year in October, the city hosts the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) which is one of the leading electronic music conferences and one of the biggest club festivals for electronic music in the world, attracting over 350,000 visitors each year.[190] Another popular dance festival is 5daysoff, which takes place in the venues Paradiso and Melkweg. In summer time there are several big outdoor dance parties in or nearby Amsterdam, such as Awakenings, Dance Valley, Mystery Land, Loveland, A Day at the Park, Welcome to the Future, and Valtifest.
Amsterdam has a world-class symphony orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Their home is the Concertgebouw, which is across the Van Baerlestraat from the Museum Square. It is considered by critics to be a concert hall with some of the best acoustics in the world. The building contains three halls, Grote Zaal, Kleine Zaal, and Spiegelzaal. Some nine hundred concerts and other events per year take place in the Concertgebouw, for a public of over 700,000, making it one of the most-visited concert halls in the world.[191] The opera house of Amsterdam is situated adjacent to the city hall. Therefore, the two buildings combined are often called the Stopera, (a word originally coined by protesters against it very construction: Stop the Opera[-house]). This huge modern complex, opened in 1986, lies in the former Jewish neighbourhood at Waterlooplein next to the river Amstel. The Stopera is the homebase of Dutch National Opera, Dutch National Ballet and the Holland Symfonia. Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ is a concert hall, which is situated in the IJ near the central station. Its concerts perform mostly modern classical music. Located adjacent to it, is the Bimhuis, a concert hall for improvised and Jazz music.
Performing arts [ edit ]
Amsterdam has three main theatre buildings.
The Stadsschouwburg at the Leidseplein is the home base of Toneelgroep Amsterdam. The current building dates from 1894. Most plays are performed in the Grote Zaal (Great Hall). The normal programme of events encompasses all sorts of theatrical forms. The Stadsschouwburg is currently being renovated and expanded. The third theatre space, to be operated jointly with next door Melkweg, will open in late 2009 or early 2010.
The Dutch National Opera and Ballet (formerly known as Het Muziektheater), dating from 1986, is the principal opera house and home to Dutch National Opera and Dutch National Ballet. Royal Theatre Carré was built as a permanent circus theatre in 1887 and is currently mainly used for musicals, cabaret performances and pop concerts.
The recently re-opened DeLaMar Theater houses the more commercial plays and musicals. A new theatre has also moved into Amsterdam scene in 2014, joining other established venues: Theater Amsterdam is situated in the west part of Amsterdam, on the Danzigerkade. It is housed in a modern building with a panoramic view over the harbour. The theatre is the first ever purpose-built venue to showcase a single play entitled ANNE, the play based on Anne Frank's life.
On the east side of town there is a small theatre in a converted bath house, the Badhuistheater. The theatre often has English programming.
The Netherlands has a tradition of cabaret or kleinkunst, which combines music, storytelling, commentary, theatre and comedy. Cabaret dates back to the 1930s and artists like Wim Kan, Wim Sonneveld and Toon Hermans were pioneers of this form of art in the Netherlands. In Amsterdam is the Kleinkunstacademie (English: Cabaret Academy). Contemporary popular artists are Youp van 't Hek, Freek de Jonge, Herman Finkers, Hans Teeuwen, Theo Maassen, Herman van Veen, Najib Amhali, Raoul Heertje, Jörgen Raymann, Brigitte Kaandorp and Comedytrain. The English spoken comedy scene was established with the founding of Boom Chicago in 1993. They have their own theatre at Leidseplein.
Nightlife [ edit ]
Amsterdam is famous for its vibrant and diverse nightlife. Amsterdam has many cafés (bars). They range from large and modern to small and cozy. The typical Bruine Kroeg (brown café) breathe a more old fashioned atmosphere with dimmed lights, candles, and somewhat older clientele. Most cafés have terraces in summertime. A common sight on the Leidseplein during summer is a square full of terraces packed with people drinking beer or wine. Many restaurants can be found in Amsterdam as well. Since Amsterdam is a multicultural city, a lot of different ethnic restaurants can be found. Restaurants range from being rather luxurious and expensive to being ordinary and affordable. Amsterdam also possesses many discothèques. The two main nightlife areas for tourists are the Leidseplein and the Rembrandtplein. The Paradiso, Melkweg and Sugar Factory are cultural centres, which turn into discothèques on some nights. Examples of discothèques near the Rembrandtplein are the Escape, Air, John Doe and Club Abe. Also noteworthy are Panama, Hotel Arena (East), TrouwAmsterdam and Studio 80. Bimhuis located near the Central Station, with its rich programming hosting the best in the field is considered one of the best jazz clubs in the world. The Reguliersdwarsstraat is the main street for the LGBT community and nightlife.
Festivals [ edit ]
In 2008, there were 140 festivals and events in Amsterdam.[192]
Famous festivals and events in Amsterdam include: Koningsdag (which was named Koninginnedag until the crowning of King Willem-Alexander in 2013) (King's Day – Queen's Day); the Holland Festival for the performing arts; the yearly Prinsengrachtconcert (classical concerto on the Prinsen canal) in August; the 'Stille Omgang' (a silent Roman Catholic evening procession held every March); Amsterdam Gay Pride; The Cannabis Cup; and the Uitmarkt. On Koninginnedag—that was held each year on 30 April—hundreds of thousands of people travel to Amsterdam to celebrate with the city's residents and Koningsdag is held on 27 April. The entire city becomes overcrowded with people buying products from the freemarket, or visiting one of the many music concerts.
One of the decorated boats participating in the 2013 Canal Parade of the Amsterdam Gay Pride
The yearly Holland Festival attracts international artists and visitors from all over Europe. Amsterdam Gay Pride is a yearly local LGBT parade of boats in Amsterdam's canals, held on the first Saturday in August.[193] The annual Uitmarkt is a three-day cultural event at the start of the cultural season in late August. It offers previews of many different artists, such as musicians and poets, who perform on podia.[194]
Sports [ edit ]
Amsterdam is home of the Eredivisie football club AFC Ajax. The stadium Johan Cruyff Arena is the home of Ajax. It is located in the south-east of the city next to the new Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA railway station. Before moving to their current location in 1996, Ajax played their regular matches in De Meer Stadion.[195] In 1928, Amsterdam hosted the Summer Olympics. The Olympic Stadium built for the occasion has been completely restored and is now used for cultural and sporting events, such as the Amsterdam Marathon.[196] In 1920, Amsterdam assisted in hosting some of the sailing events for the Summer Olympics held in neighbouring Antwerp, Belgium by hosting events at Buiten Y.
The city holds the Dam to Dam Run, a 16-kilometre (10 mi) race from Amsterdam to Zaandam, as well as the Amsterdam Marathon. The ice hockey team Amstel Tijgers play in the Jaap Eden ice rink. The team competes in the Dutch ice hockey premier league. Speed skating championships have been held on the 400-metre lane of this ice rink.
Amsterdam holds two American football franchises: the Amsterdam Crusaders and the Amsterdam Panthers. The Amsterdam Pirates baseball team competes in the Dutch Major League. There are three field hockey teams: Amsterdam, Pinoké and Hurley, who play their matches around the Wagener Stadium in the nearby city of Amstelveen. The basketball team MyGuide Amsterdam competes in the Dutch premier division and play their games in the Sporthallen Zuid.[197]
There is one rugbyclub in Amsterdam, which also hosts sports training classes such as RTC (Rugby Talenten Centrum or Rugby Talent Centre) and the National Rugby stadium.
Since 1999 the city of Amsterdam honours the best sportsmen and women at the Amsterdam Sports Awards. Boxer Raymond Joval and field hockey midfielder Carole Thate were the first to receive the awards, in 1999.
Politics [ edit ]
The city of Amsterdam is a municipality under the Dutch Municipalities Act. It is governed by a directly elected municipal council, a municipal executive board and a mayor. Since 1981, the municipality of Amsterdam has gradually been divided into semi-autonomous boroughs, called stadsdelen or 'districts'. Over time, a total of 15 boroughs were created. In May 2010, under a major reform, the number of Amsterdam boroughs was reduced to eight: Amsterdam-Centrum covering the city centre including the canal belt, Amsterdam-Noord consisting of the neighbourhoods north of the IJ lake, Amsterdam-Oost in the east, Amsterdam-Zuid in the south, Amsterdam-West in the west, Amsterdam Nieuw-West in the far west, Amsterdam Zuidoost in the southeast, and Westpoort covering the Port of Amsterdam area.[198]
City government [ edit ]
As with all Dutch municipalities, Amsterdam is governed by a directly elected municipal council, a municipal executive board and a mayor (burgemeester). The mayor is a member of the municipal executive board, but also has individual responsibilies in maintaining public order. On 27 June 2018 Femke Halsema (former member of House of Representatives for GroenLinks from 1998 to 2011) was appointed as the first women to be Mayor of Amsterdam by the King's Commissioner of North Holland for a six-year term after being nominated by the Amsterdam municipal council. and began serving a six-year term on 12 July 2018. She replaces Eberhard van der Laan (Labour Party) who was the Mayor of Amsterdam from 2010 until his death in October 2017. After the 2014 municipal council elections, a governing majority of D66, VVD and SP was formed – the first coalition without the Labour Party since World War II.[199] Next to the Mayor, the municipal executive board consists of eight wethouders ('alderpersons') appointed by the municipal council: four D66 alderpersons, two VVD alderpersons and two SP alderpersons.[200]
On 18 September 2017 it was announced by Eberhard van der Laan in an open letter to Amsterdam citizens that Kajsa Ollongren would take up his office as acting Mayor of Amsterdam with immediate effect due to ill health.[201] Ollongren was succeeded as acting Mayor by Eric van der Burg on 26 October 2017 and by Jozias van Aartsen on 4 December 2017.
Unlike most other Dutch municipalities, Amsterdam is subdivided into eight boroughs, called stadsdelen or 'districts', a system that was implemented gradually in the 1980s to improve local governance. The boroughs are responsible for many activities that had previously been run by the central city. In 2010, the number of Amsterdam boroughs reached fifteen. Fourteen of those had their own district council (deelraad), elected by a popular vote. The fifteenth, Westpoort, covers the harbour of Amsterdam and had very few residents. Therefore, it was governed by the central municipal council.
Under the borough system, municipal decisions are made at borough level, except for those affairs pertaining to the whole city such as major infrastructure projects, which are the jurisdiction of the central municipal authorities. In 2010, the borough system was restructured, in which many smaller boroughs merged into larger boroughs. In 2014, under a reform of the Dutch Municipalities Act, the Amsterdam boroughs lost much of their autonomous status, as their district councils were abolished.
The municipal council of Amsterdam voted to maintain the borough system by replacing the district councils with smaller, but still directly elected district committees (bestuurscommissies). Under a municipal ordinance, the new district committees were granted responsibilities through delegation of regulatory and executive powers by the central municipal council.
View of the Stopera (left, behind the blue bridge), where the Amsterdam city hall and opera house are located, and the Hermitage Museum (right) on the Amstel.
Metropolitan area [ edit ]
Police Headquarters of Amsterdam.
"Amsterdam" is usually understood to refer to the municipality of Amsterdam. Colloquially, some areas within the municipality, such as the town of Durgerdam, may not be considered part of Amsterdam.
Statistics Netherlands uses three other definitions of Amsterdam: metropolitan agglomeration Amsterdam (Grootstedelijke Agglomeratie Amsterdam, not to be confused with Grootstedelijk Gebied Amsterdam, a synonym of Groot Amsterdam), Greater Amsterdam (Groot Amsterdam, a COROP region) and the urban region Amsterdam (Stadsgewest Amsterdam).[7] The Amsterdam Department for Research and Statistics uses a fourth conurbation, namely the Stadsregio Amsterdam ('City Region of Amsterdam'). The city region is similar to Greater Amsterdam but includes the municipalities of Zaanstad and Wormerland. It excludes Graft-De Rijp.
The smallest of these areas is the municipality of Amsterdam with a population of 802,938 in 2013.[7] The conurbation had a population of 1,096,042 in 2013.[7] It includes the municipalities of Zaanstad, Wormerland, Oostzaan, Diemen and Amstelveen only, as well as the municipality of Amsterdam.[7] Greater Amsterdam includes 15 municipalities,[7] and had a population of 1,293,208 in 2013.[7] Though much larger in area, the population of this area is only slightly larger, because the definition excludes the relatively populous municipality of Zaanstad. The largest area by population, the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area (Dutch: Metropoolregio Amsterdam), has a population of 2,33 million.[202] It includes for instance Zaanstad, Wormerveer, Muiden, Abcoude, Haarlem, Almere and Lelystad but excludes Graft-De Rijp. Amsterdam is part of the conglomerate metropolitan area Randstad, with a total population of 6,659,300 inhabitants.[203]
Of these various metropolitan area configurations, only the Stadsregio Amsterdam (City Region of Amsterdam) has a formal governmental status. Its responsibities include regional spatial planning and the metropolitan public transport concessions.[204]
National capital [ edit ]
Under the Dutch Constitution, Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands. Since the 1983 constitutional revision, the constitution mentions "Amsterdam" and "capital" in chapter 2, article 32: The king's confirmation by oath and his coronation take place in "the capital Amsterdam" ("de hoofdstad Amsterdam").[11] Previous versions of the constitution only mentioned "the city of Amsterdam" ("de stad Amsterdam").[205] For a royal investiture, therefore, the States General of the Netherlands (the Dutch Parliament) meets for a ceremonial joint session in Amsterdam. The ceremony traditionally takes place at the Nieuwe Kerk on Dam Square, immediately after the former monarch has signed the act of abdication at the nearby Royal Palace of Amsterdam. Normally, however, the Parliament sits in The Hague, the city which has historically been the seat of the Dutch government, the Dutch monarchy, and the Dutch supreme court. Foreign embassies are also located in The Hague.
Symbols [ edit ]
The coat of arms of Amsterdam is composed of several historical elements. First and centre are three St Andrew's crosses, aligned in a vertical band on the city's shield (although Amsterdam's patron saint was Saint Nicholas). These St Andrew's crosses can also be found on the cityshields of |
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"If you don't have passion then you won't give everything to succeed. It starts with the heart."Obama says we should raise the minimum wage, but barackobama.com advertises for “unpaid” interns
In February 2013, Obama said:
“Tonight, let’s declare that in the wealthiest nation on Earth, no one who works full-time should have to live in poverty, and raise the federal minimum wage to $9.00 an hour. This single step would raise the incomes of millions of working families. It could mean the difference between groceries or the food bank; rent or eviction; scraping by or finally getting ahead. For businesses across the country, it would mean customers with more money in their pockets. In fact, working folks shouldn’t have to wait year after year for the minimum wage to go up while CEO pay has never been higher. So here’s an idea that Governor Romney and I actually agreed on last year: let’s tie the minimum wage to the cost of living, so that it finally becomes a wage you can live on.”
However, barackobama.com advertises for “unpaid” interns. The bolding is mine:
https://my.barackobama.com/page/s/organizing-for-action-hq-internship—chicago
HQ Internship Opportunity:
OFA is now accepting applications for full-time and part-time HQ Interns for the Spring 2014 and Summer 2014 HQ Internship Programs in Chicago, IL. HQ Interns will have the unique opportunity to work closely with staff in advancing the President’s agenda. Departmental placements available include Grassroots Organizing, Training, Issue Campaigns, Digital, Press and Finance. Please include your departmental placement preferences in your cover letter. Accepted HQ Interns will be paired with departments based on their stated interest, qualifications and availability. This is a 14-week, unpaid internship program.
Please note that our Washington, D.C. location is not our primary location and has a limited number of staff and, accordingly, internship positions available. As a result, we are no longer considering candidates for this location.
The ideal candidate is a highly motivated individual with a strong desire to learn and a deep commitment to OFA’s mission. Requirements of the candidate include:
Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills
Strong desire to learn and work in the field of public service, grassroots organizing, and political engagement
Strong project management skills
Detail oriented, thinking critically and creatively
Ability to work efficiently and effectively in a fast-paced environment
Strong commitment to changing the world
Spring Program Dates: January 2014 – May 2014
Summer Program Dates: May 2014 – August 2014
If you are interested in volunteering in your state, consider applying to the Organizing for Action Organizing Fellowship Program.
Organizing for Action is an equal opportunity employer.For the.emu apps from Robert Broglia I'd say that they are defin. worth the buck as there is a big difference compared to many other emulators available for free. Most of them are based on freely available sources from emulators for x86 platforms, but I guess that it consumes a lot of time and dedicated work to port and finetune them for the android system. SNES9X EX from the same developer is free (I guess for copyright/IP reasons).I like the fact that they all perform well and have a standardized user interface and think it's good to support a developer that invests into the further improvement of the apps. Another good example would be FPse - The Playstation Emulator.Differences between paid and free emulator are sometimes minor, but this is the whole idea of the thread. To discuss and recommend each others favorites. This would allow a lot of users to gather all the information they need in one spot before trying a lot of emulators wasting precious play-timeMorphVOX Jr (Free) The Free Voice Changer! Click here for Mac version Version: 2.9 Vista (32/64), Windows 7/8/10 (32/64) MorphVOX ® Junior is free voice changer software that will modify your voice to match your personality. You can sound like a man, woman, or little folk. Built-in voices and sound effects make this voice changer so convenient to use.
MorphVOX Junior is optimized for online games, but is also great for prank calling friends via instant messaging and VoIP. This voice changer can even send out car screeches and drum rolls with a push of a key, mouse or joystick button.
MorphVOX Junior is fun and absolutely free, Download it today and share it with all your friends.
Listen to the differences Click on the links below and listen to the voice changer software at work: Man to woman Woman to man Why you want this! Why you should use this free voice changer: Enhance your online gaming with this voice changer Disguise your voice to trick your friends Change your voice to add fun to your online chat Amuse your buddies with cool sound effects Features Check out the many features which make this application a simple and powerful voice changer: High-quality voice changer software technology Learns from your voice for optimal sound quality Integrates easily with online games and chat programs Low bandwidth and CPU usage voice changer Buit-in voices to change to: man, woman, and little folk Built-in sound effects Custom mouse and joystick shortcuts to common functions Two versions of MorphVOX MorphVOX Junior is a streamlined and free version of MorphVOX Pro Voice Changer. Check out the links below to see the differences. The Comparison Chart MorphVOX Pro - Voice Changer Software details Try for free! MorphVOX Junior is FREE. You have nothing to lose, so try this voice changer today! Vista (32/64), Windows 7/8/10 (32/64)Share Pin 0 Shares
By Maria Saporta
How can Atlanta be both a “poster child of sprawl” and a burgeoning example of “walkable urban places” – creating a metro area with compact town centers?
That was the question Chris Leinberger, a real estate executive and urbanist who specializes in market trends, decided to ask himself during a “Creative Changemakers” talk at Serenbe on April 11.
It was an appropriate topic for Leinberger because he, as much as anyone, is responsible for labeling Atlanta a poster child of sprawl. Now Leinberger is leading the back-pedaling movement — armed with facts and figures — letting both local and national developers know that the sprawl pendulum is swinging the other way.
Or as Leinberger says, borrowing from the movie of the same name, “Back to the Future,” back to a time when downtowns were thriving places with active sidewalks and storefronts and when places were designed for people instead of cars.
The impetus for this conversation was Smart Growth America’s Measuring Sprawl 2014 report that was released in April.
The Atlanta metro area ranks 220 out of 221 of the nation’s metro areas as being a region with the most sprawl (guess Smart Growth America didn’t get Leinberger’s latest memo on Atlanta). For trivia’s sake, the most sprawling metro area, ranked at 221, is: Hickory/Lenoir/Morganton, N.C.
For the past year or two, Leinberger’s analysis of metro Atlanta has taken him in a totally different direction. He has been studying all the real estate activity in what he calls “walkable urban places” or “emerging walkable urban places” or “Walk UPs” for short.
From 1990 to 2000, only 14 percent of all real estate investment was occurring in metro Atlanta’s existing or emerging Walk UPs. From 2001 to 2008, the market share of the region’s development in Walk UPs increased to 26 percent. And since 2008, the market share of development dollars in existing and emerging walkable urban places in metro Atlanta has catapulted to 60 percent.
“You have turned the corner,” Leinberger proclaimed. “Your sprawl has peaked.”
Just to keep things in perspective, Leinberger said that 90 percent of development dollars in Washington, D.C. is being invested in walkable urban places.
So what differentiates metro Atlanta from Washington, D.C.? The answer in Leinberger’s mind is relatively simple — transit, specifically rail transit.
Leinberger said it is possible to have walkable urban places without rail transit. In Washington, D.C., he said about 20 percent of the Walk UPs there don’t have rail transit.
Sidewalks and bicycle transportation “are huge” in creating walkable urban places, but hardly any mode of transportation can have the same impact as rail transit — be it heavy rail, light rail or streetcar — “the jury is out on BRT (bus rapid transit),” Leinberger said.
So what about Atlanta? The Atlanta region built MARTA in two counties — Fulton and DeKalb, and then it virtually quit expanding to the rest of the five-county or 10-county metro area.
“The region absolutely needs rail transit,” Leinberger said. “You are going to put it in. It’s just a matter of whether you are a laggard or whether you are going to lead.”
When people start complaining about the cost of rail transit, Leinberger said one should just remind them about the cost of one highway interchange. Plus, given the lifespan of our interstate system, many of those interchanges will have to be rebuilt. By comparison, the cost of rail will seem more affordable.
The support for regional transit seems to be gaining traction throughout the metro area.
At the Atlanta Regional Commission’s annual breakfast in November, a survey of 2,100 voting-age residents from the 10-county region, was released showing surprisingly strong support for transit.
In the Metro Atlanta Speaks survey, more than 71 percent of respondents replied that improved public transportation was “very important” for the Atlanta region’s future. Another 17.1 percent said it was “somewhat important” for a total of 88.4 percent.
When asked what would be the best way to fix traffic challenges in the region, 41 percent identified improvements in public transportation and only 30 percent said it was better roads and highways.
That’s not all.
The Atlanta Regional Commission held its annual working retreat on April 3 and 4 when it spent all of one day brainstorming on how to strengthen metro Atlanta as a world-class region.
On top of its to do list: Build a world-class, transformational transportation system with stronger regional transit.
During the discussion periods with several of the breakout groups, ARC leaders said there was broad-based support for not only regional transit, but for a single regional transit governance agency. In other words, instead of each county or jurisdiction having its own transit system, ARC leaders seemed to embrace the idea of have a regional agency.
Some took even a step further by saying that those who serve on the regional transit body should be elected rather than appointed.
Ever since the 2012 regional sales tax referendum failed, there seems to have been a reluctance to talk about transit or sales taxes in the region.
Leinberger, however, said metro Atlanta should look to what has happened in other regions where the initial transportation votes (with a mix of roads of transit projects) have failed.
When regional voters are given a second chance to vote on a referendum dominated with transit projects, they almost always pass (think Denver, think Seattle).
Now it’s time for metro Atlanta to answer Leinberger’s question. When it comes to rail transit, will the Atlanta region be a laggard or is it going to lead as it once did when MARTA was first being built?2017 might be the most exciting year the smartphone industry has seen in quite some time. Not only have we seen rumors that Apple in 2017 will release an iPhone with an edge to edge screen and a curved OLED display, a new report from Bloomberg suggests that Samsung’s smartphone lineup next year may easily outshine anything Apple brings to the table.
DON’T MISS: Google’s Nest acquisition was more disastrous than we thought
According to the report, Samsung in 2017 may release not one, but two new smartphone models with bendable OLED screens. One model is said to fold completely in half like a “cosmetic compact” while the other device will reportedly be a 5-inch device that “unfurls into a display that’s as large as 8 inches.”
Color us intrigued.
Stemming from a secret initiative called Project Valley, rumblings of Samsung’s concerted interest in bringing a bendable smartphone to market have been floating around for a few years now.
Now as for when we might get a chance to feast our collective eyes on such a device, Bloomberg notes that Samsung’s rumored and admittedly futuristic smartphones might be officially unveiled at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next February. Also of note is that Samsung isn’t planning to advertise its bendable phones under its Galaxy S line, perhaps implying that these somewhat mythical smartphone models will be premium products priced beyond what most smartphone buyers are accustomed to.
Of course, skeptics might rightfully bring up the fact that Samsung CEO Kwon Oh Hyun back in November of 2013 boasted that Samsung would release a device with a bendable display by 2015. In other words, as exciting as the Bloomberg rumor is, it’s probably best to take this news with a grain of salt.Alphabet of Manliness Book Tour Verdict:
I win.
has officially concluded. Necks were broken. Families were offended. Wombs were impregnated--simultaneously. While I am clearly the winner, I can't help but feel the real winner here is still me. Because without me there would be no you. Until next time, here's photographic evidence of the phallus that was rocked: The 2009 book tour for The Alphabet of Manliness: Extended Edition has officially concluded. Necks were broken. Families were offended. Wombs were impregnated--simultaneously. While I am clearly the winner, I can't help but feel the real winner here is still me. Because without me there would be no you. Until next time, here's photographic evidence of the phallus that was rocked:
This guy forgot to bow before he left.
These dudes dressed up like the guy punching the gorilla to recreate the cover. Badass.
And here it is side-by-side with the original cover. I had to rub my eyes to make sure I wasn't seeing doubles. Yep, not even close.
I was only bending over because I had a boner.
I don't discriminate. I sign all boobs, even the very large ones.
Mike picked up a book for his friend in Portland 2 years ago, in which I spat in. So his friend from Portland showed up and had me hawk a little revenge loogie in Mike's book.
I signed an occasional man tit. His nipple was in the way, so I took topographic liberty with the letter 'A.' The marker was destroyed shortly after this photo, as was the camera.
This guy got his forehead signed by my knee.
This dumbass bought only two copies of my book.
My version of the curb stomp.
We are both equally happy about me signing a Wii-mote.
Strongman contender gets his belt blessed. He went on to the semi-finals shortly after I signed his belt (true story).
Sarah Palin signed an Xbox 360 a while back, so some dude brought me his 360 to have me sign it "Fuck Sarah Palin." It sold for $2 million on eBay.
BAM! Titty.
Everyone was cheering until the axe blade came down and I really decapitated this guy. Then there were a few moments of awkward silence while people shuffled around not knowing if the signing was over or whether they should just step over the corpse and continue getting their books signed... it took a moment, but the line continued.
Badass.
Glory holes.
Awesome.
I asked this dude to do the shocker, but he wasn't sure what it was..
These zombies were trying to bullshit me, as zombies tend to do.
I will tag your face.
You're welcome
This dude asked me to sign his face with my crotch. I suspect he was joking, but I found a way to do it (see next picture).
...and this is how it was done.
That old Chinese dude sitting front row on the left stayed there the whole night and didn't move. First book signing fatality.
Alphabet of Manliness illustrator, Tom Pollock Jr just being a badass mofo.
I was looking to rest my feet and this dude's face looked like it needed my feet on it.
This dude got a speeding ticket on his way over to the event. So I signed it. This probably voided any chance of him getting it taken off his record and may result in jail time.
This guy said he was going to have kids some day. I disagreed.
Nice shirt.
Some smartass came up to me and said he was there for the Rachel Ray signing, so I signed it as Rachel Ray. I'm not sure what the kid was expecting, but probably not this.
This guy's name was too long and pissed me off.
Gouken was my master, and then my bitch!
I came. I stepped on a lot of chicks. I came some more. Awesome times were had by all, but mostly by me, and anyone who missed it is a moron. Here are the cities and locations that were visited:
When:
Tuesday, August 25th - 7:30 PM
Where:
Portland, OR: Powell's - 1005 W Burnside
When: Wednesday, August 26th - 7 PM
Where: San Jose, CA: Barnes & Noble - 2200 Eastridge Loop
When: Thursday, August 27th - 7 PM
Where: San Diego, CA: Borders - 1072 Camino Del Rio North
When: Friday, August 28th - 7 PM
Where: Phoenix, AZ: Barnes & Noble - 21001 N. Tatum Blvd
When: Saturday, August 29th - 2 PM
Where: Los Angeles, CA: Barnes & Noble - The Grove, 189 Grove Drive
When: Monday, August 31st - 7 PM
Where: Cherry Hill, NJ: Barnes & Noble - 911 Haddonfield Road
Bonus: Illustrator Tom Pollock Jr., was at this signing!
When: Tuesday, September 1st - 6 PM
Where: Pittsburgh, PA: Borders - 5986 Penn Circles South
When: Wednesday, September 2nd - 7 PM
Where: Ann Arbor, MI: Borders - 612 E Liberty
When: Thursday, September 3rd - 7 PM
Where: Chicago, IL: Borders - 2817 North Clark StreetWilderness, Chill to take part in Hockey Day in Minnesota
The North American Hockey League (NAHL) is pleased to announce that two of its member teams will take part in the 2014 Hockey Day in Minnesota festivities.
Hockey Day in Minnesota will take place on Saturday, January 18th, 2014 at Handke Pit (outdoor rink) in Elk River, Minnesota, and it will feature an NAHL regular season game featuring the Minnesota Wilderness and the Coulee Region Chill at 7:15pm.
Prior to the NAHL contest, there will be three Minnesota high school games played on the outdoor sheet that day.
Hockey Day Minnesota (HDM) is a day run in cooperation with the Minnesota Wild and Fox Sports North that features over 21 hours of consecutive hockey-related programming from pee-wees to the pros. Now in its eighth season, Hockey Day has become a Minnesota tradition as a celebration of Minnesota's hockey community and what some would describe as a way of life in the “State of Hockey.”
Handke Pit, affectionately known as “The Pit” is a natural, glacier-formed bowl stadium that has been the home rink to thousands of hockey players from beginners to NHL stars for more than a century. Officially dedicated in 1925 and enlarged under the Roosevelt Administration’s New Deal, the pit is proudly listed on the National Registry of Historic Sites. A winter wonderland for skaters, sled riders and hockey players, you will not find a more beautiful outdoor hockey setting in Minnesota.
The 2014 Hockey Day in Minnesota Schedule is as follows (all games at Handke Pit in Elk River unless otherwise noted):
10:15am - Rochester Lourdes vs. Cloquet (Boys)
1:00pm - Elk River vs. Stillwater (Boys)
4:00pm - Elk River vs. Anoka (Girls)
5:00pm - Minnesota vs. Ohio State (NCAA, Mariucci Arena)
7:15pm - Minnesota Wilderness vs. Coulee Region Chill (NAHL)
8:00pm - Minnesota Wild vs. Dallas Stars (NHL, XcelEnergy Center)It was just about a year ago, in my profile of rabidly-popular Three Floyds Brewing, that founder Nick Floyd revealed he intends to open a brewpub in Chicago. He didn't offer many more details, except to say that it (thankfully and obviously) won't be downtown.
Well, it's a year later, and there's been no word on a Floyds pub in Chicago. What gives?
Brewery President Barnaby Struve told me this week that the pub will exist. Most of the people who run Floyds live in Chicago, and they want to be here. But it probably won't happen any time soon.
"It will happen, but what is paramount to us — our primary objective — is we're constantly trying to expand," Struve said. "We're trying to get beer into people's hands before we start other kinds of projects."
Fair enough, considering that many stores literally can't keep Floyds beer on its shelves. Among the steps the Munster, Ind.-based brewery is taking to boost production is automating certain parts of its brewing system in May, which will make the brewing process more efficient, Struve said.
But he swore the brewpub will happen.
"We are constantly looking at options," he said. "If something comes up that we can't turn down, that would be different. But as of now, there's no property under contract and no business plan. Chicago is our home and we love it and we want to be up here, but nothing is on the radar."
jbnoel@tribune.com
Twitter @traveljoshAzure Resource Manager overview
In this article
Azure Resource Manager is the deployment and management service for Azure. It provides a consistent management layer that enables you to create, update, and delete resources in your Azure subscription. You can use its access control, auditing, and tagging features to secure and organize your resources after deployment.
When you take actions through the portal, PowerShell, Azure CLI, REST APIs, or client SDKs, the Azure Resource Manager API handles your request. Because all requests are handled through the same API, you see consistent results and capabilities in all the different tools. All capabilities that are available in the portal are also available through PowerShell, Azure CLI, REST APIs, and client SDKs. Functionality initially released through APIs will be represented in the portal within 180 days of initial release.
The following image shows how all the tools interact with the Azure Resource Manager API. The API passes requests to the Resource Manager service, which authenticates and authorizes the requests. Resource Manager then routes the requests to the appropriate service.
Terminology
If you're new to Azure Resource Manager, there are some terms you might not be familiar with.
resource - A manageable item that is available through Azure. Virtual machines, storage accounts, web apps, databases, and virtual networks are examples of resources.
- A manageable item that is available through Azure. Virtual machines, storage accounts, web apps, databases, and virtual networks are examples of resources. resource group - A container that holds related resources for an Azure solution. The resource group includes those resources that you want to manage as a group. You decide how to allocate resources to resource groups based on what makes the most sense for your organization. See Resource groups.
- A container that holds related resources for an Azure solution. The resource group includes those resources that you want to manage as a group. You decide how to allocate resources to resource groups based on what makes the most sense for your organization. See Resource groups. resource provider - A service that supplies Azure resources. For example, a common resource provider is Microsoft.Compute, which supplies the virtual machine resource. Microsoft.Storage is another common resource provider. See Resource providers.
- A service that supplies Azure resources. For example, a common resource provider is, which supplies the virtual machine resource. is another common resource provider. See Resource providers. Resource Manager template - A JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) file that defines one or more resources to deploy to a resource group or subscription. The template can be used to deploy the resources consistently and repeatedly. See Template deployment.
- A JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) file that defines one or more resources to deploy to a resource group or subscription. The template can be used to deploy the resources consistently and repeatedly. See Template deployment. declarative syntax - Syntax that lets you state "Here is what I intend to create" without having to write the sequence of programming commands to create it. The Resource Manager template is an example of declarative syntax. In the file, you define the properties for the infrastructure to deploy to Azure.
The benefits of using Resource Manager
Resource Manager provides several benefits:
You can deploy, manage, and monitor all the resources for your solution as a group, rather than handling these resources individually.
You can repeatedly deploy your solution throughout the development lifecycle and have confidence your resources are deployed in a consistent state.
You can manage your infrastructure through declarative templates rather than scripts.
You can define the dependencies between resources so they're deployed in the correct order.
You can apply access control to all services in your resource group because Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) is natively integrated into the management platform.
You can apply tags to resources to logically organize all the resources in your subscription.
You can clarify your organization's billing by viewing costs for a group of resources sharing the same tag.
Guidance
The following suggestions help you take full advantage of Resource Manager when working with your solutions.
Define and deploy your infrastructure through the declarative syntax in Resource Manager templates, rather than through imperative commands.
Define all deployment and configuration steps in the template. You should have no manual steps for setting up your solution.
Run imperative commands to manage your resources, such as to start or stop an app or machine.
Arrange resources with the same lifecycle in a resource group. Use tags for all other organizing of resources.
For guidance on how enterprises can use Resource Manager to effectively manage subscriptions, see Azure enterprise scaffold - prescriptive subscription governance.
For recommendations on creating Resource Manager templates, see Azure Resource Manager template best practices.
Resource groups
There are some important factors to consider when defining your resource group:
All the resources in your group should share the same lifecycle. You deploy, update, and delete them together. If one resource, such as a database server, needs to exist on a different deployment cycle it should be in another resource group.
Each resource can only exist in one resource group.
You can add or remove a resource to a resource group at any time.
You can move a resource from one resource group to another group. For more information, see Move resources to new resource group or subscription.
A resource group can contain resources that are located in different regions.
A resource group can be used to scope access control for administrative actions.
A resource can interact with resources in other resource groups. This interaction is common when the two resources are related but don't share the same lifecycle (for example, web apps connecting to a database).
When creating a resource group, you need to provide a location for that resource group. You may be wondering, "Why does a resource group need a location? And, if the resources can have different locations than the resource group, why does the resource group location matter at all?" The resource group stores metadata about the resources. Therefore, when you specify a location for the resource group, you're specifying where that metadata is stored. For compliance reasons, you may need to ensure that your data is stored in a particular region.
Resource providers
Each resource provider offers a set of resources and operations for working with those resources. For example, if you want to store keys and secrets, you work with the Microsoft.KeyVault resource provider. This resource provider offers a resource type called vaults for creating the key vault.
The name of a resource type is in the format: {resource-provider}/{resource-type}. The resource type for a key vault is Microsoft.KeyVault/vaults.
Before getting started with deploying your resources, you should gain an understanding of the available resource providers. Knowing the names of resource providers and resources helps you define resources you want to deploy to Azure. Also, you need to know the valid locations and API versions for each resource type. For more information, see Resource providers and types.
For all the operations offered by resource providers, see the Azure REST APIs.
Template deployment
With Resource Manager, you can create a template (in JSON format) that defines the infrastructure and configuration of your Azure solution. By using a template, you can repeatedly deploy your solution throughout its lifecycle and have confidence your resources are deployed in a consistent state.
To learn about the format of the template and how you construct it, see Understand the structure and syntax of Azure Resource Manager Templates. To view the JSON syntax for resources types, see Define resources in Azure Resource Manager templates.
Resource Manager processes the template like any other request. It parses the template and converts its syntax into REST API operations for the appropriate resource providers. For example, when Resource Manager receives a template with the following resource definition:
"resources": [ { "apiVersion": "2016-01-01", "type": "Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts", "name": "mystorageaccount", "location": "westus", "sku": { "name": "Standard_LRS" }, "kind": "Storage", "properties": { } } ]
It converts the definition to the following REST API operation, which is sent to the Microsoft.Storage resource provider:
PUT https://management.azure.com/subscriptions/{subscriptionId}/resourceGroups/{resourceGroupName}/providers/Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts/mystorageaccount?api-version=2016-01-01 REQUEST BODY { "location": "westus", "properties": { } "sku": { "name": "Standard_LRS" }, "kind": "Storage" }
How you define templates and resource groups is entirely up to you and how you want to manage your solution. For example, you can deploy your three tier application through a single template to a single resource group.
But, you don't have to define your entire infrastructure in a single template. Often, it makes sense to divide your deployment requirements into a set of targeted, purpose-specific templates. You can easily reuse these templates for different solutions. To deploy a particular solution, you create a master template that links all the required templates. The following image shows how to deploy a three tier solution through a parent template that includes three nested templates.
If you envision your tiers having separate lifecycles, you can deploy your three tiers to separate resource groups. Notice the resources can still be linked to resources in other resource groups.
For information about nested templates, see Using linked templates with Azure Resource Manager.
Azure Resource Manager analyzes dependencies to ensure resources are created in the correct order. If one resource relies on a value from another resource (such as a virtual machine needing a storage account for disks), you set a dependency. For more information, see Defining dependencies in Azure Resource Manager templates.
You can also use the template for updates to the infrastructure. For example, you can add a resource to your solution and add configuration rules for the resources that are already deployed. If the template defines a resource that already exists, Resource Manager updates the existing resource instead of creating a new one.
Resource Manager provides extensions for scenarios when you need additional operations such as installing particular software that isn't included in the setup. If you're already using a configuration management service, like DSC, Chef or Puppet, you can continue working with that service by using extensions. For information about virtual machine extensions, see About virtual machine extensions and features.
When you create a solution from the portal, the solution automatically includes a deployment template. You don't have to create your template from scratch because you can start with the template for your solution and customize it to meet your specific needs. For a sample, see Quickstart: Create and deploy Azure Resource Manager templates by using the Azure portal. You can also retrieve a template for an existing resource group by either exporting the current state of the resource group, or viewing the template used for a particular deployment. Viewing the exported template is a helpful way to learn about the template syntax.
Finally, the template becomes part of the source code for your app. You can check it in to your source code repository and update it as your app evolves. You can edit the template through Visual Studio.
After defining your template, you're ready to deploy the resources to Azure. To deploy the resources, see:
Safe deployment practices
When deploying a complex service to Azure, you might need to deploy your service to multiple regions, and check its health before proceeding to the next step. Use Azure Deployment Manager to coordinate a staged rollout of the service. By staging the rollout of your service, you can find potential problems before it has been deployed to all regions. If you don't need these precautions, the deployment operations in the preceding section are the better option.
Deployment Manager is currently in private preview.
Quickstarts and tutorials
Use the following quickstarts and tutorials to learn how to develop resource manager templates:
These tutorials can be used individually, or as a series to learn the major Resource Manager template development concepts.
Next steps
In this article, you learned how to use Azure Resource Manager for deployment, management, and access control of resources on Azure. Proceed to the next article to learn how to create your first Azure Resource Manager template.Meet Bob.
Bob is the world’s worst market timer.
What follows is Bob’s tale of terrible timing of his stock purchases.
Bob began his career in 1970 at age 22. He was a diligent saver and planner.
His plan was to save $2,000 a year during the 1970s and bump that amount up by $2,000 each decade until he could retire at age 65 by the end of 2013 (so $4,000/year in the 80s, $6,000/year in the 90s then $8,000/year until he retired).
He started out by saving the $2,000 a year in his bank account until he had $6,000 to invest by the end of 1972.
Bob’s problem as an investor was that he only had the courage to put his money to work in the market after a huge run-up.
So all of his money went into an S&P 500 index fund at the end of 1972 (I know there were no index funds in 1972, but just go with me here…see my assumptions at the bottom of the post).
The market dropped nearly 50% in 1973-74 so Bob basically put his money in at the peak of the market right before a crash.
Yet he did have one saving grace. Once he was in the market, he never sold his fund shares. He held on for dear life because he was too nervous about being wrong on both his sell decisions too.
Remember this decision because it’s a big one.
Bob didn’t feel comfortable about investing again until August of 1987 after another huge bull market. After 15 years of saving he had $46,000 to put to work. Again he put it in an S&P 500 index fund and again he invested at a market peak just before a crash.
This time the market lost more than 30% in short order right after Bob bought his index shares.
Timing wasn’t on Bob’s side so he continued to keep his money invested as he did before.
After the 1987 crash, Bob didn’t feel right about putting his future savings back into stocks until the tech bubble really ramped up at the end of 1999. He had another $68,000 of savings to put to work. This time his purchase at the end of December in 1999 was just before a 50%+ downturn that lasted until 2002.
This buy decision left Bob with some more scars but he decided to make one more big purchase with his savings before he retired.
The final investment was made in October of 2007 when he invested $64,000 which he had been saving since 2000. He rounded out his string of horrific market timing calls by buying right before another 50%+ crash from the credit blow-up.
After the financial crisis, he decided to continue to save his money in the bank (another $40,000) but kept his stock investments in the market until he retired at the end of 2013.
To recap, Bob was a terrible market timer with his only stock market purchases being made at the market peaks just before extreme losses.
Here are the purchase dates, the crashes that followed and the amount invested at each date:
Luckily, while Bob couldn’t time his buys, he never sold out of the market even once. He didn’t sell after the bear market of 1973-74 or the Black Monday in 1987 or the technology bust in 2000 or the financial crisis of 2007-09.
He never sold a single share.
So how did he do?
Even though he only bought at the very top of the market, Bob still ended up a millionaire with $1.1 million.
How could that be you might ask?
First of all Bob was a diligent saver and planned out his savings in advance. He never wavered on his savings goals and increased the amount he saved over time.
Second, he allowed his investments to compound through the decades by never selling out of the market over his 40+ years of investing. He gave himself a really long runway.
He did have to endure a huge psychological toll from seeing large losses and sticking with his long-term mindset, but I like to think Bob didn’t pay much attention to his portfolio statements over the years. He just continued to save and kept his head down.
And finally, he had a very simple and low-cost investment plan — one index fund with minimal costs.
Obviously, this story was for illustrative purposes and I wouldn’t recommend a portfolio consisting of 100% in stocks of a single market in the S&P 500 unless you have an extremely high risk tolerance. Even then a more balanced portfolio in different global markets with a sound rebalancing policy makes much more sense.
And if he would have simply dollar cost averaged into the market on an annual basis with his savings he would have ended up with much more money in the end (over $2.3 million).
But then he wouldn’t be Bob, The World’s Worst Market Timer.
Lessons from Bob’s Journey:
If you are going to make investment mistakes, make sure you are biased towards optimism and not pessimism. Long-term thinking has been rewarded in the past and unless you think the world or innovation is coming to an end it should be rewarded in the future. As Winston Churchill once said, “I am |
to come, economists say.
As of November, average U.S. home prices were back to mid-2003 levels, S&P says.
November home prices Metro area Index Nov. 2011 Chg. from Oct. Chg. from Nov. 2010 Atlanta 88.93 -2.5% -11.8% Boston 150.34 -1.6% -1.6% Charlotte 111.25 -0.5% -1.9% Chicago 112.46 -3.4% -5.9% Cleveland 98.94 -0.8% -1.1% Dallas 113.97 -1.3% -0.8% Denver 124.79 -0.5% -0.2% Detroit 70.66 -2.4% 3.8% Las Vegas 91.41 -1.0% -9.1% L.A. 163.92 -1.0% -5.4% Miami 137.47 -0.5% -4.4% Minneapolis 113.25 -0.6% -5.0% New York 165.66 -1.1% -2.3% Phoenix 101.12 0.6% -3.6% Portland 133.26 -1.6% -4.8% San Diego 151.45 -0.9% -5.4% San Fran. 129.78 -1.9% -5.5% Seattle 132.65 -1.2% -6.3% Tampa 125.32 -1.1% -6.1% Washington 184.75 -1.1% 0.5% The indexes have a base value of 100 in January 2000; so an index value of 150 translates to a 50% appreciation since then for a typical home in the market.
Source:S&P Indices and Fiserv
"Americans are less keen on homeownership knowing now that prices can fall," says Paul Dales, economist with Capital Economics.
Even if people want to own a home, they may not be able to, given the difficulty in getting financing for a mortgage, Dales says. The National Association of Realtors says many purchase contracts appear to be falling through for that reason.
National Mortgage Rates
Many economists expect home prices to continue to fall this year and maybe into next year before stabilizing and then showing little or no appreciation for some time.
"The trend is down, and there are few, if any, signs in the numbers that a turning point is close at hand," says David Blitzer, chairman of S&P's index committee.
Phoenix was the only city in Case-Shiller's 20-city index where home prices rose in November from October. They were up 0.6%.
On a year-over-year basis, only two cities showed rising values. Detroit was up 3.8%, and Washington, D.C., 0.5%, the Case-Shiller data show.
While prices are still falling in most areas, there are signs of increased home sales.
Existing home sales rose in December for the third consecutive month, the National Association of Realtors says. And pending home sales, while dropping more than expected in December, were still above levels a year before, NAR says.
"Home prices will be the last thing that moves up" after increasing sales and shrinking inventories, Blitzer says.
The homeowner vacancy rate fell again in the fourth quarter, the Census data show, to 2.3% from 2.4% in the third quarter and from 2.7% in the fourth quarter last year.
The 2.3% rate is the lowest since early 2006 and "leaves the visible inventory at a level consistent with house prices bottoming out later in the year," Capital Economics says.
The drop in homeownership rates has been most pronounced in the West. As of the fourth quarter, the homeownership rate there stood at 60.1%, the Census data show.
That's down from 64.5% in the fourth quarter of 2006, which is about when home prices began their five-year tumble.
The West is home to three of the states most affected by foreclosures, which have hurt homeownership rates. Nevada, Arizona and California were the top three states last year with the highest foreclosure rates, market researcher RealtyTrac says.
While homeownership drops, more people rent. Almost 34% of occupied homes in the fourth quarter were rented, according to the Census data. That's up slightly from the same quarter a year earlier.
The rental vacancy rate of 9.4% for the quarter was the same as a year ago but down from above 10% rates in the fourth quarters of 2009 and 2008, the Census data show.
Higher rents are expected as more people rent, economist Dales says.Jay Ryan
After attending his pretrial hearing this morning, Cowboys Rookie corner Jourdan Lewis has learned that his case for domestic violence will go to trial.
This has been a pending issue since before the draft, and is suspected to be a major reason that Lewis fell all the way to the third round. Lewis has maintained his innocence since the incident occurred and has been adamant in his belief that all charges would eventually be dropped.
According to his ex girlfriend, during a confrontation, Lewis held her by the throat on the floor for a couple of seconds, before getting up and leaving. According to Lewis, he doesn’t recall any physical contact, only that he was trying to get away from her. Lewis claims that any physical contact was incidental, while he was trying to get away from the situation.
While domestic violence should never be taken lightly, it should be noted that Police saw no visible injuries, and no reddening of her neck. I’m not sure I can swallow a scenario where a fully grown, athletic man could pin a woman to the floor by her throat an leave no marks.
“Some Cases have to be tried, this is one of them.” – John Shea, attorney for Jourdan Lewis
I think it is sad that we live in a world, where many women fear abuse from the men that should be protecting them. It makes it even worse when false accusations made for attention muddy the waters and shed doubt on actual domestic violence situations. But this is why it will go to trial, to find facts and determine who’s story is filled with holes.
It also remains to be seen how this will affect training camp for Lewis. It is also always a possibility that Lewis will face suspension, even if charges are dropped, as Goodell has proven to make up the rules as he goes, and he may err on the safe side of the PR battle.Very few people predicted that a NCAA free agent would be the one grabbing all the headlines in training camp and forcing himself into the conversation.
Before the season began, the Canucks defensive grouping seemed to be penciled in. Chris Tanev and Alex Edler would return as the first pairing, newly acquired Erik Gudbranson and sophomore Ben Hutton would occupy the second pair. Leaving Nikita Tryamkin Luca Sbisa, Philip Larsen, and Alex Biega battling it out for ice-time in the bottom pairing.
Troy Stecher was signed as a free agent from the University of North Dakota following the Fighting Hawks NCAA championship and was the buzz throughout September. He had previously won the BCHL Championship in 2012 with fellow Canucks prospect Michael Garteig.
Coming into Canucks Young Stars and training camp, there wasn't much expected from the Richmond, B.C. native. Which is why his play throughout the pre-season was so attention grabbing.
Ultimately, he had to begin the season in the AHL, but after four games, Stecher found his way back up to Vancouver. Where he has been making an impression with each passing game.
However, if you looked deeper into his numbers in the NCAA, it became clear that he was going to make an impression sooner rather than later with the Canucks.
Throughout his final season at North Dakota, he was amongst the elite NCAA defenceman in terms of quality of competition, shots per game, goals and points. Although he never led the league in scoring, he was always near the top. He also played a style that was transferrable to the next level.
As we've seen so far with the Canucks, Stecher has the ability to skate with the puck. Getting himself out of trouble, and forcing the other team to retreat. This opens up opportunities for himself, as well as his teammates. It's very apparent that Stecher isn't afraid to make a move to create a lane.
That skill of creating lanes when not present at first, was on display on his first NHL goal. He chipped the puck past Jamie Benn, retrieved it, then fired it home.
Watch: Troy Stecher scores his first NHL goal vs. Stars
Looking at Stecher's stats at the NHL level a little more - he currently leads all rookie NHL defenceman with an average of 3.15 shots per game. He also leads all Canucks defenceman with 7.33 shots per 60 minutes of ice time. The old adage of 'get pucks to the net and good things can happen' rings very true for the young rear-guard.
If he continues to do this, he will remain part of some elite company in shots per game and his point totals will surely rise.
He has made a positive impression on the majority of his regular line-mates posting a +50% corsi for percentage with 7 of his 8 highest time on ice together teammates.
There are always concerns with smaller defenceman like Stecher, who measures in at 5'10" and 190 lbs, that they will struggle in the defensive zone. However, Stecher uses his keen hockey sense and skating abilities to avoid putting himself in a position where his smaller stature may be an issue. He directs opponents to the outside, limiting their options, and then pouncing when the opportunity presents itself to retrieve the puck.
It's just another glimpse into how Stecher thinks the game, and how he uses his skills help the team win.
As we saw with the Pittsburgh Penguins winning the Stanley Cup last season, there is a lot of value in having defenceman who can move the puck quickly in transition. This helps teams on the defensive side of the game, because the puck is being taken out of the zone with possession. It also helps with the offensive side, because controlling the puck on transition fosters odd man situations.
With Alexander Edler expected to miss the next 4 to 6 weeks with a broken hand, a lot of pressure will be placed on Stecher to help create offence and also suppress the attack from opposing teams.
There is no telling what the limit is for the young Richmond native, but his play so far this season has been an extremely positive sign. He may have only played 13 NHL games, but at times, it looks like he has played 13 seasons. There will be some mistakes here and there as he gets used to bigger, faster, and smarter opposition but Stecher has the skill-set, hockey sense and confidence to make an impact for the Canucks for years to come.
Stats taken from stats.hockeyanalysis.comOne child swallowed a handful of nails, hoping they would pierce his intestines and he would die. Another teenager took every pill she could find in the cabinet, believing those surely would do the trick, and she would be free of her nightmares. What do these two children have in common? Both were foster children — and both survived their attempts — and neither of them was considered at serious risk by a mental health system that declined to treat them.
California’s foster youth, already suffering from the trauma of being abused or neglected by their caretakers, are victimized again by a mental health system that consistently fails to deliver reliable care. The Legislature has the opportunity to take small steps toward fixing a broken system and beginning the healing process for the most vulnerable members of our society.
This newspaper’s series, “Drugging Our Kids,” exposed one of the worst aspects of the state’s culture of treatment: Far too many foster youth are prescribed psychotropic and antipsychotic medications in bizarre cocktail combinations that result in horrific side effects and do nothing to address the underlying trauma that these children have endured. When trauma is untreated, children act it out in predictable ways, and too often they are given drugs as “chemical straitjackets,” rendering them easier to manage but postponing real treatment.
Others have noticed: In its most recent “Children’s Report Card,” the Children Now advocacy group has given California a D-minus for its efforts in addressing childhood trauma. That’s our lowest grade in the report. We deserve it. Recent reports show the percentage of foster children receiving specialty mental health care continues to decline, and shocking disparities make it clear that black and Hispanic children are less likely to receive care than their white counterparts.
As California’s senior Social Services director, I have watched the steady decline in mental health services to the foster children for whom I am responsible. Our federal agencies estimate that more than 90 percent of foster youth have suffered emotional trauma, yet a fraction of that number receive care from our local mental health systems. I see the effects of this institutional neglect, expressed in suicide attempts, delinquency, addiction and homelessness, and I am ashamed of my state and especially of the State’s Department of Health Care Services, charged with providing vision and leadership in this area.
This month, the Assembly Appropriations Committee will consider three bills that give me hope: The first, state Sen. Holly Mitchell’s SB 1466, will require that all foster children be assessed for trauma. It shouldn’t require a law to make this happen, but it’s clear that only legislation or litigation will move the system in the right direction. I know that these assessments will reveal the degree of trauma, but the treatment has to fit the diagnosis: Sen. Mike McGuire’s SB 1174 will require that the state review prescribing patterns to ferret out those psychiatrists whose first instinct is to “Drug Our Kids,” rather than to prescribe a broad spectrum of therapy that will address underlying trauma. Finally, Sen. Jim Beall’s SB 1291 will require counties to provide documentation every year that describes what they’re doing for foster youth, and whether it is working.
Small steps? Yes, but it’s a long journey, and we need to be good “parents” for these foster kids that we have taken into our care on the promise that they’ll be safer and healthier than they were in the homes of their caretakers.
Lee Collins is California’s senior Social Services director, with more than 30 years experience as a director. He is retiring at the end of this year. He wrote this for the Mercury News.Last October a group of 25 veterans and their supporters were arrested at New York City's Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Lower Manhattan while reading the names of Americans who died in Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Their crime: assembling at the Memorial past the 10 p.m. curfew. The trial for seventeen of those demonstrators who were handcuffed and arrested—including eleven Vietnam veterans and one WW II veteran—began yesterday.
The defendants are being represented by attorneys from the National Lawyers Guild-NYC, who argue in a brief that "the Memorial is in constant use by pedestrians, dogwalkers and other people after 10 p.m.," and that the veterans "were in fact singled out for arrest precisely because of their First Amendment protected activities."
While the NYPD has narrowly interpreted the First Amendment for years, recent Occupy Wall Street demonstrations have further spotlighted the department's willingness to arrest people for merely standing on a sidewalk, or for doing nothing at all. In this context, a group of a few dozen Vietnam veterans standing in a park after curfew presents a clear and present danger to the NYPD's authority.
Vietnam veteran and Veterans for Peace member Mike Hastie, who was one of the first to be arrested that night, says in a video of the demonstration and the subsequent arrests, "If the police were smart they'd just leave us alone. I don't know why they want to make an issue of this, especially with veterans Just let us do our thing, let us have our memorial service."
Later, as he is arrested (around the 4:00 mark in the video below), Hastie castigates a police officer for arresting his peers. "Where's your soul? Where's your heart, man? Why are you doing this? I saw American soldiers die in Vietnam! I had their brains in my goddamn lap!"
Veterans For Peace Protest, October 7, 2012 from Will Holloway on Vimeo.
The trial is expected to last four or five days.The number of concealed carry permits in the United States has topped 15 million over the last year, according to data collected by the Crime Prevention Research Center.
That’s the largest one-year increase ever in the number of permits issued, according to the research center. In July 2016, the center reported that 14.5 million people had concealed handgun permits. As of May of this year, the number is already 15.7 million.
John Lott, founder of the group and a Fox News columnist, said several states, including Arizona, Florida, Michigan and Texas, have seen a big jump in the number of gun permits issued. There are several reasons for the increase – most notably, a rise in women and minorities seeking to purchase handguns, Lott said.
"I think you're continuing to see a change in the composition of people who go and get permits," Lott said. "Women are growing at a much faster rate than men."
Between 2012 and 2016, Lott said, the growth rate for women was twice as much as it was for men. He also said minorities are purchasing handguns at a higher rate compared to previous years.
Firearms instructors are reporting an increase in the number of black women learning how to use guns around the country, as noted in an earlier Fox News report. Gun instructors who teach self-defense courses say more women are looking toward guns to protect themselves against crime.
In a May 10 statement to Fox News, NRA spokeswoman Catherine Mortensen said women are the fastest growing segment of firearms buyers in the country.
"The NRA is a natural home for women firearms owners," Mortensen said. "Increasingly, women today don’t want to rely on a spouse or neighbor for protection. They want to be able to protect themselves and their families."
The Crime Prevention Research Center – a nonprofit, gun advocacy research group – releases an annual report each July documenting firearm statistics by citing numbers provided by state agencies.
The center's official report for 2017 is due in July but Lott said data already collected shows a significant increase in permits in a number of states.
Arizona had 272,622 such permits in 2016 and 315,107 as of May 2017. Florida had 1,581,742 last year compared to 1,755,580 as of April 30.
Lott noted other factors contributing to an increase in permits.
"You're seeing states making it easier for people to go and get permits," he said.
In contrast, states like California and New York have among the toughest requirements for permits in the nation.
In Sacramento County, as of December 2016, residents are "required to pay $220 in application fees, pass a state criminal background check, take a 16-hour training course and have approval of the sheriff’s department by having 'good moral character' and a good reason to have CCW," according to the center.BERKELEY VALE, New South Wales, Australia, May 26, 2015 (ENS) – Australia’s first commercial-scale plant to convert waste plastics to “road-ready” fuel has produced its first batch.
The facility will turn discarded non-recyclable household plastics into diesel, gasoline and the electricity needed to power the facility.
Foyson Resources is behind the new A$4 million facility at Berkeley Vale, about 90 kilometers north of Sydney on Australia’s east coast.
Based in North Sydney and publicly traded on the Australian Stock Exchange, Foyson Resources is engaged in the exploration and development of gold, copper, and molybdenum deposits in Papua New Guinea.
Integrated Green Energy Ltd, IGE, is constructing the facility, which uses IGE’s proprietary catalytic re-structuring technology.
This technology subjects shredded plastic to a high temperature heat stream – above 400 degrees Celsius – in the absence of oxygen. This causes the polymer to break down into smaller molecules, forming gas and liquids which resemble crude oil.
The liquids are fractionated into hydrocarbons in the form of gasoline, kerosene and diesel fuel.
The road-ready fuels that have been produced will be independently tested and evaluated, Foyson said in a statement May 18.
IGE chief executive Bevan Dooley says the Berkeley Vale Plant is scheduled to begin full production with 200 tonnes per day of waste plastics during June 2016.
Dooley expects that production in the year ending June 2017 will reach 49 million liters of on-road diesel and 16 million liters of petrol, all meeting Australian Fuel Standards.
IGE’s waste to energy technology is a self-powered process and produces no harmful emissions, significant noise or visual problems, the company says.
Foyson Managing Director Mike Palmer told the Australian Broadcasting Corp., “The 200 tonnes a day, we produce less than a ton of waste material and that waste material is essentially silica or sand, so there’s nothing environmentally unpleasant about that product. And we also produce natural gas, which we can either flare off or it itself can be sold to local energy consumers.”
But Jeff Angel, executive director of the environmental group Total Environment Centre, believes the needs of the Berkeley Vale plant will cut into the supply of recyclable plastics that could be turned into useful plastic items.
Palmer answers that 95 percent of the material to be processed at the Berkeley Vale facility will be non-recyclable plastic, with a small amount of recyclable plastic getting into the mix only because the waste sorting system is not perfect.
IGE has secured two contracts that will supply the plastic feedstock requirements of the Berkeley Vale plant for the first three years to June 2018, as throughput increases from 50 tonnes per day (tpd) to 200 tpd, by the scheduled installation of three more production modules.
The contracts will be assigned to Foyson on completion of the IGE transaction, which is planned to occur, subject to shareholder approval, at an Extraordinary General Meeting to be held in July.
“Management has a strategy in place that will see us build three or more of these units in the next three years in Australia,” Dooley said.
IGE says the three additional plants will collectively process in excess of 126,000 tonnes of waste plastics – producing 120,000,000 liters of on-road fuels.
Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2015. All rights reserved.If you thought a highly anticipated film that poses to make millions on opening night would release on the same day worldwide, you're wrong — even if the Star Wars site says it would. Someone at Disney decided that Star Wars: The Force Awakens should release in the UK a day before it releases on December 18th in the US (and presumably the rest of the world).
If this is true, that means the the internet will be ripe with spoilers, browsing the internet will no longer be a way to de-stress – it will be something that breeds stress. Which link will you click that spoils a huge part of the movie? What if the top YouTube comment is Dumbledore dies?!
Before I unravel my list of feels… There's something weird about this.
The UK release date was confirmed in a tweet and on the official Star Wars UK Facebook page, where people challenged the December 17th release date multiple times – only to have the official Star Wars page reply saying "The Force Awakens will definitely be released in the UK on the 17th December…"
So, it looks like you will be needed to keep yourself off of the internet to avoid spoilers come December 17.Election season 2015 officially launched last Friday at midnight, the candidate filing deadline. The final slate of City Council hopefuls will be finalized after the withdrawal deadline on Monday. But it looks like voters will have nearly four dozen office-seekers to choose from, most of them newcomers.
Even in a year when many county council and school board positions are also up for grabs, the primary and general election campaigns in Seattle will draw huge attention. And legitimately so. The outcome of the 2015 races promises a sea change for Seattle politics, not just in terms of who wins, but because of the historic nature of the election process itself. (You can find the full list of filings for all the city council, school board and other races on King County's website.)
As the campaigning begins, here are some things to keep in mind.
What you should know
For starters, this is the first election under a new hybrid system that virtually does away with the old practice of electing council members by citywide votes. Seven of the nine members will be elected by districts, a reorganization that voters approved in a 2013 initiative.
(The City Clerk's Office has a guide to the districts, which roughly conform to neighborhoods, and a link to King County Elections' interactive map for finding yours. You can find links to Crosscut's analysis of the districts and Seattle voting patterns here. We will also publish brief information about all the City Council candidates later.)
City Council districts
Second, the entire City Council is up for election in 2015, something City archivist Scott Cline says hasn't happened in Seattle since 1911. (Crosscut's Knute Berger provided details on the history of Seattle elections while covering the 2013 districts initiative campaign.)
Third, following this year's election, the terms of council members will be staggered. After their elections this fall, the seven district members will serve four-year terms, coming up for re-election in 2019 and then every four years after that. The two citywide council members will serve two-year terms this time; their positions convert to four-year terms after the 2017 election. To his knowledge, says City archivist Cline, the staggering of terms has never been this "lopsided" in Seattle's history. Usually, the election cycle has allowed for about half the council seats to come up for election in any given year, theoretically preserving institutional knowledge and continuity.
In embracing this new hybrid approach, voters were responding to widespread grumbling that the citywide system produced a council that lacked ethnic diversity, favored downtown interests, neglected neighborhood concerns and reduced pointed policy differences to a Seattle-nice version of wan consensus.
Sensing the opportunity in this new system, 47 Seattleites filed last week to compete for the nine city council positions. Nine are running to represent District 1 (West Seattle-South Park), where council incumbent Tom Rasmussen lives. Along with sitting council members Nick Licata and Sally Clark, Rasmussen is one of three incumbents who opted not to run for re-election. All professed confidence in their chances, but the departures of these council veterans only adds to the sense of potentially seismic shifts in the political landscape.
Why you should care
There's a big sorting out that will take place quickly: No race has fewer than three candidates, a wealth of options for a city used to limited competition for council positions. In the August 4 primary, voters will narrow the field from 47 to 18 finalists, two for each of the nine open positions.
The new system could give us a much more (racially and ideologically) diverse, neighborhood-centric council and approach to governing. New coalitions may emerge among council members and neighborhoods around mutually important issues and initiatives — transportation, education, policing, growth, walkability, urbanism.
On a more concrete level, longstanding complaints in north and south Seattle about the lack of sidewalks might finally result in more than token construction programs. On the other hand, a desire by council members to bring home projects for their own district could undermine the city's ability to focus, say, its social services spending on where the needs are greatest. Electing a council that can serve both neighborhoods and the city as a whole will be important.
If the supporters of the 2013 district initiative are right, money may take a back seat to personal touch in this 2015 election. The new district model favors small-ball campaigning with candidates door belling and actually talking one-on-one with constituents rather than relying on the name recognition of incumbency or heavy spending on media advertising and yard signs.
Of course, the district initiative passed just before Kshama Sawant brought a new energy to the council, displacing some of the chumminess with confrontations over business power, capitalism and workers' rights.
Here are some of the things we'll be watching
District elections are (theoretically) meant to create better neighborhood representation, which is especially important to residents in South Seattle. But what will the campaigns really emphasize this year? Will there be more talk about hyper local issues, such as more sidewalks in the North End or economic development along the Link light rail corridor in Southeast Seattle? Or will the candidates focus as they always have on bigger picture issues such as better transportation, spending levels and green initiatives?
Will Seattle's more diverse neighborhoods actually send more diverse candidates to City Hall? And what will that diversity mean for policies, politics and the future of the city?
In the new, smaller-scale district elections, vote margins between winners and losers will be significantly slimmer than they were in the old citywide system. That could make these races more susceptible to the influence of money. After all, it's easier to recruit 1,000 votes than 10,000. Speaking of money, incumbents Tim Burgess and Bruce Harrell are the frontrunners in the fundraising race — by a mile and at the moment. For a look at fundraising totals for all contenders go to Seattle.gov.
There are already some high-profile political questions looming in the individual council races. Chief among them, how safe are City Council incumbents? Is Kshama Sawant really a shoo-in in District 3, as some insist? Are veterans Mike O'Brien, Bruce Harrell and Sally Bagshaw as safe as many assume?
More broadly, could we wind up with a council of novices? Would that be bad?
Questions abound on this journey into uncharted political waters, but some things are certain: Primaries are on August 4. General elections take place November 3. And Crosscut will be there to cover it all.Daniel Day-Lewis has spoken out about his decision to quit acting, writes Denise O'Donoghue.
The legendary Anglo-Irish actor, best known for powerful roles including Christy Brown in 'My Left Foot', and Bill “the Butcher” Cutting in Martin Scorsese’s 'Gangs of New York', told W Magazine he made the choice while filming his last movie, 'Phantom Thread'.
"Before making the film, I didn’t know I was going to stop acting," he said. "I do know that Paul [Thomas] and I laughed a lot before we made the movie. And then we stopped laughing because we were both overwhelmed by a sense of sadness.
"That took us by surprise: We didn’t realize what we had given birth to. It was hard to live with. And still is."
He revealed he often considered giving up his acting career in previous years, saying acting "gives you life and is killing you at the same time."
"All my life, I’ve mouthed off about how I should stop acting, and I don’t know why it was different this time, but the impulse to quit took root in me, and that became a compulsion. It was something I had to do," he said.
"What has taken over in the past is an illusion of inevitability. I’ll think, 'Is there no way to avoid this?'
"There are spells in these films that you can’t account for. Paul and I spoke a lot about curses—the idea of a curse on a family, what that might be like. A kind of malady.
"And it’s not that I felt there was a curse attached to this film, other than the responsibility of a creative life, which is both a curse and a blessing. You can never separate them until the day you die. It’s the thing that feeds you and eats away at you; gives you life and is killing you at the same time."
Day-Lewis says he is not sure what he will do in the future.
"I haven’t figured it out. But it’s settled on me, and it’s just there. Not wanting to see the film is connected to the decision I’ve made to stop working as an actor.
"But it’s not why the sadness came to stay. That happened during the telling of the story, and I don’t really know why.
"I dread to use the overused word 'artist', but there’s something of the responsibility of the artist that hung over me. I need to believe in the value of what I’m doing. The work can seem vital. Irresistible, even. And if an audience believes it, that should be good enough for me. But, lately, it isn’t."
He said he has "a great sadness" as he mourns the end of a major part of his life which began when he was 12.
"Do I feel better? Not yet. I have great sadness. And that’s the right way to feel. How strange would it be if this was just a gleeful step into a brand-new life," he said.
"I’ve been interested in acting since I was 12 years old, and back then, everything other than the theater—that box of light—was cast in shadow.
"When I began, it was a question of salvation. Now, I want to explore the world in a different way."
"I won’t know which way to go for a while. But I’m not going to stay idle. I don’t fear the stony silence."Caffè Nero is set to open its JP location on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015. Credit: Chris Helms
Jamaica Plain's newest coffee shop, Caffè Nero, is scheduled to open at 8 a.m. Thursday. While many residents have welcomed the family-owned coffee house, others decry an international chain planting its flag in competition with mom-and-pop coffee purveyors.
Caffè Nero has said it aims to provide a European-style coffee house where guests are encouraged to linger and talk.
On Wednesday, employees were busy making final preparations. A sign on the door at the 733 Centre St. location, just across from Blanchards, reads that the location will be open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday.
Previous coverage on Jamaica Plain News:
South End Would Be Home to City’s Third Caffè Nero
City Okays Caffè Nero’s Jamaica Plain Location
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Neighborhood Group Okays Caffè Nero By Wide Margin
Full Letter from JP Local First Opposing Caffè NeroCOMMERCE CITY — The Colorado Rapids have loaned midfielder Juan Ramirez to Spanish second division club U.D. Almería for six months, the club confirmed Tuesday.
Terms of the loan were not disclosed.
“(Ramirez) had a tough time acclimating. He was away from home for the first time,” Rapids coach Pablo Mastroeni said. “There’s a lot of personal issues that were involved with this decision. Nothing to do with the actual player.”
Ramirez was signed as a young designated player in February 2015 from Argentinos Juniors, in a deal that involved a transfer fee north of $2 million.
Ramirez — a 5-foot-8, 150-pound left-footed winger — wasn’t the impact player the Rapids had hoped for in his first season. He scored one goal in 27 appearances (15 starts), and added three assists.
At the end of the 2015 season, Rapids vice president of soccer operations Paul Bravo said he felt Ramirez was still adapting to MLS.
“As for putting a grade and a score on him, it’s unfair to him because he is young,” Bravo said in November. “He still has plenty of time and upside to grow into the type of player that we think can make a real impact for us in this league.”
Bravo said Ramirez needed to improve his fitness, his “game-specific strength” and his overall production on the score sheet.
“He’s shown to be statistically an elite dribbler in this league. He creates a lot of fouls, which give you set piece opportunities,” Bravo said. “And the next phase for him really is bringing that production to the table.”
In the meantime, Mastroeni said the Rapids are actively searching for wingers for the 2016 roster.
“We are definitely looking for two impact players in those positions to come in and make a difference,” Mastroeni said. “We’re in the process of making that happen.”
Mastroeni said talking to other coaches around MLS, he felt most teams were behind the curve during this winter transfer window due to players in Europe holding out.
“This is not unique to us to be in a situation where we’re yet to solidify the group coming into preseason,” Mastroeni said. “It seems like everyone throughout the league is in that same type of holding pattern so to speak.”
Rapids trade defender to FC Dallas
The Rapids on Tuesday announced they have traded Honduran national team defender Maynor Figueroa to FC Dallas in exchange for general allocation money. Terms were not disclosed.
Figueroa was signed at the summer transfer window deadline and appeared in 10 matches, scoring one goal.
In November, the 32-year-old was quickly identified by Bravo as one of the team’s core players moving forward, but then his contract option was declined later that month.
Daniel Boniface: 303-954-1104, dboniface@denverpost.com or @danielbonifaceThe internet is a powerful tool for good as well as evil. So like almost every organization, ISIS has used it to organize and to spread its message. And Donald Trump wants to put a stop to that.
"We're losing a lot of people because of the internet, and we have to do something," Trump said at a rally earlier this month. "We have to go see Bill Gates and a lot of different people that really understand what's happening. We have to talk to them maybe in certain areas closing that internet up in some way."
He returned to that theme in last night's Republican primary debate: "We should be using our brilliant people — our most brilliant minds to figure a way that ISIS cannot use the internet."
When pressed on this point by Wolf Blitzer, Trump stuck to his guns: "I would certainly be open to closing areas where we are at war with somebody. I sure as hell don't want to let people that want to kill us and kill our nation use our internet."
Of course, the internet is not organized into "areas" that can be switched on and off. The internet was deliberately designed to be a globally integrated network, with everyone on the planet having access to content anywhere in the world — something our "brilliant people" would have told Trump if he'd |
heart glad.
0836 Terry Nelson, who was Mr McCain's campaign manager until last year, has criticised his former colleague for trying to distance himself from fellow Republican George W Bush. This made his dealings with the incumbent president "negative" and prevented Mr McCain from putting forward a "positive vision", he tells the BBC.
Elizabeth in Chino Hills, US, says: I truly hope that Obama does a good job as president but I have my doubts. Obama is an eloquent speaker and could make the phone book sound great but that is here and there. All that is behind him is his celebrity, the image. We'll see. I truly hope that Obama does a good job as president but I have my doubts. Obama is an eloquent speaker and could make the phone book sound great but that is here and there. All that is behind him is his celebrity, the image. We'll see. More of your comments.
0830 UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown praises Mr Obama for an "inspirational campaign, energising politics with his progressive values and his vision for the future". David Cameron, leader of the opposition Conservative Party, hails him as the "first of a new generation of world leaders".
0827 Bob Shrum, a consultant who has worked on many Democratic campaigns, tells the BBC: "This country has renewed itself as a great, inspired, creative and unpredictable force in the world, and this is one of the proudest nights of my life as an American, not just as a Democrat."
Noor Muhammad in Karachi, Pakistan, says: I hope that US under Obama and Biden is different from the US under Bush and Cheney. If is not, nothing will have changed. I hope that US under Obama and Biden is different from the US under Bush and Cheney. If is not, nothing will have changed. More of your comments.
0821 Missouri and North Carolina have yet to declare. Between them they provide 26 electoral college votes.
0820 As expected, Mr McCain has won Montana. This takes him to 162 electoral college votes.
0816 Historian Simon Schama says this is an "indisputably good moment" in a world "full of cynicism".
0814 Grant Park in Chicago is emptying out, as Obama supporters go off for some sleep, or more parties. Times Square in New York still looks lively - then again, it always does.
0812 Mr Obama is projected to win Indiana, taking 11 more electoral college votes. This would take him to 349 votes - one short of what is considered by many analysts to be a landslide.
0806 Perhaps the defining image of the post-election celebrations will be of veteran civil rights activist Jesse Jackson in tears at the Obama rally. It does rather illustrate the depth of change represented by the result.
0803 Unsurprisingly, people in Kogelo, the home of Mr Obama's late father, have been having quite a party. His step-grandmother Sarah Onyango was seen dancing and cheering outside the family house after the results were declared. Mindful of a photo-call, political leaders are expected to descend on the village later. Someone who probably supported the Republicans is the bull due to be slaughtered for the celebration feast.
Erick Dillard, Virginia, US: My family came here as slaves in 1703. For the first time in my life I feel like an American. No longer a black American, just an American. This is for my father who died this year before he could see this day. This is a toast to America, may we be truly one nation and one nationality. My family came here as slaves in 1703. For the first time in my life I feel like an American. No longer a black American, just an American. This is for my father who died this year before he could see this day. This is a toast to America, may we be truly one nation and one nationality. More of your comments.
John Flanagan in Singapore says: A great result and, seemingly, far better than expected by some 'experts'. This could be the day the world changed forever. Let us hope so. A great result and, seemingly, far better than expected by some 'experts'. This could be the day the world changed forever. Let us hope so. More of your comments.
0757 UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has offered his congratulations to Mr Obama. Douglas Alexander, the country's international development secretary, calls it "a victory for an extraordinary individual" and "a victory for an ideology that says that progressive politics has the answers to the enormous challenges that the United States and the world is facing".
0747 If Mr Obama does get 52% of the popular vote, it will be the best result for any candidate since George Bush senior's 53.4% some 20 years ago.
Vijanth in Ipoh, Malaysia says: Today is the day greater than the very day when Martin Luther King made the speech of dreaming of great America. The dream of Martin Luther, 40 years ago, is being made in reality by the American citizens themselves. Today is the day greater than the very day when Martin Luther King made the speech of dreaming of great America. The dream of Martin Luther, 40 years ago, is being made in reality by the American citizens themselves. More of your comments.
0738 The latest BBC projection has Mr Obama winning 52% of the popular vote and Mr McCain 47%.
0736 The town of Obama in Japan has seen wild celebrations after its namesake's victory. Many revellers have dressed in hula skirts in honour of the president-elect's native Hawaii.
0734 Things are incredibly tight in Missouri. The candidates are on 49.4% each, with 99% of the votes counted. Just 400 votes separate them.
0733 BBC North America editor Justin Webb: The Obama years will stretch America. The nation will come to think differently about itself. But Barack Obama is too focused and too, well, too midwestern in outlook, to really stick it to the right. He will govern from the centre and relish the battles with his own party that that will entail. He will do it because he will feel it to be right but also, of course, because that is the way to be re-elected in 2012, overcoming the fearsome challenge of Sarah Palin. The Obama years will stretch America. The nation will come to think differently about itself. But Barack Obama is too focused and too, well, too midwestern in outlook, to really stick it to the right. He will govern from the centre and relish the battles with his own party that that will entail. He will do it because he will feel it to be right but also, of course, because that is the way to be re-elected in 2012, overcoming the fearsome challenge of Sarah Palin.
0727 Former Ronald Reagan aide Mark Neuman says Mr McCain always had a "steep hill" to climb, running for the Republicans, the same party as an unpopular incumbent president.
0722 The post-election party for McCain supporters in Phoenix, Arizona, is over. Hotel staff are clearing tables and the vacuum cleaners are out.
0718 A little more context for Mr McCain's performance. In terms of electoral college votes, he is currently on the same number - 159 - that fellow Republican war veteran Bob Dole took when he lost to Bill Clinton in 1996. John Kerry, runner-up in 2004, took 252 votes. Pity poor Walter Mondale, who managed only 13 in 1984.
0715 If it's "morning in America", it's probably nearing lunchtime in Mr Obama's mind, as he gets to grips with some longer-term thinking. His potential cabinet picks are provoking much speculation. Among the names mentioned are John Kerry, runner-up to George W Bush in the 2004 election, for secretary of state and Republican Colin Powell - who supported Mr Obama during this contest - for defence secretary.
Camille in Cincinnati, United States, says: I hope the world can start to forgive us now. We missed you world. I'm sorry we were such brats. I hope the world can start to forgive us now. We missed you world. I'm sorry we were such brats. More of your comments.
0705 Mr McCain's running mate Sarah Palin looks set to avoid an embarrassment in her own back yard. The Alaskan governor's home state is set to remain safely Republican. That would guarantee Mr McCain at least 162 electoral college votes in total.
A reader, the corner blog, National Revew: If the Republicans have any strategic sense at all. They should start working tomorrow to come up with thenext election plan. The Democrats are going to over-reach in 2009, they won't be able to help it. I think Obama is smarter, more politically adept and less mistake-pone than Bill Clinton, but also more ideological. If the Republicans have any strategic sense at all. They should start working tomorrow to come up with thenext election plan. The Democrats are going to over-reach in 2009, they won't be able to help it. I think Obama is smarter, more politically adept and less mistake-pone than Bill Clinton, but also more ideological. Read more on The National Review.
0658 For those of you just joining us in the UK and the rest of Europe, the news is that Mr Obama has taken 338 electoral college votes - well above the 270 needed to become president. The states still to announce a result are: Montana, Missouri, Indiana, North Carolina and Alaska. Most still look pretty tight. If Mr Obama gets 350 college votes, that is considered by many to be a landslide.
Atiq in Kabul says :We Afghans are extremely happy that Obama won the election as we are very hungry for change in our country. A change here is almost impossible without a change in Washington. We Afghans are extremely happy that Obama won the election as we are very hungry for change in our country. A change here is almost impossible without a change in Washington. More of your comments.
0651 Mwai Kibaki, president of Kenya, the home of Mr Obama's late father, says: "We the Kenyan people are immensely proud of your Kenyan roots. Your victory is not only an inspiration to millions of people all over the world, but it has special resonance with us here in Kenya."
0650 Following French President Nicolas Sarkozy's early example, world leaders have been offering Mr Obama their congratulations. Afghanistan's Hamid Karzai calls it a "great decision". Canada's Stephen Harper offers to "work closely" with the president-elect's team.
Andi Ye in Otsu, Japan says:A new start, and a new chance; against all likelihood and in the face of huge adversity ahead. Let's hope it goes well. A new start, and a new chance; against all likelihood and in the face of huge adversity ahead. Let's hope it goes well. More of your comments.
Diane Terruusa in New York says:For the first time in eight years I can travel overseas and across the world and feel proud, not ashamed, to be an American. For the first time in eight years I can travel overseas and across the world and feel proud, not ashamed, to be an American. More of your comments.
0638 In a sign of the times, Huffington Post blogger Mayhill Fowler tells the BBC that YouTube has been the "most influential player in this election".
0631 It looks like the celebrations are being repeated - albeit on a smaller scale - in many big cities. New York and Washington DC particularly appear to be in party mode. It looks like the celebrations are being repeated - albeit on a smaller scale - in many big cities. New York and Washington DC particularly appear to be in party mode.
0628 What scenes in Chicago. There must be hundreds of thousands - maybe the million forecast earlier - lining the streets of the Windy City.Being contrarian sometimes pays off. Online magazine Slate is now 20 years old, and while its strong takes are stronger than ever and its contrarianism as contrarian as ever, it’s also more self-aware — and far past its pimply, tumultuous teenage years, thanks in part to its well-positioned audio sibling Panoply.
Its membership program Slate Plus, which unlocks extra podcasts and online content as well as discounts on live events, is now more than 16,000 superfans strong and growing steadily each year, according to Slate’s editor-in-chief Julia Turner [Update: Slate reached out after this post was published to say that membership is over 17,000.]. After a quietly dismantled effort to implement a metered paywall for international readers, it’s reset course after hiring Keith Hernandez, who became Slate Group’s president after a stint at BuzzFeed, leading sales teams across North America and Australia. And true to its Slate-y ways, it’s currently partnering with VoteCastr to project real-time results from the presidential race before polls close on Election Day, a practice anathema to many mainstream media outlets.
I spoke with Turner and Hernandez the evening before Slate’s 20th anniversary celebration about how Slate got to where it is now, its reluctance to embrace distributed platforms and video “whole hog,” and where it intends to go from here. What follows is a lightly edited and condensed transcript of our conversation.
Shan Wang: Through Slate’s history, can you point to specific decisions where it’s chosen to invest heavily in something (or not) that have influenced where the publication stands now?
Julia Turner: One of the real through lines at Slate over the last 20 years is this combination of a willingness and a nimbleness and excitement around experimentation and then a real independence and ruthlessness about deciding which experiments to end and which to continue and making sure those things are Slate-y, that they really align with our goal of being the smartest, funnest place to figure out how to think about the world in any digital platform or medium. : One of the real through lines at Slate over the last 20 years is this combination of a willingness and a nimbleness and excitement around experimentation and then a real independence and ruthlessness about deciding which experiments to end and which to continue and making sure those things are Slate-y, that they really align with our goal of being the smartest, funnest place to figure out how to think about the world in any digital platform or medium. The obvious example there is podcasting. Our experiment with podcasting was basically a total accident. It came out of a different experiment, which is that we had a partnership with NPR to help reinvent the midday show, to jazz it up, give it a little bit more voice. We hired an audio ace who had NPR experience. We had a lovely time, they were lovely people. It didn’t quite come together, and we ended up pulling back. But we still had that audio ace on staff, who then said: There’s this thing called podcasts. He said, I want to do this. He kept lurking in closets, skulking around like a weirdo, reading our stories out loud into a microphone, telling us about this great podcast he was building. RELATED ARTICLE Hot Pod: The podcast industry puts on a too-big blazer and tries to impress the old guy at the party Nicholas Quah Most of us at the time didn’t even know how to listen to them yet. Or we did, but didn’t really have the right app. Or you still had to plug something into the computer. We definitely did podcasts before I ever listened to any of them. Eventually, we caught on, and we ironed out that reading stories out loud was a fine experience, but it was much better to convey the flavor of a Slate editorial meeting — the loose, candid, off-the-cuff conversation among journalists — and was an efficient and fun information delivery mechanism. So we put mics in front of some of our brilliant political commentators and launched the Slate Political Gabfest, and that became the template for a bunch of our shows around politics, culture, sports. That came together in ’05, ’06, ’07, when some of our competitors were getting into podcasting and then got right back out because there was just not a revenue model for it. But we could just see that this innovation and form was so up our alley. With podcasting, we were able to add like 12 hours of additional time you could spend in the company of Slate voices, and get their perspective on what they think of latest events. The kind of engagement we saw off of that was really intense. So we stuck with it for probably like seven years before we began to see the first inklings of a real revenue stream. Obviously, in the last couple of years there’s been a huge podcast boom that we were really well positioned to take advantage of. But that ability to take the long view and when a particular opportunity really aligns with what you care about, to bet on that — that’s been a key for us, at various points.
Wang: So why, even without any promise of a revenue model, did you push through? Those weren’t easy years for the business, and seven years is a pretty long time. And what are the instances of when you’ve dropped things, either after a long time, or pretty quickly?
Keith Hernandez: Podcasting felt like such a natural extension to what was happening on Slate.com. The way the team was working and thinking and developing — it just felt right to continue developing, whether there was revenue or not. Which is a much better way to make a business decision: we are what we stand for vs. can we monetize super quickly? When you go with that second option, you’re just a chop shop that’s trying to figure out the fads and trends. You don’t have a distinct voice in the market. : Podcasting felt like such a natural extension to what was happening on Slate.com. The way the team was working and thinking and developing — it just felt right to continue developing, whether there was revenue or not. Which is a much better way to make a business decision: we are what we stand for vs. can we monetize super quickly? When you go with that second option, you’re just a chop shop that’s trying to figure out the fads and trends. You don’t have a distinct voice in the market. There’s people right now going full hog on video, hiring a lot of people. But if they don’t really have that commitment, if it’s not really part of their DNA, they’re not going to last. It’s about making sure you separate fad from the future of what matters to your business, and allowing those things to breathe and not pulling them off the table when it’s too soon.
Turner: Like everybody, we’ve tried a bunch of things — partner platforms, we’ve run experiments on Pinterest. This is good for highly visual sites. We didn’t find we were particularly good for that. Another platform we were never particularly interested in was Tumblr, which was another ecosystem that didn’t feel like a great fit for our audience. : Like everybody, we’ve tried a bunch of things — partner platforms, we’ve run experiments on Pinterest. This is good for highly visual sites. We didn’t find we were particularly good for that. Another platform we were never particularly interested in was Tumblr, which was another ecosystem that didn’t feel like a great fit for our audience. These are not revolutionary, shocking decisions. Often our approach is to dip our toe in the water and get a sense of things.
Wang: Without naming names, there are other online-only outlets, about the same age, that are perhaps struggling in different ways, or haven’t found the right voice and business strategy that allows them to start making money again…
Turner: This may sound hokey, and I’m curious about your perspective as well…I see, you’re trying to get me to throw some shade? : This may sound hokey, and I’m curious about your perspective as well…I see, you’re trying to get me to throw some shade? A lot of people built businesses over the last few years under the theory of, “Wheeeee, distribution is free now! Hooray! It’s cheap to amass an audience.” In the history of media, distribution has almost never been free, and it will not be free again in the future. The work that it takes to get your stuff to the right people, whatever that mechanism is, there’s always effort there. And I think a lot of people made investments in businesses in under the assumption that we live in this glorious new era of free distribution, and Slate took a longer view there.
Hernandez: There’s something to the sweet spot of where we currently are and the nature of the purposeful growth that happened to get to where we are. We could’ve doubled down and done those trips that everyone was doing to get that 40, 50, 60 million unique visitor audience, but for what reason? In the moment, we’re at now, being number one in total unique visitors matters way less than having a distinct, very strong point of view that could help a marketer out. The biggest investment that we’re making now on the business side is the notion that we have the right audience.
Wang: That right audience is?
Hernandez: The right audience is, we have 23 million uniques, 53 percent of them are 25-54, half of them make a household income of over $100,000, and close to half of them are at least college educated with a bachelors degree, decision makers in the business that they’re in. : The right audience is, we have 23 million uniques, 53 percent of them are 25-54, half of them make a household income of over $100,000, and close to half of them are at least college educated with a bachelors degree, decision makers in the business that they’re in. Advertising in its essence is really just the power of persuasion. I have this product. I’m trying to convince you it’s worth your time. There are similarities to that in editorial, in journalism. I have an argument, I want to convince you of the other side. It’s hard for advertisers to find a way to do that to a really loyal, smart, audience. And that’s where we can come in and say, we can show you the ropes of what to do.
Wang: Is Slate profitable right now?
Hernandez: We’re in a growth round right now. We’re hiring close to 100 people overall. [Update: Slate reached out after this post was published to say Slate and Panoply will be adding several dozen employees this year, not 100.] : We’re in a growth round right now. We’re hiring close to 100 people overall. [Update: Slate reached out after this post was published to say Slate and Panoply will be adding several dozen employees this year, not 100.] So we’re deliberately not profitable. This year we decided to hire way more people than we’ve ever hired to grow and build out the infrastructure.
Wang: And how about the Slate Plus membership program? How many members, how is it doing?
Turner: We’ve got more than 16,000 members now, and I’m excited about that number, but I’m most excited about the growth trajectory there. Launching the program, we feel lucky to have had superfans who we knew would sign up in the first month or two, but after those months, after that first impulse rah-rah purchase, we weren’t sure we’d be able to build something that had persistent value for a broad and growing set of people. : We’ve got more than 16,000 members now, and I’m excited about that number, but I’m most excited about the growth trajectory there. Launching the program, we feel lucky to have had superfans who we knew would sign up in the first month or two, but after those months, after that first impulse rah-rah purchase, we weren’t sure we’d be able to build something that had persistent value for a broad and growing set of people. Our model is essentially to take the innovations we’ve seen in the education space around MOOCs and online courses and adapt that for journalism in what we call academies, a kind of journalistic approach to evergreen content. Slate Academies are around slavery, classic books, popular music. Our Slate Academy on Slavery is a great experiment in podcasting as a form, & I would love to have you join us. http://t.co/kzFTs36YZg — Jamelle Bouie (@jbouie) June 17, 2015 Between those, bonus segments on our podcasts, and other innovations, the growth rate year over year has been constant. To me that’s the biggest achievement. We are consistently adding people month by month as opposed to having an initial burst of people.
Wang: I seem to remember there was one point where you guys had a paywall for international readers, and then those people became Slate Plus members? That paywall came down and I missed it, or…
Turner: We ran an experiment around that last year with an international paywall where we launched it, got some signups, but decided that the overall business there wasn’t what we wanted to pursue, and also we brought Keith on board as publisher, and he has a lot of experience with international sales, and part of the theory behind the international paywall was a function of our focusing more on domestic ad sales. For a couple of reasons for some of the folks who signed up for that paywall, we gave them a year of Slate Plus. @joshgans @Slate They did it months ago I think. Never applied to their app anyway. — Jeremy Gans (@jeremy_gans) April 4, 2016 : We ran an experiment around that last year with an international paywall where we launched it, got some signups, but decided that the overall business there wasn’t what we wanted to pursue, and also we brought Keith on board as publisher, and he has a lot of experience with international sales, and part of the theory behind the international paywall was a function of our focusing more on domestic ad sales. For a couple of reasons for some of the folks who signed up for that paywall, we gave them a year of Slate Plus.
Hernandez: A paywall is a metered limit on the amount you can read on the site. Slate Plus is: I am such a voracious, intense fan of Slate that I want to know everything about these people. It’s just more compelling for our most loyal readers and fans.
Wang: Are you thinking about growing internationally in the next year? Slate Germany? Slate Japan?
Hernandez: International revenue is absolutely something we’re thinking about and want to continue to grow. The reality is the Internet is not domestic. The wall that has been created there was a false barrier. : International revenue is absolutely something we’re thinking about and want to continue to grow. The reality is the Internet is not domestic. The wall that has been created there was a false barrier. I helped open up international expansion in other places. It’s never the same country by country, company by company. You have to make sure you’re doing what’s right for you, and where you’re starting is correct for you, so that you’re not just trying to be a derivative of your U.S. site. Nobody wants to be just a version of the U.S., they need their own distinct voice and flavor. We’re thinking about it. It’s not yet in motion. We can’t announce anything. But it’s something that’s on the horizon.
Turner: We have Slate France, and that’s been around for a little while, since 2009, started by a group of journalists, and we collaborate and they’ve been partners in covering some events there over the last couple of years. We’re in the first steps of exploring internationally.
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Toutes les infos pour écouter nos podcasts sont ici: https://t.co/VS3aWXTxfp pic.twitter.com/7C9nf7c4hB — Slate.fr (@Slatefr) September 23, 2016
Wang: So where are you going next? I don’t mean geographically — where do you see the next opportunities, whether it’s an underexplored platform, or maybe it is video after all, or it’s something you think could be the next podcasting for you?
Turner: Slate has very strong political coverage at its core, particularly this year, and our team is very strong. I think we run the best general interest culture magazine out there. I think we’ll be expanding business and technology coverage as well. I also think our parenting coverage is very distinctive and that’s an underserved market editorially. So much of that ecosystem is dependent on the blogosphere and excellent professional journalism that’s in keeping with the way people actually parent now is scarce. So I think there’s an opportunity we’re curious about. : Slate has very strong political coverage at its core, particularly this year, and our team is very strong. I think we run the best general interest culture magazine out there. I think we’ll be expanding business and technology coverage as well. I also think our parenting coverage is very distinctive and that’s an underserved market editorially. So much of that ecosystem is dependent on the blogosphere and excellent professional journalism that’s in keeping with the way people actually parent now is scarce. So I think there’s an opportunity we’re curious about. In terms of format, podcasting is something we will continue to expand on. Video is something we’re going to be more strategic and practical about. We’re cultivating a couple of ideas on the video front that I think we’ll be investing in next year.
Hernandez: You hear stories that attention spans are shorter and shorter and that people can’t even watch three seconds of video on Facebook before scrolling on. But time spent on our articles continues to go up. Our bet is smart interesting angles on difficult, dense stories. The mobile phone is the first screen, and people are spending 5, 10, 15 minutes reading an article that matters to them. : You hear stories that attention spans are shorter and shorter and that people can’t even watch three seconds of video on Facebook before scrolling on. But time spent on our articles continues to go up. Our bet is smart interesting angles on difficult, dense stories. The mobile phone is the first screen, and people are spending 5, 10, 15 minutes reading an article that matters to them. We’re at an inflection point now, with the chaos with the streams on Facebook and Twitter, and people will want to slow down a little bit. That’s where podcasting has taken off. People want to detach from the screen and do something else. People also look for deeper analysis.
Turner: One of the things you’ve seen across the marketplace for the last five years is a lot of companies are chasing the same kind of traffic from the same social distribution mechanisms, and their coverage tends to be the same. It’s not a recipe for producing a distinctive media brand, a magazine or site with a specific voice that people count on and come back for. : One of the things you’ve seen across the marketplace for the last five years is a lot of companies are chasing the same kind of traffic from the same social distribution mechanisms, and their coverage tends to be the same. It’s not a recipe for producing a distinctive media brand, a magazine or site with a specific voice that people count on and come back for. RELATED ARTICLE “Smart editorial, smart readers, and smart ad solutions”: Slate makes a case for long-form on the web Megan Garber We’ve been looking a lot at ways to deepen our relationship with our loyal audience and be producing more distinct work on a more regular basis. Under David Plotz, we started the Fresca fellowships, one of our early forays into longform. The idea there was that folks would take time away from day-to-day blogging to dig into passion projects, which produced some great work there. When I took over, I thought that worked great but was a little too separated from the news cycle. We would run three in April, and then none until September, none until January. It was a little erratic. We’ve taken a page out of the playbook of print magazine and reinstated the cover story. We’ve run interactives, oral histories, interactives. The idea is to plant the flag every Sunday night and start a conversation that forces the rest of the Internet to respond. The purpose of which is to create and foster that specific and valuable relationship with our audience so they know to come back to us for that perspective. I still think of this as a magazine, but I think it’s a useful conceit to think of it as a magazine. A magazine is about a sensibility, offering an interpretation of the world, as opposed to a news site or a content platform.Grunge state of Ohio flag map (Photo: uptonpark / Getty Images/iStockphoto)
If you live in rural America, chances are you’re still feeling pangs from the great recession.
According to an analysis recently released from the Department of Agriculture, rural areas are still struggling to attain pre-recession employment levels while urban areas already have outpaced their 2007 selves.
Rural employment in mid-2015 was still 3.2 percent below its pre-recession peak in 2007, according to “Rural America at a Glance.” While the report didn't look at specific states, rural Ohio has had the same troubles, said Appalachian Partnership for Economic Growth CEO John Molinaro.
"Part of it is that rural areas don't generally have the same resources to apply to economic development as their urban counterparts... We (rural areas) simply don't have the same degree of staffing or budget to work on economic development," said Molinaro, who has worked in rural economic development for more than 20 years.
Appalachia's unemployment is consistently at least a point higher than the rest of the state and close to two points higher than the Columbus area, which has seen some of the state's fastest growth. In October, the most recent rates available, unemployment for Ohio's 32 Appalachian counties was 5.2 percent while the rate was 4 percent for the remaining 56 counties. Unemployment for the Columbus metropolitan area, which includes Franklin County and nine surrounding counties, was even lower at 3.6 percent.
Money for economic development often comes down to local government coffers and major corporation investment. However, some states have developed a more steady funding stream to even the playing field. Molinaro pointed to Texas where counties can put on a local sales tax and those funds can only be used for economic development.
Although money continues to be an issue, JobsOhio, a private non-profit corporation funded with state liquor profits to drive job creation and new capital investment in Ohio, has divided the state into six regions and aligned with regional economic development partners to target employer recruitment. The approach means there are areas of Ohio, especially rural ones, where for the first time, someone is actively reaching out to employers to locate in the area, Molinaro said.
There is some indication that rural job growth may be picking up the pace. Employment grew more than 1 percent during the year that ended after the second quarter of 2015; a “marked improvement,” according to the USDA report.
Despite slow job growth in rural America, its unemployment rates have dropped alongside urban areas. That’s because the population and labor force has stayed flat, according to the report. However, in urban areas, job growth has been fast enough to recover and make up for increased demand from jobs with a growing population and labor force.
Ohio’s job picture moving into the final months of this year are promising. In October, the private sector added 36,300 new jobs, making it the largest one-month jump in more than 17 years, according to the Buckeye Institute, a conservative, nonpartisan think-tank.
Ohio’s unemployment also fell to 4.4 percent in October, the lowest in 14 years. And although 38 counties had been chasing pre-recession unemployment rates in 2014, as of October, unemployment rates in all 88 counties were better than they saw in 2007, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“These numbers warrant cautious optimism,” said Joe Nichols, a fellow at The Buckeye Institute. “The October report is encouraging, of course, but will only be meaningful if it indicates a larger trend, which has failed to materialize in 2015.”
Appalachia continues to struggle the most in Ohio. It's had the least amount of new job growth so far this year, with 478 new jobs reported by Molinaro's group, which was a 44 percent decrease from the first three quarters of 2014. While job growth is slower in Appalachia, capital investments of $2.2 billion in all of 2014 outpaced all other regions and continues to be strong this year with $943 million so far.
According to Molinaro, the biggest disadvantage in Appalachia is the lack of development sites that have capacity for water and other utilities and, sometimes even an existing building. Strip mined areas also often need extra work to stabilize the soil for construction. As such, making moves to the area can be more costly for a business.
However, Ohio is well-positioned for manufacturing growth as companies reassess where they are making their products, weighing labor costs against transportation costs, Molinaro said. For example, it's not necessarily economically beneficial anymore to harvest logs from Ohio that are shipped to China where they are made into products that are just shipped back to America, he added.
Ohio is geographically positioned to help keep transportation costs low — it's within a one-day drive of 60 percent of the north American market and also has rail and barge transportation available. For Molinaro, when you couple the transportation amenities with Ohio's experienced manufacturing workforce, it makes for a great sales pitch when recruiting companies.
Read or Share this story: http://ohne.ws/1QvWEiMM-Sport Bentley broke through to claim victory in the second round of the Blancpain Endurance Series at Silverstone. Guy Smith, Andy Meyrick and Steven Kane overcame a drive through penalty to win Bentley’s first international race since Le Mans in 2003.
Alvaro Parente took the lead into Copse Corner and within two laps he was almost four seconds clear of the rest of the field, with Smith and Kevin Estre chasing the Portuguese driver, until the Bentley was handed a drive through penalty for improving under yellow just over 45 minutes in.
The No. 98 McLaren was the last of the two ART Grand Prix cars to make its first stop and Gregoire Demoustier returned it in front of team mate Kevin Korjus, but on lap 34 the Estonian passed his French colleague and moved the No. 99 car into the lead.
Korjus extended his lead to 34.102 seconds before handing over the McLaren MP4-12C GT3 to Andy Soucek for the final stint, while Alexandre Premat took over the wheel of the second McLaren from Demoustier.
Despite the drive through, Meyrick got the No. 7 Bentley back into second place and Kane returned the Bentley right between the two McLarens as he rejoined after taking over from Meyrick.
With 42 minutes remaining in the race and just after Joe Osborne had |
aircraft were converted to target tugs, following withdrawal from front line service. Others were completed as target tugs from the factory and used by the RAF and Fleet Air Arm in this role (Fleet Requirements).[1] They were also used as advanced trainers for the Fleet Air Arm. The last Skua in service was struck off charge in March 1945.[8]
The Blackburn Roc was a very similar aircraft developed as a turret fighter, with all its armament in a dorsal turret. The Roc was expected to fly with the Skua. Rocs were attached to Skua squadrons to protect the fleet anchorage at Scapa Flow in early 1940 and briefly from HMS Glorious and Ark Royal during the Norwegian Campaign. Skuas and Rocs flew fighter sweeps and bombing sorties over the English Channel during Operation Dynamo and Operation Ariel, the evacuations of Allied forces from Dunkirk and other French ports.[9]
Variants [ edit ]
Skua Mk.I : two prototypes. Powered by the Bristol Mercury, it had distinctive fairings to the engine cowling over the tappet valves of the Mercury. The first prototype, K5178, had a much shorter nose while K5179, the second prototype, had a lengthened nose to improve longitudinal stability.
: two prototypes. Powered by the Bristol Mercury, it had distinctive fairings to the engine cowling over the tappet valves of the Mercury. The first prototype, K5178, had a much shorter nose while K5179, the second prototype, had a lengthened nose to improve longitudinal stability. Skua Mk.II : Production aircraft powered by the sleeve valve Bristol Perseus. Long nose as per K5179 but with a shorter, smooth cowling. Two-seat fighter and dive bomber for the Royal Navy; 190 built by Blackburn at Brough Aerodrome.
Surviving Aircraft [ edit ]
No intact Skuas survive. In April 2007 the only known nearly complete Blackburn Skua was discovered in Orkdalsfjorden in Norway at 242 metres (794 ft) depth.[10] Due to an engine failure, the Skua, flown by John Casson, leader of 803 Squadron, had to make an emergency water landing in the fjord.[11] Both crew members survived and spent the next five years as prisoners of war. Despite efforts to raise the aircraft to the surface as gently as possible, the tail broke off. The engine had become detached in the ditching. The fuselage, cockpit and wings were salvaged. The Skua will be restored at Norway's aviation museum in Bodø.[12][13]
In 1974, L2940 was recovered from Breidalsvatnet lake, near Grotli in Skjåk municipality in Norway. Captain R. T. Partridge (RM) shot down a Heinkel He 111 and then made an emergency landing on the ice-covered lake on 27 April 1940. Survivors from both aeroplanes independently made their way to a mountain lodge, where they encountered each another. This incident serves as the basis for the film Into the White.[14]
Operators and units [ edit ]
Royal Air Force RAF Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Units
Specifications (Skua Mk. II) [ edit ]
Data from Blackburn Aircraft since 1909[15]
General characteristics
Crew: two
two Length: 35 ft 7 in (10.85 m)
35 ft 7 in (10.85 m) Wingspan: 46 ft 2 in (14.08 m)
46 ft 2 in (14.08 m) Height: 12 ft 6 in (3.81 m)
12 ft 6 in (3.81 m) Wing area: 319 sq ft (29.6 m 2 )
319 sq ft (29.6 m ) Empty weight: 5,496 lb (2,498 kg)
5,496 lb (2,498 kg) Loaded weight: 8,228 lb (3,740 kg)
8,228 lb (3,740 kg) Powerplant: 1 × Bristol Perseus XII radial engine, 890 hp (664 kW)
Performance
Armament
See also [ edit ]
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
Related lists
References [ edit ]
Notes [ edit ]
^ Mitsubishi A5M4 with a Nakajima Kotobuki 41 engine ^ Grumman F3F-3 with a Wright R-1820-22 "Cyclone" 9-cylinder radial engine ^ Messerschmitt Bf109E with DB601A engine
Citations [ edit ]
Bibliography [ edit ]The Malaysian prime minister says investigators now know that the missing Malaysian airliner’s communications were deliberately disabled and that it turned back from its flight to Beijing and flew across Malaysia.
A newly extended, multinational search stretching all the way from Kazakhstan to the southern Indian Ocean was under way on Saturday after satellite data indicated missing flight MH370 last made contact six hours after previously believed.
Speaking for the first time about the Boeing 777 with 239 people on board one week after it vanished from civilian radar, Najib Razak said authorities believed the plane’s diversion from its original flightpath towards Beijing to be the “deliberate action by someone on the plane”.
Malaysian police said on Saturday morning that they were searching the home of the pilot of the missing plane.
According to the raw satellite data, the aircraft last made contact at 8.11am local time on 8 March, nearly seven hours after it lost contact with air traffic control, although it is still unclear just how far the aircraft may have flown after this last point of contact.
Malaysia’s aviation authorities are working with their international counterparts to help determine where exactly the plane may now be, Najib said, who added it was likely to be in one of two possible flight corridors: a northern corridor stretching from northern Thailand to the border of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, and a southern corridor stretching from Indonesia out towards the southern Indian Ocean.
Najib plainly stated that, while media reports had circulated that the plane was hijacked while on route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, authorities were still investigating all possibilities but added: “In view of this latest development, the Malaysian authorities have refocused their investigation into the crew and passengers on board.”
The satellite data indicates that the plane was flying for far longer than had been initially believed, and is likely to instigate what may be the biggest hunt ever for a missing aircraft.
Some 14 countries, 43 ships and 58 aircraft are already involved in search and rescue efforts, but the two new flight corridors will necessitate the assistance of all the countries underneath those corridors — including, possibly, Burma, Bhutan, Nepal, Tibet, Kyrgyzstan, China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest MH370: communications deliberately disabled, says Malaysian prime minister - video
The new satellite data sheds considerable light on the mystery of the vanished jet after it was confirmed its two main communications systems — the Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System and its transponder — were disabled within one hour of take-off, which erased the jet from civilian radar systems.
Military data had previously shown an “unidentified” aircraft out towards the Malacca Straits at 2.15am local time, an obvious diversion from where flight MH370 was last seen over the Gulf of Thailand between Malaysia and Vietnam. Najib confirmed was flight MH370.
“Today, based on raw satellite data which was obtained from the satellite data service provider, we can confirm that the aircraft shown in the primary radar data was flight MH370,” he said.
The US Federal Aviation Administration, the US National Transportation Safety Board, the UK’s Aviation Accidents Investigation Branch and Malaysian authorities had all come separately and independently to the same conclusion, he added.
The news is likely to fuel speculation over suspected terrorism although no person or group has come forward to disclose why the plane may have been hijacked, and it is still unclear what motives, if any, can explain the diversion away from China.Signup to receive a daily roundup of the top LGBT+ news stories from around the world
Ministers in Denmark have dubbed the newly elected Pope Francis “harmful”, expressing disappointment that the Vatican did not choose someone more progressive on LGBT and women’s rights, but remain hopeful that he may prove them wrong.
The new pope, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the 76-year-old Argentinean, who will be known as Pope Francis, has in the past described same-sex marriage and gay couples adopting as a “destructive attack on God’s plan.”
The new pope has also said that same-sex adoption adoption is a form of discrimination and abuse against children.
Denmark’s development minister Christian Friis Bach, has said that he feels disappinted that the Catholic Church chose Bergoglio.
Bach did commend the pope’s track record of fighting for the poor, but went on to say that he questioned his record on gay rights and women.
Speaking to Politiken newspaper, he said: “I had hoped we would get a more progressive pope… The Vatican has already shown itself as one of the fiercest opponents of gay rights, and there is nothing to suggest that this pope is any different. But we can of course hope.”
He said that his early statements did not indicate that he was any different to his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, who was adamantly homophobic.
Bach was not the only Danish minister to share his views on the papal election, as equality and church minister Manu Sareen, agreed with him.
Writing on his Facebook wall, Sareen said: “I regret to say that I am in complete disagreement with previous opinions expressed by this pope… The oppression of women and homosexuals in the name of religion is unacceptable.”
A spokesperson for political party, Enhedslisten, described Francis’s election as “harmful”. Villumsen said: “The Catholic Church continues its problematic and conservative dogmatism… It is deeply damaging to the fight for gay rights and against AIDS around the world.”
The Danish Social Democrat’s equality spokesperson Rasmum Horn Langhoff, said that Pope Francis was just another in a long list of “older white men”, and said that he had hoped the church would elected someone more progressive.
Cardinal Keith O’Brien, the only British Catholic leader eligible to have voted in the Conclave was forced to resign after admitting inappropriate sexual conduct with other priests.Buy Photo In 1996, the Gold Dollar became one of the centers of the city’s garage rock revival scene. The White Stripes debuted at the small club in 1997. (Photo: Max Ortiz / The Detroit News)Buy Photo
A former drag-queen bar where the Grammy Award-winning band The White Stripes played their first show is part of another quiet, mass purchase of Detroit land by an entity linked to the billionaire Ilitch organization.
The building that once housed the Gold Dollar bar is among the properties on the 3100 block of Cass Avenue purchased in 2015 for $2.2 million in a single sale, according to public records that were made available only recently. The properties were then transferred a year later for $1 to Cass Revival LLC, whose 2211 Woodward address is the downtown Fox Theatre.
An entity called Urban Horticulture, LLC, was listed as the 2015 buyer from then-owner Joel Landy. The sale included the former bar, one of three vacant buildings, and empty lots on Cass between Charlotte and Peterboro streets.
The vacant Gold Dollar was a beer garden in the 1930s, that had become an underground gay bar by the 1960s, said Elias Khalil, a longtime neighborhood resident, business owner and co-author of “Detroit’s Cass Corridor,” a book exploring the history of the neighborhood.
“It was very much a drag queen bar,” Khalil said. “It operated that way during the ’70s until probably the late ’80s.”
In 1996, the building was reopened by a young entrepreneur Neil Yee as a bar and experimental performance space that kept the Gold Dollar name. It became one of the centers of the city’s garage rock revival scene. The White Stripes, which consisted of Jack and Meg White, made their debut at the small club in 1997.
The Gold Dollar shut down in 2001 and the building has been empty and fallen to disrepair since. The roof in the back of the structure is gone. Plans for the purchased properties have not been revealed.
The newly reported acquisitions join the dozens of properties — from empty lots, shabby homes and vacant buildings — that entities linked to the Ilitches have spent millions as part of a long-ranging plan for the area around their newly opened Little Caesars Arena.
Buy Photo The newly reported acquisitions join dozens of properties that entities linked to the Ilitches have acquired. (Photo: Max Ortiz / The Detroit News)
The Ilitches have been the driving force in the effort to overhaul more than 50 blocks of Detroit into dense upscale neighborhoods full of new residences and businesses. The development plan, known as The District Detroit, is focused on the northern edge of downtown.
Little Caesars Arena, the $863 million sports and entertainment complex that opened this fall, is expected to be the anchor of the development plan. The “LCA” is home to the Ilitch’s Detroit Red Wings. Its Olympia Entertainment manages the city-owned arena, which is expected to become the top concert venue in the region in the wake of the recent closings of Joe Louis Arena and the Palace of Auburn Hills.
The Ilitch family’s host of businesses include the Little Caesars Pizza chain, the Detroit Tigers and Red Wings. Marian Ilitch and her husband, Mike, who died in February, co-founded Little Ceasars Pizza in 1959. The global franchise reports $4 billion in annual sales.
Marian Ilitch owns the MotorCity Casino Hotel. The Detroit Tigers are now in a family trust. Chris Ilitch, the son of Mike and Marian, is president and CEO of Ilitch Holdings Inc. Their combined businesses employ 23,000 people, according to the company. Forbes estimates the family’s net worth at $5.8 billion.
laguilar@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @LouisAguilar_DN
Read or Share this story: http://detne.ws/2AFjLqPThe former Delta Force commander with the pseudonym of Dalton Fury appeared on "60 Minutes" wearing prosthetics and colored contact lenses in 2008. Fury led a unit in the 2001 Delta Force mission intended to kill Osama bin Laden in the wake of 9/11. "60 Minutes"/CBS News
Over more than 20 years in the US Army as a Ranger and then a Delta Force operator, Dalton Fury learned that the best leaders not only manage their subordinates, but also manage their superiors.
Fury is the pseudonym he uses for both his nonfiction and fiction writing, since his time in the highly secretive Delta Force has required him to conceal his true identity.
In an emailed list of leadership lessons sent to Business Insider, Fury explained that his time as a Delta Force commander taught him whether he was in a situation that fit nicely into the mission plan or one that fell far outside of it, "managing the boss on target is equally important."
If his superior lost confidence in him in the middle of a mission, then the ensuing hasty decisions could result in not only a botched mission, but the deaths of Fury and his men as well.
The key then, whether it's in a highly confidential military operation in the Middle East or a conference-room meeting between a company and its client, is the existence of trust between yourself and your boss. It's a trust that isn't only built by previously demonstrating your competence, but by working through how to tackle possible snafus with your superior before a weighty task.
Fury notes that in the 2011 Navy SEAL mission that eliminated Osama bin Laden, the plan almost immediately went off course when one of the team's helicopters crashed while attempting to land. The reason the mission ended successfully, Fury argues, is that the SEAL team had assured their superiors they knew how to handle any aspect of their plan going badly by working through contingencies, like the response to the possibility of a botched helicopter landing.
He says the same concept applies in the office.
"Develop and work through your contingencies well ahead of time," Fury writes. "When they are needed, before someone hastily calls to abort or retreat, remind your boss that you have already anticipated the problem and are prepared for it. If he wants to remain on the [helicopter] during the assault, or in the employee lounge, that's fine. But on target, or on task, you're driving until you need something from your boss."Trees are very powerful according to Taoist masters. Aside from absorbing carbon dioxide and turning it into oxygen, trees also have the ab...
http://humansarefree.com/2017/10/you-can-heal-yourself-using-chi-energy.html
Trees are very powerful according to Taoist masters. Aside from absorbing carbon dioxide and turning it into oxygen, trees also have the ability to absorb negative energy and transform it into positive.
How to Use The Chi Energy of Trees to Heal Yourself?
1. How to Choose The Right Tree?
The different characteristics of trees:
2. How to Establish an Energy Relationship With The Tree?
By activating these four elements you will establish an energy relationship with the tree:
Here are some techniques you can practice:
3. How The Healing Process Begins?
The roots of trees dig deep into Earth, the deeper their roots, the higher they rise to the skies. They absorb the energy of the Earth as well as the universal force of the sky.Trees are considered the most spiritually advanced plant on Earth because of their constant meditation with subtle energy.You can establish a relationship with trees so long as you understand their language. And they can help you open up your energy channels to cultivate calm, presence and vitality. They also can benefit from you when you help them eliminate their blocks and devitalized parts. Like any other relationships, you benefit from each other by the constant cultivation of your connection.Follow these steps to choose the right tree, to establish an energy relationship with that tree and eventually heal yourself:Humans have been using parts of trees for medications and healing almost as long as humanity exists.But along the way they discovered what type of tree should be used for what type of remedy.The big ones are the best, like pines. They radiate Chi, nourish the blood, strengthen the nervous system, and even help in longevity while feeding the soul and spirit.Pines, which are often the subjects of ancient Chinese poetry and paintings, are considered to be “immortal trees.”There are, however, other trees which you can choose from. The big ones have maximum energy while those that sit up near the streams are also the best.Trees have different characteristics. Some are hotter or warmer and others are cooler or colder. With constant practice, you are able to distinguish each species from the others.– Cypresses and cedars have the ability to lower the temperature and can feed Yin energy.– Willows fight the dry winds and eliminate excess moisture from the body, reduce blood pressure, strengthen the urinary tract and bladder.– Elms can calm the mind and strengthen the stomach.– Maples fight the dry winds and help reduce any pain.– Carobs help eliminates internal heat and balance conditions of the heart.– Banyan trees or Bengali figs purify your heart and help eliminate moisture in the body.– Cinnamons can remove the cold from the heart and the stomach.– Fir trees help absorb bruises to reduce sweating and heal bone fractures.– Hawthorns help in digestion, strengthen the intestine and fight low blood pressure.– Birches help lower body temperature, eliminate body moisture and detoxify the body.– Prunes feed the spleen, the stomach, the pancreas as well as calm the mind.– Figs help eliminate excess heat in the body by increasing salivation, it also nourishes the spleen, and helps cure diarrhea.– Knees help strengthen the bladder and relieve urinary problems in women.Keep in mind that small trees don’t have enough energy to accommodate you while gigantic trees may drown you with their energy.It’s best to select one that is medium sized and robust.You can create a silent communion rite with the tree that is understood by both of you and the tree.But first, you must see the personality of the tree and its life. There are trees that are very generous and quickly give you the energy you need.Other trees are weak or ill and need your healing energy first.Some are friendly while some are plain indifferent depending on their energy.You can work with all of them to find which tree works best with you.Be open and give them your respect without pushing them too hard to bend to your purpose.The most important thing when establishing a connection is to be near the tree so you can touch it, to open yourself up shamelessly and to be clear in your intent while showing love.– Touch;– Openness;– Sincerity;– Love;Just make sure that you spend at least 30 minutes around the tree. However, some trees might respond quicker depending on their energy.1. Tree Hugging:2. Sitting facing the tree:3. Meditation near the tree:4. Standing facing the tree:Visit the tree regularly. Building a relationship with trees takes a longer time than building one with humans.But if you keep returning back to the same tree, you are likely to begin your lasting friendship with it.Once you visit it regularly, it will soon expect you. Some say that it might even miss your presence.Creating a spiritual communion with trees is like making love that requires sensuality and tenderness.When you finally establish that communion, you don’t need to control the situation. Just allow yourself to relax and melt in that communion.Allow the tree to guide you to your healing. It might remedy your issue or it might give you intuitive guidance as how to find additional help.If nothing else, it will heal the spiritual aspect of your problem.“In Japan, people practise ‘forest bathing’, where they spend quiet time absorbing the wisdom of ancient forests, taking long walks among the trees to stimulate their immune system.In Taoism, students are encouraged to meditate among trees, and it is believed that the trees will absorb negative energies, replacing them with healthy ones. Trees are seen as a source of emotional and physical healing, and themselves as meditators, absorbing universal energies.”In 1926, Harry Leslie Smith's sister died of TB in a workhouse infirmary, too poor for proper medical care. In 1948, the creation of the NHS put a stop to all that. In an extract from his new book, Harry's Last Stand, he describes his despair at the coalition's dismantling of the welfare state
A midwife with a penchant for gin delivered me into the arms of my exhausted mother on a cold, blustery day in February 1923. I slept that night in my new crib, a dresser drawer beside her bed, unaware of the troubles that surrounded me. Because my dad was a coal miner, we lived rough and ready in the hardscrabble Yorkshire town of Barnsley. Money and happiness didn't come easily for the likes of us.
Considering the hunger, the turmoil and the squalor in Britain during the early years of the 20th century, it was miraculous that I lived to see my third birthday. That I survived colic, flu, infection, scrapes and bangs without the benefits of modern sanitation, hygiene or health care, I must give thanks to my sturdy peasant genes. As a baby, I was ignorant of the great sorrow that enveloped England and Europe like a damp, grey fog. The nation was still in mourning for her dead from the world's first Great War. It had ended only five short years before my arrival. Nearly a million British soldiers had been killed in that conflict. It had begun in farce in 1914 and ended in bloody tragedy in 1918. In four years, that war killed more than 37 million men, women and children around the world.
Even when the guns across the battlefields were made dumb by peace, the killing didn't stop. Death refused to take a holiday and a pestilence stormed across the globe. It was called the Spanish flu. The pandemic lasted until 1921 and erased 100 million people from the ledger book of the living.
Like most people in Barnsley, my family occupied a terraced house. They were built back-to-back and in a row of 10 units. There was little space, privacy or comfort for us or any of the other occupants. It was just a place to rest your head after spending 10 hours hacking coal from the side of a rock face hundreds of feet below ground. Three walls out of four were connected to another household.
Barnsley covered in snow, 1930. Photograph: Fox Photos
The floors were made of hard slate rock and were sparsely covered with old rags that had been hand-woven into coarse mats. The interior walls were comprised of wet limestone coated in a gruel-thin whitewash that never seemed to look clean.
In summer our home was hot, in autumn damp, and in winter bitterly cold, while spring was as wet as autumn again. The house had no electricity and only the parlour and scullery possessed a gaslight fixture. After sunset, it sputtered and hissed a gloomy yellow light that illuminated our poverty. I shared a room with my older sister, Alberta. We slept together on a straw mattress that was host to many insects and reeked of time and other people's piss. Its covering was made from a rough material that was as uncomfortable to me as the occasions when my father tickled my face with his moustache. Depending on the season, I slept in my undershirt or remained fully clothed. During the cold months, Alberta and I nestled together and shared our body heat to stave off the chilling frost beating against the windowpane. Our parlour had no furniture except a stool and an upright piano that had come as part of my dad's legacy from his father. But it stood mute against the wall because the room was occupied by my infirm and dying eldest sister, Marion.
At the age of four she had contracted tuberculosis, which was a common disease among our class. Her ailment was caused because my parents were compelled to live in a disease-ridden mining slum at the end of the Great War. Eventually my parents were able to leave the slum but by then the damage had already been done to my sister's health, and the TB spread into her spine. It left her a paraplegic with a hunchback. For the last 12 months of her life, Marion was totally dependent on my mother to be fed, bathed and clothed. In those days, there was no national health service; you either had the dosh to pay for your medicine or you did without. Your only hope for some medical care was the council poorhouse that accepted indigent patients.
Miners leaving a Yorkshire pit after an explosion, 1930. Photograph: Associated Newspapers/Rex
As a young lad, I was encouraged by my parents to spend time with my ailing sister. I think it was because they knew that she was dying and they wanted me to remember her for the rest of my life. I didn't comprehend illness or death because I was only three, so I contented myself with playing near her sick bed. On some occasions, I told her nonsense stories, but my sister couldn't respond to my kindness because the disease had destroyed her vocal cords.
Even though she was in extreme pain while the TB ate away at her spine and invaded her vital organs, she was silent. My sister always seemed to be looking past me with her large expressive eyes. Perhaps she was waiting for death, or perhaps she found the gaslight casting shadows on the opposite wall an appealing distraction from the monotony of the pain that consumed her 10-year-old body.
TB was known in the 19th century as the poet's disease, but I saw no lyricism in the way it killed Marion. As the autumn days grew shorter in 1926, so did the time my sister had to live. Her last weeks were unbearable but she still fought death. She thrashed her arms about in defiance against the coming end to her life. My parents tried to calm her by stroking her hair or singing to her, but she wasn't pacified. Instead, Marion wept silent tears and continued to struggle with so much ferocity that in the end my dad reluctantly restrained her to her bed with a rope.
My parents decided that there was nothing more that could be done for Marion in their care, so they arranged for her to be placed in our local workhouse infirmary. It was the last stop for many people who were too poor to pay for a doctor or proper hospital care. The workhouse in our community was a forbidding building that had been constructed during the age of Dickens. In the century before I was born it was used to imprison debtors, house orphans and provide primitive health care to the indigent. By the time Marion was sent there, it was no longer used as a prison. However, orphans, the sick and those with communicable diseases were still incarcerated behind its thick, towering black walls.
Spanish flu victims. Photograph: Everett Collection Inc/Alamy
On one of the last days in September my mother pawned her best dress and my father's Sunday suit and hired a man with an old dray horse and cart to come to our house and collect Marion. When he arrived, my dad carried Marion outside and carefully placed her into the delivery carriage where my mother was waiting for her.
Alberta and I stood on the side of the street and waved goodbye to Marion. I asked my dad where my sister was going and he mournfully replied: "She's going to a better place than here." Afterwards, he put his arms around me and Alberta and we watched the horse-drawn carriage slowly plod down our road towards the workhouse infirmary.
That was the last time I saw my sister alive.
Marion died a month later in the arms of my mother. There was no wake, no funeral service and even much later there was no headstone erected to mark her brief passage in life. My family, like the rest of our community, was just too poor to afford the accoutrements of mourning. We relied on my dad's minuscule salary just to keep us with a roof over our heads and dry in the perpetual hard luck rain of Yorkshire. Even my dead sister's landau was quickly dispatched to the pawnbroker's shop where it was swapped for a few coins to help feed her hungry living siblings.
My sister's body was committed to a pauper's pit and interred in an unmarked grave along with a dozen other forgotten victims of penury. My parents didn't even have a picture to remember their daughter's life. To the outside world, it was as if she was never there, but for our family her life and her end profoundly affected us. My father never mentioned Marion's name again. It wasn't out of callousness or disrespect, but because her death festered in his soul like a wound that never healed. For the rest of his life my dad carried with him an unwarranted guilt that he was responsible for Marion's tuberculosis, and it cut him deep. As for my mother, she often talked about Marion. As my family stumbled from misery to calamity, through the pitch dark of the Great Depression, my mother invoked my dead sister's name as a warning that the workhouse awaited each of us, unless the world and our circumstances changed.
It would be almost 20 years before, in 1948, the NHS was formed, and for the first time in my civilian life I went to a doctor's surgery and was treated for bronchitis with antibiotics that assured me a speedy and safe recovery. The cost to me was nothing, and I was grateful because I was skint, having just started back in the civilian working world.
An NHS immunization van in the 50s. Photograph: Popperfoto
As I convalesced, I was gobsmacked at the great consequences of free health care and the potential it offered to improve our society. It was a transformational shift in how we as a country viewed our fellow citizens. The creation of the NHS made us understand that we were in truth our brother's keeper, and that taxation benefits everyone through maintaining not just our roads and sewers but the health of our children, workers and elderly.
To me, the introduction of free health care was the first brick laid on the road to the social welfare state. So it has always been difficult for me to listen to politicians, proud possessors of health insurance and shares in private health care companies, when they talk about how the health service that we fought so hard to build must change. The coalition government's Health and Social Care Act will create a two-tier health care system. This act will see the NHS stripped down like a derelict house is by criminals for copper wiring.
Ukip has even proposed that A&E patients should have the right to buy their way to the front of the queue, while in Merseyside a private for-profit cancer clinic has set up shop under the NHS umbrella. Where will all of this end? What will be given the greatest priority in a new health care system that sends every service, from blood work to chemotherapy, out to the lowest bid tender?
It ends where I began my life – in a Britain that believed health care depended on your social status. So if you were rich and insured you received timely medical treatment, while the rest of the country got the drippings. One-fifth of the lords who voted in the controversial act – which provides a gateway to privatise our health care system – were found to have connections to private health care companies. If that doesn't make you angry, nothing will.
Sometimes I try to think how I might explain to Marion how we built these beautiful structures in our society – which protected the poor, which kept them safe at work, healthy in their lives, supported them when they were down on their luck – only to watch them be destroyed within a few short generations. But I cannot find the words.
More from Harry Leslie Smith
The Britain of our youth was intolerant, now we find Farage intolerable
The immigration debate reminds me of Enoch Powell
This year, I will wear a poppy for the last time
Harry's Last Stand by Harry Leslie Smith is published by Icon Books at £12.99. To order a copy for £9.99, visit theguardian.com/bookshop or call 0330 333 6846.Predictably, Saturday night's festivities gave way to the mother of all hangovers. Juventus had celebrated Zdenek Grygera's injury-time equaliser against Internazionale with such wild abandon that a casual spectator might have assumed they had just won the Scudetto. They awoke to the grinding realisation that they had squandered any last faint hope they had of doing so, however, a 1–1 draw serving only to keep them 10 points behind the leaders with six games remaining.
But if Juventus had hoped to at least be lauded for refusing to give up on the game after first falling behind and then having Tiago Mendes sent off, they awoke to find discussion of events off the pitch rapidly overtaking any talk of the match itself. Internazionale's team bus had been met outside the Stadio Olimpico before the game by a mob of Juventus fans throwing eggs and bottles. During the match the Internazionale striker Mario Balotelli had been subjected to a stream of racist taunts and chants.
"If I had been in the stadium, after a certain point I would have left my seat in the stands, I would have gone down on to the pitch and taken my team out of the game," said Internazionale's president, Massimo Moratti, and he was not alone in arguing the match should have been stopped. Marcello Nicchi, the head of the Italian Referees' Association, was eventually forced to clarify that referees are told not to abandon a game because of trouble in the stands unless instructed to do so by police.
Juventus can expect to receive a fine, though it is unlikely to put a significant dent in their finances. Roma were forced to pay just €8,000 (£7,100) when their fans directed similar abuse at Balotelli during their 3–3 draw in March, on condition that they took steps to prevent any repeat. The Juventus president, Giovanni Cobolli Gigli, has condemned the chanting and will doubtless hope to receive similar terms.
Balotelli, for his part, will feel that he answered the abuse in the best possible way. It was his team-mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic who once responded to the jeers of Juventus fans by insisting that "they will only make me stronger" but, while the Swede is yet to score against his former club, Balotelli's strike on Saturday was his third in as many appearances against the Bianconeri. Only a goalline clearance from Grygera had prevented him from opening the scoring sooner.
"I am more Italian than those Juventus fans in the stands," was all Balotelli would say on the matter afterwards. Although his birth parents were Ghanaian, the striker was adopted by the Balotelli family at the age of the three and is fiercely proud of his Italian nationality. Forced to wait until his 18th birthday to receive full citizenship, Balotelli declined a number of opportunities to represent the senior Ghana team from the age of 16 onwards, insisting that he would only ever play for Italy. He made his debut for the Under-21 team less than a month after becoming eligible.
Patriotism, of course, is no indicator of character and many teams' fans might have been riled by some of Balotelli's actions on Saturday. The striker is petulant in the extreme and on another day might have seen red himself after off-the-ball incidents in which he was seen to lash out at Nicola Legrottaglie and swear at the referee, Stefano Farina. But there is no justification for racial abuse. The 18-year-old is far from the first teenager with a temper to visit Turin and few have been met by such a reception.
Nor were the chants directed at Balotelli the only ones that will have troubled the Juventus manager, Claudio Ranieri. Shortly before Grygera's equaliser, the home support began to sing the name of Antonio Conte, the club's former captain and the current manager of the Serie B leaders, Bari.
It has long been apparent that Ranieri has next to no say in the club's transfer policy – and he is said to be less than enthused by reported moves for Werder Bremen's Diego and Real Madrid's Fabio Cannavaro. With his team now back in third after allowing Milan to make up seven points in the space of three games, it seems increasingly likely that the Tinkerman will not be around to welcome them to Turin.
Round 32 talking points
• Milan moved ahead of Juventus after thrashing Torino 5–1 at San Siro, with the help of another hat-trick from Filippo Inzaghi. The striker has now scored a phenomenal nine goals in his last six appearances, and no player seems to have benefited more from the |
main point! The other day Patterico said that O'Keefe didn't ask permission from a parole officer to go to CPAC and I posted where he said it in the Washington Examiner. Yeah, Paul L, take the advice and read the affidavit. You're implying O'Keefe did nothing wrong THERE, too, like Patterico was implying O'Keefe did nothing wrong with ACORN. You're trying to get the conversations bogged down in details. The main point Colbert is making is that even HE could splice/edit up a video to make someone look bad. He did what O'Keefe does, but to Hannity. THAT'S THE F*CKING POINT, YOU IDIOT!!!
COMMENT #13 [Permalink]
... Big Dan said on 3/5/2010 @ 3:26 pm PT...
Next they'll say "Well, O'Keefe wasn't arrested". Yeah, just some guys dressed in blue with cop hats on that said "Police" put some steel thingy's on his hands and took him to some weird building where there were rooms with bars on them and...........GET LOST!
COMMENT #14 [Permalink]
... Ernest A. Canning said on 3/5/2010 @ 6:08 pm PT...
I think it especially important to note that this video is especially devastating because Brad Friedman has, for weeks now, cut through the hard-right's web of ACORN deceit with laser-like precision.
COMMENT #15 [Permalink]
... Lora said on 3/5/2010 @ 6:55 pm PT...
"Isn't It Ironic..." That for Colbert to say "wiretap" is wrong according to the right wingnut defenders, but to them it's perfectly clear that O'Keefe pretended to the ACORN workers that he was setting up an underage brothel....
COMMENT #16 [Permalink]
... KestrelBrighteyes said on 3/5/2010 @ 7:36 pm PT...
COMMENT #3 [Permalink]
... Paul L. said on 3/5/2010 @ 11:04 am PT... Looks like Colbert lied (according to Bradblog standards) at 2:25 Arrested to allegedly trying to wiretap Sen. Mary Landrieu office. Can you point to the charge of wiretapping in the affidavit? Psssssssst...Paul L. Perhaps you missed the memo - the Colbert Report is SATIRE. Granted Stephen Colbert comes closer to real news than Faux Noise..but it's meant to be FUNNY, not necessarily technically ACCURATE. Bless your heart
COMMENT #17 [Permalink]
... David Lasagna said on 3/5/2010 @ 9:45 pm PT...
Dear Ernest Canning, I've fallen behind in this ongoing O'Keefe/Acorn imbroglio. I have things that need attending so there's a good chance I shall remain not caught up. But I wanted to respond to this from you which I caught this morning along with two other comments to which I finally was able to respond. You said-- COMMENT #155 [Permalink]
... Ernest A. Canning said on 3/4/2010 @ 7:06 am PT... To my friend David Lasagna. I have been listening. I don't think that you, at this point, understand the totalitarian mindset that is behind the ACORN smears. I haven't as yet responded because that will be the topic of a post currently in the can. Ernest-- thanks for listening, responding, and thanks for your concern. I'm not sure what it is you think I don't understand but I certainly will continue to look forward to your next post where we may have a chance to discuss this further. all the best, Dave
COMMENT #18 [Permalink]
... anaximenes said on 3/6/2010 @ 4:14 am PT...
Anaximenes was part of an ancient Greek philosophical tradition that proposed that everything in the Universe is made up of one element, in his case : Air. If he meant the "hot" variety, modern philosophical observation may prove him right.
OK, now that that's off my chest....please, Please, PLEASE do something about allowing your Canadian fans to watch and listen to some of your multimedia content. Whenever there's any Comedy Central link anywhere on the web, Canadians get the totally uninformative message "In Canada, Comedy Central Videos are available on the Comedy Network". So we click on that and get linked to Comedy Central...and believe me, that's just not as funny as it sounds.
Plus, most of your radio stuff just won't stream to Canada for some reason. So when you're replacing an ex-Air American (sorry his name escapes me) and announce it on your blog, your Canadian fans are greeted with the web version of static.
I don't know if it's a Canadian Government plot, to either keep us from being political, or from getting too funny, but basically what I'm saying is I'm pissed off. There, now I feel better.
Otherwise keep up the GREAT work...and Breathe, the air's just fine.
COMMENT #19 [Permalink]
... Ernest A. Canning said on 3/6/2010 @ 4:33 am PT...
Perhaps it's just me, but when I look into Michelle Malkin's eyes, I get the distinct impression that young lady's elevator doesn't get off at the top floor.
COMMENT #20 [Permalink]
... Ernest A. Canning said on 3/6/2010 @ 5:46 am PT...
David Lasagna, here's the permalink to the earlier comment you made to which I was responding. Brad assures me that my new piece will be posted soon. It will provide context, and, hopefully, clarity.
COMMENT #21 [Permalink]
... Big Dan said on 3/6/2010 @ 8:43 am PT...
We live in a time where a 25 year old rightwing punk can create a hoax video and the congress rushes through legislation to defund their target based on the video with no trial. Then when there's a trial and the results are ACORN is not guilty and the perpetrator is found to have edited the video to suit their agenda, the congress still keeps the legislation and the (not) "liberal media" doesn't issue retractions. Then with something important like health care where 45,000 Americans are dying a year, they say they can't rush through legislation, it's impossible.
COMMENT #22 [Permalink]
... Big Dan said on 3/6/2010 @ 8:53 am PT...
THEN...we have Kellogg, Brown, & Root (Halliburton) on real video doing things like electrocuting our soldiers and locking raped women in holding tanks with testimony in front of congress and we keep throwing billions at them. This government lost its moral compass. People like Patterico have lost their moral compass. What say you, Patterico, about defunding KBR/Halliburton? NO COMMENT! I'm sure you won't comment on defunding KBR/Halliburton. They're only ripping off our government in the BILLIONS!
COMMENT #23 [Permalink]
... Big Dan said on 3/6/2010 @ 8:57 am PT...
And what say you about Blackwater, Patterico? NO COMMENT, I'm sure! You only pick on ACORN because they registered one million mostly poor blacks who don't vote Republican. This is the fact, pure and simple. Let's see if Patterico has any comments on KBR/Halliburton or Blackwater. He won't, because those corporations are do things that fall into line with "his side". O'Keefe/Breitbart would never do a sting on a white/right filthy rich corporation ripping off the government. And to defund ACORN, he'll fabricate and splice a video, though.
COMMENT #24 [Permalink]
... Big Dan said on 3/6/2010 @ 9:06 am PT...
KBR gets $35M contract despite electrocutions http://www.armytimes.com.../ap_kbr_contract_020709/ Patterico, did you report on this on your website? And urge defunding of KBR? It's downright unAmerican if you didn't! It would mean you don't care if American soldiers die, as long as a company did it that's "your guys".
COMMENT #25 [Permalink]
... Ernest A. Canning said on 3/6/2010 @ 9:58 am PT...
The new $35 million KBR contract, Big Dan, is only a part of the linked story which notes: KBR has said it would cost an extra $560 million to refurbish buildings in Iraq used by the U.S. military, including Saddam Hussein’s palaces, which among other problems are based on a 220-volt standard rather than the American 120-volt standard. KBR, of course, is a former division of Halliburton, the company where Dick Cheney was the CEO before the left of the 2000 election made him VP. Now, KBR, after electrocuting our soldiers, shows its loyalty to Uncle Sam by relocating its HQ to Dubai. Here we are in 2010 still enmeshed in a war of choice that Joseph Stiglitz estimated in 2008 had already cost $3 trillion --- an unprovoked war of aggression to make the world safe for Exxon-Mobil and Chevron profits; a war initiated on a pack of lies emanating not only from the Bush/Cheney White House but the same Fox Noise crowd that is "appalled" that a few low level workers at a benevolent community organization could be taken in by right wing scam artists like O'Keefe & Giles. But hey, as Colbert notes, the Fox Noise crowd and their Republican Congressional allies succeeded in cutting off funds to an organization that helps protect people from mortgage scam artists and helps to prevent these defrauded victims from being evicted, so it's a "win-win." (Funny when Colbert said it, but not really funny when you think about it). An academic study long-ago released by the Lancet reveals the war has "liberated" more than one million Iraqis from their obligation [and ability] to breathe. Millions more Iraqis have been sent into exile. This never needed war in Iraq has costs the lives of thousands of US & UK soldiers; maimed and crippled for life tens of thousands more. Three trillion dollars and counting for this endless war and occupation--and here, at home, our economy is in free fall, unemployment has reached levels not seen since the Great Depression, our schools are underfunded, our infrastructure is collapsing, growing numbers of Americans are left to wonder where they will find their next meal, let alone how they can afford the extortionate cost of health insurance courtesy of a cartel whose CEOs have all the empathy of Mob boss, and the happy bankers and Wall Street tycoons are scheming for their next multi-million dollar bonus checks. But hey, we've got our Patterico to focus on the minutia of the doctored ACORN video tapes, while he ignores his legal duty to enforce CA PC 632 against his right-wing soul-mates, the phony pimp and phony hooker, so it's all good.
COMMENT #26 [Permalink]
... Big Dan said on 3/6/2010 @ 7:12 pm PT...
Hi, checked in and (of course) no comment from Patterico on KBR's electrocuting American soldiers. But, what I really wanted to say, is I watched the Colbert video again and you can notice some really funny things like when Colbert splices Hannity saying he needs hooker boots and condoms, the FOX "news" ticker below Colbert instantly ticks: "HANNITY: 'I NEED HOOKER BOOTS AND CONDOMS'". Patterico is an unAmerican coward for not posting about how KBR should be defunded for electrocuting American soldiers.
COMMENT #27 [Permalink]
... Big Dan said on 3/6/2010 @ 7:29 pm PT...
Texas is 'number one' in executions, murders, children in poverty, industrial pollution http://existentialistcow...r-one-in-executions.html
COMMENT #28 [Permalink]
... Patterico said on 3/7/2010 @ 12:30 am PT...
"But hey, we've got our Patterico to focus on the minutia of the doctored ACORN video tapes, while he ignores his legal duty to enforce CA PC 632 against his right-wing soul-mates, the phony pimp and phony hooker, so it's all good." As I have told you, I prosecute gang murders, not violations of Penal Code section 632. It's no more my duty to prosecute such violations than it is yours, Ernie. I don't think I have ever seen a comment of yours that doesn't have at least one falsehood. You have an amazing track record of utter dishonesty. Do you lie to your clients the way you lie about me?
COMMENT #29 [Permalink]
... BlueHawk said on 3/7/2010 @ 9:24 am PT...
Patty @28 I swear that I read somewhere that lawyers, especially DA's were sworn to uphold ALL laws....I'll admit I'm not an attorney so someone will have to advise me on this. But has anyone ever heard a a DA publicly defending a video taped crime and the perpetrator of said crime? Also regarding any falsehoods that Ernest posted...Patty do you care to specifically spell those alleged falsehoods out?
or did you just say that as a throwaway smear of Mr. Canning? Ad hominem attack statements make you look so desperate Patty. Try sticking to the facts of the issue sir...OH! I forgot that all of your "facts" have been refuted.
COMMENT #30 [Permalink]
... aview999 said on 3/7/2010 @ 10:35 am PT...
Right on Big Dan and Earnest!
COMMENT #31 [Permalink]
... Lora said on 3/7/2010 @ 1:38 pm PT...
Well, 'Rico, You've certainly made your opinion known about ACORN and the Giles/O'Keefe videos. And, if you will not be prosecuting for possible violation of PC 632 --- if that has nothing to do with your job --- then you would be free to give your opinion on it, wouldn't you? So, how about it?
COMMENT #32 [Permalink]
... Ernest A. Canning said on 3/7/2010 @ 2:24 pm PT...
I see that our local Deputy DA Patrick Frey aka Patterico can come in and continue his nit-picking rants while he continues to ignore just how badly Colbert demolished the entire thrust of the phony ACORN sting. Frey asserts that since he is not the one who would be called upon the enforce PC 632 in his office; that the task would be assigned to someone else, it's perfectly okay for him to not only defend an accused federal felon but to actually rely on the content of audiotapes recorded in violation of a criminal statute (PC 632) that his office is charged with enforcing. After all what is a little crime that may have been committed by his right-wing soul mate, O'Keefe" when measured against Pat Frey's need to score political points at his right-wing blog. This same Deputy DA cries big crocodile tears when, after repeatedly ignoring Brad Friedman's admonishments as to the need for civility at this blog (He continued to call anyone and everyone who did not agree with him a liar, and worse), Brad simply placed his comments in "moderation." At his own Patterico's Pontifications, fearful that his flimsy arguments would be exposed, he blocked mine. Whether he subsequently restored my ability to post a comment at his site, I really don't know as I've not tried. What I do know is that this Deputy DA allowed one of his right-wing nut followers to post what bordered on a terrorist threat against me, and yet he failed to so much as admonish that person's behavior --- this despite the fact that I defended him at this site by noting that I've not seen evidence that he actually posted comments here during his office hours. I posted at his site as ruleoflaw. Here is the comment that was made at Patterico's Pontifications. "Rule of law, I enter your office and put a.45 between your eyes. Am I not a hitman if I don’t dress in a suit and have the.45 in a shoulder holster?" Now I realize that you did not make that statement, Pat. No doubt within the realm of your razor-thin excuses, you'd argue that you can't be held responsible for what someone else wrote at your site. But then, how do you explain your effort to condemn a nationwide organization with over 400,000 member families in 75 cities on the basis of the fact that a few low-level part-time employees were entrapped by the O'Keefe/Giles/Breitbart partisan, deceptive hoax? You can't have it both ways, Mr. Frey. You can't claim responsibility of a nationwide, benevolent organization for actions by a few low level employees, which actions per both the former MA Attorney General and the Brooklyn DA's office did not amount to a crime, and then tell us that you are free to ignore a criminal violation of PC 632 because someone else in your office is charged with the responsibility for enforcing that particular law. You can't come in here with your crocodile tears because Brad Friedman placed you in "moderation" for your lack of decorum, yet fail to police your own site against a thinly veiled terrorist threat against me. You, Emperor Pat, have no clothes.
COMMENT #33 [Permalink]
... Chris Hooten said on 3/7/2010 @ 3:23 pm PT...
I have been really been enjoying watching Patterico piss into the fan that is TheBradBlog. What will he have to tinkle about today? He always ends up all wet for some reason.
COMMENT #34 [Permalink]
... Ernest A. Canning said on 3/7/2010 @ 3:34 pm PT...
Thanks, Chris Hooten. I'd busted a gut already with Colbert. Your latest has me in stitches. Now I can't get rid of the picture in my mind of Patterico, eyes stinging, hair slicked back and steam rising from the piss in his face.
COMMENT #35 [Permalink]
... Inflammation Information said on 3/15/2010 @ 11:32 am PT...
What ever happened to the truth? I believe Washington DC should be cleaned out and disinfected and then get back to the constitution. The way is is now, the individual and small business trying to get ahead will never make it, because nobody cares about anything but their own pockets, and it doesn't matter what party they stand for. Yes I'm a small business owner and it's just disgusting how crooked everything is. visit me at Chronic Inflammation And
What causes inflammation
COMMENT #36 [Permalink]
... Death of Liberty said on 3/21/2010 @ 7:14 am PT...Sergio sat across from me, the tape recorder light blinking at me. He tapped his pen to his pad of paper while he watched me, waiting.
“So, he had been staying with you?”
“Yes,” I repeated for the third time. “After lunch when we all talked about the photos, I went straight home. He was on my porch. He… we talked a bit and he said he was planning on looking for a job in the area.”
“Did he tell you where all he applied?”
I shook my head. “We didn’t really… talk much.”
Sergio cleared his throat. “So. You and he -“
“Had intimate relations for much of those three days, yes. And then I woke up and he wasn’t there. I sat out on the porch all day, waiting. Knowing he wouldn’t come back. I figured he took off with another girl – he has a history of doing that.”
Sergio nodded, making notes. “How did this make you feel? The thought of him with another woman?”
I rolled my eyes. “Are you a shrink now, too?” I bit my lower lip. It had started to tremble. The shock was wearing off again. “It feels like crap. Being rejected. Being replaced. But we were having fun, things were fine, I didn’t think he would leave-“
“But you say he didn’t leave?”
I shrugged again.
“Answer for the recording, please.”
“I don’t know. All I know is while I was awake, he didn’t come in or out of my house. And then I… found him… God, please don’t make me retell that again. I can’t do it again.”
“No more questions for now, Miss Derelict,” he said gently. “We’ll have a uniform staying at your house and two more patrolling during the night. Please let your staff know not to be alarmed and to go about their duties as usual.” He reached out and flicked the tape recorder off.
“So you’ll be staying at my house?” I asked.
He shook his head. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea, what with what happened last time.”
I shrugged. “Whatever. I don’t want your bitchy deputy in my house, though.”
“She will protect you.”
“Not too sure about that. She doesn’t like me too much,” I laughed humorlessly.
“Well, she doesn’t like me too much, either,” he admitted softly. “She’s my ex’s sister.”
We both smiled and, for a moment, it felt like my world wasn’t crashing down around me.
…
Home. Home doesn’t feel like home when you have another person, especially a woman who hates you, living there, too. I set up the guest bedroom for her and she didn’t say a word. I brought her food and she didn’t say a word.
I busied myself with the horses again and Sergio stopped by briefly to clean up the blood in the sculpture room. It wasn’t part of his job, or his duty, but he has a soft heart. He didn’t want to make me see that again.
As he was leaving, I called out, “You know, there are three guest rooms. You and the other patrol guy can stay here some nights. If you wanted.”
Sergio raised an eyebrow at me. “That sounds innocent enough, but I think Gary would like to return to his wife and daughter in the evenings.”
“Well, what are you returning to?” I asked.
“A thankless tabby who would rather claw my hand off than let me pet her,” he chuckled.
I smiled. That’s right – a cat man. “What’s her name?”
“Annabelle,” he said softly. “I always liked the name. Thought I’d name a child that, but – lo and behold – the missus didn’t want children.”
I swung down from Bonnie’s back and patted her rump. She dutifully ran toward the open barn where Clyde was already turning in for the night. “Well, since you are spending so much time here, I think it’s only fair Annabelle is allowed free roam of the house so you can see here now and again. And you’re welcome to one of the bottom floor bedrooms – you know, so I don’t use my wily charms to convince you into my bed,” I tried to tease.
He nodded slowly. “Sure. I think Annabelle would like the space. Maybe even having a dog to torment.”
…
One week later, the deputy, Sharon, left and Sergio moved in. With Annabelle, the little spitfire. She was cantankerous and downright mean at times, but when she wanted your attention, she was as lovey as a dove.
The weeks with Sergio living in the house passed quickly. Nothing out of the ordinary happened, other than a phone call from my mother inquiring if I was alright and if Sergio was treating me well.
She was appalled to hear about the death of my former lover and even more stunned at the words scrawled on the floor.
“We need to talk soon, my love,” she murmured gently. “In person. We knew people would be after you, but we have no idea who would toy with you in these ways. This is not what we expected.”
“Why would anyone be trying to hurt me?” I asked softly. “What did I ever do?”
“You were borne of our blood, dear,” was my mother’s reply. “We’re all cursed, some of us more than others. Your grandmother shared a messy fate that you seem destined to follow. Always skirting danger – always having to be close to the land.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I know, dear. When can I come see you?”
“Alone?” I asked. “No offense, but Jeremie creeps me out. And Damon has always been weird.”
“You have my word I will come alone,” she promised. “Tonight?”
“Sergio is here.”
“Do not fret, darling, he’ll never know I’m there.” She hung up and left me wondering why I got brought into the family of crazy.
…
Sergio sat down in the living room after dinner and his eyes closed and didn’t open up again.
At first I was terrified he had died, but his breathing relaxed me. And then I remembered my mother’s words. He’ll never know I’m there.
“Mom?” I called. And then, hesitantly, “…You can come in.”
The front door opened with a gentle breeze of lavender. My mother graced through, her hair down and flowing. She looked like an angel. “Darling, it’s good to see you. You look well – not so terribly thin,” she added approvingly.
Like she was one to talk. I glanced at my waist and realized that it did seem like my hips were a bit wider and my bust a bit fuller. But that didn’t matter.
“Tell me everything.”
…
When our family moved to this island, we fought a lot of things. Insects, the land itself, the neighboring tribe of natives. The soil was nothing but rock and clay on the top layer and your great-great grandmother was convinced we were going to die out before crops could evolve to grow here.
But your great-great grandfather held a secret from his wife. He met a faerie in the woods who he had captured and held against its will in a silver jar. Fae, when they are small and elfin, cannot escape silver bindings.
The faerie agreed to bless the new land we inhabited. This land would produce the best crops and the magic would tinge everything that grew, or was born, on the land. It is a Fae gift, in essence, that the faerie gave up in exchange for his life.
Your great-great grandfather only wanted what was best for his family. He did not care about the riches that he received from the crops that grew in no time at all; from the horses that gave birth in less than a fortnight to large, athletic horses. The calves borne here used to produce the most delicious honeyed milk you could imagine. Even his children were borne in weeks after being conceived, all healthy as mules and smarter than their peers.
But the Fae had given a warning. The Fae warned that one day, one generation, a woman would fall ill. The illness would come about without warning and would warp her belly, which would be heavy with child. The child would be warped in the womb and suck the life from the mother slowly, its growth taking many moons. The child would be born monstrous, faceless, demon-like, and wreck havoc on the land and kill all who shared its blood.
“But what does it mean?” I interrupted.
I was that one who fell ill, child. I was pregnant with you and your brother. This land blesses us with unnaturally fast births and strong children – but when I became ill during the pregnancy, it drew out. I had you both in my belly for eighteen months – and when you were finally born, you were near death. Your brother, the cursed one, the warped one, had taken most of the nutrients of my body for himself, leaving you weak.
I knew your brother was the one of the Fae legends. I knew he would grow stronger and stronger and destroy everything if he remained here. And he would destroy you first.
“Why didn’t you kill him?”
Oh darling. You could never expect a mother to kill her own child. I had you both with me for eighteen months; feeling you grow, feelings your heartbeats – I could never have harmed a hair on either of your heads. So I did the next best thing – I took him far away where he would never know about the family. Where he could never find you.
“Why was I so important?”
You carry our blood, love. The land and animals wither and die if we are not here to protect them, to cultivate them. In return the land offers us bounty in every form. Keep the garden going. Keep the horses thriving, and you will protect yourself.
“I was planning on selling the farm-“
“No!” she snapped quickly, eyes widening. “You are a gift of the Fae, child, and you came with consequences. One of our line must remain here and care for the land or we all perish.”
“But you…”
“Yes, I am dead. But you are very much alive – and if you leave this farm for an extended period of time, you will wither and die. Until you have an heir to pass the estate to, your life is tied to the farm.”
…
I went to bed once mother left. Annabelle had taken to sleeping in my room with me, annoying Jasper since he would get scratched if he so much as tried to get on the bed. I put Jasper’s dog bed next to my side of the bed so he could still be close, but he didn’t like it.
After about thirty minutes, I heard a soft knock on the door. “You can come in, Sergio,” I called.
He entered, looking sheepish. “I must have passed out, I’m sorry. I wasn’t even tired!”
“No biggie,” I smiled. “I’m fine. You going on your rounds?”
He nodded. “I’ll be outside if you need me. Call me or yell.”
“Will do,” I said, stroking Annabelle’s coat absently. “You be safe. I don’t want to wake up to any more dead guys.” I tried to make it a joke but it fell flat. Bile was rising in my throat and I had to launch myself out of the room and past him, scampering to the bathroom.
I vomited for a good minutes before weakly flopping on the floor, closing my eyes.
“Layla?”
“I’m fine,” I called. “Go on your rounds, I just feel sick is all.”
He mumbled something in response, like ‘get back to bed’ before I heard his feet moving down the stairs.
I lay on the tiles, my stomach in turmoil, and feel asleep.
AdvertisementsREADING, PA - A showdown between exciting heavyweight contenders Travis "My Time" Kauffman (31-1, 23 KOs) and Amir "Hardcore" Mansour (22-2-1, 16 KOs) headlines action on Premier Boxing Champions: The Next Round on Bounce Friday, March 17 from Santander Arena in Reading, PA.
Televised coverage on Bounce begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will feature former title challenger Edner Cherry (35-7-2, 19 KOs) taking on once-beaten Omar Douglas (17-1, 12 KOs) in a 10-round lightweight bout plus former two-time world champion Steve "U.S.S." Cunningham (28-8-1, 13 KOs) will enter the ring in a 10-round cruiserweight attraction. The most recent Premier Boxing Champions - The Next Round on Bounce (Fri. Feb. 10) reached 1.5 million viewers and delivered series records for viewership.
Reading's Kauffman and Philadelphia's Mansour will meet in a 12-round battle of Pennsylvania-rivals who are looking to go through the other on their way to a world title shot.
"I am very excited for this fight on March 17," said Kauffman. "I am training very hard, and I'm ready to take care of business. This win will get me to the next level. Amir is a tough fighter who has never been in a bad fight. He is a desperate fighter who knows this is his last chance to retain his spot as a heavyweight contender, so I expect to see the best Amir Mansour. I will be very sharp. I expect a better performance than I had against Chris Arreola."
"This is a fight that the heavyweight division needs," said Mansour. "This is two top quality facing off against each other. I am the toughest fighter that he has ever faced, but he is not the toughest fighter that I have faced. I will say that he is one of the best boxers in the heavyweight division. He has tremendous boxing skills, and I am looking forward to mixing it up with someone who can box and fight."
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by King's Promotions, start at $20 and are on sale now. Tickets are available at the VF Outlet Box Office at the Santander Arena, by phone at 800-745-3000, or online at Ticketmaster.com.
A local attraction fighting out of Reading, Kauffman is the son of longtime trainer and promoter Marshall Kauffman. Kauffman won his first 18 pro fights and put together a 12-fight winning streak before dropping Chris Arreola in a split decision loss that was later ruled a no decision. Kauffman most recently stopped Josh Gormley in two rounds at the Santander Arena in September of last year and he will return to the arena looking to increase his status in the heavyweight division.
An exciting pressure fighter, the 6-foot-1 slugger Mansour is experienced and primed for an opportunity at the best in the division. He went 20-0 before losing a 10-round decision to Cunningham in a fight in April 2014 in which he dropped the former cruiserweight world champion twice. In his next start, Mansour knocked out Kassi in the seventh round. In 2015, he outpointed Joey Dawejko across 10 rounds in May and fought to a draw against unbeaten Gerald Washington in October. His last outing saw him knock down then unbeaten Dominic Breazeale before being forced to withdraw due to an injury.
Cherry, of Wauchula, Fla., enters this fight after a victory of Haskell Rhodes in June of last year and is 11-1 since 2009. His only blemishes since 2007 are losses to Timothy Bradley and Paulie Malignaggi at 140-pounds and his title challenge in 2015 against Jose Pedraza in which he dropped a split decision. Cherry, who was born in the Bahamas, owns victories over Vicente Escobedo, Monte Meza Clay and Wes Ferguson and will look to take down another contender on his way to another title shot.
Fighting out of Wilmington, Delaware, Douglas looks to bounce back after losing a narrow decision to former world champion Javier Fortuna in November. The 26-year-old impressed in his previous two outings when he defeated contender Frank De Alba in a step up fight in 2015 and followed it up with a seventh round knockout of Alexei Collado in June 2016. Douglas has had his last five fights in Pennsylvania after an amateur career that saw him become a five-time Pennsylvania Golden Glove champion.
Representing the great fight city of Philadelphia, Cunningham returns to action after an exciting challenge of cruiserweight champion Krzysztof Glowacki in April. Twice a world champion as a cruiserweight, he defeated Krzysztof Wlodarczyk in 2006 to capture his belt before defending his title against Marco Huck via a twelfth-round TKO. He became a world champion again in 2010 when he stopped Troy Ross in the fifth round. The experienced veteran also owns victories over previously unbeaten fighters Amir Mansour and Natu Visinia and scored a knockdown of Tyson Fury in a losing effort during their 2013 bout.BY: Follow @@Cam_Cawthorne
Rep. Maxine Waters (D, Calif.) told TMZ on Wednesday that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson should put threats aside and use diplomacy to deal with North Korea.
"We're on the verge of nuclear war, what are your thoughts on this?" a TMZ reporter asked Waters upon leaving an upscale steakhouse in Beverly Hills.
Waters told the reporter that the State Department needs to be stacked up to deal in diplomacy with North Korea, and that the United States cannot afford to go to war with the country.
"I want us to be very careful, very alert to what is happening and to avoid war," Waters said. "I think we can do this with some diplomacy, but we have got to have Tillerson, who is our secretary of state, get those positions filled for deputy [and] for assistant, so that we can engage with North Korea."
She went on to say that she believes North Korea is issuing threats against the United States, but the United States should negotiate with the rogue country.
"I think there's some things that they want from us, and we have to find out whether or not we can work with them on the things that they're asking for," Waters said.
"This is something that we should be very concerned about, but this is not the time to go bluffing and threatening. This is a time for a diplomacy," Waters said, referring to President Donald Trump's strong warning on Tuesday.
"North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States," Trump said. "They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen."
"[Kim Jong-un] has been very threatening beyond a normal statement, and as I said, they will be met with fire, fury, and, frankly, power, the likes of which this world has never seen before," Trump concluded. "Thank you."
Water's remarks Wednesday have been reflected by others who criticized Trump's rhetoric. In a New York Times op-ed Thursday, former Obama administration official Susan Rice said Trump should halt the "reckless rhetoric" and "tolerate" nuclear weapons in North Korea if necessary.advertisement
It’s just days into the year and it certainly looks like the financial services sector is going to go through a very rough spell in 2015. Yesterday Allied Bank, a Zimbabwean commercial bank closed shop while another institution which is still on the mend, Steward Bank, waved goodbye to its CEO.
This isn’t even half of it though. Everyone knows that local banks |
the country.
"I had someone tell me the other day that the AFL is full of NFL rejects, and I was like, 'Wow, that's their perspective,' '' Kellem said. "But once you step into this league, you realize there is a lot of NFL talent here. We are in the league for a reason.
"My mindset is to be great on the level you are on, strive to be the best, strive to achieve the ultimate goal."
That goal every year under coach and General Manger Kevin Guy, and under the ownership of Ron Shurts, is to win a championship.
RELATED: Rattlers savor championship parade
It starts with Shurts, who supplies the parts, the infrastructure, the marketing.
The mechanic is Guy, a fireball of a man who soaks up everything and admits he hates to lose, even at marbles.
The cool, calm engineer is Davila, who came within one play from already having four championship rings since he began leading the Rattlers in 2010.
Ownership commitment
When then-Phoenix Suns owner Jerry Colangelo decided to buy an AFL franchise to help fill summer dates in the city's new downtown arena, which opened in 1992 as America West Arena, little did he know that his first championship ring would come two years later with the Rattlers rather than his NBA team.
Danny White was the coach. Colangelo had his son, Bryan, basically run the Rattlers, and they were drawing 15,505 fans for each home game, including preseason, the first two seasons. Suns star Dan Majerle was a regular at games. Bryan Colangelo was passing out victory cigars at the post-game team party at the Hard Rock Cafe in Orlando, after the Rattlers pulled out a stunning win over the heavily favored Predators. Three years later, they won another championship, this time at home, against future NFL MVP quarterback Kurt Warner.
The Rattlers were the beloved pro summer team in the Valley, led by quarterback Sherdrick Bonner and receiver Hunkie Cooper, before the Diamondbacks began playing in 1998.
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But after Colangelo sold the Suns to a group led by Robert Sarver in 2004, the Rattlers' future was clouded with uncertainty. After the Rattlers lost in a third consecutive ArenaBowl appearance in 2004, White and the Rattlers parted ways.
Then came four ownership changes in seven years. The Rattlers became a Suns' tenant in 2005 after Sarver sold the team to Robert Hernreich, who had a partnership with the Sacramento Kings. Attendance continued to slide as losses on the field mounted.
When Brett Bouchy became managing partner in 2008, he quickly guaranteed the Rattlers would make the playoffs or season-ticket holders would get a full refund. The Rattlers hadn't been to the playoffs for three years and Guy, also the general manager, had completely overhauled the roster.
Fortunately for Bouchy, Guy had maybe his best year as a coach, leading the team to an 8-8 record and into the playoffs.
Bouchy boasted that the Rattlers would be profitable, but the league was in the midst of a collapse, unable to keep up with paying the high salaries (more than $100,000 a year) for the league's stars.
The AFL filed for bankruptcy and canceled the 2009 season.
CLOSE Championship contenders come with a top fullback
Bouchy was among a group that helped restart the league in 2010.
But when the league started back up in 2010 with a new single-entity economic model, Bouchy was running both the Rattlers and the Predators, his former team.
After the 2010 season, Bouchy decided to focus on the Predators, and Mike Galloway took over as managing partner.
Meanwhile, the Rattlers were about to lose Guy in September 2010, before Galloway, a retired Phoenix police officer who was part of an ownership group called Sidewinders Investments, intercepted Guy at the airport and got him to re-sign.
Guy was about to board a plane to Pittsburgh to interview for head coach of the then-expansion Power. The New Orleans VooDoo also coveted Guy, whose roots run deep in the South.
"Kevin is one of the top coaches in the league," Galloway told The Arizona Republic at the time. "We would be foolish to let him slip away."
Guy said at the time that he liked the new group's vision, but it wasn't until Shurts came in after a 7-1 start to the 2011 season and became majority owner that Guy felt completely secure with the Rattlers. He hit it off immediately with Shurts, who is co-founder of Annexus Group LLC, a private financial company in Scottsdale.
"At the time, they were 7-1, but, off the field, it was complete train wreck," Shurts said. "There was no infrastructure. There was no business plan. There was no marketing strategy at all."
Shurts rolled out a big marketing plan, put a banner promoting the team on one of the downtown buildings, got local TV involved to broadcast home games.
"We've definitely spent some money on the infrastructure to really drive this and take advantage of the momentum," Shurts said.
Last year, the Suns formed a marketing partnership with the Rattlers, joining forces again after a nine-year void. The Suns have helped the Rattlers with ticket sales.
Shurts was one of the first season-ticket holders when the Rattlers began playing in '92. He felt the timing of the Arena football season makes it work, because it doesn't try to go up against the NFL and fills a football void for fans.
"I'm a football guy," Shurts said. "I'm a huge basketball fan, more importantly a Suns fans. When I had season tickets, I got to watch football in May, June and July. That's why I like it. Our players for the most part are NFL players."
In Shurts' first year as majority owner, the Rattlers reached the ArenaBowl at home, losing to the Jacksonville Sharks 73-70 on the last play of the game -- an Aaron Garcia touchdown pass as time expired.
It was considered one of the greatest ArenaBowls, and became the driving force behind Guy that started this dynasty.
Best coach in the game
Kevin Guy remembers as far back as when he was 5 when he had a competitive spirit, playing football on fields in Alabama. He caught the coaching bug after finishing a solid if not great AFL career as a receiver/defensive back for the New Jersey Red Dogs and the Predators.
He was defensive coordinator of the San Jose SaberCats in 2007 when they beat the Chicago Rush in the ArenaBowl. But he has established himself as the best coach in AFL during this run of success with the Rattlers, a team with which he had to start over twice – in 2008 when he released almost everybody, and in 2010 when the league was rebooted.
"In 2010, we were basically an expansion team," Guy said.
The loss to Jacksonville before 14,320 fans who suddenly went silent after Garcia found Jeron Harvey on a 10-yard TD with no time left, led Guy to make changes in the off-season. It fueled his fire to work non-stop.
With star receiver Rod Windsor joining the Cleveland Browns in the NFL, Guy and Shurts both flew to Nebraska to recruit former Cornhuskers star Maurice Purify, who caught five touchdown passes from Davila – just in the second half – in the Rattlers' 72-54 rout of Philadelphia Soul in the 2012 ArenaBowl. Davila threw nine TD passes in that game.
"I felt like losing that ArenaBowl set the tone for what we were going to do the next three years," Guy said. "We got some mileage out of them. We developed a core group of guys and found good perimeter players to put around them.
"I'm still not happy about it (the 2011 ArenaBowl loss). It's my name on the job. Whatever went down, I'm responsible. I felt like I let the organization down. It drove me to really make some tough decisions and get this organization back. And when we got there (to the championship game), I knew there was no way we'd come back without the championship trophy."
Guy stays on top by constantly reading up on what other coaches do, what other organizations do, whether it is in the AFL or the NFL.
"I've learned from my mistakes," Guy said. "I've tried to be a sponge and pay attention to my moves and critique them. I pay attention to other coaches' moves, other owners' moves. You can learn from other people's successes and mistakes.
"Right now, people are trying to catch us. What I've done, I've read everything out there about the New England Patriots, how they've stayed on top. (Coach Bill) Belichick is one of the greatest. And, yes, he has Tom Brady. But nobody took Brady until the sixth round. He identified that, and developed that."
With a great relationship with Shurts, who has provided the resources, such as a strength and conditioning coach, Guy doesn't ache to be a college or NFL coach.
"I played the (Arena) game," Guy said. "I have a passion for it. It doesn't mean I don't love the outdoor game. It doesn't mean I can't coach the outdoor game. We all grew up in the outdoor game. Loving Arena football was different for me. This is a great sport.
"We put in a day's work every day. We're working hard. We're trying to be perfect at our craft, develop our craft. I've been lucky to work with a great group of guys with a work ethic that is relentless."
Buying in
The league restructuring reduced players' salaries to back to the level of the 1990s, before there was a players union and free agency and it was an ironman game with everybody but the quarterback going both ways.
Back then, players were making about $500 a game with a little extra kicked in for wins.
Today, with help from the players union, players are given almost double that for a game with quarterbacks making much more. Some wonder how much goes undetected by the league with owners wanting to make sure their players are taken care of.
Every football player leaving college with pro aspirations shoots for the NFL.
There is the Canadian Football League as an option. Other than that, there are few pro football jobs outside of the Arena Football League if they don't make it in the NFL.
Kellem, who has emerged this season as arguably the greatest safety in the game, said it was easy for him to buy into the Rattlers three years ago when he signed as a free agent after playing for the VooDoo.
"I think a lot of people think winning starts on the field," Kellem said. "Growing up, I've always heard and felt that winning starts off the field. But I really understood that when I came to this organization. I got an email, saying that we had to pass a 100-yard shuttle time to be part of camp. I thought, 'OK, that's a little different here.' That puts the pressure on you to make sure you're in tip-top shape, ready to go to camp for the conditioning test."
Davila and linebacker Tyre Glasper both say they've felt a desire to stay with the Rattlers since Shurts took control of the team in 2011.
"They treat us like professionals," Glasper said. "He's like a blue-collar guy who will hang out with you.
"With Coach Guy, I'd do anything for him. He's a great leader. It just trickles down. And how we carry ourselves. We carry ourselves very professionally. They treat us like professionals."
Shurts has the players involved in community service throughout the calendar year. During the Waste Management Phoenix Open in Scottsdale each January, the Rattlers bring in a makeshift, 50-yard AFL field, where coaches, players, the mascot and cheerleaders greet spectators and talk about their game.
"We got to the point where the players felt off the field that we became more of an organization and they want to come back," Shurts said. "It's one thing to win a championship. But they want to come back because they like what they're seeing off the field.
"We do take care of our players. We give them a nice place to live. They have opportunities in the off-season."
Davila, closing in on 30, knows his NFL window has nearly closed. He doesn't see himself being in another AFL uniform other than the Rattlers. He wears the role of franchise face with pride.
He missed four games this season because of an injury, the only time he has ever missed games since he signed with the Rattlers in 2010.
"We've got a good thing going here and we have to stay humbled," Davila said.
Guy is quick to get rid of players who aren't buying into the program.
"I try to teach them this is a business and what you have to do to stay in this business," Guy said. "When I played, I didn't feel there was always the best communication between the player and the coach. I kind of over-communicate. I look at them in the eye and say, 'Here's your situation.' I think players respect that. They may not like my decision, but they respect it. You have to be straightforward and honest. Two things you have to have in an organization to be successful – communication and trust. If you develop those two areas, then you're going to have a really good organization."
This has been Guy's most difficult year in terms of making personnel moves.
After losing Davila with the injury, B.J. Coleman took over at quarterback. But after leading the Rattlers to a 2-1 record as the starter, he left the team during the bye week to take a promotion in a job outside of football he had back home in Tennessee.
Guy wasn't ready to play Davila, and Shane Boyd, a journeyman quarterback, led the Rattlers to a win in Spokane, before Davila returned as starter.
"When you have a plan and you execute a plan and do things right, the wins and losses will take care of itself," Guy said. "I feel we've had that here.
"Nick is so in sync with me mentally. Ron, me and Nick, we're so in sync with each other. We know how we think. We want the same from the players. (Davila) really puts his work in and I appreciate that. He is perfect for me, because I'm the opposite in personality. I'm a fireball. I coach them hard. Nick is even keeled and he should be even keeled."
The Rattlers mystique
Undoubtedly, with success, there will be envy. But there also is a healthy dose of respect from the rest of the league on what the Rattlers have accomplished.
"I think there is both," Shurts said. "I think they look at us as a model. My first owners meeting, I didn't know any of the owners. But we got into some topics I was vocal about. Now that we've won, there's no question they're looking at us.
"If you're a competitor, you're going to have a pit in your stomach that we're not there, that we want to be like those guys. I think we've done some great things from a league perspective. To have a three-peat championship only helps the league."
The game is brutal, played basically on a padded carpet laid out on a concrete floor with walls for sidelines and nowhere to hide.
So to sustain success is difficult with so many players laid up with injuries.
Earlier this season, the Rattlers lost wide receiver Markee White for the season with a broken back he suffered while hitting the sideline wall headfirst in Spokane. It was a scary moment for White, who is thankful he is able to walk.
"In a game where injuries are more common, it says a lot about them to stay healthy and to be as dominant in a league where players are often not as consistently healthy during an entire season," said Cleveland Gladiators wide receiver Andrae Thurman, who had a short stint with the Rattlers.
Scott Butera, who replaced Jerry Kurz as AFL commissioner this year, calls the Rattlers the signature team among the 12 that are playing this year.
Attendance this year has risen. The Rattlers drew 10,130 fans on May 16 for the Las Vegas Outlaws on what Shurts called the team's biggest revenue night since he took over as majority owner. On June 6, when the Rattlers played the Tampa Bay Storm, they drew 12,304 fans.
"They really understand how to run a football program from the top down," Butera said. "They're a great example of what we're trying to support.
"I don't think they're appreciated how well they've done. The quarterback is the best in the league. Their success exemplifies what we're trying to do in the league. We have a number of high-quality teams, but we're very proud of what the Rattlers have accomplished."
Raising awareness
The league has struggled with respect, notoriety, relevance and credibility since it began in 1987 and franchises have come and gone.
It doesn't annoy Guy that radio sports personalities say on the air that there hasn't been a major sports championship in the Valley since the Diamondbacks won the World Series in 2001.
"I'm not going to change that," he said. "All I have control over is what I do. At the end of the day, the Rattlers and the (WNBA) Mercury have brought championships to this market (in recent years). I'm proud of that. This franchise has won five over the years and played in several more. We're proud of that."
Money leads to exposure, which leads to household names, which leads to their place at the table with the four majors – NFL, NBA, NHL, Major League Baseball.
Every year there is another story written about the league's novelty. Guy said he gets tired of hearing how the AFL combines elements of football, basketball and hockey.
"My feeling is if Arena football was invented first, human nature would be, 'Arena football is the way to go,' '' Guy said.
Kellem hopes some day to see Arena football rise above the "niche" category.
"I think a lot of people disrespect this league because they don't really understand it," he said. "I think if you play in it, you have greater respect. Once you enter this league, you realize how much respect you have for it.
"It's not easy. People sit on the couch and see a dude running in motion or a dude covering the guy in motion and the quarterback throwing a touchdown, and they think that it's easy."
Fan interaction is part of the appeal. They are close to the action. They get to go home with footballs that quarterbacks throw into the crowd to not get sacked. They get to spend almost an hour on the field after games to interact with the players. It can feel like being at a rock concert with the music blaring between plays and then hanging out afterwards backstage.
Bill Skaug, a Rattlers season-ticket holder since he moved from the Midwest in 2002, was raised in Chicago, rooting for the Bears. He also cheers for the Arizona Cardinals.
But, if the Cardinals and Bears were playing here at the same time the Rattlers had a game, Skaug said he would choose the Rattlers.
"I would probably DVR the Bears-Cardinals, but in person, the Rattlers have my heart," he said.
The AFL is trying to expand globally.
Former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski, part-owner of the AFL Philadelphia Soul, was part of a group that went to China two years ago to show off the game.
Guy said he believes Arena football will be an Olympic sport some day.
"Our society equates everything to money," Guy said. "This is a great sport. This can be a world-wide sport if the right people get involved.
"There's a lot of fans that are interested in Arena football. I don't look at as a niche sport. This is our NFL."Two members of a family that the authorities say once tried to set up a whites-only nation were arrested this week on firearms charges after a raid on a 40-acre ranch netted dozens of weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Kirby Kehoe, 65, and his son, Cheyne, 37, had an initial court appearance Tuesday in Flagstaff. The authorities received a tip that Kirby Kehoe had weapons on the property near Ash Fork, about 140 miles north of Phoenix, said Tom Mangan, a special agent with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Kehoes have previous felony convictions and are banned from possessing firearms. The family has been well-known to law enforcement since the 1990s when the authorities say they provided weapons to white supremacists who committed robberies across the Midwest.BCB chief Nazmul Hassan has told TV reporters in Bangladesh: "Mr Shashank Manohar has said he wants to give away a percentage from India's behalf." © AFP
At the recent ICC Board meeting in Dubai, chairman Shashank Manohar discussed the possibility of giving 6% of India's 22% share of ICC revenues back to the world body, according to BCB president Nazmul Hassan. The BCB president made the statement while speaking to TV reporters in Bangladesh on Saturday but did not respond to calls from ESPNcricinfo for comments. Manohar, too, could not be reached.
According to Hassan, and two other directors of Full Member boards who attended the meetings which finished on Thursday in Dubai, Manohar told the ICC Board that he would speak to the BCCI about giving 6% of the revenue earned by the Indian board to other Full Members outside the Big 3 group.
"Mr Shashank Manohar has said he wants to give away a percentage from India's behalf. He said he will speak to his board and if he gets approval, he said he will give around 6% of the money," Hassan told reporters in Bangladesh. "Shashank Manohar is a logical man. He thought that if India gives away 6%, it would help those countries below them. But first he has to get this approved by the board."
About a month after he became the BCCI president and, by extension, the ICC chairman, Manohar made a statement in a personal capacity, disagreeing with the constitutional revamp carried out in 2014 in controversial circumstances which allowed the BCCI, the ECB and Cricket Australia more authority and a greater share of profits in the ICC.
"I do not agree with the Big 3 countries bullying the ICC," Manohar said upon returning from Dubai after his first visit to the ICC headquarters in Dubai in November. "Because it is nice to say that India (BCCI) will get 22% of the total revenue of the ICC but you cannot make the poor poorer and the rich richer, only because you have the clout. The ICC runs cricket throughout the world."
After the Board meeting on Thursday, the ICC stated in a media release that Manohar would head a five-member steering committee that would review the 2014 restructure of the ICC carried out by the trio of Srinivasan, then ECB chairman Giles Clarke and former CA chairman Wally Edwards in 2014.
"We need to revisit the Big 3 decisions. And stop calling it Big 3 from now onwards. He [Manohar] was very, very particular about that. Every member has equal rights," a Full Member director, who was present at the ICC Board meeting, said.
According to this official, Clarke, who is now the ECB president, remained quiet throughout the board meeting. Cricket Australian chairman David Peever, though, is understood to be on board with Manohar's idea to roll back the revamp.
The steering committee will have on board chiefs of the BCCI, the ECB and CA, and Manohar has asked all 10 Full Members to give their own comments on the issues they had with the resolutions passed in 2014. The committee will present its first report at the next round of ICC board meetings, scheduled to be held from April 16.
"There is a genuine appetite to revisit the financial model to better share the ICC funds," said a senior official of second Full Member country.
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.Around the world, there are buildings that are decorated and built almost entirely with human bones. They form eerily symmetrical patterns, and turn death into an architectural flourish. These are some of the most remarkable.
The Eggenburg Charnel in Eggenburg, Austria, with the remains of 5,800 people. It was constructed in the early 14th century.
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(via Atlas Obscura, Karl Schönswetter and Willard)
The Capela dos Ossos (The Chapel of Bones) in Évora, Portugal, a 16th century chapel built by a Franciscan monk.
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The small chapel (it's only 61.3 ft long and 36 ft wide) contains skulls and bones of about 5000 monks. There are two desiccated corpses, one of which is a child, dangle from an iron chain.
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(via Ken & Nyetta, Ivo Anastácio, Ole Christian Rousing, Feliciano Guimaraes and Wikimedia Commons)
Our Lady of the Conception of the Capuchins (Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini), Rome, Italy, designed by Antonio Casoni, built between 1626 and 1631, commissioned by Pope Urban VIII.
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The Capuchin Crypt contains the remains of 3,700 friars buried between 1528 and 1870. The bodies spent 30 years decomposing in the soil before being exhumed.
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(via Andrei Zmievski, Sam, Thomas van Ardenne and Johnny Söderberg)
The ossuary under St. Jacob's Square (Jakubske namesti) and partially the Church of St. James in Brno, Czech Republic with more than 50,000 skeletons from the 17th and 18th centuries, rediscovered in 2001. It's been opened to public since June 2012.
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(via Wikimedia Commons and TIC Brno)
The ossuary under the Monastery of San Francisco in Lima, Peru. The church and monastery were consecrated in 1673, and the catacombs were used until 1808.
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There are femur bones and skulls of more than 70,000 people.
(via Wikimedia Commons and Mike Bash)
The ossuary of San Bernardino alle Ossa, a 13th century church in Milan, Italy.
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On the site of the church there was a cemetery between 1145 and 1210, when a chamber was built to house all the bones. A chruch was attached in 1269, restorated in 1679 by Giovanni Andrea Biffi, who decorated the walls of the ossuary with bones and skulls.
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(via Wikimedia Commons)
The Capela de Ossos, a small chapel built out of bones. And there is a complete skeleton covered in gold, too! It was built in 1719, and stands in Faro, Portugal.
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(via Gustavo Marin and G_Morales)
The Hallstatt Beinhaus with more than 1200 skulls in Hallstatt, Austria.
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The new skulls are painted since the 1720s, and 610 of them has decorations.
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(via Thomas Grill, Roy Mesler, Laura K. Gibb and Alfred Diem)
The Skull Chapel, a mass grave of people who died during the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), three Silesian Wars (1740-1763) and some others who died because of hunger, cholera or other deadly infections in Czermna, Poland, built in 1776.
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(via Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland)
The Catacombs of Paris, France, opened in the late 18th century.
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There are more than 200 miles (320 km) of labyrinthine tunnels under Paris, and a small part of that (1.1 mi or 1.7 km) is an underground ossuary which holds the remains of six to seven million people.
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(via Tridekker, switchhook and Andy Delcambre)
The Skull Tower (Ćele-kula), a tower of human skulls in Niš, Serbia, built in 1809 by a Turkish general named Hurshi Pasha out of skulls of 952 Serb rebels.
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A German illustration of the tower from 1868.
The original tower was 15 ft (4.6 m) high and 13 ft (4 m) wide. In the next years the families of some dead rebels cut away some of the skulls and now only 58 skulls remain in the tower.
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(via Wikimedia Commons and Magalie L'Abbé)
The Sedlec Ossuary, a small Roman Catholic chapel beneath the Cemetery Church of All Saints with the bones of between 40,000 and 70,000 people in Sedlec, Czech Republic.
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The place was redesigned by a local woodcarver named František Rint in 1870 and now it has bone chandeliers, arches, pyramids and other artistic forms.
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(via fdecomite, Mary Crandall, Milan Boers, gravm, Sangre el hombro de Palas and Geson Rathnaw)
An ossuary under the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Křtiny, Czech Republic.
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The place is famous for its twelve decorated skulls.
(via Empire de la Mort)
Bonus: The Goldbar in New York City with golden skull decorations
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(via Morbid Anatomy and Yelp)How does Netflix operate on AWS?
Netflix has been on AWS since a devastating fire destroyed their own datacenter in 2010. By 2015, their Cloud migration was complete and, thanks to AWS, the scale they have achieved has been outstanding.
Josh Evans – Director of Operations Engineering at Netflix described the Netflix’s microservices architecture as a living organism, with critical components, internal flows and failures. The infrastructure is composed of hundreds of completely decoupled and independent microservices involving thousands of daily production changes to many thousands of AWS instances.
Josh identifies two main challenges to achieving operational excellence:
Product innovation
In order to offer the best user experience – and therefore win their customers’ “moments of truth” (i.e., get them to watch watch more video content) – Netflix has to move and change fast.
Their innovation strategy involves the massive use of A/B tests on every facet of the product. During the last year they ran more than 1,400 experiments (meaning at least 25 experiments running in parallel every day). Of course the goal is to increase user engagement, and this explains why each user’s Netflix experience is sort of unique, both because of the customized recommendations they’re shown, and the unique combination of experiments.
Scale and complexity
Netflix currently handles hundreds of thousands of requests per second from about 60 countries. Their infrastructure runs multi-zone and multi-region, serving users from three different AWS regions. The only component running outside of AWS is their Netflix CDN, which currently covers about 37% of US Internet traffic.
Operations Engineering
Achieving operational excellence also involves a tough tradeoff between availability and rate of change (i.e. quality versus speed). Netflix is keen on trading some of their availability to enable fast change, and they approach the problem by means of continuous improvement of management, design, and function of operational environments. This kind of approach leads to greater quality, velocity, and competitive advantage.
The culture behind this choice can be summarized as “You build it, you run it”. It means 100% ownership, starting from designing, coding, building, testing and deploying…all the way to operating, configuring, monitoring, and responding (while doing it all globally!). They built their own software tools to enable this approach, like Spinnaker, Eureka, Hystrix, Atlas, and Vector (available on Github).
These tools are based on software engineering standards and advanced technologies:
Anomaly detection : to identify anomalous patterns on short windows of time series events.
: to identify anomalous patterns on short windows of time series events. Outlier detection and remediation : via unsupervised machine learning and clustering techniques.
: via unsupervised machine learning and clustering techniques. Canary release process : new versions of the software are available to a small percentage of the traffic, with automatic canary analysis.
: new versions of the software are available to a small percentage of the traffic, with automatic canary analysis. unsupervised monitoring and decision making: take humans out of the equation and provide automatic alerts.
Chaos Engineering
Another important component of Netflix’s approach is chaos engineering. Being aware that components are going to fail, they work hard on building confidence in the system’s capability to withstand turbulent conditions (directly in production). You can find their SimianArmy on Github. By using FIT (Fault-injection Testing) they can simulate service failures, both on an instance- and region-level.
Netflix Keystone
Director of Engineering at Netflix, Peter Bakas – after proudly taking a picture of the crowd – explained how Netflix handles data streams of up to 8 million events per second.
Keystone handles about 550 billion events every day (more than 8 million events per second) and manipulates more than one petabyte of data, composed of hundreds of event types. Their data pipeline solution is based on open source projects, such as Apache Kafka, Apache Chukwa, and Apache Samza, besides Docker and MySQL.
Netflix Core Team
Dave Hahn talked about how it feels and how it is possible for a few DevOps engineers to handle more than 37% of the US Internet. His team – the CORE team (Cloud Operations Reliability Engineering) – is responsible for crisis management, availability reporting, reliability best practices, AWS relationship, and operations education. It is mainly composed of crisis leaders and its goals are the following:
Protect customer experience. This is crucial at Netflix and is the key point of each operation.
. This is crucial at Netflix and is the key point of each operation. Make failures unique. This means making errors happen only once, by identifying the real root of each problem and fixing it.
. This means making errors happen only once, by identifying the real root of each problem and fixing it. Achieve constant improvement. This takes a lot of individual effort and can be helped along by incident reviews and by encouraging honest and open feedback.
Dave described the DevOps culture they have built based on the 100% ownership concept, and made easier by the many tools developed for software engineers to enable easy ownership, including service discovery, solid communication, automated recovery, continuous deployment, and data persistence.
Insights are a key factor as well: Netflix records about 2.5 billion metrics every day and needed in-house tools to help them visualize and analyse relevant patterns, via prediction and automation.Connectivity is evolving. The spectrum now has to accommodate more mobile users. Connected devices are forecasted increase to 20 Billion IoT devices by the year 2020. It is time to future proof our networks to enable the connectivity demands of tomorrow. With LiFi we can utilise spectrum more than 1000 times greater than the spectrum utilised for radio frequencies. LiFi is now unlocking unprecedented data and bandwidth.
LiFi is a category of Optical Wireless Communications (OWC). OWC includes infra-red and ultra-violet communications as well as visible light. However, LiFi is unique in that the same light energy used for illumination may also be used for communication.
The term LiFi was coined by pureLiFi’s CSO, Professor Harald Haas, at a TedGlobal Talk back in 2011 where he demonstrated LiFi for the first time.CBS Interactive, the owner of CNET, is being sued for facilitating "massive copyright infringement" for distributing the LimeWire software, a file sharing service a federal judge ruled illegal last year.
A lawsuit brought by rappers and others accuses CBS of profiting from distributing 220 million copies of LimeWire on CNET's download.com site since 2008, or 95 percent off all LimeWire downloads.
"The CBS defendants received massive amounts of revenue from P2P provders on a 'pay per download' basis and also from advertising revenues generated by advertisements placed on the download screen for P2P software," (.pdf) according to the complaint, lodged in Los Angeles federal court late Tuesday.
The lawsuit, which maintains CBS was "well aware" of LimeWire's infringement uses, comes as the Recording Industry Association of America's damages trial against LimeWire gets under way in a New York federal court.
A New York federal jury is being empaneled to decide how much LimeWire and its owner should pay the record labels for wanton infringement committed on LimeWire’s service. U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood ruled last year that LimeWire’s users commit a "substantial amount of copyright infringement," and that the Lime Group — the company behind the application — "has not taken meaningful steps to mitigate infringement."
The record labels claim LimeWire, owned by the Lime Group, owes more than $1 billion in damages. Judge Wood shuttered the service in October.
The case against CBS accuses CNET of offering "videos, articles and other media that instructed how to use P2P software to locate pirated copies of copyrighted works and remove electronic protections placed on digital music files." A 2009 LimeWire review, the suit noted, described the service as a "post-Napster clone" and gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars.
CBS, according to the complaint, maintains a "business model to profit directly from the demand for infringing P2P clinets."
Among others, the plaintiffs include Detron Bendross, of 2 Live Crew, Trisco Smith-Pearson of The Force MDs and Eric Jackson and De'Angelo Holmes, both of the Ying Yang Twins. Alki David, a digital media entrepreneur, is also a plaintiff. They all assert their copyrights were illegally distributed on LimeWire.
CBS said in a statement that the lawsuit is "riddled with inaccuracies, and we are confident that we will prevail."
See Also: |
the off-season with his girlfriend, an attractive blonde about 20 years his junior, in a beachfront duplex called ``It's Our Dream.''
He liked to play with neighbor Penny Gautreaux's two black Labrador retrievers, so she didn't hesitate to invite him to dinner when he smelled her Cajun cooking and joked, ``Do you have enough for us?''
It soon became a ritual. For months at a time in 1995 and 1996, when they visited this island 90 miles south of New Orleans, the couple who introduced themselves as Tom and Helen from New York would have dinner every night with Gautreaux, her husband, Glenn, and their four children.
They lavished the family with gifts: a stove, a refrigerator, a freezer, toys, clothing, books. Soon the children were calling them ``Uncle Tom'' and ``Aunt Helen.''
Penny Gautreaux, a 31-year-old meter reader for the town, said it was only when the FBI came calling last January that she learned ``Uncle Tom'' was one of the most wanted fugitives in the country: reputed South Boston crime boss James J. ``Whitey'' Bulger.
But investigators also got a surprise: They had a hard time convincing Penny Gautreaux and others who have encountered the charming Bulger during his time on the run that he is dangerous.
These days, he just doesn't look like the Irish underworld leader wanted on federal racketeering charges in Boston for plotting with the Mafia to split up gambling and drug profits throughout New England.
The Whitey Bulger who is accused of holding a knife to a mortgage broker's throat at a South Boston variety store while extorting $50,000 was driving around this remote island offering dog biscuits to strays from a bag in the trunk of his Mercury Grand Marquis.
The Whitey Bulger who was branded a reputed killer, crime boss, and bank robber by the 1986 President's Commission on Organized Crime often shut off the Gautreaux television, lecturing them on how bad it was to expose children to violent shows, including the local news.
This Whitey Bulger wept when a dying puppy was shot in the head to end its suffering. He went fishing once and tossed back all the small fish.
When two of the Gautreaux children came home from school with a note saying they had vision problems, Bulger and his girlfriend, Catherine Greig, bought them glasses.
``He was a very nice man,'' said Penny Gautreaux, a slender brunette who doesn't regret welcoming Bulger into her home. ``He treated us like family. He was kind. He really had a nice personality. How could you not love him?''
Keeping in touch
In the three years since a federal warrant was issued in Boston for his arrest on charges of racketeering and extortion, Whitey Bulger has blended into the American landscape.
Members of the multiagency task force assigned to find him believe his nondescript looks, ability to charm strangers, and seemingly endless flow of cash are helping him elude capture.
Investigators have a good idea of where he's been; they don't know where he is.
They believe Bulger, 68, and Greig, 46, are traveling around the country, staying in inexpensive motels and sometimes renting apartments. They pay cash for everything.
They've been spotted in New York, Louisiana, Wyoming, Mississippi -- and even his hometown of South Boston.
Money is not a problem for Bulger, who doles out crisp $100 bills from a stash tucked inside a pouch strapped to his waist. The pouch also contains a pearl-handled knife.
Investigators declined to comment on whether they know where Bulger has been during the past year. But they say that he remains in contact with associates in the Boston area in an apparent effort to retain control of his organization.
``We know that he's making telephone calls to this area often,'' said FBI Supervisory Special Agent Thomas Cassano, who heads the Violent Fugitive Task Force in Boston. ``We know that he's getting messages to people. He's not doing what a good fugitive does. A good fugitive cuts all ties.''
It's the kind of brazen behavior that investigators hope will lead to Bulger's capture.
Last August, responsibility for the search was transferred from the FBI's Organized Crime Squad to the agency's Violent Fugitive Task Force, comprised of investigators from the FBI, Massachusetts State Police, Boston Police, Department of Correction, and state Parole Board. Four investigators from the 16-member task force are assigned full-time to track Bulger.
According to sources familiar with the probe, a federal grand jury in Boston recently subpoenaed some of Bulger's friends from Boston, New York, and Louisiana in an effort to pressure them to testify against him. They're being asked about his travel habits, his recent exploits, and the source of his money.
Investigators believe Bulger's generosity to the Gautreaux family and others while on the lam is motivated by self-interest. They say he uses impoverished families who unwittingly make it easy for him to evade detection. He ingratiates himself with gifts that buy loyalty.
It was only when Penny Gautreaux was called before the federal grand jury in Boston in November that she admitted Bulger bought her a stove, refrigerator, and freezer.
``He wanted to give [them] to us as a gift for cooking for him,'' Gautreaux told the Globe. She said Bulger has called her twice since leaving this island in July 1996, but she hasn't talked to him since the FBI traced him to Louisiana a year ago. She said she doesn't know where he is hiding.
Scoffing at investigators' speculation that Bulger used her family to hide, Gautreaux said Bulger was genuinely affectionate to them and his gifts went beyond money.
``He gave us inspiration and courage,'' said Gautreaux, crediting Bulger with motivating her husband to start his own carpentry business.
``He'd say, `Get off your lazy butt; you've got beautiful kids. You need to make something out of your life,' '' Gautreaux said. ``If my husband was sitting down drinking coffee, he'd say, `Go to work.' Stuff I couldn't make him do, he could.' ''
Gautreaux has to return to Boston this week with her husband and 18-year-old stepson to testify in front of the grand jury again, and she resents the FBI for forcing her to do so.
She refuses to believe Bulger is as bad as the FBI makes him out to be. ``I figured they made it bigger than what it is,'' she said. ``Really, I hate them more than him.''
Ready to run
Penny Gautreaux is not the only one to see the good in Whitey Bulger. At the Mary Ellen McCormack housing project in South Boston where Bulger, the eldest of six children, was raised, people recall acts of kindness. They say he delivered turkeys to poor families at Thanksgiving, and once bought a puppy for a little boy whose dog had been hit by a car.
And for years while fraternizing with local mobsters, Bulger was secretly working for ``the good guys.''
The FBI admitted last year in federal court that Bulger was an FBI informant from 1971 through December 1990. He's been credited with leaking information that helped the FBI send the hierarchy of the New England Mafia to prison.
But when the Massachusetts State Police began building a case against Bulger, the FBI joined the probe that resulted in the current federal racketeering indictment.
On Jan. 4, 1995 -- three years ago today -- a federal warrant was secretly issued for Bulger's arrest. Bulger, his longtime associate Stephen ``The Rifleman'' Flemmi, and reputed New England Mafia boss Francis ``Cadillac Frank'' Salemme were charged with extortion.
Racketeering indictments followed a week later, alleging that Bulger was shaking down drug dealers and collecting weekly payoffs from bookmakers.
A tip that the trio was planning to flee sent the FBI and State Police scrambling to arrest them on Jan. 5, 1995, but only Flemmi was nabbed that day. Salemme was captured seven months later hiding out in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Where was Whitey? On vacation.
Investigators now know that Bulger and another girlfriend, Theresa Stanley, a woman he'd lived with for 30 years in South Boston, were traveling around the country. They had spent time in San Francisco and were staying at Le Richelieu Hotel in New Orleans' French Quarter from Dec. 26, 1994, through Jan. 2, 1995.
``They were driving back to Boston when he heard there was a warrant for him and turned around,'' said one investigator.
Investigators suspect Bulger and Stanley stayed at a hotel in Connecticut or western Massachusetts for several days while he figured out what he was going to do. Surrendering was not an option. He had spent nine years in federal prisons, including Alcatraz, for bank robbery from 1956 to 1965, and was determined never to return. He was ready for a life on the run; he already had an alias.
So when the FBI issued a nationwide alert for James J. Bulger of South Boston, he quickly became Thomas F. Baxter of Selden, N.Y., a town on Long Island.
Investigators said Bulger began using Baxter's identity long before he was on the run, even before the real Thomas F. Baxter of Woburn died in January 1979. Bulger obtained a Massachusetts license with his own photograph and Baxter's name, birth date, and Social Security number. He renewed it every four years.
In 1990, Bulger obtained a New York driver's license as Thomas Baxter, then renewed it in 1994. For his address, he used the Selden home of cousins of a trusted South Boston associate.
But while Bulger was prepared for the fugitive life, sources say Stanley was not. In mid-January 1995, Bulger returned to the Boston area and dropped off Stanley in Hingham.
Then he promptly picked up Catherine Greig, a dental hygienist who grew up in South Boston and was living on Hillcrest Road in Quincy. Bulger had been having an affair with Greig for more than a decade while living with Stanley, according to investigators.
Bulger and Greig surfaced Jan. 17, 1995, in Selden, where he bought a new black 1994 Mercury Grand Marquis under the name Tom Baxter. He paid $13,000 by bank check and traded in a 1991 Mercury Sable.
Three days later, Bulger and Greig were in Grand Isle, an island that advertises itself as ``The Cajun Bahamas'' and brags that it is one of the world's 10 best fishing spots.
Most of its 1,500 year-round residents -- a population that swells to more than 6,000 in summer -- earn their living shrimping or working on offshore oil rigs. There are seven full-time police officers; the chief never wears a uniform.
It's only 3 feet above sea level, so homes are built on pilings, some at least 9 feet high in case of flooding.
There are a couple of small supermarkets, and two restaurants open during the off-season. There are no banks, just one ATM. The island is connected to the mainland by a long drawbridge.
``The only people who go there are going there,'' FBI Supervisory Special Agent Cassano said. ``You can't find it by accident. There's only one way onto the island and the same way off. It's an odd place for them to be.''
Blending in
Police Chief Roscoe Besson Jr. smiles ruefully at the memory. When FBI agents arrived here last January with posters offering a $250,000 reward for Whitey Bulger, he recognized the fugitive's photo right away.
Twice in 1996, Besson was slowing traffic outside the elementary school at 7 a.m. when he stopped cars on Louisiana Highway 1 to let Bulger cross the street.
``I stopped the traffic and let $250,000 get across the street,'' he said. Bulger nodded politely once and waved another time. ``If he had taken off running, I'd have been on him like gravy on rice.''
But Bulger didn't run. He strode confidently toward the beach for his morning walk.
``If I see a guy with long stringy hair, nasty looking, I stop them,'' Besson said. ``I want to know who they are. Tom [Bulger] was clean-cut. I'd see him walking. This is a tourist community. He and Helen were just traveling around.''
In fact, Greig frequently went to the police chief's daughter, Chrisel Page, to have her hair cut and colored -- L'Oreal light ash blonde or extra light platinum blonde.
Greig walked alone to Page's salon. And now, Page speculates that Bulger stayed away when he saw the police car belonging to her husband, a deputy for the Jefferson Parish sheriff's department, parked in the driveway outside the shop.
Greig was a nice lady and a generous tipper, Page said: ``I enjoyed her company.''
It's unclear how long Bulger and Greig stayed here during their first visit, but in June 1995 they were driving their Grand Marquis with New York plates in Sheridan, Wyo., where they bought jewelry on an Indian reservation. Three months later, they were spotted in Gulfport, Miss. And from Sept. 25 through Oct. 1, 1995, they were back on Long Island, N.Y., staying at a Best Western motel in Holtsville.
Then in October 1995, while the FBI was chasing tips that Bulger was as far away as Ireland or as close as Cape Cod, the cocky fugitive was back in South Boston.
From a pay phone inside Conley Terminal, a freight dock, Bulger called the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va., to speak to an official who dealt with Bulger when he was an informant.
``You double-crossing [expletive],'' Bulger screamed at John A. Morris, who once supervised the FBI's organized crime squad in Boston and was then assigned to the training academy.
Bulger accused the FBI of trying to smear his brother, then-Senate President William M. Bulger, by falsely suggesting that the brothers were in contact while he was on the lam.
A search for Bulger in South Boston, prompted by that call, was fruitless. The first week of November 1995, Bulger was back in Grand Isle, staying at the Water Edge Motel.
A television segment devoted to Bulger on ``Unsolved Mysteries'' aired later that month. But if anybody here watched the show, they didn't recognize polite Tom Baxter as the wanted gangster from Boston.
Dog people
By all accounts, Bulger and Greig love dogs. Greig, who left her beloved black poodles Gigi and Nikki in South Boston, carries a bag of biscuits in the trunk.
``They will stop and pat dogs on the side of the road,'' said one investigator. ``The people they have befriended on the road are usually people they met through the dogs.''
That's how they met the Gautreaux family. A brush fire near the Gautreaux house in the fall of 1995 prompted Bulger and Greig to stop their car to watch. They fed biscuits to Penny Gautreaux's dogs, and asked about places to rent.
She directed them to ``It's Our Dream,'' a beachfront duplex they rented for about $400 a month from Dec. 13, 1995, through Feb. 13, 1996, paying with $100 bills.
Soon the couple was having dinner at the Gautreaux house, often bringing groceries. He loved Penny's fried potatoes, and urged her to teach his girlfriend to cook them.
``So he's probably eating fried potatoes right now,'' Gautreaux said. ``He loved to eat.''
It was very important to Bulger that they sit together for a family dinner. Bulger often chided Penny Gautreaux to stop eating on the sofa in front of the television.
When their puppy was dying from a birth defect and a veterinarian suggested they put it to sleep, Gautreaux said Bulger thought lethal injection was a cruel way to die. He thought it more humane to shoot the dog, but couldn't watch as Glenn Gautreaux killed the dog in their backyard.
``He turned his head while my husband shot the dog,'' Gautreaux said. ``He had more than a tear.''
Bulger and Greig also loved to shop. At least four times a week they traveled to the Wal-Mart SuperCenter, the closest big department store, 40 miles north in Galliano and open 24 hours a day.
They took different Gautreaux children with them each time and bought things for them. It's also the store where Greig bought her prescription contact lenses, and where, authorities suspect, Bulger used a pay phone.
Gautreaux didn't think it was odd when Bulger bought them expensive appliances. The family needed them, she said; besides, he was just showing his appreciation for the time he spent with them.
Lanny Schexnailere, owner of Island Appliance Sales, said the freezer, stove and refrigerator cost a little more than $1,900; Bulger paid with $100 bills.
``I was introduced to him as Uncle Tom,'' said Schexnailere, who met Bulger at a barbecue at the Gautreaux home. Somebody told him that Bulger was a long-lost uncle of the Gautreauxs. ``Supposedly he left when he was a baby and was raised by other people,'' he said. ``I figured maybe he made it big and came back to help the family.''
Bulger left the island in February 1996, but when he returned in May of that year, there was tension during his visits to the Gautreaux house.
The retired parents of Glenn Gautreux's ex-wife were now staying with the family, and immediately clashed with Bulger.
``He had this attitude like he was the boss,'' said Thomas ``Black'' Rudolph, 64, Gautreaux's former father-in-law. He complained that Bulger was rude, often whispering to Penny and Glenn in his presence. And Bulger insulted Rudolph's wife, Mary, by saying her cooking wasn't as good as Penny's.
``He thought women should be seen and not heard,'' said Mary Rudolph, recounting how Bulger claimed that all he had to do was clap his hands and Greig would jump. The Rudolphs said Bulger teased them, saying, ``I have control of my woman.''
Mary Rudolph admitted, ``I think he was joking. He was trying to be a macho man.''
Still, the Rudolophs didn't appreciate Bulger's humor. ``I said I worked every day of my life since I was 15 years old and he said he never had to work, he had people working for him,'' Tom Rudolph said.
Irritated by Bulger's constant boasting about how he'd traveled around the world and was in great shape, Tom Rudolph challenged him to a push-up contest.
Rudolph dropped to the floor and did three one-handed push-ups, then vowed to do a one-handed push-up for every one that Bulger could do with two hands.
Rudolph said Bulger declined the challenge, claiming to be older than him. But when Rudolph slapped his driver's license on the table and demanded to see Bulger's, he refused to show it.
Despite their dislike of Bulger, the Rudolphs spoke warmly of Greig, who spent most of her time playing outside with the dogs and children. She gave the Labs baths and took them to the vet.
``I really enjoyed Helen because Helen was very quiet,'' Mary Rudolph said. ``She was always a loner. We walked on the beach one time and she said something about missing New York. Helen was nice.''
The Rudolphs said Bulger once made Penny Gautreaux cry when he sternly corrected the children. But Gautreaux insisted she welcomed Bulger's efforts at discipline.
``He cared for them and that's why he was strict,'' Gautreaux said. ``If I was as strict as him, maybe my kids would listen.''
Gautreaux said Bulger was good to her 18-year-old stepson, 10- and 9-year-old daughters, and 6-year-old son. He held the younger children on his lap and read to them. He bought them books and toys, including the Milton Bradley game ``Twister.''
The Rudolphs said Bulger once treated them and Penny and Glenn Gautreaux to dinner at a fine restaurant, located just off-island in Fourchon.
When the hostess tried to seat them at a table in the center of the room near other diners, Bulger insisted on a table in a darkened corner. He ordered wine for the group, drank a couple of imported beers, and picked up the tab.
From May 19 through July 7, 1996, Bulger and Greig rented a two-bedroom home on Cott Lane, a dead-end street around the corner from the Gautreauxs.
Henry and Barbara Wellman, retirees who owned the house and lived next door, said he paid $1,700 in advance with $100 bills.
The Wellmans described the couple as ``quiet, polite, articulate, and clean as a whistle.''
Bulger gave Henry Wellman copies of Soldier of Fortune magazine after he read them.
Barbara Wellman said Greig implied Bulger was retired, telling her, ``Well, he never could travel all his life, and finally he can, and he never wants to go home.''
``To be perfectly honest,'' Henry Wellman confessed, ``I wish we had more tenants like them. They didn't bother anyone. If they're criminals, I don't know which side I'm going to go on.''
But it appears Bulger's infamous temper was evident on at least one occasion.
Henry Wellman recalled with a chuckle that Bulger once tangled with a group of men who constantly hung out across the street, drinking beer and staring at everyone who walked by.
Glaring from his deck at the men who were leering at Greig while she walked to their apartment, Bulger snapped, ``What's the matter? Haven't you ever seen a real woman before?''
Wellman said, ``I was proud of him. To tell you the truth, I liked him. He didn't give me any reason not to.''
When Bulger and Greig left Grand Isle on July 7, 1996, they left behind clothes and an iron that are now in FBI custody.
``He said they were going to San Diego,'' said Henry Wellman, adding, ``which probably means they're in the Caribbean.''
Still running
Actually, Bulger's next stop was back on Long Island. That same month, FBI agents missed Bulger but found the Grand Marquis he had bought there 18 months earlier.
In the 18 months since he had bought the car, Bulger had driven 65,000 miles. Receipts found inside the Marquis led investigators to Louisiana for the first time. But again, Bulger was gone.
Last May the FBI offered a $250,000 reward for Bulger's capture and announced a criminal charge against Greig for harboring a fugitive.
There have been reports that Bulger may have traveled around the country for years prior to his January 1995 indictment, stashing money and possibly fake identifications in safe deposit boxes. But investigators also suspect Bulger is relying on a trusted associate to routinely funnel him cash.
``We don't know the source of the money, and if we did it would probably be a lot easier to track him,'' FBI Supervisory Special Agent Cassano said.
Federal authorities seized $1.9 million that Bulger claimed as his share of a 1991 Mass Millions jackpot, and $199,000 from a safe deposit box and two bank accounts he held in Boston.
Recently, investigators located a bank account belonging to Bulger in Clearwater, Fla., where he owns a condominium. They are in the process of trying to seize that money.
Investigators believe Bulger is a millionaire from gambling, loansharking, and drug profits.
The Violent Fugitive Task Force has recently placed ads with Bulger's photograph in USA Today, Soldier of Fortune magazine, and the South Boston Tribune announcing the reward. They've posted more recent photographs of Bulger and Greig on the FBI's Internet website.
Tips keep coming, but Bulger remains elusive -- a friendly man in a hat and sunglasses cruising around the country.
This story ran on page A1 of the Boston Globe on 01/04/1998.
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Hillary Clinton won the Democratic presidential primary by 387 pledged delegates and 3.7 million votes. Ad Policy
Despite this large margin, some of Bernie Sanders’s most strident supporters have attributed Clinton’s lead to foul play, alleging that the Democratic Party’s nominating rules cost Sanders the nomination and the Clinton campaign deliberately suppressed pro-Bernie votes. These claims, which have circulated widely online, are false. My colleague Joshua Holland, who supports Sanders, has extensively debunked many of these conspiracy theories, but I want to add more detail now that the primary is over. (I’ve been neutral throughout the race and do not endorse candidates.)
First off, the party’s rules were not the deciding factor. Sanders has rejected the idea that the nomination was “rigged” but has repeatedly criticized things like superdelegates and closed primaries, in which Independent and unaffiliated voters can’t participate. Here’s what he told Face the Nation in late May:
What has upset me, and what I think is—I wouldn’t use the word rigged, because we knew what the rules were—but what is really dumb is that you have closed primaries, like in New York state, where three million people who are Democrats or Republicans could not participate, where you have situation where over 400 superdelegates came on board Clinton’s campaign before anybody else was in the race, eight months before the first vote was cast. That’s not rigged. I think it’s just a dumb process, which has certainly disadvantaged our campaign.
Clinton did do better than Sanders in closed primaries, winning 17 to his 9, but she also won more open primaries than he did, 13 to 10. Anti-democratic caucuses, where Sanders did very well, hurt Clinton far more than closed primaries hurt Sanders, writes Nate Cohn of The New York Times:
Sanders was generally hurt by closed primaries. By our estimates, he did about 3.5 points worse in such contests. But most states aren’t closed, so Mr. Sanders wasn’t hurt that badly over all. And Mrs. Clinton was hurt more by caucuses, where she did about 10 points worse, according to the same model. If every contest in the country had been an open primary, Mrs. Clinton’s delegate lead would have grown. She would have lost ground in some of the contests, gained ground in the states with large numbers of anti-Obama registered Democrats (Oklahoma, West Virginia and Kentucky), and gained lots of ground in Western caucuses—where Mr. Sanders earned most of his big delegate hauls. Over all, Mrs. Clinton would have about a 12-point lead in pledged delegates if every state had an open primary, according to our estimates.
Nor did superdelegates decide the nomination for Clinton. They gave her a symbolic early lead and momentum, but Clinton’s pledged delegate lead over Sanders was three times larger than Obama’s margin over Clinton in 2008, under the same rules. I’m in favor of abolishing superdelegates or curtailing their influence, but it’s worth remembering that they’ve followed the pledged-delegate winner in every presidential contest since their creation in 1984.
Secondly, the Clinton campaign did not intentionally try to suppress the votes of Sanders supporters. Some Sanders supporters point to Arizona, where there were five-hour lines in Phoenix’s Maricopa County during the March 22 primary, as a glaring example of malfeasance. But those lines occurred because Republican clerk Helen Purcell cut the number of polling places from 200 in 2012 to just 60 in 2016—a decision made possible by a 5-4 conservative majority on the Supreme Court gutting the Voting Rights Act and ruling that states like Arizona no longer had to approve their voting changes with the federal government.
Clinton strenuously criticized that decision and sued Arizona over the polling place closures, a lawsuit the Sanders campaign joined. Latino voters in Maricopa County, who were most affected by the long lines, strongly supported Clinton and she won the state overall by 15 points. Why would she disenfranchise her own supporters?
Voter-suppression accusations were also rampant after the New York primary. Sanders backers falsely accused Clinton of supporting a controversial purge of 125,000 registered voters in Brooklyn. Of the inactive voters purged in Brooklyn, only 8 percent of whom voted in 2012, 5 percent were 18 to 29 and 61 percent were black and Hispanic. While Sanders won young voters in New York by 30 points, Clinton won black voters by 50 points and Latino voters by 38 points, groups whose numbers were much more likely to be lessened by the purge, and carried Brooklyn by 20 points overall. The purge, to the extent that it mattered, hurt Clinton far more than Sanders. “We are very concerned about it because we believe we probably lost a lot of votes there,” said Clinton communications director Jennifer Palmieri. LIKE THIS? GET MORE OF OUR BEST REPORTING AND ANALYSIS
The latest controversy surrounds California, where Hillary leads by 12 percent, 438,000 votes, but Sanders supporters are still claiming he can win the state based on 1.4 million unprocessed absentee and provisional ballots, even though Clinton has won 52 percent of the 800,000 votes counted after Election Day so far.
I could go on and on, but the point is that the outlandish claims fall apart when subjected to closer scrutiny.
“To the extent that the nomination was rigged in the sense that there was illegal activity going on that was directed by the Democratic Party or the Clinton campaign to sabotage Bernie Sanders’s chances, I’ve seen no credible evidence of that,” says law professor Rick Hasen of the University of California–Irvine.
There were problems in the primaries, without a doubt, and Sanders is right that the nominating process should be reformed. He’s called for open primaries, same-day registration, and abolishing superdelegates—worthwhile ideas that merit more discussion.
Yet not all of these reforms would benefit a future Bernie Sanders. Open primaries, for example, tend to produce more moderate candidates for local offices and can be an impediment to progressive insurgents like Sanders.
Moreover, it’s hypocritical for Sanders to call for more democracy in the Democratic Party and ignore the role of caucuses, which are the most antidemocratic part of the nominating process. Writes David Atkins in The Washington Monthly:
By their very nature, caucuses disenfranchise voters: they’re confusing, stressful and tiring to participate in, they have no voter secrecy or privacy, they require at least an hour of the voter’s time and often more at a very specific time of day, there is no ability to caucus by mail, etc. Caucuses also require chairs, secretaries, check-in volunteers and other officials who count votes, make tallies and determine eligibility–all of whom are are chosen by party leaders who can and do stack the deck for chosen establishment candidates in ways that range from unseemly to blatantly illegal.
The eight states with the lowest voter turnout in 2016 were all caucuses, according to political scientist Michael McDonald of the University of Florida, with an average turnout of 8.4 percent. Turnout was three times lower in caucuses than primaries in 2016. Yet Sanders has refrained from criticizing caucuses because he won 12 out of 18, compared to 28 of 38 primaries for Clinton.
“The caucus is the most voting suppressive system we have,” says Hasen. “The fact that this is off his list makes me question his integrity in making these reforms.”
The bigger danger facing Democrats are not their own rules, but new GOP voting restrictions aimed at depressing the vote among Democratic-constituencies. “What is happening is a sweeping effort to disempower and disenfranchise people of color, poor people and young people from one end of our country to the other,” Clinton said in a major speech on voting rights in June 2015, at the beginning of her campaign. Clinton emphasized this issue before Sanders, and lawyers affiliated with her campaign have filed lawsuits against GOP voting restrictions in key battleground states.
Both campaigns can unite on this issue. Clinton supporters should join Sanders in reforming the Democratic Party, while Sanders supporters should help Clinton combat obstacles to the ballot box like strict voter ID laws, cutbacks to early voting and restrictions on voter registration.
But there also needs to be an honest discussion separating fact from fiction. Crying wolf about rigged elections, like some Sanders supporters have done, undermines the legitimacy of documented cases of voter suppression resulting from GOP-passed laws in states like North Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin, which pose a real and urgent threat to American democracy.Every single Filipino, or perhaps even the non-Filipinos in and out of the country, knew what happened last week until Monday: that members of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) staged a large demonstration in EDSA to condemn what they say was the meddling of the Department of Justice with their internal affairs.
But what many of us don’t know is that also this week, there was another rally, albeit a much smaller one, at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. Last September 4, 2015, young activists trooped to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo and spray painted fences with the words “AFP berdugo” and “Mamamatay tao.”
Soldiers used water cannon on the protesters. AFP Spokesman Col. Noel Detoyato told the press that although demonstrations were part of freedom of expression and democracy, activists did not have the right to “destroy government property.”
Why were the activists so angry? Here’s what’s happening:
Let us begin with what took place on July 23 at a Church compound in Davao City. There were around 700 Lumad evacuees, mostly women and children, who have sought refuge inside the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP). They have been there for months supposedly to escape the military presence in their communities. The Lumads allege that the military has invaded their villages and communities, fired guns around, harassed their people and occupied their schools all under an operation to hunt down communist rebels.
Authorities barged into the compound to supposedly rescue the Lumads and bring them home. But strong resistance resulted to violence that injured 17 Lumads and two cops. The military claims that the leftists are manipulating the Lumads. North Cotabato Rep. Nancy Catamco, chair of the House committee on indigenous people, even went as far as telling Rappler they were being held hostage inside the compound.
On August 7, the Military told the press that they were not responsible for what’s been happening with the Lumads and quoted United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons Chaloka Beyani as having agreed with them that the Lumads were indeed being manipulated by their support groups to turn them against the government. One week after that, UN’s Beyani sent a strongly-worded statement to the media, saying that his views were “grossly distorted” by the military. He said:
“The indigenous peoples whom I interviewed informed me that they relocated to this facility freely and in response to the militarization of their lands and territories and forced recruitment into paramilitary groups operating under the auspices of the AFP. My reference to their being ‘manipulated’ related to the attempt to forcibly move them out of the UCCP facility without proper and adequate consultation with them.”
Hours after Beyani’s statement, the spokesperson for the Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) Colonel Eduardo Gubat resigned and publicly apologized to Beyani. All of us know the story of one fictional Yaya, her dashing prince charming, and the cunning but wise grandmother in a noontime series plastered all over the internet, newspapers and the airwaves.
But only a few know the story of a 15-year-old Manobo boy from Pangantucan, Bukidnon.
His father Herminio Samia, 70, brothers Joebert, 20, and Emir, 19, relatives Norman, 13, and Elmer, 17 were killed in Sitio Mando, Barangay Mendis, Pangantucan in a military encounter. The military insists it was a legitimate encounter between government forces and the New People’s Army (NPA). The boy told the story of how soldiers shot his loved ones one by one. He told the story of how he begged for the mercy of soldiers to just take his father, brothers and relatives to jail, instead of kill them.
The AFP insists that the dead men and teenagers tested positive for nitrates, which supposedly means they were armed rebels who could have also shot the soldiers before the soldiers shot them.
InterAksyon published a report that challenged the conclusiveness of this paraffin test.
Quoting Dr. Vincent JM Di Maio of the Texas Forensic Science Commission in a book he wrote titled “Gunshot Wounds: Practical Aspects of Firearms, Ballistics, and Forensic Techniques,” the article said that |
as something that was supposed to be about infrastructure, but it was obvious from the beginning that the president had any number of other things on his mind. It was just as obvious that the media was hoping to get a piece of him, to bait him. None of it worked. Trump appeared to enjoy every moment of the hostile back and forth. Moreover, he had three truths he wanted to communicate to the American people, and so that is exactly what he did and we are now a better country for it.
1. "Not all of those people were neo-Nazis."
Trump again blasted the white supremacists in Charlottesville, and he also tore into the man charged with driving his car into a group of Antifa counter-protesters as a "disgrace to his family and country... a murderer."
However, Trump also pointed out that not everyone who protested that day against the removal of Gen. Robert E. Lee's statue is a racist. Some came in good faith. In other words, Trump is breaking through the media narrative that instantly defines anyone opposed to tearing down confederate statues as a Nazi:
Those people — all of those people — excuse me. I've condemned neo-Nazis. I've condemned many different groups. But not all of those people were neo-Nazis, believe me. Not all of those people were White Supremacists, by any stretch. Those people were also there because they wanted to protest the taking down of a statue, Robert E. Lee. And you take a look at some of the groups and you see — and you'd know it if you were honest reporters, which in many cases you're not, but many of those people were there to protest the taking down of the statue of Robert E. Lee.
It should be noted, but won't be by our dishonest media, that Trump also said the same about some of those on the other side of the protest, he accurately pointed out that not every counter-protester was there to commit violence.
But you also had people that were very fine people, on both sides. You had people in that group — excuse me, excuse me — I saw the same pictures as you did.
The media's response to this truth has been unhinged. They are claiming Trump believes there are good people in the white supremacist movement. This despite the fact he made clear — without being asked — that this is exactly what he did not mean:
I'm not talking about the neo-Nazis and the white nationalists, because they should be condemned totally. But you had many people in that group other than neo-Nazis and white nationalists. And the press has treated them absolutely unfairly. Now, in the other group also, you had some fine people, but you also had troublemakers.
2. "Are we going to take down statues to George Washington?"
Although Trump made clear that he believes, and appropriately so, that the decision to remove statues should be left to local governments, he also made another clarifying point: Where does this madness end?
George Washington was a slave-owner. Was George Washington a slave-owner? So, will George Washington now lose his status? Are we going to take down — excuse me — are we going to take down — are we going to take down statues to George Washington? How about Thomas Jefferson? What do you think of Thomas Jefferson? You like him? Are we going to take down the statue? Because he was a major slave-owner. Now, are we going to take down his statue? So you know what? It's fine. You're changing history. You're changing culture.
Quite hilariously the disingenuous is pretending Trump is insane for lumping together Lee with Jefferson and Washington, even though the calls from the Left to memory-hole our slave-owning Founding Fathers, to remove their statues and tributes, have been floated for more than a decade.
Where will it end?
Lincoln was serious about freeing the slaves and shipping them back to Africa. West Virginia is lousy with tributes to Klansman (and Democrat) Robert Byrd. Ulysses Grant owned slaves. Franklin Roosevelt interned the Japanese.
The media can pretend the Left's Taliban-ish crusade for historical purity is not real, but it is, and Americans know it.
3. "There was violence on both sides."
This is, without question, the most important point the president made, and he made it repeatedly.
Post-Charlottesville, the MSM's shameless propaganda push, their audacious and coordinated attempt to write the culpability of Antifa out of Saturday's riot is not only Orwellian, it is (and this is by design) dangerous. The media obviously wants Antifa motivated and out there, wants their own personal army of Brownshirts fanning out across the country to break heads, not just of Nazis but of everyday Trump supporters, of anyone on the Right who dares hold an unacceptable opinion.
Trump was having none of it:
What I'm saying is this. You had a group on one side and you had a group on the other, and they came at each other with clubs and it was vicious and it was horrible. And it was a horrible thing to watch. But there is another side. There was a group on this side, you can call them the Left. You've just called them the Left — that came violently attacking the other group. So you can say what you want, but that's the way it is.... I think there's blame on both sides.... I have no doubt about it, and you don't have any doubt about it either. And if you reported it accurately, you would say [so].
The enraged media (nothing enrages our media like the truth) is really angry over this and are claiming Trump is taking back his statements condemning white supremacy. Even though, as you can see above, he actually doubled down in his condemnation of white supremacist groups.
The alt-right and the alt-left, the neo-Nazis and Antifa... These are two sides of the same horrifying coin and for the sake of our country, both must be called out and condemned.
On Saturday, Trump wisely condemned both sides but not by name.
On Monday he condemned the white supremacist groups.
Today, he dragged the media's favorite leftwing supremacists out into the spotlight.
Trump's taking hell for it, but he is doing the only moral thing — telling the truth.Top climate expert's sensational claim of government meddling in crucial UN report
Officials from all main countries 'insisted on changes in late-night meeting'
Intervention amounts to'serious conflict of interest', claims Harvard prof
IPCC reports are supposed to be independent as they help shape policy
Revelation: Professor Robert Stavins, said officials representing 'all the main countries and regions of the world' insisted on changes to the report
A top US academic has dramatically revealed how government officials forced him to change a hugely influential scientific report on climate change to suit their own interests.
Harvard professor Robert Stavins electrified the worldwide debate on climate change on Friday by sensationally publishing a letter online in which he spelled out the astonishing interference.
He said the officials, representing ‘all the main countries and regions of the world’ insisted on the changes in a late-night meeting at a Berlin conference centre two weeks ago.
Three quarters of the original version of the document ended up being deleted.
Prof Stavins claimed the intervention amounted to a serious ‘conflict of interest’ between scientists and governments. His revelation is significant because it is rare for climate change experts to publicly question the process behind the compilation of reports on the subject.
Prof Stavins, Harvard’s Professor of Business and Government, was one of two ‘co-ordinating lead authors’ of a key report published by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) earlier this month.
His chapter of the 2,000-page original report concerned ways countries can co-operate to reduce carbon emissions.
IPCC reports are supposed to be scrupulously independent as they give scientific advice to governments around the world to help them shape energy policies – which in turn affect subsidies and domestic power bills.
Prof Stavins said the government officials in Berlin fought to make big changes to the full report’s ‘summary for policymakers’. This is the condensed version usually cited by the world’s media and politicians. He said their goal was to protect their ‘negotiating stances’ at forthcoming talks over a new greenhouse gas reduction treaty.
Prof Stavins told The Mail on Sunday yesterday that he had been especially concerned by what happened at a special ‘contact group’. He was one of only two scientists present, surrounded by ‘45 or 50’ government officials.
He said almost all of them made clear that ‘any text that was considered inconsistent with their interests and positions in multilateral negotiations was treated as unacceptable.’
Many of the officials were themselves climate negotiators, facing the task of devising a new treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol in negotiations set to conclude next year.
Prof Stavins said: ‘This created an irreconcilable conflict of interest. It has got to the point where it would be reasonable to call the document a summary by policymakers, not a summary for them, and it certainly affects the credibility of the IPCC. The process ought to be reformed.’
He declined to say which countries had demanded which changes, saying only that ‘all the main countries and regions were represented’.
Some deletions were made at the insistence of only one or two nations – because under IPCC rules, the reports must be unanimous.
He revealed the original draft of the summary contained a lot of detail on how international co-operation to curb emissions might work, and how it could be funded. The final version contains only meaningless headings, however, with all details removed.
IPCC reports are supposed to be scrupulously independent as they give scientific advice to governments around the world to help them shape energy policies - which in turn affect subsidies and domestic power bills
His comments follow a decision two weeks earlier by Sussex University’s Professor Richard Tol to remove his name from the summary of an earlier volume of the full IPCC report, on the grounds it had been ‘sexed up’ by the same government officials and had become overly ‘alarmist’.
Prof Stavins’ letter provoked a response from Bob Ward, policy director of the London School of Economics’ Grantham Institute and a fierce critic of those who dissent from climate change orthodoxy.
Mr Ward asked on Twitter whether it showed the ‘IPCC government approval process is broken’.
Yesterday he admitted the affair showed that ‘the IPCC is not a perfect process, though it’s hard to imagine a better one’.
Prof Judith Curry, the head of climate science at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, said that between them, Professors Tol and Stavins had shown the process was ‘polluted by obvious politics’.
The IPCC headquarters in Geneva could not be reached for comment.
Power station sues government for axeing contract after MoS exposed its switch from coal to wood from precious U.S. forests
Drax in North Yorkshire has committed to switching from coal to biomass
And the government agreed to pay DOUBLE for power generated this way
But offer withdrawn after it emerged it was shipping wood from the U.S.
The biomass pellets were being brought 3,000 miles from North Carolina
By MAIL ON SUNDAY REPORTER
Britain's biggest power station is suing the Government for losing a lucrative contract after a Mail on Sunday investigation revealed that it burns wood from precious US forests as a ‘green’ alternative to coal.
Drax is committed to switching from coal to ‘biomass’, or wood pellets.
In December, Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey promised the North Yorkshire plant two lucrative ‘contracts for difference’ – which would see it earn £105 for every megawatt hour it generates, rather than the normal price of £50.
Britain's biggest CO2 polluter: Drax is suing the Government for losing a lucrative contract after a Mail on Sunday investigation revealed that it burns wood from precious US forests as a ¿green¿ alternative to coal
The extra money would come from subsidies funded by consumers’ household bills. But this paper revealed that much of its biomass is shipped in from historic wetland hardwood forests – 3,000 miles away in North Carolina.
Environmentalists say this is destroying endangered species’ habitats, and increasing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Ministers have now withdrawn their promise to guarantee profits for the part of the plant using biomass.
This wiped £400million off the company’s share price and prompted the firm to start legal action.Six years after Beijing spent $3.5 billion to build what was then the world’s largest airport passenger terminal, China's national planning agency has green-lit a new airport that will cost nearly four times as much.
On Monday, China's National Development and Reform Commission announced it had approved the construction of a new airport in the southern Beijing suburbs to ease congestion and overcrowding at Beijing International Airport. The new airport, which will be designed by Netherlands Airport Consultants, is expected to take five years to build at a total cost of 80 billion yuan ($13.1 billion).
Beijing International Airport’s Terminal 3, a sprawling 10.6-million-square foot complex designed by a team of architects (including Netherlands Airport Consultants), opened in March 2008, just in time for the Beijing Olympics.
Despite the major expansion, Beijing International Airport, Asia’s busiest, has struggled to handle passengers, leading to delays that have become legendary among frequent travelers. Last year, 83.7 million passengers traveled through the national airport, which is designed to handle 76 million passengers.
Nanyuan Airport, a recently expanded military air base in southern Beijing that also handles commercial traffic, has only partially alleviated that burden.
The new facility will initially have four runways and be able to handle 72 million passengers, 2 million tons of cargo and mail, and 620,000 planes by 2025, according to the state planning agency. It will be located on the southern outskirts of the city in Daxing district, over 50 miles away from Beijing Capital International Airport in the northeast.
While the doubling of Beijing airport capacity will undoubtedly help with the delays, some analysts say the bigger problem lies in the fact that China’s military controls 80% of the country’s airspace, forcing civilian aircraft to operate in narrow corridors. Delayed flights are a problem throughout the country, not just Beijing, they say.
That congestion is only likely to get worse as Chinese airlines expand routes and scoop up new aircraft in an effort to feed the country’s growing demand for air travel.
-- Anjie Zheng
UPDATE: This post has been changed to fix a typo.The Manila Declaration was adopted yesterday on the final day of the Global Conference on Land-Ocean Connections (GLOC), co-organized by the Government of the Philippines and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The four-day event brought together environment ministers, marine scientists, non-governmental organizations, representatives from financial institutions and other interested bodies, aiming to formulate new policies and actions to improve the sustainable management of oceans and coastal areas.
Signatories to the declaration reaffirmed their commitment to developing policies to reduce and control wastewater, marine litter and pollution from fertilizers.
The agreement contains a total of 16 provisions focusing on actions to be taken between this year and 2016 at international, regional and local levels.
Among them is a call for countries to develop guidance and policies on the sustainable use of nutrients to improve the efficiency of fertilizers such as nitrogen and phosphorous. Doing so would bring economic benefits for farmers, while mitigating negative environmental impacts such as algal blooms caused by agricultural run-off.
“The Manila Declaration signals a new way forward for all of us,” said Amina Mohamed, UNEP Deputy Executive-Director, who led the agency's delegation at the meeting.
“The UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in June is an excellent opportunity to take the Manila Declaration to a global audience and initiate action to reduce the impact of land-based activities on the marine environment,” she said.
“It is essential that we sustain our momentum to achieve on-the-ground improvements in the health of ocean and coastal ecosystems, for which the continued and co-ordinated effort of the international community is vital,” added Ms. Mohamed.
Signatories to the Manila Declaration underlined the importance of healthy oceans and coasts in supporting livelihoods and food security – especially in Small Island Developing States.
The declaration calls for collaborative action to reduce the vulnerability of coastal communities to climate change and to tackle biodiversity loss, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and ocean acidification resulting from land-based activities.
Prior to the signing of the Declaration, UNEP and partners launched the “Green Economy in a Blue World” report, which outlines ways for a green economy transition across six marine-based economic sectors.
The report argues that the health and productivity of marine and coastal ecosystems, which are currently in decline across the globe, can be boosted by shifting to a more sustainable economic paradigm that taps their natural potential – from generating renewable energy and promoting eco-tourism, to sustainable fisheries and transport.
Recommendations include targeted financial support from governments for marine-based renewable energy projects, such as wind and wave power, to harness the considerable opportunities for green job creation in the sector.I've learned, per source, the Jets are bringing in several wide receivers to workout Monday morning. One of them is going to sign on the spot. As of right now we have one confirmed name: WR Nick Edwards from Eastern Washington.
Here is what we know about Nick via Tony Pauline from NFL Draft Insider.
Bio: Former walk-on who started his first three seasons at Eastern Washington before struggling with a knee injury throughout his senior campaign. Totals last year included 37 receptions/436 yards/4 TDs. All-America and all-Conference recipient as a junior after posting career numbers of 95/1250/19. Sophomore totals included 57/614/7. Nice-sized receiver who displayed NFL skills prior to his injury last season. Quickly releases off the line into pass routes, comes back to the ball out of breaks, and extends his hands, offering the quarterback a target. Looks the pass into his hands, easily adjusts to catch errant throws in stride, and effectively tracks deep passes. Consistent hand catcher who displays focus and consistently makes the reception away from his frame. Fights to come away with the ball in a crowd. Gives effort blocking.
After signing with the Minnesota Vikings right after the draft as an UDFA, Edwards was released on May 6th, shortly after rookie minicamp.
Edwards, who is represented by one of the best agents in the game, Donte Robinson of Elite Sports Agency, has the size and speed to be a force in the NFL. It definitely wouldn't surprise me to see him be the one to sign.
I'll keep you posted if I get word of any others working out. Could one of them be Braylon? I'm not sure, but I did hear Idzik likes him, so definitely stay tuned.
The Jets have 90 players on the roster, which means one player will need to be released on Monday.
In the meantime, check out this ridiculous highlight tape of Nick below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEmF3AX92-4BMW is believed to be evaluating a 2017 BMW LMP1 Programme. Well sourced reports in the German press explain that a project to design a new LMP1 design are well underway. BMW Motorsport personnel have been seen at both WEC rounds so far and taking a specific interest in the car contesting the LMP1 class rather than those in the GTE field where they may be expected.
The German marque which won Le Mans in 1999 and powered the 1995 winner is said to be one of two manufacturers who have made serious approaches to the ACO about a 2017 LMP1 entry, and have enquired about the direction of the rules in 2017 when new regulations are expected in the class.
BMW has not had a major international motorsport programme since it withdrew from F1 at the end of the 2009 season. Since then it has focussed on DTM and customer GT racing, as well as its works United Sports Car Championship team in the USA.
LMP1 is likely of specific interest to BMW due to its advanced position in electric mobility and development of cutting edge hybrid technologies such as its patented ‘turbo steamer’ and thermoelectric generators. Indeed the brand has even created its own alternative fuel and hybrid brand ‘i’ (as in BMW i8). The suitability between the current LMP1 rules aimed at advancing technology and BMW’s clear philosophy of being a leader in this field is clear. With ‘Garage 56’ seemingly vacant for 2016 & 2017 BMW could use this route to deploy technologies that are not yet represented in the current LMP1 regulations, before a full entry the following year (the same path taken by Nissan).
There are some reasons why a BMW project may not happen, some of the technological avenues being pursued by BMW fall outside of the current LMP1 rules structure and additionally the firm lacks the capability to develop a modern LMP or open wheel car in house (during its tenure in F1 it partnered with Sauber).
This lack of capability in house could easily be overcome with the use of the local supply chain however with a wide range of firms in Bavaria such as Holzer and Adess and others all with track record in LMP and F1 car construction and development.
BMW through its DTM commitment is already developing an engine that could be well be suited to use in LMP1. Its new ‘NRE’ two litre four cylinder direct injection engine will produce in excess of 600bhp.
BMW Motorsport boss Jens Marquardt refused to deny the speculation surrounding the firms 2017 Le Mans project but made it clear that for the brand to enter the rules would likely have to change “if you take BMW as a global brand we are not a slow follower or a fast follower, we are setting new paths, which we have shown with ‘i’ so I don’t think we need to follow what everyone does.
The WEC is still following and what we need to figure out is a new path that suits BMW, like with ‘i’. He went on however to point out that if the return on investment was worthwhile BMW would certainly consider a new global programme.
“If a global return on investment is balanced withyour investment it can make a lot of sense but it has to be balanced. Some of the championships are a huge investment and a return on investment calculation sometimes in those respects are difficult but it depends how close these things are to your brand.”
A full story on the potential of BMW to return to Le Mans can be read (in German) in the latest issue of Sport Auto magazine (issue 6/2015), which is available now.The video will start in 8 Cancel
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A man who violently raped a young virgin as she walked to her boyfriend's home was caught after a BBC Crimewatch appeal.
Mebrehtom Abrha, 25, originally from Eritrea in East Africa, pursued the woman for 10 minutes before shoving her to the ground, the Birmingham Mail reports.
Liverpool Crown Court heard how Abrha, who now lives in Aston, Birmingham, ripped her dress and raped her twice before casually walking away, at around 6.30am on July 19, last year.
David McLachlan, prosecuting, said the victim had been out clubbing in Liverpool and saw her boyfriend, who worked in the city centre.
They agreed to meet up later and she went back to her flat, packed a bag and set off to her partner’s home.
(Image: Police handout)
The woman, who described herself as being “slightly drunk”, intended to catch a taxi but there were none around.
Mr McLachlan said she began walking the mile and a half route but ran most of the way in her heels as it was raining heavily.
She did not realise anybody was following her as she passed Crown Park and only spotted her attacker when he crept up from behind.
Mr McLachlan said: “All she remembered was ending up on the ground. She guessed she had been thrown over.
“She remembered being shocked and thinking ‘this can’t be happening’.”
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The young woman tried to push Abrha off but he ripped her dress open and raped her.
Mr McLachlan said: “She started screaming, She was shouting ‘please don’t’. She said ‘I’m a virgin, please don’t do this to me’.
“She described how he got up and walked away in a casual manner. He didn’t run away, he just walked off.”
Mr McLachlan said Abrha did not speak during the four-minute ordeal “apart from the odd phrase ‘get a better number’.”
The victim, who was covered in dirt and suffered injuries to her back and neck, ran to her boyfriend’s home and he called the police.
Mr McLachlan said the woman had to undergo testing for sexually transmitted diseases, but fortunately these proved negative.
(Image: Police handout)
She was only able to describe her attacker as black, tall and skinny.
Police watched CCTV and, spotting the rapist, traced his movements back to 4am, when he was thrown out of Modo bar in Concert Square.
He was seen drinking on his own in two bars in Slater Street, urinating against a wall in Wood Street, and following the woman near Crown Park.
His DNA did not match any known offenders and police arranged for a reconstruction to be shown on Crimewatch on October 12.
As a result of information received afterwards, officers arrested Abrha at his home in Dunsink Road in Aston, Birmingham.
He made no comment but a DNA sample was taken, which linked him to the crime.
The court heard Abrha had been living in Egerton Road, Wavertree for a year, but fled the city after an initial Merseyside Police appeal when his picture was released.
The defendant, with black hair and beard, admitted two counts of rape through a Tigrinya interpreter in the dock. He has no previous convictions in this country.
Mr McLachan said he “humiliated and degraded” his victim, leaving her with “severe psychological harm’.
Judge David Aubrey, QC, said he needed to know what may have caused a man with no previous convictions to commit such a serious crime.
The judge said he needed to consider whether Abrha was a dangerous offender and it would be “unwise to proceed” without a pre-sentence report.
Judge Aubrey adjourned sentencing until Monday and remanded Abrha in custody.Two things happened a year ago that are impacting Los Gatos this week.
The first occurred June 14, 2014, when the U.S. Supreme Court let stand an appeals court ruling that a Wisconsin high school violated the U.S. Constitution when it held graduation ceremonies in a church.
The second occurred on June 16, 2014. That’s the day the Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter to the Los Gatos Union School District protesting the fact that Fisher Middle School’s 2014 graduation was held at the Calvary Church on Los Gatos Boulevard.
As a result of the foundation’s letter, Fisher’s 2015 graduation ceremony was held June 4 at Oak Meadow Park.
“Regarding the use of Calvary, unfortunately the district received notification by the Freedom From Religion Foundation citing case law against the use of facilities in churches,” Los Gatos Union School District superintendent Diana Abbatti wrote in an email. “The district has been advised by legal counsel that the district must find alternative, appropriate and secular locations for student-related activities. The district did what was best for its students, using its financial resources to support student programs and not pursue litigation.”
The FFRF letter said the foundation was contacted by “a local resident” regarding the “troubling” use of Calvary.
The foundation did not threaten to sue the school district, but its letter cited numerous court rulings on the subject, including Doe v. Elmwood School District. That’s the Wisconsin case the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear. The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that “the same risk that children in particular will perceive the state as endorsing a set of religious beliefs is present both when exposure to a pervasively religious environment occurs in the classroom and when government summons students to an off site location for important ceremonial events.”
Foundation attorney Andrew Seidel asked to be informed in writing of steps the district planned to take “to ensure that future graduation ceremonies take place in a secular location which respects the freedom of conscience of all graduates, their friends, teachers and families.”
Van Meter Elementary School was also impacted by the switch from Calvary, which held its 2014 fifth-grade promotion ceremony at the church. Thursday’s ceremony was instead held “on the blacktop” at Van Meter.
“I am an atheist, and many of the people I have spoken to aren’t Christian or religious and are angry we cannot use Calvary or have any input over the decision,” Van Meter parent Terry McBriarty said.
McBriarty said the FFRF letter also impacted the Van Meter variety show, which was moved from Calvary to the school’s multi-purpose room.
“I went to the third variety show; it was packed,” McBriarty said. “I was late, and spent most of the show sitting on the floor in a dress.”
The reason Calvary has been used so extensively is because the ever-growing school district doesn’t have a big enough facility for large gatherings of students and/or parents. But that problem may soon be solved because an addition to the Fisher gymnasium is now under construction. It’s expected to be completed early next year and will be big enough to accommodate the entire Fisher student body.
Fisher’s enrollment at the end of March was 1,240 students.Hold your sea horses tight, Jason Momoa may have just confirmed that the first look of Aquaman will be out this weekend. Posting a picture to announce his arrival at the San Diego Comic-Con 2017, the actor shared a message that teases the possibility of the teaser trailer's release.
It has been long speculated now that along with Justice League's new trailer release, DCEU and Warner Bros will launch Aquaman movie's first look as well. The rumour mills were fuelled further when Cyborg actor Ray Fisher posted a video on social media. In the video, the actor is seen swimming in slow motion and his caption wished good luck to the Aquaman team.
Also Read: Aquaman movie: Curry Lighthouse photos surface online
Now, with the Hawaiian star seemed to have confirmed the speculation. Sharing a picture of the Justice League squad, the Game of Thrones actor wrote:
"Aquaman is here San Diego comic con. So stoked to share all the goodies. Ps I know something you don't know. And it's F**king amazing. Yay. Awlright. Aloha AC"
Warner Bros has a panel scheduled on Saturday, July 22, where they are expected to discuss Justice League, announce two new projects and fans were hoping they would reveal more details or even a trailer from Aquaman. With Momoa's teasing something "amazing", it is safe to say that a huge Aquaman spoiler update has been lined for fans.
Aquaman began filming in May this year. The commencement of filming was shared by director James Wan on his Twitter account. Actors also shared images from the shooting locations as and when they joined the crew in Australia's Gold Coast.
According to updates shared by Warner Bros and DCEU heads, Aquaman's plot is expected to follow the timeline after the events of Justice League. The film will establish the back story of the Aqua God and features a slew of actors like Amber Heard, Nicole Kidman and Patrick Wilson among many others in key roles.
Aquaman is here San Diego comic con So stoked to share all the goodies. Ps I know something you don't know. And it's Fucking amazing.???????Yay. Awlright. Aloha AC A post shared by Jason Momoa (@prideofgypsies) on Jul 21, 2017 at 9:43pm PDT
Since the tease has been made on his official Instagram account, fans can expect the clip or announcement to be made in H-Hall at SDCC 2017 to be released online simultaneously at 11:30 am PT.
Here's where you can watch the Aquaman teaser trailer first:
Warner Bros
Jason Momoa
James Wan
Warner Bros Twitter
Aquaman is slated to release on December 21, 2018.Over the past 41 years, the constant and geometric expansion of America's longest war—the war on drugs—has led us to incarcerate more of our citizens than any other nation on the planet. This should leave no doubt in the minds of thinking people that it is time to scale back or outright end this disastrous experiment in social control.
Since the time that President Richard Nixon first declared the war on drugs in June 1971, some startling events have occurred that would cause even the most battle-hardened general to take a cold look at the situation and calculate that it's better to live to fight another day. But in the war on drugs, we've been told, there is no room for retreat.
This rigid adherence to a failed strategy has wrought terrible unintended consequences. Almost 9 out of 10 high school seniors say that marijuana is "very easy" to obtain (much easier than alcohol and tobacco, which are regulated drugs). The street price of cocaine has dropped by 80 percent since 1982, the exact opposite effect from what was intended. Perhaps most disturbingly, in large part because of our government's simplistic propaganda indicating there are "good drugs" and "bad drugs," the leading cause of death in the United States is no longer car accidents—it's overdoses from prescription pharmaceutical drugs.
[Read the U.S. News Debate: Should Welfare Recipients Be Tested for Drugs?]
That last point gets at the social sickness we have around drugs and the drug war. Federal law says that marijuana is significantly more dangerous than the prescription painkillers that can kill you from taking too much. Yet at the same time, the Drug Enforcement Administration refuses to talk seriously about making medical marijuana available for seriously ill people. There is something very wrong here. The answer, of course, is not to ban pharmaceutical drugs. That clearly hasn't worked for other substances, such as alcohol and marijuana.
The war on drugs persists because good people are cowed into silence. If everyone spoke frankly about their feelings toward the drug war or their experiences with marijuana, this war would end promptly, because people would find out they're not alone.
In the privacy of election booths this fall, Colorado and Washington voters will get the chance to decide if their states should legalize marijuana for adult use. Whether they win or lose, the war is already on the way to winding down, precisely because we're talking honestly about it.A 20-year-old woman was tortured, bound and stabbed to death by a man and his transgender lover for a suspected 'perverted pleasure', a court heard.
Bethany Hill was found drenched in blood with stab wounds to her neck and hands bound with tape in the bathroom of a flat on February 3 last year.
Her two flatmates Kayleigh Louise Woods, 23, and Jack Williams, 21, were later arrested and charged with her murder.
Warwick Crown Court was told today the'sadistic' killing may have been done by Williams for 'perverted pleasure' and that Woods 'joined in with her lover to please him.'
Bethany Marie Hill was found drenched in blood with stab wounds to her neck and hands bound with tape in the bathroom of a flat on February 3 last year
Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of Jack Williams (left) and Kayleigh Woods at Warwick Crown Court where they are accused of murdering Bethany Marie Hill
Kayleigh Louise Woods (left), 23, and Jack Williams (right), 21, were arrested and charged with murder
She was found after Woods made a 999 call at just gone 7pm on February 3 saying'my best friend's dead in my flat.'
The court heard Woods claimed Beth had committed suicide while she was out of the flat, and said she had returned to find blood everywhere and attempted to clean the flat before phoning the police.
But after the jury was told she was taken to the police station later that evening officers discovered she had tried to dispose of a phone, later found to be Beth's, in a sanitary bin after destroying her own - and she was arrested on suspicion of murder.
Woods, who was born and raised as a boy called Kyle Lockwood, had been in a relationship with Williams at the time of the murder.
The court heard that weeks before the killing, in December 2015, Woods had given her grandmother boxes for storage which she had put in the attic.
On February 6 Woods' grandmother informed the police, and they searched the boxes.
They found a naked Barbie doll that had been bound and gagged with duct tape. Its hair had been coloured in with a felt tip, allegedly to match Beth's.
Stephen Linehan QC, prosecuting, said: 'The doll belonged to Kayleigh Woods. Whoever created the fetish doll was thinking of Beth.'
Warwickshire Police believe Beth (pictured left, with a friend) died as a result of a stab wound to the neck. She was a former pupil at Alcester High School
Mr Linehan also told the court a roll of duct tape had been found in a bag dumped by Woods, as well as a piece of duct tape in the bathroom and a rolled up ball in the flat.
He said: 'She was tortured, then she was killed. Bethany Hill was bound and possibly gagged, using duct tape, as part of the attack that lead to her death.
'They [Woods and Williams] did it together.'
Mr Linehan said the'sadistic' killing may have been done by Williams for 'perverted pleasure' and that Woods 'joined in with her lover to please him.'
He said: 'Beth had not died as a result of cutting herself. She was brutally, brutally murdered.
'Each of them (the defendants) has spun a web of lies in order to conceal the truth.'
Mr Linehan described Woods as a 'good play actor' and a 'prolific and practised liar'.
Beth had been in a brief relationship with Williams as a teenager, and after moving out of her parents' home in Bidford-on-Avon to attend college in Stratford she met Woods.
She later moved into Woods' one-bedroom flat in Hertford Road, Stratford.
Tragic: Bethany Hill was found dead with neck wounds at a flat in Hertford Road in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
Mr Linehan said: 'It was a friendship that was to have terrible consequences for Beth.'
Williams, who had also grown up in Bidford, had moved out of his mum's house and in with his dad and step-mum in Redlands Crescent, Stratford.
Beth, who had a history of self-harming, introduced Williams and Woods, and the two began a relationship.
By the time they met Woods was already living as a woman and, although Williams knew she was transgender, the pair had a sexual relationship.
Beth, who Mr Linehan described as 'troubled', later dropped |
the diffusion of the gas out of the container occurs on times scales that are much slower than the rate at which the gas explores the volume of the container (i.e., the time for a molecule to diffuse from one end of the container to the other), then we can consider the gas to be in equilibrium. Similarly, if transcription factor and RNA polymerase binding and falling off the DNA occur on time scales that are distinct from the time scales associated with initiation of transcription, we can treat the different states representing combinations of transcription factors bound to promoter DNA as being in equilibrium with each other. This is illustrated in. A more intuitive way of restating this conclusion is that the rate of transcription should depend on the concentration and activity of the transcription factors, a proposition that is likely to be widely accepted. Here, we have simply developed the formal underpinnings of this assertion.
From an experimental point of view, often the most convenient measurable quantity for carrying out the kind of quantitative dissection that is possible using thermodynamic models of gene expression is the fold-change, defined as the ratio of the level of expression in strains that harbor the repressor molecule to the level of expression in strains that do not. This definition can be generalized to an array of different regulatory architectures by always computing the ratio of the level of expression in the regulated strain to that in an unregulated strain. The prediction for the fold-change that follows from the thermodynamic model of simple repression described above is fold-change = p bound (R)/p bound (R = 0). For repression, the fold-change is always less than one, while for activation, the fold-change is greater than one. As shown in, several different bacterial promoters have had their fold-change systematically characterized, and we compare the measured value with the thermodynamic models that are appropriate for the particular promoter. Such experiments lead to knowledge of the parameters of the promoter architecture such as the relevant binding energies. Using these parameters, falsifiable predictions about the gene regulatory input–output relations can be generated ( Bintu et al., 2005a ).
Here, the probability is expressed as a function of the number of poly-merases (P), the number of repressors (R), the size of the genome N NS in base pairs, and the relevant energy differences that characterize the binding of polymerase and repressor to promoter and operator DNA, Δε pd and Δε rd, respectively. Details about how this formula is obtained in analogy to the probability of the ligand binding to a receptor from Eq. (2.4) are shown in the caption of.
To see the way in which these ideas play out most simply within the statistical mechanics framework, consider the case of repression of transcription by a transcription factor (repressor), as shown in. The idea is one of simple competition. The promoter can either be unoccupied, occupied by RNA polymerase, or occupied by repressor, but not by both simultaneously. The transcriptionally active state corresponds to that state in which RNA polymerase is bound to the promoter. In the thermodynamic models, all attention is focused on promoter occupancy, and it is assumed that the level of gene expression is proportional to the probability of promoter occupancy by RNA polymerase ( Straney and Crothers, 1987 ). As with the examples worked out above for the two-state ion channel and the simple binding problem, we can compute the probability of interest by resorting to the states and weights diagram shown in which tells us that the probability of promoter occupancy is given by
3.3. The unreasonable effectiveness of MWC models
In the world of statistical mechanics, the Ising model has celebrity status and can be argued to be one of the most useful conceptual frameworks in all of physics. One of the arguments we want to make here is for a similar status for the MWC model in the context of biology (Monod et al., 1965). The biological essence of the MWC philosophy is that many of the molecules of life, or complexes consisting of many molecules, can exist in several different functional states (e.g., inactive and active), and their propensity to bind ligands is different in those states. For a protein that is activated by ligand binding, the simplest picture is that the free energy of the inactive state is intrinsically lower, making it more likely in the absence of ligands. However, if the binding energy for ligands is greater when the molecule is in the active state, then the presence of ligands can shift the equilibrium toward this state. What this means in turn is that as ligands are titrated in, the active state will ultimately be the thermodynamic winner. More generally, the same kind of enumeration of discrete states can be applied to any other reversible biological transformation such as protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation, and transport into or out of a subcellular compartment. There are many important and nuanced features of this idea, some of which will be made mathematically explicit in the case studies to be given in the remainder of the chapter.
3.3.1. MWC and hemoglobin: Where it all began The MWC model in its various forms has been applied in many different contexts. The most famous example and a story told many times before concerns the application of these ideas to the binding of oxygen to hemoglobin. Because hemoglobin can bind four separate oxygen molecules, there are at least five distinct states of occupancy: empty, single-, double-, triple-, and quadruple occupancy (we are glossing over the possible distinctions among the substates within these states; e.g., a single hemoglobin tetramer with two bound oxygens may carry those oxygens either on the two alpha chains, the two beta chains, or one of each). One of the most important experimental findings about these binding probabilities is the existence of cooperativity: one way of couching it is the idea that the K d for adding the next ligand depends upon how many ligands are already present. In this situation, the simple binding curves such as those shown in fit the experimental data very poorly. In this case, people often resort to a richer binding curve known as a Hill function, which is a generalization of the functional form shown in Eq. (2.5) to the case where the ratio [L]/K d in the numerator and the denominator is raised to the power n, p bound ( [ L ] ) = ( [ L ] K d ) n 1 + ( [ L ] K d ) n. (2.7) The parameter n is the so-called Hill coefficient and is usually associated with the degree of cooperativity. For the hemoglobin case, the cooperativity concept was developed by Linus Pauling in 1935 specifically as a way to explain the nontrivial shape of the observed binding curve (Pauling, 1935). In this framework, the binding of one oxygen molecule to hemoglobin alters its affinity for the subsequent binding of another oxygen molecule to another site. While conceptually attractive and very useful for fitting experimental data, the Pauling model for cooperativity and subsequent elaborations of it (Koshland et al., 1966) require an explicit accounting for how each ligand affects the energetics of subsequent binding events. This formulation becomes increasingly unwieldy if other kinds of interactions are also considered. For example, the metabolic byproduct 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate (2,3-BPG) is found at high concentrations in red blood cells and binds to a site on the hemoglobin tetramer far from the heme groups, substantially decreasing the affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen as part of the blood-based oxygen delivery system in mammals (Benesch and Benesch, 1967). Incorporation of 2,3-BPG into a Pauling-style model for hemoglobin (or, similarly, incorporation of the Bohr effect, etc.) requires a proliferation of coupling terms describing how the binding of each ligand affects the affinity for every other possible ligand (Phillips et al., 2009a). The MWC view of the cooperativity problem is fundamentally different. The original MWC model took the approach of assuming that hemoglobin itself could exist in only two distinct structural states: in one, the binding of oxygen to all the sites is weak, while in the other, it is strong; there is also an energy penalty to be paid when switching from the state in which oxygen is bound weakly to the one in which it is bound more strongly. The cooperativity in this case arises from the fact that the penalty for binding one, two, three, or four oxygen molecules tightly is the same regardless of the number of molecules. In other words, the presence of one or more bound ligands simply alters the probability of the protein being in each of the two structural states (or in the language of statistical mechanics, alters the energy difference Δε between the two; Monod et al., 1965). Inclusion of 2,3-BPG in this framework is straightforward; binding of 2,3-BPG also alters the population distribution between the states, lowering the relative energy of the weak oxygen-binding state, and therefore driving the population of hemoglobin molecules in that direction. For this first-order model, the ligands can all be assumed to stabilize or destabilize each possible protein structural state independently, and the effect of combining the various different ligands can be predicted by calculating the linear combination of all of the binding energies with respect to the state probabilities. Though the hemoglobin example was historically foundational, we believe that the MWC framework for biological statistical mechanics can be even more usefully applied to an unreasonably broad range of biological problems by virtue of its intrinsic ability to describe systems that exist primarily in a countable number of discrete functional states.
3.3.2. MWC and ligand-gated ion channels: Cooperative gating The general applicability of the MWC philosophy is perhaps best illustrated with the example of ion channels. This time our discussion is based on an ion channel that is gated by the binding of ligands. Even though it is an oversimplification, we continue with the picture of ion channels that have only two allowed conformational states, an open state which permits the flow of ions and a closed stated which forbids any ionic current. Further, imagine an ion channel like the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor that has two binding sites for ligands, meaning that there are four possible states of occupancy when the channel is in a given state: unoccupied by ligand, occupied by ligand on site 1, occupied by ligand on site 2, and occupied by ligands on both sites 1 and 2. This is a reasonable first description of the acetylcholine receptor involved in the neuromuscular junction, which is also one of the best-studied ligand-gated channels, though detailed studies show that a faithful interpretation of these channels requires more than this simplest of models provides (Colquhoun and Sivilotti, 2004). The interesting twist that results from exploiting the MWC framework is that the binding energy for the ligands is different in the open and the closed state. All of these eventualities are shown in. Open in a separate window If we make the simplifying assumption that the binding energy for the two different sites is identical, then the statistical weights of the different states can be written in the simple form shown in. The outcome of this model is that the open probability as a function of ligand concentration has the simple but subtle form p open = e − β ε open ( 1 + [ L ] K d ( o ) ) 2 e − β ε open ( 1 + [ L ] K d ( o ) ) 2 + e − β ε closed ( 1 + [ L ] K d ( c ) ) 2. (2.8) The parameters that come into play here include the energies of the open and closed states, namely, ε open and ε closed, and the dissociation constants for the ligand when in the open and closed states, namely, K d (o) and K d (c), while the concentration of the ligands themselves is given by [L]. Note that this functional form bears some resemblance to that worked out earlier for the simple two-state ion channel, but as a result of the fact that the concentration-dependent terms come in a quadratic fashion, the dependence of the open probability on the ligand concentration is sharper than revealed in our earlier model. This sharpness can be explored by looking at the way that the open probability changes with concentration. Not surprisingly and just as in the case of hemoglobin, more careful studies of the dynamics of ligand-gated channels reveal behavior that is more nuanced than that captured in the simplest MWC model (Colquhoun and Sivilotti, 2004). Nevertheless, the simple treatment represents a very good first approximation to describing the system that can be used to build intuition and refine the precision of the quantitative questions that can be brought to bear. Within the same statistical mechanics framework, more sophisticated models can be constructed by including more precisely defined structural states and including the possibility for energetic coupling between the two ligand-binding sites (Colquhoun and Sivilotti, 2004).
3.3.4. MWC and eukaryotic transcriptional regulation: From nucleosomes to enhancers A less familiar example of the use of MWC-like models is to binding problems involving DNA and its binding partners. In particular, in a recent set of papers, it was suggested that by analogy to the inactive and active states of a protein, DNA could be either inaccessible or accessible to binding by transcription factors (Mirny, 2010; Raveh-Sadka et al., 2009). One concrete mechanism for how that idea might be realized in a biological system is that the DNA could either be wrapped up in nucleosomes (inaccessible) or open for interaction with other factors. In, we show a schematic of the states and weights for this case, with the “ligands” in this case now being DNA-binding proteins such as transcription factors which bind to some enhancer. For the concrete case shown in the figure, inspired by an enhancer in Drosophila, we consider an enhancer region containing seven binding sites, all of which have the same affinity for the transcription factor of interest (though this simplification is not at all crucial). Open in a separate window The idea embodied in the figure is once again that embodied in an MWC model. This means that the system can exist in two overall states (accessible and inaccessible) and that the affinity of the relevant ligands for their target sites depends upon which of the two overall conformational states the system is in. An equivalent way of stating this is that the relative population distribution and therefore relative stability for each of the two DNA conformational states is influenced by the binding of the ligands. For the particular example shown here, we were loosely inspired by the binding of the transcription factor Bicoid in its role as an activator of a second gene known as Hunchback, two genes that play a specific role in the much larger process of development in the Drosophila embryo (Gilbert, 2010). For simplicity, we assume that each of the seven distinct bicoid target sites has the same binding energy and that there is no cooperativity in the sense that the binding of one protein does not alter the binding energy of a second molecule of the bicoid protein to one of the other sites. As a result, the partition function can be evaluated simply in the closed form shown here and results in the level of Hunchback activation given by [ Hb ] = [ Hb max ] e − β ε active ( 1 + [ Bcd ] K d ( active ) ) 7 e − β ε active ( 1 + [ Bcd ] K d ( active ) ) 7 + e − β ε inactive ( 1 + [ Bcd ] K d ( inactive ) ) 7, (2.11) where [Bcd] and [Hb] are the Bicoid and Hunchback concentrations, respectively. The data for the relationship between bicoid binding and hunchback expression has been explored in a recent paper (Gregor et al., 2007). Empirically, the authors of that study found that the expression of Hunchback can be fit to a Hill function that depends upon the concentration of Bicoid. An example of both the Hill function approach favored in that study and the MWC functional form described here are shown in. At this point, the quantitative dissection of developmentally important enhancers in eukaryotes is still in the very early stages, and there is a huge amount still to be done both in carrying out experiments that are at once quantitative and revealing and in finding the right set of “knobs” that can be tuned in both these experiments and the models that are developed in response. Our discussion is meant simply to illustrate the types of questions that are currently being considered and the way that simple thermodynamics are beginning to be used to answer those questions (Fakhouri et al., 2010).Kim Yo-jong, who is believed to be 26, is named a vice department director in the ruling party’s central committee
North Korea revealed on Thursday the official title of Kim Jong-un’s younger sister, who is widely tipped to become a close and influential aide to the young leader.
Kim Yo-jong, believed to be 26, made her first public appearance during the funeral of her father and longtime ruler Kim Jong-il in December 2011. Since then she has occasionally been seen accompanying her brother to political events and on his “field guidance trips”, but without any specific title attached to her name.
That changed on Thursday when the North’s official KCNA news agency listed her as a “vice department director” in the central committee of the ruling Workers’ party.
She was accompanying her brother on a trip to a cartoon film studio founded by their grandfather and the North’s founding president, Kim Il-sung. During the visit, Kim Jong-un urged animators to produce works that are “true to the intention of the party”.
The Kim family has ruled the reclusive, impoverished state for more than six decades with an iron fist and a pervasive personality cult. North Korea watchers have speculated that Kim Yo-jong may end up playing the same leadership supporting role as her powerful aunt, Kim Kyong-hui.
Kim Kyong-hui, 68, was a close aide to her own brother Kim Jong-il for decades, assuming senior positions in the party and becoming a four-star general in 2010. But she largely disappeared from public view after her husband, Jang Song-thaek, was executed last December accused of charges including treason.A lifetime supply of samurai swords and four top secret additions to Zack Greinke's D-backs deal
The Arizona Diamondbacks came remarkably close to shutting down the Internet on Friday night, agreeing to a reported six-year, $206.5 million deal with former Dodgers ace Zack Greinke. The deal gives the D-backs a much-needed No. 1 starter, while also turning the NL West race on its ear and setting a Major League record for a yearly contract value. And now, a look at the current Hot Stove status:
There are plenty of baseball-related reasons for Greinke to take his talents to Arizona: He's already comfortable hitting dingers at Chase Field, for starters, and the D-backs feature America's First Baseman Paul Goldschmidt and secret superstar A.J. Pollock to go along with one of the league's best defenses.
But still, when you're trying to land one of the biggest free agents on the market, a team has to go the extra mile. On-field considerations aren't enough -- it's about creating the total package, making sure a player feels totally at home. So, it's no surprise that Arizona sealed the deal with some added contractual benefits that really speak to Zack Greinke the man. Like, for example...
Ten tons of free, high quality guacamole
There are many things Zack Greinke enjoys: Flipping bats, for example, and dressing his baby in a banana suit. But if there's one thing he won't stand for, it's his favorite burrito place unreasonably raising the price of guacamole:
"I like the guacamole. Now, I don't really love the guacamole. So I get it when I feel like it. They changed their guacamole from $1.50 to $1.80. I mean, $1.50 is already pretty darn high. So they changed it to $1.80, and I'll never again get guacamole. It's not about the guacamole itself, I just don't want to let them win."
Fear not, Zack: The D-backs understand that all men must have a code. And so, to ensure that all your chip-related needs are adequately met, they threw in more guacamole than you know what to do with. Just, you know, try not to add any peas to it.
Minority stake in one (1) Chipotle franchise
But that's not the only Mexican food stipulation in Greinke's new contract. He's got bigger plans than mere baseball domination:
Q: If you continue to be a success in the Majors, you could buy and operate your own Chipotle. Other than the World Series, is that the goal? ZG: Nah. It's just not that big of a big deal. Q: Where do you stand on the Kansas City barbecue scene? ZG: I don't think... I've probably been [to a barbecue place] two times in my career there. Not real high on that. Just because... I'd rather eat something else. Q: Such as? ZG: Chipotle.
His first order of business: Decreasing the price of guacamole to $1.50.
Samurai Swords
Highly dangerous? Possibly. Legal on a baseball field? Absolutely not. But no matter how frequently you're able to actually use it, at least 90 percent of the fun of having a samurai sword is in just having a samurai sword. Plus, Greinke promises it's just decorative:
"I've only kept one award in my whole life, and it's the coolest thing ever. Mizuno gave me a samurai sword for winning the Cy Young. It's awesome."
"The Shawshank Redemption" on Blu-Ray
"Wait, that's a near-universally beloved movie," you're thinking, "What's so weird about that?" A fair question. Except, well, Zack Greinke really likes "Shawshank Redemption":
"You're not allowed to write about me if you haven't seen 'The Shawshank Redemption.' See it, and then get back to me."
Remember, all who would attempt to write about Zack Greinke: His curveball is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever gives up home runs.
At least five games per year as a position player
Some pitchers merely view their at-bats as an obligation, something to be trudged through as quickly as possible before getting back out on the mound. Zack Greinke is not such a player. He doesn't want to just be a solid hitter "for a pitcher" -- he wants to be a two-way player:
"I wish I had a chance to do it, but I kind of can't. That probably would be the most exiting way to have made it -- two different ways. That's like a lifetime dream of mine."
So, in lieu of his bullpen session between starts, Greinke will be penciled into the starting lineup a few times each year. Prepare yourselves, Arizona, for there will be bat flips:it doesn’t even matter
First and foremost, it’s drawn well! But it’s also pretty darn cute (if you didn’t tag it ’cute’ when you uploaded it, someone thought it was cute enough to add), appears clean and well-defined, looks really great in the thumbnail and it features a popular character. There’s probably a bit of nostalgia/love for the Gameboy in there too.If you don’t mind me saying, one piece of constructive criticism I’d like to give is with the hands. Now, in all fairness, I hate drawing human hands with a passion (and I think I suck at them :x), but Scootaloo’s hands do look a little strange up there! It’s mostly her left hand (or the right-most hand if you’re looking at the picture) that kinda looks like it’s wrapped around and into an indentation on the back of the Gameboy (which I’m pretty sure isn’t a standard feature :3), but the fingers aren’t drawn long enough so they appear a bit too short and stubby. I may be looking at it wrong or something, but in the endit’s nothing to sweat about too much. A lot of the hands on your other drawings look great!Atlas Games released the first trailer for Zombie Studios' "randomly generated psychological thriller," Daylight. Everything in Daylight - from layout and environment, to events, ghosts, and items - is randomly generated with each play through.
The unnamed protagonist of Daylight wakes up to find herself in an abandoned hospital. As seen in the trailer, you wake up with only your cell phone that acts as a flashlight and a compass.
Other light sources shown include glow sticks and flares. Glow sticks give off very limited light but show clues on where to go. Flares give off a lot of light but cast eerie shadows - they also give the benefit of detering ghosts that often block your path.
In an interview with Inside Gaming Extended, Studio Head Jared Gerritzen, describes Daylight as a Lego bucket: you are given all of the pieces and their is an infinite number of possible ways to put them together. You learn more pieces of the story arch each time you play. In order to understand the full picture, players have to play through Daylight multiple times.
In the same interview, with Jared Gerritzen and Jessica Chobot,
We allow players to randomly find stories elements in random order. We make all of the pieces and then we say go and the game builds it- it populates it and makes all the scare elements and places all of the pieces into the game. So when you play a new chapter its like taking apart all of the legos and starting from scratch.
I can't wait for this game. The potential for hours of gameplay on such a low budget is amazing. Daylight looks terrifyingly thrilling with the potential for multiple playthroughs. The game is set to be released early this year on PC and PS4 for under $20.The CEO of Britian's second-largest bank became the second of that nation's banking figures to make the case for profits in the house of god, defending revenue as "not satanic."
According to Bloomberg, Barclays CEO John Varley spoke at London's Anglican St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church Tuesday night and defended profits and compensation to employees at financial firms. Varley went on to assert that Christianity is compatible with banking and bonuses.
Workers in the City, as London's financial district is known, will receive almost £6 billion ($9.9 billion) in bonuses this year, according to The Independent. The figure is up almost 50 percent from 2008.
In October, Brian Griffiths, an International advicer to Goldman Sachs told a panel at St. Paul's Cathedral in London that inequality helps us all, saying, "We have to tolerate the inequality as a way to achieve greater prosperity and opportunity for all." Griffiths also used religion to justify his stance, saying, "The injunction of Jesus to love others as ourselves is an endorsement of self-interest."
In 2008, Goldman Sachs paid out $4.82 billion in bonuses, awarding 953 employees at least $1 million each and 78 executives $5 million or more, according to The New York Times. This year, the firm's bonus pool has set aside at least $16.7 billion for compensation, which Goldman's CEO has defended.
Those staggering figures contribute to a income gap in the US that is the largest since the 1920s. Income inequality in the UK is at its highest since 1960.He was harming his team.
When Charlotte Hornets point guard Kemba Walker came to that conclusion, following a 39-point road loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, he started rethinking the cost-benefit of playing on a painful left knee.
Walker, well known for his durability, asked out of that game in Cleveland after shooting 3-of-14. The next morning he asked out of a home game against the New York Knicks.
Ultimately he opted for surgery Jan. 28 to repair a torn meniscus. This wasn’t about pain, so much as how that pain affected his performance.
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“I played through it against Miami and against Cleveland. Against Cleveland I just wasn’t myself,” Walker said in his first extended interview since surgery in New York City.
“There were certain things I couldn’t do. I felt like I was hurting my teammates. I wasn’t really doing anything to help. So it was a choice I had to make and it was a good one for me.”
Nine days removed from surgery, Walker was walking around Time Warner Cable Arena on Friday without any noticeable limp or discomfort. He has begun working out daily on a stationary bicycle.
He’ll be out at least another five weeks, which means he’ll miss at least 15 games. This is the first time Walker has ever needed surgery to correct an injury. In his first two NBA seasons he never missed a game. Last season he was out nine games with an ankle sprain and a groin strain.
One thing Walker asserts: He won’t rush back and risk re-injury.
“Right now I’m taking things slow. I want to be 100 percent when I come back,” Walker said. “I started riding the bike two days ago. As the weeks go by, I’ll do more and more.”
Walker watched Thursday’s home victory over the Washington Wizards from the bench in street clothes. It feels a bit strange to be at the game, but not in the game, but the team’s 6-1 record in his absence makes it easier to watch.
“At times it’s fun. Other times it’s, ‘Oh my God, I wish I was playing.’ You’re thinking, ‘I could have made that play right there,’ ” Walker said. “As long as we’re winning, I can’t complain. So it’s up to these guys to keep me really positive and excited on that bench.”
Some players prefer not to be around their teams during extended injuries. Walker is just the opposite.
“I don’t want to disappear on my teammates. Regardless of me playing or not, I’ve got to support them,” Walker said. “Guys like Brian (Roberts) and MKG (Michael Kidd-Gilchrist) and the younger guys, I’ve got to be around for them. I can still help even if I’m not on the court.”
The Hornets have done a solid job this season of riding out injuries to Al Jefferson, Lance Stephenson and Walker. Walker says that shows a resiliency all good teams need.
“We have confidence in each other. When I wasn’t playing, I told Brian he’d have to hold it down. And he was ready. He’s fully capable of this,” Walker said. “MKG is at his best right now and Gerald (Henderson) last night played great. Al, being the leader that he is, does what has to be done. One guy goes down and someone else steps up.”As Donald Trump totally destroyed the Hillary Clinton political machine, radical pro-amnesty liberals started riots in California.
Violent protesters burned cars, American flags, and filled the streets.
Crowds of angry protesters have taken to streets across the United States chanting “Not Our President” while setting fires and smashing windows. Hundreds of people descended on California minutes after it was announced that Donald Trump had won the election. Hillary Clinton supporters were filmed setting fire to the US flag while marching through the streets of Portland, Oregon, shouting “F*** Donald Trump”. Footage also emerged of activists setting tyres and rubbish bins on fire, blocking main roads and lighting flares. People also burned an effigy of the President-elect, who will be officially sworn into office in January.
Via The Mirror
It’s unknown if the criminals were regular citizens or part of the paid Hillary machine, who were caught paying the mentally-ill and homeless to violently attack Trump supporters.
well the riots have already begun on my campus they're all chanting "fuck Donald Trump" pic.twitter.com/QyaXmTUX9X — Joanna (@JoannaStilinski) November 9, 2016
IF TRUMP WINS THERE WILL LITERALLY BE RIOTS TONIGHT AND FOR GOD KNOWS HOW LONG THIS COUNTRY IS GOING TO BE TORN APART — lol ok erin (@ERINJEEN) November 9, 2016
Trump pulled of an historic upset. First defeating the entire Republican political establishment, overcoming 18 months of non-stop attacks from a left-wing media that was exposed as working directly for Hillary’s campaign, and then the formidable Clinton machine itself.
It was just two weeks ago that the media and Democrats were falling all over themselves to say Trump was a “serious threat to democracy itself” when he said he wouldn’t automatically concede to Hillary if he lost the election. Riots like this prove that it’s the left that hates democracy – when their candidates lose.
Read this Next on ThePoliticalInsider.com ‘Avengers’ Star Compares Donald Trump to a Plantation Owner
Did you see anything violence or anything unusual near you last night or this morning? Let us know in the comments!Totalitarianism: The Inversion of Politics
by Jerome Kohn, Director, Hannah Arendt Center, New School University
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Portion of photograph "Hannah Arendt, Manomet, Mass., 1950."
Courtesy of the Hannah Arendt Trust.
When Hannah Arendt published The Origins of Totalitarianism in 1951, World War II had ended and Hitler was dead, but Stalin lived and ruled. Arendt wanted to give her readers a sense of the phenomenal reality of totalitarianism, of its appearance in the world as a terrifying and completely new form of government. In the first two parts of the book she excavated hidden elements in modern anti-Semitism and European imperialism that coalesced in totalitarian movements; in the third part she explored the organization of those movements, dissected the structure of Nazism and Stalinist Bolshevism in power, and scrutinized the "double claim" of those regimes "to total domination and global rule." Her focus, to be sure, is mainly on Nazism, not only because more information concerning it was available at the time, but also because Arendt was more familiar with Germany and hence with the origins of totalitarianism there than in Russia. She knew, of course, that those origins differed substantially in the two countries and later, in different writings, would undertake to right the imbalance in her earlier discussion (see "Project: Totalitarian Elements in Marxism").
The enormous complexity of The Origins of Totalitarianism arises from its interweaving of an understanding of the concept of totalitarianism with the description of its emergence and embodiment in Nazism and Stalinism. The scope of Arendt's conceptual objectives may be glimpsed in the plan she drew up for six lectures on the nature of totalitarianism delivered at the New School for Social Research in March and April of 1953 (see "The Great Tradition and the Nature of Totalitarianism"). The first lecture dealt with totalitarianism's "explosion" of our traditional "categories of thought and standards of judgment," thus at the outset stating the difficulty of understanding totalitarianism at all. In the second lecture she considered the different kinds of government as they were first formulated by Plato and then jumped many centuries to Montesquieu's crucial discovery of each kind of government's principle of action and the human experience in which that principle is embedded. In the third lecture she explicated three important distinctions: first, between governments of law and arbitrary power; secondly, between the traditional notion of humanly established laws and the new totalitarian concept of laws that govern the evolution of nature and direct the movement of history; and, thirdly, between "traditional sources of authority" that stabilize "legal institutions," thereby accommodating human action, and totalitarian laws of motion whose function is, on the contrary, to stabilize human beings so that the predetermined courses of nature and history can run freely through them. The fourth lecture addressed the totalitarian "transformation" of an ideological system of belief into a deductive principle of action. In the fifth lecture the basic experience of human loneliness in totalitarianism was contrasted with that of impotence in tyranny and differentiated from the experiences of isolation and solitude, which are essential to the activities of making and thinking but "marginal phenomena in political life." In the final lecture Arendt distinguished "the political reality of freedom" from both its "philosophical idea" and the "inherent'materialism'" of Western political thought.With the national discussion centered on sexual harassment and sexual assault, many in the liberal media had been itching to get to the allegations directed at the President. The media seemed to have recently gotten the ‘okay’ to pursue the claims when Hillary Clinton brought them up in a radio interview. It’s hypocritical for Clinton to lead the charge because of her philanderer husband with a rape charge, but that wasn’t a problem for NBC’s Sunday Today, which disregarded it using Clinton’s defense.
Anchor Willie Geist kicked off the show by hyping how the claims of sexual misconduct had made their way back to Trump. “Last year's presidential campaign opponents slinging insults at each other on Saturday in a week where the allegations of sexual harassment against the President have come back to the forefront,” he announced at the top of the program.
During her report which highlighted Trump and Clinton taking shots at each other over the weekend, NBC Correspondent Kelly O’Donnell gave voice to Hillary’s gripe that “the President is getting a free pass” on his allegations.
“Look, we have a man who's accused of sexual assault sitting in the oval office, don't we? And the very credible accusations against him have not been taken seriously,” Clinton whined during a radio interview. Of course, the obvious fact was that the same was true for her husband throughout his presidency. And she didn’t believe those women and actively attacked them with the aid of the media, a fact CNN’s Jake Tapper drew attention to last week.
But O’Donnell had Clinton’s back. In wrapping up her report, O’Donnell disregarded the accusations of sexual impropriety of Bill by parroting the Clinton family’s decades old and tired out talking points:
Clinton was asked if her own husband, former President Bill Clinton would be judged differently in today's current political environment. She said, you cannot rewrite history but pointed out there was an investigation, he was held accountable and paid an appropriate price.
And what appropriate price was that exactly? Besides the public humiliation for sexual misconduct, there wasn’t any real price. They’re multi-millionaires who gallivant around and get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for speaking engagements, including from Russia.
This is just the latest example of the media willfully skipping over or downplaying the accusations against Bill Clinton. |
the product, called CourseSmart Analytics. It’s expected to be broadly available in 2013.
“There is a screaming demand in the marketplace for knowledge around what impact course materials have on learning,” Mr. Devine says in an interview at the Educause technology conference here.
But reading surveillance raises privacy issues. The American Library Association, for example, recently raised alarms about efforts by libraries to lend e-books on Kindles, which exposes their patrons’ reading behavior to monitoring by Amazon.
Isn’t it a bit creepy to have textbooks watching their users?
Mr. Devine’s answer: “Not if it helps you succeed.” But he also points out that students will be able to opt out if they don’t want their data shared.
“We do understand the Big Brother aspects of it.”A Greek Orthodox woman holds a palm fond in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, during Orthodox Palm Sunday, April 5, 2015.
Christians in the Holy Land and across the world are celebrating Easter, commemorating the day followers believe Jesus was resurrected in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago.
The cavernous Holy Sepulcher church in Jerusalem was packed with worshippers on Sunday. The site is where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected.
A Mass is expected later in Bethlehem's Nativity Church, built atop the site where Christians believe Jesus was born.
Catholics and others are celebrating Easter whereas Orthodox Christians, who follow a different calendar, were marking Palm Sunday with processions.
At the Vatican, Pope Francis presided over a solemn vigil service Saturday night. In his homily, Francis said the Easter mystery requires the faithful to seek an answer "to the questions which challenge our faith, our fidelity, and our very existence."Of course, this was just irrational fear based on a fictional 1972 movie. And in these parts, there are far more legitimate, real-life concerns. Like zombies.
After all, Georgia is also home to "The Walking Dead." And, looking back, I'm not quite sure my rustic mountain getaway was safe for riding out the great apocalypse.
One can only throw so many needlepoints at the undead.
Read MorePractical reasons to prepare for a zombie apocalypse
But don't laugh. Staying safe amid such dire possibilities is serious business. And what better time to prepare for the Zombie Apocalypse than the start of a new year?
It's either that or quit smoking.
UK-based Tiger Log Cabins now offers special zombie-fortification cabins, perfect for protecting you and your family from being eaten alive.
You know, if that's the kind of thing keeping you up at night.1/19 Patch Notes January 16th, 2017 | Posted by in Patch Notes
#Cash Shop [New] 1. Accessory : Arctic Trip
– 2017 01 19 09AM ~ 2017 02 16 – Happy Black/White Snow Bunny, Fluffy Muffler -Chocolate/White 2. Custom : Sit (Arctic Trip) – 2017 01 19 09AM ~ 2017 02 16 – Chubby Seal, Fluffy Seal, Chubby Please Hug Me Seal, Fluffy come here Seal 3. Custom : Eye (Catseye) (Ain) – 2017 01 19 09AM ~ always 4. Custom : Eye (BlackEye) (Rose, Ain) – 2017 01 19 09AM ~ Always 5. Custom : Skill Cut-in (Starting Adventurer) (Rose, Ain) – 2017 01 19 09AM ~ always [End]
1. IB(Ain Archangel) 2. Suit : Elrios Gladiator(Ain) 3. Accessory : Frost Pixie 4. Custom : Sit (Frozen Wood) 5. Suit : Christmas Party SuitInstead of giving asylum seekers the benefit of the doubt, as international law prescribes, in Israel, the district courts find doubts, the Supreme Court approves their decisions, and persecuted peoples are deported before the merits of their cases can be examined. Everyone can sleep soundly.
Israel’s asylum system is designed to allow everyone, aside from asylum seekers, to sleep soundly. The chairman of the Advisory Committee on Refugees said in an interview last year that he sleeps soundly when he rejects asylum requests, because he knows that if he has erred, the court will rectify the mistake. District court judges who reject petitions filed by individuals who were not recognized as refugees sleep soundly because they mistakenly think that the asylum system is comprised of professionals with expertise, and because they likely think that the Supreme Court will rectify mistakes that they make. And Supreme Court justices sleep soundly because they too are convinced that professionals manage the asylum system, and that district court judges have thoroughly reviewed whether an appellant faces any danger. And since no one feels responsible for the fate of an asylum seeker if a mistake is made, everyone can sleep soundly, dreaming of an Israel free of foreigners.
Tel Aviv District Court Judge Kobi Vardy plays a central role in the national project of refugee denial and deporting “foreigners” in Israel, and the Supreme Court backs him. When a petition is filed against a decision made by the unit handling asylum seekers, the first to review it is Judge Vardy, who decides whether to grant an injunction preventing the appellant’s deportation until a decision on the appeal is made. In the past year Judge Vardy adopted the practice of rejecting dozens of appeals outright, without reviewing them, as he saw no grounds to do so.
Rejecting a legal proceeding outright is a practice that, in accordance with a Supreme Court ruling, is supposed to take place only rarely. But not when it comes to those claiming that their lives are in danger in their home countries; a significant number of asylum seekers are deported prior to any deliberations on Judge Vardy’s decisions.
A few months ago Judge Vardy rejected outright an appeal by a lesbian asylum seeker from Colombia who claimed that her life was in danger in her home country due to her sexual orientation. In the framework of an appeal to the Supreme Court, Justice Uri Shoham handed down a decision in November – which we only just heard about – stating that the likelihood of a successful appeal was low, and that the appellant had not proven that she faced any danger. Supreme Court Justice Shoham thus determined that there was no need for her to remain in Israel until the end of legal proceedings. Just like that, an asylum seeker was kicked out, before a court reviewed the judicial merits of the case.
We’ve already written about the manner in which the district courts and Supreme Court rule on matters pertaining to asylums seekers, with no knowledge of refugee law. They lack both the knowledge and the will to learn. Judge Vardy, of the District Court, insists that there was no evidence indicating that the asylums seeker’s life was in danger. It is unclear what evidence Judge Vardy sought. A letter from whoever she claimed might kill her, stating that he would slaughter her if she returned? A letter from the Colombian police admitting that it cannot protect lesbians who are persecuted? A note from her parents? Judge Vardy rules in the District Court; Justice Shoham approves his decision in the Supreme Court.
In many cases refugees cannot provide evidence of the danger that they face. Article 196 from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Handbook explicitly notes that “cases in which an applicant can provide evidence of all his statements will be the exception rather than the rule,” and that “if the applicant’s account appears credible, he should, unless there are good reasons to the contrary, be given the benefit of the doubt.” This is the rule adopted by courts around the world; only Israel has determined that objective evidence of persecution must be presented, and if there’s any doubt – get out.
In his verdict Judge Vardy states that the asylum seeker presented a report on the human rights of homosexuals and lesbians in Colombia. He explains that the report is irrelevant as it addresses the rights of the gay community in 2009, while the asylum seeker left the country in 2007. What? The objective of assessing the situation in an asylum seeker’s home country is to determine what will happen if he or she returns, not what happened in the past. If there is evidence of lesbians being persecuted in Colombia after the asylum seeker left the country, they are certainly relevant. Judge Vardy rules and Justice Shoham approves.
Judge Vardy also reviewed the circumstances of the asylum seeker’s persecution before she left Colombia. He determined that the persecution was “not necessarily” because of her sexual orientation and “could be” due to her financial and business successes. Not necessarily? Could be? What did we say happens if there’s any doubt? Oh, yeah, around the world that would work to the asylum seeker’s advantage. In Israel it results in their deportation. One could expect that this doubt would at least lead Judge Vardy to the conclusion that the District Court must review the appeal rather than reject it outright. One could expect that the doubt would lead Justice Shoham to conclude that the Supreme Court must review the appeal and not deport the asylum seeker before her appeal is heard. No. Judge Vardy deports, Justice Shoham approves.
Judge Vardy’s verdict is rife with additional assumptions. He focuses on the fact that the asylum seeker arrived in Israel in 2007 and only submitted her asylum request in 2009. Too bad no one told Judge Vardy that during those years the procedure for handling asylum seekers was not publicized, and anyone who did not contact a lawyer or a human rights organization had no idea whether or how to request asylum in Israel. Too bad no one told Judge Vardy that research on asylum seekers indicates that members of the LGBT community delay submitting asylum requests due to the difficulties entailed in appearing before the authorities and declaring, “I am a homosexual,” “I am a lesbian,” “I am a transexual,” etc., particularly when they are from countries in which members of the LGBT community are not protected by the authorities. Judge Vardy assumes, Justice Shoham approves.
Judge Vardy is also troubled by the fact that, according to the asylum seeker’s claim, she began to face persecution in 2000 and only left Colombia in 2007. So he concluded that her life is not in danger. First of all, the Refugee Convention does not stipulate that the refugee’s life must be in danger. It requires a well-founded fear of persecution (which the U.S. Supreme Court determined in 1987 to be a 10-percent chance that an individual’s life, freedom or other basic human rights be harmed). Second, the fact that a person resides in a country in which he or she is persecuted for seven years, and only leaves then, does not affect his or her credibility or determine whether he or she will be persecuted upon returning. The decision to leave your country, even when your life is in danger, is not easy. It requires a myriad of economic and emotional resources. When Jews in Germany suffered from brutal persecution and harsh legislation that targeted them from 1933-1939, they acted in different manners. Some chose to leave immediately, some left after a few years, and some chose to stay. The conclusion – those who chose to stay faced no danger, right? Judge Vardy concludes, Justice Shoham approves.
We can go on and on. It would be fun and entertaining if this wasn’t about legal decisions that have immediate implications for a person’s life, and which reflect the judiciary’s powerlessness in criticizing Israel’s damaged asylum system.
Judge Vardy certainly sleeps soundly. He knows that Justice Shoham reviewed and approved his verdict. Justice Shoham also sleeps soundly. He knows that Judge Vardy reviewed the case and handed down responsible verdicts.
Good night.
Here’s a cat.When John Velez, co-owner of Sutton Cleaners, arrives at work at 7 a.m. on Manhattan's East Side, he opens a steam valve in the back of his shop. "When I come into the shop in the morning, it's one, two, three," he says, "and you're up and running in less than a minute."
Nearly every piece of equipment that Velez will operate for the rest of the day uses steam. The spotter shoots out steam to remove stains while a puffer sends out steam to remove wrinkles. The dry cleaning machine and the pressing machine also use steam.
So do Rockefeller Center, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the United Nations -- which use it for heating and cooling - along with some 2,000 other customers and 100,000 buildings, from residential low-rises to commercial skyscrapers. All are in Manhattan, primarily because steam is most efficient and cost effective for high-rise buildings.
The City of New York is one of the largest consumers of steam. The Roman Catholic Church of St. Peter in lower Manhattan began using steam to warm its sanctuary in 1882, the year the first steam generation plant went into operation in New York. The church has used steam ever since.
NOT JUST A GIANT STEAM KETTLE
Some 30 billion pounds of steam every year flow beneath the streets of Manhattan from the Battery to 96th Street. While it is unknown to most New Yorkers, Con Edison's subterranean steam system is the biggest steam district in the world, larger than the next four largest U.S. steam systems combined and boasting an annual steam production more than double that of Paris, Europe's largest system.
If steam is an easier concept to grasp than, say, fiber optics, producing it on this scale is nowhere as simple as turning on a giant teakettle. Some of the steam comes from the Con Edison steam generating plant on 14th Street and the East River. Inside, two massive boilers -- one 95 feet high -- burn natural gas or fuel oil and air. The resulting heat sends the temperature of water inside the boiler's pipes to a blistering 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, converting it to steam. Workers wear ear protectors to keep out some of the roar of millions of gallons of flowing water and the sound of spinning turbine blades. Little, though, can shield them from the warmth radiating from pipes filled with superheated vapor.
"When we used to bring people into the plant for tours, their first impression, when we have them look inside of the furnace, is that it's huge. People are taken back by the sheer size of it - eight stories high," says Wilton Cedeno, former manager of Con Edison's Hudson Avenue steam plant. "There are intricate control systems -- systems for treating the water, electrical systems, pressure systems. It's all very complex."
On average, the plant converts a gallon of water into eight pounds of steam -- every hour, approximately 125,000 gallons of water are turned into more than one million pounds of steam. "We use city water, but the water has to be processed and cleaned," says Cedeno. "If it's not pure, you get build up on pipes and can damage the turbine blades."
The East River plant is one of seven Con Edison plants -- five in Manhattan and one each in Queens and Brooklyn. Three of these plants, including the one on the East Side, produce both steam and electricity through a process called co-generation. In these plants, the steam leaves the boiler and then goes through pipes into a turbine generator. The resulting spinning of the turbine blades produces electricity. The remaining steam then goes into the steam system.
From the plants, the steam goes into Con Edison's underground pipes. On a cold winter day, nearly 10 million pounds of steam at 350 degrees Fahrenheit flow each hour through 105 miles of underground mains. The pipes coming out of the plant can be several feet in diameter, but the steam travels through progressively smaller pipes, ending at ones that may be only a couple of inches wide.
STERILIZING, HEATING, CLEANING -- NOT SEEPING FROM MANHOLE COVERS
The steam coursing under Manhattan is not to be confused with what is popularly called steam rising from many city manholes. The steam in the pipes is invisible, while the so-called steam wafting up from the streets is often vapor produced when underground water hits hot equipment and escapes from beneath the streets. It can also be condensed steam leaking from the Con Ed system.
Some of the real steam winds up at St. Vincent's Hospital on 12th Street, where the forceps in the operating room are sterilized using steam. Every day nearly 200 cleaning trays of surgical instruments pass through the Central Sterilization unit at St. Vincent's. A cleaning tray can contain anywhere from six to 130 pieces of surgical steel, depending on the size of the instruments. First, the trays are placed in a washer-disinfector, similar to a regular dishwasher. Then the trays go into the sterilizer where steam circulates inside. The intensity of the heat from the steam kills any viral or bacterial pathogens.
Most of the steam, though, is used for heating and cooling. Steam used for heating flows from Con Edison's underground mains into a building's internal heating pipes and then into a radiator where it heats a room. For cooling, steam flows from the main into a building's steam air conditioning unit.
The use of steam eliminates the need for boilers in individual buildings. Because steam from Con Edison's centralized plants is mass-produced, it is generally more economical, efficient and environmentally friendly than individual oil or gas boilers.
Joe Petta of Con Edison compares it to mass transit. "Which is better for the environment, 50 people riding to the city on a bus or 50 people riding 50 different vehicles? The emissions from one bus will be less than the emissions for 50 cars," says Petta. And he adds, the plants that produce steam are subject to "more stringent environmental and emissions controls than individual buildings generating their own heat either by burning gas or oil."
A NEGLECTED POWER SOURCE
Last year, Clean Air Communities -- a project of Con Edison, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Northeast States Clean Air Foundations -- installed a new steam energy station in an underground vault at the Seward Park Housing cooperative, four apartment buildings with 1,728 apartments in lower Manhattan. The station, which ties into Con Edison's steam system, replaced four onsite oil boilers that burned approximately one million gallons of heavy fuel oil a year. This has eliminated traffic from fuel trucks and markedly cut air pollutants and reduced carbon dioxide emissions.
But many New Yorkers cannot follow Seward Park's example. Converting to steam often requires taking out an old boiler and putting in new piping and other equipment to link up with the steam distribution system. This can prove difficult and costly.
Partly as a result, Petta says, the number of steam customers has not increased in the past few years. "A lot of people don't know about it or don't know it's an option," he says. "Or building owners don't want to go through the conversion process and don't want to spend the money to convert."
And so, for now at least, steam remains New York's neglected power source. "The steam system is a great asset to the city and delivers clean energy," says Ashok Gupta, director of air and energy programs at the National Resources Defense Council, an environmental group. "We can clearly be doing more with it."ISIS is now issuing its own currency referred to as the ‘Golden Dinar,’ with engravings bearing the words “Islamic State.”
The coins, currently being released in limited quantity, are to primarily be used by traders in the oil industry in areas under Islamic State control, according to reports on jihadi online forums.
Activists in Deir ez-Zor, Syria reported oil traders have been ordered to use the new Dinar when purchasing from ISIS-held oil fields.
Reports from the Iraqi city of Mosul have indicated the Golden Dinar is being introduced to the currency market as part of a serious attempt to replace the dollar, London-based Arabic daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi said.
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In an online forum post seen and translated by The Foreign Desk, a German jihadi boasted that even as the U.S. and her allies continue to hound the Islamic State, the group has shown resiliency, rolling out the new currency in past days.
The jihadi posts what he says are 1,2, and 5 Golden Dinars and hopes this currency will ‘bring about the collapse of the U.S. dollar’ and the ‘demise of the U.S.’
In a 2015 video release entitled “Dark Rise of Banknotes and The Return of the Gold Dinar," the terror group laid out its manifesto for the Gold Dinar in a 55-minute video, envisioning its rise would herald the death of the “oppressive banknote,” bringing the U.S. “to her knees.”
The rationale behind their prediction relies on all global oil sales transactions being paid for with gold instead of dollars.
A report in February claimed ISIS currently does most of its trade, including paying fighters’ salaries, in U.S. dollars.
The Golden Dinar is reportedly made of 4.25 grams of 21 karat gold, or approximately $163 USD at today’s exchange rate.The Memphis Grizzlies have reached an agreement in principle to elevate assistant Dave Joerger to become head coach, sources involved in the negotiations said Monday.
Joerger, who has spent the past six seasons on the Grizzlies' bench, will succeed his former boss, Lionel Hollins. Hollins compiled a 196-155 record after taking over for Marc Iavaroni midway through the 2008-09 season.
The 39-year-old Joerger emerged as a favorite for the position after Grizzlies management granted Hollins permission to seek other coaching opportunities. Before turning to their longtime assistant, the Grizzlies formally interviewed former Phoenix Suns head coach Alvin Gentry and Chicago Bulls assistant Ed Pinckney for the post, and also entertained the idea of bringing on high-profile names such as former Denver Nuggets head coach George Karl.
Prior to the 2010-11 season, Joerger was tasked by Hollins to oversee the Grizzlies' defense, which was ranked 25th in efficiency in 2009-10. In the three seasons under Joerger's direction, the defense has improved from ninth overall in 2010-11, to seventh in 2011-12, then ranked second in the NBA during the Grizzlies' historic 2012-13 season.
Before arriving in Memphis, Joerger coached in the International Basketball Association, the Continental Basketball Association and the D-League, where he won five titles in seven seasons as a head coach.
Joerger will take over a Memphis team that has improved in each of the past five seasons. The Grizzlies won 56 games this past season, then defeated the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the playoffs and the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals, before being swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference finals.Ben Henderson is making his welterweight debut on short notice next weekend at UFC Fight Night 60. He'll be taking on Brandon Thatch, which is a pretty tough test for your debut in a weight class. Henderson spoke to Duane Finley of Bleacher Report about getting the late notice fight, mentioning that he has asked for them a lot in the past but the fights always seemed to go to another WEC alum, Donald Cerrone:
"I've asked the UFC plenty of times over the past few years for anything I could get short notice, and I was always surprised how Cowboy gets these fights. I've asked time and time again when there was a situation available. I would see someone get hurt then hit up Dana [White] and Joe Silva to let them know I'm willing to take the fight, and the answer was always no."
Henderson met the aforementioned Cowboy for the third time at UFC Fight Night 59 last month. He dropped a close decision in that bout. Later in the interview, he sort of answered his own question about why he might not have been selected as often for those late-replacement spots:
"I was already bugging Joe about me taking a short notice fight. I told him 155 would be hard for me to make on short notice. Physically I could do it, but I wouldn't perform well making that weight on one or two weeks' notice. But if you have a short notice fight for me at 170, I'm all for it. We've been thinking about dabbling at 170 for awhile and seeing how it works out for us, and it just so happened that they needed it. Joe Silva text me last Saturday a few fights before Anderson Silva vs. Nick Diaz fight, and he wanted to know how serious I was about taking a short notice fight at 170. I told him I'll take whatever he was offering. "I'm not one of those guys who just talks the talk," he added. "I actually back it up. Joe offered up Denver, Colorado, against Brandon Thatch in a main event. I said, 'Cool. Let's do it.'"
He will be looking to break a two-fight losing streak in the bout, the first such streak of his career. UFC Fight Night 60 takes place in the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield, CO on February 14th.“We defeated this, and it should be used as a template for the rest of country.” The people of Rutland, Vermont, have gained a measure of revenge against former President Obama’s forced influx of Syrian refugees, voting out the five-term mayor, Christopher Louras (above), who helped negotiate the controversial resettlements with a federal contractor.
WND (h/t Rob E) Rutland is Vermont’s third-largest city but still very small, with a population of 16,500. The candidacy of Mayor Christopher Louras went down in flames in Tuesday’s election as he was defeated by the refugee program’s most ardent opponent on the board of aldermen. David Allaire won with 52 percent of the vote to 34 percent for Louras. Rutland is Vermont’s third-largest city but still very small, with a population of 16,500. The candidacy of Mayor Christopher Louras went down in flames in Tuesday’s election as he was defeated by the refugee program’s most ardent opponent on the board of aldermen. David Allaire won with 52 percent of the vote to 34 percent for Louras.
“That’s not just a win, that’s a drubbing,” said Don Chioffi, an activist who supported the upstart candidate Allaire. Louras came out last April and “announced,” much to the surprise of his residents, that the city would be taking in up to 100 Syrian refugees in fiscal 2017 along with others from Iraq.
The announcement divided the city among those who wanted to welcome the refugees – no questions asked – and those who thought the refugee program was being dictated without any local input and with very little information. Protests and counter-protests were organized, attracting national media attention.
Unfazed by the division it caused in Rutland, a State Department contractor opened an office and started placing Syrians into the community.
More than 98 percent of Syrian refugees are Sunni Muslim while about 75 percent of Iraqi refugees are either Sunni or Shiite, and they’re just now starting to show up in a small town that doesn’t have a single mosque.
On Tuesday, Louras paid a price for his role in inviting the refugees to Rutland. City Councilor David Allaire won a four-way race for mayor, stopping Louras from gaining a sixth term.
Mayor Louras had negotiated an unpopular refugee deal behind closed doors with the United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. USCRI is one of nine exclusive contractors that get paid by the U.S. State Department for every refugee they place into U.S. cities and towns.Chinese networking giant Huawei has unveiled its Kirin 970 chipset with built-in artificial intelligence (AI), calling it the "future of smartphones".
The chipset has a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU), and was built using a 10nm advanced process with 5.5 billion transistors contained in an area of just one square centimetre.
The Kirin 970 mobile AI computing platform is powered by an 8-core CPU and a 12-core GPU, which Huawei said delivers 25x greater performance and 50x greater efficiency compared to a quad-core Cortex-A73 CPU cluster.
During an image-recognition test for benchmarking purposes, Huawei said the chipset's performance saw it process 2,000 images per minute.
Huawei has additionally provided the Kirin 970 as an open platform for mobile AI developers and partners.
According to Huawei Consumer Business Group CEO Richard Yu, the company's mobile AI is made up of a combination of on-device AI and cloud AI.
"Huawei is committed to developing smart devices into intelligent devices by building end-to-end capabilities that support coordinated development of chips, devices, and the cloud," Yu said.
"The ultimate goal is to provide a significantly better user experience. The Kirin 970 is the first in a series of new advances that will bring powerful AI features to our devices and take them beyond the competition."
Limitations in cloud AI necessitated improvements across latency, stability, and privacy, Huawei said, with on-device AI providing this as well as adding sensor data to the offering.
"Sensors produce a large amount of real-time, scenario-specific, and personalised data. Supported by strong chip processing capabilities, devices will become more cognitive of user needs, providing truly personalised and readily accessible services," Huawei said.
The Kirin 970 announcement follows Huawei last month saying AI would play a critical role in driving smartphone innovation.
Bruce Lee, global VP of handsets business, told ZDNet in August that Huawei is focusing some of its research and development efforts on AI hardware and software, particularly within handsets themselves, rather than sending sensitive data back and forth between device and cloud.
"We hope to use AI in our phones to have more learning capabilities... together with big data, we will be able to understand consumer habits and better incorporate voice and image capabilities into the phone," Lee told ZDNet.
"We can then have faster responses because we don't need to upload data from the device into the cloud, do the computing, and send it back into the device. And when we do the computing on the local device, we can also safeguard user privacy since we don't need to upload data into the server."
Huawei's 2016 annual report [PDF] similarly discussed a time of "+Intelligence" wherein all devices, processes, and people would be supported by AI.
"Building intelligence into our devices, networks, and industries will open up new worlds," Huawei said.
"AI will disrupt the user experience, but before it can do so, we will need a quantum leap in the functionality of our smart devices, chipsets, and cloud services.
"Artificial intelligence will place heavy demands on computing performance, energy efficiency, and device-cloud synergy. Meeting these demands and creating a better intelligent experience will take a synthesis of capabilities across both chipsets and the cloud."
Huawei first predicted the advent of the "superphone" almost two years ago, saying it would be developed by 2020 and take advantage of advancements in AI, big data, and cloud computing.
"The intelligence of the superphone will continue to evolve and develop itself into digital intelligence, capable of empowering us with interactions with the world," Shao Yang, president of Strategy Marketing at Huawei Consumer Business Group, said in November 2015.
"Through evolution and adaptation, the superphone will be more intelligent, enhancing and even transforming our perceptions, enabling humans to go further than ever before."Just got the vinyl album in the mail that I had preordered 2 months ago. It is 2 discs and pressed into clear vinyl. I am not sure if these are the worst records that I have gotten new, as for the condition that they are in, but it might be.
It seems to be just one of them, in that on each side I got quite a bit of dust off them with an anti-static brush, before playing and straight out of the package. That is not unusual and something to be done with new records, but the other thing may be peculiar to just my particular album, which is that on one side there was a glob of what I have to think was the glue used to hold together the paper inner seal. I did the best I could with my fingernail to scrape it off but there is still some there that may just be there forever.
Other than that, I love the album of course, otherwise I wouldn't have ordered it in the first place.
And I love it that they decided to do 2 discs instead of tying to cram it all on one, so there is a nice wide runout to get better audio quality from the tracks, being all more towards the outer edge of the disc.
I could comment additionally on the physical aspects of the record discs that they are quite heavy and very flat and fairly well centered.
I think my discs were made right but I think the problem was in the handling of one of them after the fact, or when the label was put on, since the glue glob was pretty close towards the end of the playable part of the record (on the song, Slow Life).Hasaka, SANA – Governor of Hasaka province Jayez al-Hammoud al-Moussa met on Saturday Director of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Roupen Alexandrian.
Bothe sides discussed means to boost bilateral cooperation in a way that reflects positively on efforts of delivering aid to residents, displaced people and refugees in the province.
The governor made special reference to the need of increasing cooperation in the field of creating small income-generating projects for displaced people, in addition to other thing related to rehabilitating terrorism-affected bakeries and providing electric generators and some needed medical supplies and equipment.
For his part, Alexandrian said the work plan of the first quarter of 2017 will focus, besides continuing aid delivery, on maintaining 4 bakeries in the cities of Hasaka and Qamishli, in addition to establishing projects targeting needy families and children in particular.
H. SaidIf you're among the millions of early dabblers on Google+, you have probably picked up on an undercurrent of concern there that once the new social network is opened to commercial interests - they're officially taboo, so far -- spammers are sure to rush the doors, too.
Well, an Australian programmer, Robert Norris Hills, says he has demonstrated the ease with which spammers may operate in Google+ by fashioning a bot capable of "circling" some 2,500 Google+ accounts per hour, and a three-minute YouTube video showing the thing in action. (To "circle" on Google+ is equivalent to "following" on Twitter or "friending" on Facebook.)
(2011's 25 Geekiest 25th Anniversaries)
At the start of the video, a message from Hills reads: "Dear friends @Google: I am worried that this is going to be a significant problem. If a spaghetti programmer like me can do this, spam is going to be off the rails when you go live (with commercial accounts.)... So, yes, it's a bot to add people to circles.... I hope you address this issue." (The video is set to music, so feel free to mute unless you're a fan of Incubus.)
There are some things I don't know about this video, beginning with the question of whether what it depicts is real or not. One commenter on Google+ called it a "fake," although his was the only suspicion raised among early viewers and my own was not.
Also, my own Google+ account was among the 4,000-plus apparently circled by the bot, which meant that Hill's Google+ post and video appeared in my "incoming" stream, a repository for content sent by people (or bots) who have circled me on Google+ but I have not yet circled back. It's not difficult to imagine that area becoming spam-infested.
Hill labeled the video "A certain shade of Scoble - G+ hack," which was meant to buttress his general point by noting that the bot was able to circle in less than two hours roughly the same number of accounts that social-media maven and Google+ power user Rober Scoble has accumulated since the site launched June 29.
Google+ circling would seem to need quantity limits, be they hourly or total, although a couple of commenters offered that any countermeasures would prove futile.
Over time, it will be interesting to see if Google+ is any better at combating the scourge of spam than the rest of the Internet has been.
Welcome regulars and passersby. Here are a few more recent buzzblog items. And, if you’d like to receive Buzzblog via e-mail newsletter, here’s where to sign up. Follow me on Twitter here and on Google+ here.SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (AP) — At least two heavily armed attackers opened fire on a banquet at a social services center for the disabled Wednesday, killing 14 people and seriously wounding more than a dozen others in a precision assault that looked "as if they were on a mission," authorities said.
About four hours later, police hunting for the killers riddled a black SUV with gunfire in a shootout 2 miles from the late-morning carnage, and a man and woman with assault rifles, handguns and "assault-style clothing" were killed, San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said.
KNBC confirmed the license plates on the black SUV were Utah plates. Officials have not commented on whether the car is a rental, stolen, or from Utah.
A third person who was spotted running near the gunbattle was detained, but Burguan said it was unclear if that person had anything to do with the crime.
The shooting at the social services center occurred at a celebration for workers, not the disabled. It was the nation's deadliest mass shooting since the attack at a school in Newtown, Connecticut, three years ago that left 26 children and adults dead.
The FBI is investigating several possible motives, including workplace violence and terrorism, according to David Bowdich, assistant director of the bureau's Los Angeles office. He did not elaborate.
Late Wednesday, a law enforcement official who was briefed on the case identified one of the suspects as Syed Farook. It was unclear whether Farook was dead or alive. The official was not authorized to talk to the media about the investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
Farhan Khan, who is married to Farook's sister, told reporters he last spoke to his brother-in-law about a week ago. He said he was in shock and had "absolutely no idea why he would do this."
The attackers invaded the Inland Regional Center about 60 miles east of Los Angeles and began shooting around 11 a.m. Wednesday. They opened fire in a conference area that the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health had rented out for an employee banquet, said Marybeth Feild, president and CEO of the nonprofit center.
Police spokeswoman Sgt. Vicki Cervantes said witnesses reported seeing one to three gunmen.
"They came prepared to do what they did, as if they were on a mission," Burguan, the police chief, said.
B |
If gays are not allowed to marry, which coincides with my personal beliefs, it prevents millions of currently homosexual Americans from marrying the person they love; no big deal. But if the gays have their way, I will feel uncomfortable, perhaps even angry, when it’s brought up in conversations.
So suck it up gays, and try to respect my opinion while I continue to disrespect you.Michael Babker, one of the Joomla Production Leadership Team members joins me on the podcast this episode to talk a little about how he got involved with Joomla and furthermore got involved in the Joomla PTL.
Michael didn't have much development knowledge but slowly got into Joomla by submitting bugs that he would come across. Other Joomla members started encouraging Michael to create simple patches to fix some of the really easy issues in Joomla and from there the rest was history.
Joomla News
The next patches and releases of Joomla will be (if they haven't yet) be released for the Joomla 2.5 and 3.2 branches. That is versions 2.5.17, 3.1.7 and 3.2.1 will be released to fix various bugs and security holes that have been found.
It is well worth updating to these latest versions but of course you should also test your site with the updates before moving forward with them.
Crowdsource Testing
An interesting move which I think will benefit everyone in the Joomla industry is crowd sourcing test sites to test website patches and Joomla releases. There have been releases in the past where some issues hadn't been tested in real world environments causing headaches for the website owners as well as the code committers and testers alike.
If the Joomla project could get a nice crowd sourced collection of websites in real world hosting environments to test these updates on it could help with testing releases for everyone.
If you want to be a aprt of it and volunteer your website or a staging version of your website to test releases then please volunteer your website by submitting it to Watchfu.li - https://watchful.li/volunteer-your-site-for-testing-joomla-updates
Volunteering your website to the project will give the Joomla development team test beds to trial their releases in real world environments.
Follow the conversation on the Joomla forums: http://forum.joomla.org/viewtopic.php?f=728&p=3118352
If you want to find out some more background as to why some people are trying to push towards this, then read this post by Michael Babker where he explains some of the issues that arose in the release of Joomla 3.2: Update on Joomla 3.2.1 and Security Enhancements.
Joomla on Stack Exchange
Stack Exchange is a question and answers website where users can come along and get their questions answered by a really active community that have committed to responding to these questions. The Joomla project at the moment has one of these sites in the commitment phases at the moment which means it is looking for people committed to answering questions. It doesn't mean you have to answer something EVERYDAY but it does mean you should be jumping on as often as possible to help out. Just the the Joomla forums, StackExchange can help out the project by helping inexperienced Joomla users. So if you're new to Joomla, check it out, and if you're a pro or a veteran then join in and commit to the project to get it up and running for everyone to use.
http://area51.stackexchange.com/proposals/58842/joomla
Winners of the "Learning Joomla! 3 Extension Development" books
Congratulations to the winners of the competition. You can find out who won the competition and find out how you can still get a copy of the book at our announcement blog post about the competition.
http://joomlabe.at/joomla-advice/development/learning-joomla-3-extension-development-winners#.UsytavQW2WU
Changing, Updating and Testing Your Website
Now the main topic of this podcast episode is all about testing your website when doing a major update such as a Joomla update before doing it on a live website.
VIDEO RESOURCES TO BE ADDED REALLY SOON. CHECK BACK A LITTLE LATER
Interview with Michael Babker
Michael started on Joomla 1.5 in 2010 where he didn't know much Joomla code or development at all. Over time he built up his skills and knowledge in Joomla by submitting bugs, testing patches and then eventually writing his own patches to fix various bugs that existed. Michael only had basic web development knowledge such as HTML and CSS before getting into Joomla.
Joomla Issue Tracker
Michael has spent a lot of time reworking the Joomla Issues tracker. He laid down some of the initial code to get the new issue tracker working on the Joomla Platform and then later moved it to the Joomla framework. It has now since been released and being used by many people and you can check it out at http://issues.joomla.org
Joomla Pizza Bugs and Fun Session
On the second night of the Joomla conference there was a huge bug squashing session where many developers and new committers go together to test, squash and apply patches to Joomla. Michael was one of the co-ordinators for the night helping our Javier who was leading the session.
Joomla Patch Tester
The Joomla patch tester is by far the easiest way to test a patch in Joomla that has been fixed by another developer. It's well and good to test a patch yourself but with more people testing a patch the better the patch is. One person testing it may not have seen or may have missed something that the patch inadvertently caused somewhere else on a Joomla website.
You don't need any development knowledge or knowledge of how Git works to be able to use the patch testerd.
Download it via Michael Babker's GitHub account, or from the Joomla GitHub account when it moves there.
If you'd like to find our more about Michael, his experiences and what he has done, or if you just want to reach out to him, you can do so via his blog, and social media accounts.
Love the podcast and want to embed it into your website? Use this code to embed this episode.Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) talks to his team as they get to the line of scrimmage in a game against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half of play at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on Sunday, September 15, 2013.
Cowboys beat writer Brandon George answered questions in a chat Wednesday. Here are some highlights.
So much for the turnover machine. You see them forcing any turnovers this weekend?
Brandon George: That's hard to predict, but after watching them for a month straight in training camp in California, I know they'll be trying to force turnovers. They're definitely practicing it a lot more.
Why don't the cowboys just bring bk tony fiametta so Murray cn feel comfortable again? No run game, no division.
Brandon George: They've decided to not use a FB this year, choosing to run more two-tight end sets. They say there's no FB out there right now that would make them change their mind. Not even the great Tony F.
If another 8-8 year is Garrett gone? If so, Who's a sexy replacement coach?
Brandon George: Yes, I believe if the Cowboys don't make the playoffs this is likely Jason Garrett's last season as coach. Too early to predict a replacement.
on the dez diving catch should romo have hit him in stride or was it a good enough throw?
Brandon George: The throw could have been a little better but that's being really tough there on Romo. Every pass can't be perfect and he has to make sure the pass only gives Dez the chance to make the catch, and it did.
If Garrett gets canned, they should hire Kevin Sumlin from A&M, trade or cut Romo, and draft or trade for the draft rights to Johnny Manziel. then install the read option, up tempo offense.
Brandon George: Wow, that's a lot of changes there. Romo isn't going anywhere for the next three seasons. His contract won't allow it. Sumlin would be a name tossed around if Garrett is gone. Would be interesting. Still think the Cowboys would go after a proven NFL coach, though, especially with Romo still at QB for the following two seasons at least.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL CHATOTTAWA — Here we are, whiling away the dog days of summer, and waiting anxiously for Canada’s once-muzzled federal scientists to realize their gags have been removed.
Surely they must have noticed this by now.
After all, it was just two weeks after last year’s Liberal victory over the censoring Harperites that newly-minted Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, Navdeep Bains, held a big presser to tell scientists that they were now free to talk about their work.
“Our government values science and will treat scientists with respect,” said Bains. “That is why government scientists and experts will be able to speak freely about their work to the media and to the public.”
Remember, these were very giddy days in the nation’s capital. While Bains was giving federally-funded scientists the nod to speak uncensored and unimpeded, newly-elected prime minister Justin Trudeau was being mobbed by enraptured civil servants at the Global Affairs building who were fervent to snap selfies with their conquering hero.
Federal scientist Tony Turner, meanwhile, was still basking in his 15 minutes of national fame for a comedic protest song he wrote during the election, picked up by the media, about how Harper “muzzles the poor scientist.”
Yes, there were huzzahs from every corner of Boffinville when Bains set scientists free, drinks no doubt hoisted, but silence ever since.
So what, exactly, did the scientists want to say that the Harper government thought was so explosive that it was necessary to order their muzzling?
These are slow days in the news game, so the time could not be riper for scientists to let it rip. Or were they over-hyping the cone of silence that the Harper crowd had dropped over their heads in order to stoke the anti-Harper fire that was burning uncontrolled within the federal civil service?
In 2006, the Harper government introduced strict protocols around how scientists were allowed to speak about their research to the media.
First, they had to get permission from their cabinet minister’s office, meaning the boss had to give approval. This, in itself, should have been a given, but it soon devolved into a major case of over-containment.
Journalist Chris Turner, in fact, managed to get out a book on it, entitled The War on Science: Muzzled Scientists and Willful Blindness in Stephen Harper’s Canada.
In 2014, to cite one of many examples, Canadian Press reporter Max Bothwell wanted to interview a federal scientist about “rock snot,” a particularly slimy algae, and it apparently led to a 110-page email exchange involving 16 different government communications officers.
In another case, a Postmedia reporter missed a deadline during the flood season because of pre-approval demands by the Harper government over a question involving a flood in northern Canada some 13,000 years ago.
Yes, it got that ridiculous but, as the media’s overt dislike of the Harperites began to increase over lack of access to the prime minister in particular, and his policies in general, the Harperites did what they were directed to do. They dug in.
In the meantime, scientists and concerned citizens were doing their best to keep their concerns in the news.
In 2013, for example, in conjunction with protests across the nation, a mock funeral was held on Parliament Hill to mourn what was being called the death of scientific evidence. A letter to Harper, signed by more than 800 scientists from 32 countries, asked for the end to “burdensome restrictions on scientific communication and collaboration faced by Canadian government scientists.”
So what is it now? It has been almost 10 months since the election, and almost as long since the muzzles on Canada’s 4,000 scientists were removed by the Liberals.
Surely there is something these scientists can collectively say to qualify their years of outcry, and produce at least one screaming headline during the dog days of summer.
The longer their silence, the more their motives are suspect.
markbonokoski@gmail.comA critical success, Marvel’s Daredevil is the jewel in the crown of Netflix’s original programming. Season 2 is available today through the streaming service, and sees Matt Murdock facing off against a new threat in Hell’s Kitchen. We spoke to Elastic and a52 about how they created the memorable and technically impressive opening titles for the show.
“I can say that everything has been artistically rewarding,” says Kirk Shintani, head of 3D at Elastic. “How often can you say that? Any time we have a chance to take on a project like [Daredevil], it’s so much fun. It’s all about the visuals. Strong visuals convey meaning and give the audience an idea of what they can expect from characters, story and tone.”
Patrick Clair develops the insight further: “The challenge of a main title is really finding visual and symbolic ways to capture the tone, characters and world of the show. The best title sequences seem to come when the production team take the time to really help us understand their vision for the world, then we can craft a sequence unique to the story they are telling.”
Of the Daredevil story, Patrick Clair recalls, “what struck me was the insidious corruption creeping into Hell’s Kitchen through the rebuilding process following the events of Avengers Assemble. This seemed like a strong theme to tap into, but I was also thinking about justice, symbolism of blind justice, the detail of New York streets and the origin of Daredevil in the poisonous radioactive goop.”
Detailing the use of particular software Andrew Romatz explains: “ZBrush was key for getting the level of detail we were looking for in our sculptures. In RealFlow we used directable velocity and custom attractor fields to get the sims to flow exactly where we needed them to. We used 3D projections in Maya to layer up fluid elements on top of the sim meshes to get the feel we were looking for.”
Kirk adds: “RealFlow allowed us to get the viscosity that we wanted, which was very important. For rendering, V-Ray allowed us to render some seriously dense meshes and still gave us the control we needed to iterate quickly. V-Ray 3.0 was fast and stable, and rendering was never an issue, which speaks to the strength of the software.”
For the creation of the main title’s stunning wax-like effects Andrew identifies how Elastic did it: “We did all of our look development in Maya and V-Ray with the reference for the fluid surface being something like a mixture of blood, poison and red paint. At the same time we were doing look development, the FX artists were setting up fluid simulations for the dripping fluid. Once we had the fluid simulation, colour and lighting where we wanted them, we sent renders into NUKE to be comped together and cleaned up [with] the final look applied.”
As our conversation concludes we ask what advice Elastic has for aspiring artists. Jennifer Sofio Hall is quick to answer: “Story is what drives connections with people… If there’s a great story at the heart of a piece, then you can usually make it look amazing with the help of other talented people.”
Images courtesy of Elastic / a52Looking for news you can trust? Subscribe to our free newsletters.
Say what?
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s presidential campaign imploded Thursday afternoon with his entire senior staff resigning en masse, according to multiple sources familiar with the moves.
“When the campaign and the candidate disagree on the path, they’ve got to part ways,” said Rick Tyler, a longtime Gingrich spokesman who was among those who left the campaign.
Tyler….Rob Johnson….Dave Carney….Katon Dawson….Sam Dawson….Craig Schoenfeld….Walter Whetsell….Scott Rials have all stepped aside. Much of Gingrich’s early state operation was also headed for the exits, according to a one senior campaign source.
….Among the issues leading to the resignations, according to knowledgeable sources, was the two-week vacation that Gingrich and his wife, Callista, insisted upon taking against the advice of his top political staff. Coming as it did after one of the most disastrous campaign launches in recent memory, it raised questions as to whether Gingrich would be willing to “commit time to the grassroots,” said Tyler.I interviewed Mike Gravel almost by accident, as he was leaving the table where authors signed copies of their books and making arrangements with staff.
"You've got enough," Gravel said, eyeing copies of Citzen Power. "I don't need to bring a box of them with me tomorrow. Good."
Gravel was walking my way, into the hall, so I reintroduced myself as the reason reporter he talked to in New Hampshire. He was overjoyed, and started praising the feature on the libertarian vote that Nick Gillespie and Matt Welch wrote for Campaigns and Elections. "I read that article," Gravel said. "I got to the end, and I read that last line: 'Let the people decide.' You're using my slogan!"
Gravel took me over to a corner and quieted down. "I don't say this in public, but I'm more libertarian than Ron Paul. I took that article over to him this last week—we met for the first time. And the article's got that section with the top libertarian issues. Gambling, choice, immigration. Ron looks at the list and points at each of the issues. 'I'm not for that, I'm not for that, I'm not for that.' He was against half of the things on the list! And I'm for all of those things."
People often ask Gravel about Ron Paul: Their support overlaps for what I can only assume is because both of them fit as awkwardly in the current political rubric as Abbie Hoffman or a clown on fire. "A lot of people have said the two of us should debate," Gravel said. "I don't want some political hack debate, but we could have a real interesting, intellectual debate if we had the right moderator. Bill Moyers would be a good guy to do that."
I asked Gravel about the reports he was going Green and endorsing a Green Party candidate for president. Half of that is true. "I'm still running," he said. "I just endorsed Jesse Johnson to give him a leg up over Cynthia McKinney and Ralph Nader." But hadn't Nader introduced Gravel at the 2007 TBA Conference? "Oh, yeah. He talked for 30 minutes and I got 15 minutes." Was Gravel raw that Nader started running even though the candidate he endorsed was still in the race? "Ralph Nader is Ralph Nader," Gravel shrugged. "I don't think he's going to be elected president, but he'd be a good advisor to a president."
The obvious question: Since Gravel considers himself a libertarian, would he run for the LP nomination? Yes. "I don't have a big staff, so we haven't done that yet, but I want to reach out to them. If Ron Paul could raise all that money with his libertarian message, you know, I think I could raise a lot of money."0 SHARES Facebook Twitter Google Whatsapp Pinterest Print Mail Flipboard
After taking a brief break from race baiting due to being slapped down by Shirley Sherrod, Fox News has moved on to an easier target, babies; specifically the so called anchor babies. Fox News ratcheted up the rhetoric today by referring to the 14th Amendment as the, “anchor baby amendment.” Lucky for us, Jon Stewart has taken on the lunacy of the right wing anchor baby campaign.
Here is the video of Fox and Friends and the “anchor baby amendment” from Media Matters:
Fox and Friends co-host Clayton Morris managed to show his conservative respect for the United States Constitution by referring to the 14th Amendment as the anchor baby amendment. Morris said, “Meanwhile Republicans want Congress to work on some other form of constitutional control that being the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution, basically the anchor baby amendment. That’s where a lot of Republicans congressmen now coming forward saying we should rethink the 14th Amendment, which as Steve pointed out earlier was put in place right after the Civil War to ensure that the Southern States would count out due process, stuff like that, so if they were born here, if the slaves had babies and they were born in the United States, they wouldn’t be considered not citizens of the United States.”
Last night Jon Stewart was all over the anchor baby threat:
As Stewart more accurately pointed out, this so called anchor baby scare has been around since the Amendment was first debated in 1868. Stewart quoted Senator Edgar Cowan’s belief that the 14th Amendment would lead to California being over run by a mongel race, and that it “is utterly and totally impossible to mingle all the various families of men, from the lowest form of the Hottentot up to the highest Caucasian, in the same society.” Stewart pointed out that the fears of 145 years ago never came to pass, but today, the right is now worried about anchor babies overrunning us all.
Stewart described the right wing position this way, “Wait a minute, you all are repealing the 14th Amendment to send a message to babies?…The free ride is over you drooling, diaper soiling, poor motor control, little shits.” He also discussed the insane right conspiracy theory that al-Qaeda is going to send pregnant women over here to have babies, then train those babies to be terrorists. Most importantly he played the clip of Lou Dobbs as the voice of reason on anchor babies and said, “Lou Dobbs thinks your immigration measure is too draconian. Lou Dobbs. Lou Dobbs, who spent the last 15 years of his life trying to get Dora the Explorer deported thinks you’ve gone too far.”
It is pathetic that Fox News would try to trivialize the Constitution by distorting the 14th Amendment as the anchor baby amendment. There are five sections to the 14th Amendment, and only deals with the citizenship of those who are born in the United States. Jon Stewart gave a more accurate constitutional description than Fox News did, which could account for why more young people trust a comedian to deliver their news than FNC.
Media Matters listed many of the important Supreme Court cases decided based on the 14th Amendment:
• Segregated schools are unconstitutional (Brown v. Board of Education)
• Bans on interracial marriage are unconstitutional (Loving v. Virginia)
• Discrimination on the basis of sex is generally unconstitutional (Craig v. Boren)
• Legislative districts must be equally apportioned, i.e., one person, one vote (Reynolds v. Sims)
• The Constitution has a right to privacy, and that right means states may not outlaw access to birth control (Griswold v. Connecticut)
• States, like the federal government, generally must seek a warrant before searching your house (Mapp v. Ohio)
• States, like the federal government, must provide lawyers to criminal defendants (Gideon v. Wainright)
• States, like the federal government, must abide by the Second Amendment individual right to bear arms (McDonald v. City of Chicago)
• States may not pass a law criminalizing homosexual sex between consenting adults (Lawrence v. Texas)
Jon Stewart saw right through this new attempt at division and race baiting by the right. This isn’t about all anchor babies. When pushed, the right wing is most upset about the brown ones, specifically, the ones from Mexico. After Shirley Sherrod fought back against the race baiting of Fox News, the network, and the right, decided to move on to an easier and more defenseless target. Does it matter to the Right that these so called, “anchor babies” grow up, get jobs, become productive members of society, contribute to their communities and pay taxes? If the 14th Amendment is changed, whose citizenship do we strip? Do all current children of illegal immigrants lose their citizenship, all future children, or maybe we strip citizenship from everyone child or adult, whose parents aren’t or weren’t legal citizens? Do we strip citizenship from all races, or just certain ones?
The whole anchor babies hysteria is nothing more than a cheap political stunt designed to scare old white Republican voters ahead of November. The Right is still trying to divide America by race, but campaigning against babies who had no say where they were going to be born is not a good idea. Only the coldest of the cold, and the most extreme of the extreme can see a threat posed by babies. Honestly, it is starting to look like the right is trying to give the November election to the Democrats, because just when you think they can’t get any more out of touch, they declare jihad against babies.
If you’re ready to read more from the unbossed and unbought Politicus team, sign up for our newsletter here! Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human:The Wolf Among Us, that critical acclaimed noir-soaked fable from master storytellers Telltale Games, is now free on PS3, Xbox 360 and iOS. That is, the first episode, “Faith”, is up for grabs. Telltale’s had free giveaways before of their first episodes in an effort to hook those who missed out on the initial release and run of the game. They’ve made both first episodes of their Walking Dead games free to play in the past. And what a persuasive piece of bait it is. Telltale’s signature cell-shaded style lend it’s projects the look of graphic novels come to life. And they have great stories to boot. Fitting since a large body of Telltale’s work is inspired by comic books.
The Wolf Among Us is no different as it’s based on the graphic novel Fables, penned by Bill Willingham and put out by Vertigo Comics. The set up is this: fairytale characters get booted from their magical realms by a mysterious adversary and wind up settling in their own neighborhood of New York City: Fabletown. Blending into society these “fables” keep their existence a secret. In the game you step into the shoes of Bigby Wolf (The Big Bad Wolf), who’s a kind of sheriff keeping the community’s secret under wraps. One fateful night a fable is murdered, setting off a chain of events that threatens to tear Fabletown apart. It’s your job to make sure that doesn’t happen. Check out the trailer below if you need further convincing, then go grab the first episode on your platform of choice. Complete editions of both The Wolf Among Us and The Walking Dead Season 2 are also now available on next gen systems.Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption "Creativity is shaped by what technology can do," says Paco Perez
Paco Perez is experimenting. The chef has won several Michelin stars for his restaurants. At one of them, La Enoteca at the Hotel Arts in Barcelona, he is busy creating a new dish.
He places a plate inside a strange-looking machine that looks a bit like a large microwave oven. He touches the controls, and a few minutes later, removes the plate, which is now decorated with a delicate, flower-like design.
Next he adds more ingredients: caviar, sea-urchins, hollandaise sauce, egg, and a "foam" of carrot.
He calls his creation "Sea Coral". "It's as if we were on the sea floor," he explains. "We see a coral with sea urchins on it - then when we eat, we discover all the profundity of the sea and its iodine flavours".
The centrepiece of the dish, the "coral," is made of a seafood puree in an intricate design that would have been extremely difficult to produce by hand. But it has been piped on to the plate by a new kind of 3D printer.
Mr Perez is delighted with the results and the capabilities of the machine.
"It's very interesting what today's technology is contributing to gastronomy" he says. "Creativity is shaped by what technology can do".
Image caption 3D printing enables chefs to produce exactly the same design numerous times
Image caption The specialised machines can print anything from mashed potato to chocolate
The machine he is using is called Foodini, and is made by Natural Machines, a new company based only a few miles away from La Enoteca.
Barcelona is certainly a fitting place for a business trying to bring fine dining and technology together. It's located in Catalonia, a part of Spain renowned for culinary excellence. Celebrated chefs from the region, such as Ferran Adria (who Paco Perez trained and worked with), are famous for pushing the boundaries of gastronomy ever further.
Elaborate designs
Unlike some other food-capable 3D printers, the Foodini device has been designed from the start to be a specialised food-printing machine.
It can print with a very wide range of foods, from mashed potato to chocolate. Ingredients are placed in stainless steel capsules, which are reusable.
With suitable ingredients the machine is capable of printing structures several centimetres high, making possible some quite elaborate 3D designs.
It is also a so-called "internet of things" appliance - which means that it can be connected to the internet, and recipes and designs can be uploaded from anywhere.
Image caption Lynette Kucsma says 3D printing enables chefs to create dishes which they couldn't do by hand
Natural Machines co-founder Lynette Kucsma says they have had a lot of interest from top chefs for two main reasons.
One is customisation, enabling the creation of dishes that are just not possible to make by hand.
"The other reason is automation", she says. "Imagine you need to print breadsticks in the shape of tree branches for a hundred people sitting that evening. Rather than food piping it or doing that by hand, you can automate it with a 3D food printer".
Growing market
Other chefs apart from Mr Perez are experimenting with this new technique. Mateo Blanch from La Boscana in Lleida in Spain has been working with a 3D printer made by a Dutch firm, By Flow. He told the International Business Times last year that "it has changed the way I work with food…. I am capable of a level of precision that would never have been possible before".
And in the USA, 3D printer maker 3D Systems has been collaborating with the Culinary Institute of America on some ambitious projects.
Suppliers of 3D food printers are optimistic that the devices will soon become common in top professional kitchens.
But for Ms Kucsma the world of haute cuisine is only the start.
She foresees a growing consumer market for 3D printers: "as people see it coming into restaurants and … start becoming familiar with eating 3D printed food and knowing that it's made with fresh, real ingredients, that's when the mind change starts to happen" she says.
Image caption "Creativity is shaped by what technology can do," says Mr Perez
However Ms Kucsma says that there's an additional feature that could transform the appeal of these products: the ability to cook.
She says that the existing Foodini machine "can heat the individual food capsules to do things like keeping chocolate at a good melting point" - but for future models they are working to add the capacity to cook. Market research suggests that this could really help the products to become mainstream.
Stifling creativity?
Ms Kucsma says the professional market is likely to be less interested in printers that can cook as well as print food, since they have many other means of cooking at their disposal. The main appeal of the machines will be their ability to customise and create dishes never before possible.
But despite all the creative possibilities that makers of these devices say they have to offer, isn't there a danger that they will instead stifle creativity? If a machine combined with computer software is doing all the work, where is there room for the magic, human touch of the gifted chef?
Mr Perez dismisses such concerns: "In its day, traditional food was the avant garde. The people who cooked it would use a blender, or a microwave, an oven, a heat lamp…You see, tradition is innovation - and always has been. In moving forwards, technology will always be present."2014 Final Record — 64-98 (5th Place)
2015 Projected Record — 66-96 (5th Place)
After finishing dead last in the NL West in 2014, Arizona didn’t do enough this off-season to make me believe there would be much, if any, improvement in the standings. I think they can pick up a game or two, but they will likely be flirting with losing 100 games going into the final week. Despite this, there are still some players that could help your fantasy team.
Projected Starting Lineup
1 CF – AJ Pollock 25+ SB, 10+ HRs and should hit over.275 but doesn’t walk enough for a leadoff batter. 2 RF – David Peralta Weakest hold on a starting job. Only useful in deep leagues. 3 1B – Paul Goldschmidt MVP Candidate and Top 5 Overall Fantasy Hitter. Should hit 30+ HRs, 110+ RBIs and slash around.300/.380/.550 4 LF – Mark Trumbo Comeback Player of the Year Candidate. If healthy, should reach 30+ HRs, 100+ RBIs but will likely struggle exceeding.250 AVG and.300 OBP 5 3B – Yasmany Tomas True Wild Card…Could move back to OF if he can’t hang at 3B. Don’t expect Puig like rookie numbers, but 20+ HRs, 70+ RBIs are realistic. Slash line might be similar to Trumbo and likely hits the century mark in strikeouts. 6 2B – Aaron Hill Once a Top 10 option at 2B should be left undrafted in most standard leagues. 7 SS – Chris Owings Finally the unquestioned starter at SS. Slash numbers will hold him back, but 12+ HRs and 12+ SBs isn’t bad for the bottom third of the order in the NL 8 C – Tuffy Gosewisch / Oscar Hernandez Please look away, nothing to see here…
Obviously, Goldy is a 1st round draft pick and gives you everything you could want to anchor a lineup. You are probably not reading fantasy analysis to be convinced of his worthiness. Unfortunately, once you get past Goldy, there might not be more than one hitter that gets over.250 AVG and.300 OBP. Trumbo is a nice power bat to target in the mid to late rounds. He is more valuable if he’s eligible at 1B and OF. Tomas is going to be a hot pick because everyone wants him to be the next Puig. Whereas he has the tools, I’m not convinced he will be able to hit the advanced pitching in the majors. AJ Pollack is a blue collar fantasy player that will help a little everywhere and therefore could be a valuable late round pick. Chris Owings is probably a year away from really breaking out, but he, like Pollack, could be a nice late round flier to help fill out the box score. If any of these guys were patient enough to take a walk from time to time, they would have a chance of improving their run production and perhaps their record in the standings.
Impact Hitting Prospects for 2015
1. Jake Lamb – 3B — I wrote about Lamb in my 3B pre-season rankings and I like his chances of contributing this season. Lamb is average or above at nearly every tool and if he hits well in the spring, it could be tough to keep him off the 25 Man Roster. Tomas may not be able to handle the hot corner and if they give up on that experiment and move him back to the OF, expect Lamb to be the everyday 3B and give decent production for deeper leagues.
2. Peter O’Brien – C,1B — Arizona really wants him to succeed behind the plate. After hitting 34 HRs in 2014, he certainly has a lot to offer with the stick. His plate discipline leaves a little to be desired, but there is NOTHING blocking him in Arizona. He should be up at some point this summer and offer some power numbers for a weak position in fantasy. He could be worth a bench spot in deeper leagues.
Projected Rotation
1 Josh Collmenter #1 starter by default. Likely below.500 record, 3.80 ERA and 6-7 K/9 2 Jeremy Hellickson May lead team in INN and QS but expect mid 4s ERA. Expect decent K/9 (around 7) but will average 3 BB/9. #2 starter for ARI but bottom of the rotation fantasy starter. 3 Chase Anderson Could be a sleeper pick to get be the only starter over.500 and 8 K/9. Thinking 10 Ws and Low 4 ERA is attainable. 4 Rubby De La Rosa Shouldn’t be on a fantasy roster except in the deepest of leagues. 5 Allen Webster Holding down the fort until one of the prospects are ready for promotion.
This is not a rotation that you are targeting in the first half of your draft. Collmenter, Hellickson and Anderson have some value as depth starters, but are not going to be anchoring anyone’s fantasy team. If healthy, Chase Anderson has the highest upside this season and worth a late flier. Reed is a decent closer option, but the only real excitement here is in the impending arrivals of their top pitching prospects.
Bullpen Notables
1. Addison Reed (CL) — Despite the team’s low win total, Reed should get chance to earn 35+ saves, 10 K/9. Solid choice as RP2 type of investment.
2. Brad Ziegler (SU) — Ziegler can be valuable in leagues that reward middle reliever stats. As the 8th INN setup up guy, he could earn 25+ holds with a decent WHIP. Don’t expect many strikeouts.
3. Daniel Hudson (MID) — He has become the forgotten man after two Tommy John surgeries. If healthy, he could offer solid stats across the board as a middle reliever with an outside shot of earning a rotation spot. Once a top organizational prospect, but now worth a late flier in deeper leagues.
Impact Pitching Prospects for 2015
1. Archie Bradley, RHP (AAA) — Still the top prospect in the organization, there seems to be some concern that he is still “Ace, #1 Starter” material. He has four pitches that could be above average or better, but he really struggled with his command this past season after recovering from an elbow injury. Bradley should begin the season in AAA. If his fastball and curveball present as plus pitches (as they project) he could be in the Diamondbacks’ rotation by the summer. Dynasty leagues have him wrapped up already but keeper leagues and deeper leagues need to be ready to jump on him when he’s rumored to be called up as he could reach 9 |
critical condition.
The Johnson County Prosecutor's Office said Keller acted in self-defense and wouldn't be charged.
WARNING: Video below contains graphic content
PREVIOUS | IFD firefighter accused of shooting neighbor in Greenwood | Video shows shootout between firefighter, neighbor in Johnson County; firefighter won't face charges
According to Johnson County Sheriff Doug Cox, a concerned citizen emailed police Wednesday and said Weigle was threatening to leave the hospital and hurt Keller.
Police obtained a warrant for Weigle's arrest in connection with the June 27 shooting. He was served the warrant, and jail staff are watching him at a rehab facility, Cox said. Weigle's above photo is from a 2011 arrest.
Weigle was charged with criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon.
Keller’s sister, Leah Shipe, blamed the shooting on an ongoing fence dispute, saying Weigle had been “badgering” her brother for years.
The video, released by the prosecutor's office on Wednesday, shows Weigle addressing Keller by saying, "Hey a**hole," before adjusting a portion of the fence that borders their property. He then says "I see you got the s*** out," in reference to Keller's wife. Weigle then gets onto his riding lawnmower and starts to ride off.
As Keller approaches the fence to see what Weigle did, Weigle backs up his lawnmower and flashes a gun at Keller. Keller pulls out his own gun and fires at Weigle, hitting him four times in the chest during an exchange of multiple shots.
The video was used as evidence in determining that Keller would not be charged.
Weigle rents a room from the owner of the property he was mowing. She said the gun that he was using was hers and he did not have permission to use that gun, according to the report from the prosecutor’s office. She believes Weigle took the gun from under her pillow before he went out to mow.
Keller is employed as an engineer with the Indianapolis Fire Department.
MORE | Johnson Co. shootout video raises questions about Indiana's self-defense lawsYayoi Kusama’s polka-dotted pumpkin overlooking the ocean, James Turrell’s Open Sky installation, and an entire art space by Walter De Maria are just a few of the groundbreaking works on display at Benesse Art Site Naoshima, a cluster of once-polluted islands in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea rehabilitated by contemporary art and architecture by Tadao Ando, Sanaa, and Hiroshi Sambuichi. Like Dia:Beacon in New York and the Chinati Foundation in Marfa, Texas, Naoshima is a pilgrimage site for contemporary art lovers and a place where locals can immerse themselves in art outside of the traditional galleries and museums. “I was born in a rather rural area, so I love nature,” Soichiro Fukutake, the billionaire arts patron and honorary adviser to Benesse Holdings, says. “So rather than installing art in white cube museums, I like to install art in nature, art with strong messages, contemporary art especially, and find the right environment and the right architecture.”
Full Moon Stone Circle by Richard Long at Benesse House Museum in Naoshima. Photo: Education Images/UIG via Getty Images
Founded in 1989, the Benesse Art Site Naoshima continues to grow and develop, with new installations coming to some of the islands, including Teshima and Inujima. During Singapore Art Week in January, Fukutake awarded the inaugural Asian edition of the Benesse Prize—given at the Venice Biennale since 1995—to Thai artist Pannaphan Yodmanee, whose monumental installation is one of the highlights of the Singapore Biennale. Aftermath, which juxtaposes symbols of Buddhist cosmology with representations of modern urban decay, is on view at the Singapore Art Museum through February 26. Yodmanee has been commissioned to create a site-specific work for the Benesse Art Site Naoshima, becoming one of just a handful of Southeast Asian artists represented there. “I think we are going to be in the age of Asia going forward, and there’s a lot of disparity between rural and urban areas in Asia,” Fukutake says. “And I thought we could bring our approach of rejuvenating and building rural communities through art starting with Singapore and then broadening and roll out this approach through other parts of Asia.”
Close-up of Karel Appel's Frog and Cat sculpture in Naoshima. Photo: Education Images/UIG via Getty Images
Having made his fortune at the Benesse Group—a leader in education, language training, and senior care—Fukutake ranks among Japan’s 50 wealthiest individuals and is one of the world’s most influential art collectors, advocating for contemporary art as a way to uplift rural areas. “To share with you my personal view, contemporary art should not be just something that people collect or invest for speculative purposes. We don’t do that; I don’t do that. I want to do something to close the disparity between urban areas and rural areas,” Fukutake says. “Asia has a lot of billionaires who are building their wealth, and I’m hoping that a lot of such Asian billionaires can commit to such initiatives by using contemporary art to help rebuild rural communities.” He advocates a new form of philanthropic capitalism that he calls “public interest capitalism,” in which corporations establish a foundation that can use dividends to promote culture and the arts.
Benesse House Museum in Naoshima. Photo: Education Images/UIG via Getty Images
His own interest in art originated with his father, who collected works by Japanese-American artist Yasuoi Kuniyoshi. “When I got involved in directing Naoshima, the first museum that impacted me was the Louisiana Museum in Denmark near Copenhagen,” Fukutake says, adding that Dia:Beacon, the Rothko Chapel in Houston, Walter De Maria’s Lightning Field in New Mexico, and James Turrell’s Roden Crater—which he visited with the artist—influenced him, too. Thanks to his efforts, the Benesse Art Site Naoshima continues to inspire art lovers and architecture fans from around the world. “There are a lot of interesting Asian artists emerging now, and many Asian countries are in the process of developing,” he says. Visitors to the islands can be sure to see more exciting work by contemporary Asian artists soon.Ronald Koeman admitted that the striker had lacked intensity in training
Graziano Pelle was left out of the 18 selected players for the home victory
Ronald Koeman has revealed he axed Graziano Pelle from Sunday's win over Manchester City because the striker disappointed him with a lack of 'intensity' in training.
Pelle was left out of the Southampton squad with Shane Long preferred to lead the line and Charlie Austin selected on the bench.
And Koeman conceded afterwards that Pelle failed to pull his weight in the lead-up to the game and did not show enough to deserve to be among his 18 players for the 4-2 victory.
Southampton manager Ronald Koeman left striker Graziano Pelle out against Manchester City on Sunday
Koeman said Pelle lacked 'intensity' in training and was therefore not selected in the manager's 18-man squad
GRAZIANO PELLE THIS SEASON Appearances: 28 Goals: 10 Assists: 5 Premier League games only
'We have really good competition within the strikers and I wasn't happy about the intensity of Graziano this week in the training sessions,' he said.
'I like to be straight with everybody, and other players deserve more to be part of the 18 today.
'He [Pelle] knows [why he was dropped], I will see what happens next week.'
Saints travel to Tottenham next Sunday before finishing their season back at St Mary's against FA Cup finalists Crystal Palace.
Italian striker Pelle, an £8million signing from Feyenoord two years ago, has been linked with a move away in the summer.
The 30-year-old aside, Koeman was delighted with the performance of his players as they took all three points against an under-strength City side.
Koeman believes Southampton deserve credit for beating City, despite Manuel Pellegrini resting big names
Pelle is Southampton's No 1 striker but Shane Long and Charlie Austin were preferred for the win over City
Opposite number Manuel Pellegrini left out his own key hitman, Sergio Aguero, and a number of other stars with three days to go until they play at Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final.
Koeman said: 'I was impressed with the team performance, from the start, good intensity, good football, we created a lot of problems for them with the movement of Sadio and Shane.
'We were very productive, with even more chances to score than four.
'You can talk about the changes in the Man City team but that is not fair, give all the credit Southampton because the performance was fantastic.'1 /25 Julie 2: Trailer launch Left Arrow Right Arrow Raai Laxmi looks gorgeous during the trailer launch of Bollywood film ‘Julie 2’ in Mumbai on September 04, 2017.
Pahlaj Nihalani, Raai Laxmi and Deepak Shivdasani during the trailer launch of Bollywood film ‘Julie 2’ in Mumbai on September 04, 2017.
Raai Laxmi looks stunning during the trailer launch of Bollywood film ‘Julie 2’ in Mumbai on September 04, 2017.
Raai Laxmi and Pahlaj Nihalani pose for the lensman during the trailer launch of Bollywood film ‘Julie 2’ in Mumbai on September 04, 2017.
Raai Laxmi shakes a leg during the trailer launch of Bollywood film ‘Julie 2’ in Mumbai on September 04, 2017.
Deepak Shivdasani and Vijay Nair during the trailer launch of Bollywood film ‘Julie 2’ in Mumbai on September 04, 2017.
Raai Laxmi looks stunning during the trailer launch of Bollywood film ‘Julie 2’ in Mumbai on September 04, 2017.
Aditya Srivastava during the trailer launch of Bollywood film ‘Julie 2’ in Mumbai on September 04, 2017.
Raai Laxmi shakes a leg during the trailer launch of Bollywood film ‘Julie 2’ in Mumbai on September 04, 2017.
Pahlaj Nihalani, Raai Laxmi and Deepak Shivdasani during the trailer launch of Bollywood film ‘Julie 2’ in Mumbai on September 04, 2017.
Raai Laxmi poses for the photogs during the trailer launch of Bollywood film ‘Julie 2’ in Mumbai on September 04, 2017.
Deepak Shivdasani during the trailer launch of Bollywood film ‘Julie 2’ in Mumbai on September 04, 2017.
Raai Laxmi shakes a leg during the trailer launch of Bollywood film ‘Julie 2’ in Mumbai on September 04, 2017.
Raai Laxmi during the trailer launch of Bollywood film ‘Julie 2’ in Mumbai on September 04, 2017.
Aditya Srivastava, Deepak Shivdasani and Vijay Nair during the trailer launch of Bollywood film ‘Julie 2’ in Mumbai on September 04, 2017.
Raai Laxmi looks gorgeous during the trailer launch of Bollywood film ‘Julie 2’ in Mumbai on September 04, 2017.
Vijay Nair during the trailer launch of Bollywood film ‘Julie 2’ in Mumbai on September 04, 2017.
Raai Laxmi during the trailer launch of Bollywood film ‘Julie 2’ in Mumbai on September 04, 2017.
Pahlaj Nihalani during the trailer launch of Bollywood film ‘Julie 2’ in Mumbai on September 04, 2017.
Raai Laxmi shakes a leg during the trailer launch of Bollywood film ‘Julie 2’ in Mumbai on September 04, 2017.
Pahlaj Nihalani during the trailer launch of Bollywood film ‘Julie 2’ in Mumbai on September 04, 2017.
Raai Laxmi is all smiles during the trailer launch of Bollywood film ‘Julie 2’ in Mumbai on September 04, 2017.
Pahlaj Nihalani speaks to the media during the trailer launch of Bollywood film ‘Julie 2’ in Mumbai on September 04, 2017.
Raai Laxmi during the trailer launch of Bollywood film ‘Julie 2’ in Mumbai on September 04, 2017.
Pahlaj Nihalani, Raai Laxmi, Vijay Nair and Deepak Shivdasani during the trailer launch of Bollywood film ‘Julie 2’ in Mumbai on September 04, 2017. Share this on: FacebookTwitterPintrest
Former censor board chief Pahlaj Nihalani believes he was removed from the top post because of lobbying not in favour of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) but against him. To bolster his argument, Nihalani said no objections were raised now when the board asked directors to make cuts in their films."Even after my exit, the functioning of the CBFC is still the same; films are still getting cuts as the guidelines are the same even today. But there is no noise about the number of cuts and no one is calling the CBFC'sanskari' today," he said, referring to allegations of moral policing that he faced while he held the office."The lobbying was against me and not the CBFC," Nihalani said. The government last month replaced Nihalani with songwriter-adman Prasoon Joshi. According to the reports, under the chairmanship of Joshi, the makers of 'Love Sonia' were asked to make 45 cuts in the film starring Freida Pinto and Richa Chadha. The board reportedly ordered five cuts in Varun Dhawan-starrer 'Judwaa 2'. Kangana Ranaut's recently-released film, 'Simran' got 10 cuts."There were a few people who wanted me out of this position and I am happy I am no longer the chief of CBFC. I don't think I have lost anything on being removed from the post. I have come back to films. It is an honourable post," he added. The producer-distributor said a Hindi film faced more trouble while getting clearance in international markets than in India."When a film goes to Dubai, Malaysia or Pakistan, they (the makers) have to cut a lot of things but they don't make noise or talk about it," he said. "In India, 'Kaabil' got a U/A certificate, he said, but in international markets, it got a 15 plus rating. In London, 'Baahubali' got a 15 plus rating and in India, it had a U/A certificate. I think India is the most liberal country when it comes to censorship," he added.Nihalani said during his tenure as the CBFC chief, he recommended a rating system according to age brackets, which the government did not consider. "I had suggested a six-rating system but they did not consider it and because of all the controversies they appointed the Shyam Benegal committee.""I don't agree with the recommendations made by the Benegal committee. I feel the 1952 Act was better, it's just that we need a rating system in place," he said. Nihalani added that before he joined the board, there were charges of corruption, delay in certification and problems in clearing English and dubbed films but he worked towards resolving such issues."We made it a broker-free environment. I tried to bring in transparency, I tried my best to make things better. The officers used to work till late at night on Saturday and Sunday as well so that there was no delay in certification," he said.But that was then. Nihalani is now busy promoting 'Julie 2', which he is distributing. The film, directed by Deepak Shivdasani and featuring Raai Laxmi in the lead, is slated to be released on October 6.Nessebar is charming town located in the southern Black Sea coast and is one of the most popular Bulgarian Black Sea resorts. It is divided into two parts determined as "The New "and "The Old" city. The Old City is the preferred part, while the new one is more specified in accommodation service. The old Nessebar in fact is located on a small peninsula connected to the mainland by a thin piece of land. The first thing which will welcome you is a big wooden windmill. Soon after, you will meet the stone walls of the ancient city. The old city of Nessebar is quite popular with its historical churches and buildings dating back to ancient times. For this reason this town is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Originally a Thracian settlement, the Nessebar was later a Greek polis, then a Roman colony. The largest number and best known buildings date from 11th to 14th centuries almost all of them churches in the so called "picturesque" style: walls intersected by pilasters and lunettes, with stone, brick and ceramic ornaments and arches along the cornice. According to legends, the churches of Nessebar were no less than 41, which, when compared to the small population of the town, make the latter one of the world's settlements with the highest number of churches per capita. One of the oldest sanctuaries is the Basilica built on the coast most probably around the beginning of 5th century. The Old Bishop's Residence located in the centre of the town is probably the most impressive church in Nessebar. It is more than 25m long and 22m wide while its three naves were decorated with a colonnade and arches. St. Ivan the Baptist Church was built much later, in the 11th century. It is a typical cross-domed church with three naves, and four columns supporting the dome. There you can see fragments of frescoes dating back to the 13th century. The St. Stefan Church or the so-called New Bishop's Residence, situated in the vicinity of the harbor, was built in the 10th century. Its decoration is so picturesque that it marked the beginning of a typical local style, seen in the construction of churches of later times. If you are tired of sightseeing the summer resort of Sunny Beach is only 2km. away.NHL.com continues its preview of the 2014-15 season, which will include in-depth looks at all 30 teams throughout September.
One could argue that no member of the Washington Capitals personifies the fluctuations of the franchise as much as defenseman Mike Green.
As Washington captivated the NHL several seasons ago with its freewheeling attack, so did Green, whose breathtaking, end-to-end rushes often resulted in dazzling goals.
Yet as the Capitals collectively struggled to reinvent themselves following disheartening eliminations in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Green no longer garnered attention for record-breaking scoring performances. Instead, he took heat for glaring defensive miscues when he was not out because of an injury.
Even last season, when Green appeared in 70 games and led all Capitals defensemen with 38 points, tentative play and Washington's failure to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs overshadowed those totals.
Green's hesitancy was partially a result of former coach Adam Oates' restrictive rules regarding breakouts. However, he emerged from meetings with new coach Barry Trotz feeling refreshed knowing that Trotz intends to embrace the 28-year-old's smooth-skating ability and deft puckhandling skills.
"[Trotz wants me] to get definitely up the ice. He's encouraged that so far and that excites me," Green said. "[My goals are] to have an absolutely great season, to get back to getting up in the play and producing like I used to and playing solid defense."
The Capitals need a rejuvenated Green, one who closely resembles his Norris Trophy-finalist days, if they're going to return to contender status.
Trotz is eager to help make that happen.
"We're going to work with Mike," Trotz said. "He's such a dynamic player. I'm actually quite excited to work with Mike. I think what we're going to do as a team will be right up his alley, right for his skill set, all the areas of handling pucks and moving pucks and getting up on the play and being active and being a part of the attack, that will all be a part of what we do.
"The areas he needs to work hard, around the cage, some of the boxing out, some of those areas around the net where he can get better. He does that. His skillset when he skates and with his hands are phenomenal."
Trotz will urge his entire stable of puck-moving defensemen, which also includes John Carlson and offseason free-agent signing Matt Niskanen, to carry the puck and provide offensive support from the back end.
Mike Green Defense - WSH GOALS: 9 | ASST: 29 | PTS: 38
SOG: 172 | +/-: -16
The Capitals, cognizant of having allowed too many clean and controlled zone entries last season, plan to restructure their neutral-zone coverage; this should help Green and others in retrieving the puck. If executed properly, the Capitals, who often had difficulty exiting the defensive zone last season, should quickly reverse the flow up ice led by their mobile defensive unit.
"The way we're going to defend while we're in the defensive zone and the plan that we're going to have going back for pucks to come out of the zone as clean as possible, all of those things will allow him less time playing in the defensive zone and more time adding to the offense," assistant coach Todd Reirden said.
"Whether that's in terms of supporting the rush and adding a second wave or standing on the blue line after long shifts of offensive-zone play where he's able to create shot lanes and get pucks to the net, which is one of the skills that put him among the elite players in the League."
Perhaps most importantly, Green now has the aid of a strengthened defensive corps with the additions of Niskanen and Brooks Orpik. The Capitals believe that he, and in turn the team, will benefit from the assistance.
"There will be less pressure on him to put up points, there will be less pressure on him to carry the load for our team," new general manager Brian MacLellan said. "That's going to free Mike up to play the way he wants to play.
"Hopefully, it's loose. Hopefully, it's fun to watch. He moves the puck, he shoots it well, jumps in the play well. All those things we're looking for Mike for this year."12. Norwegian Getaway, built by Norwegian Cruise Line in 2014, measures 145,655 GT and carries 3,910 passengers at double occupancy. (Photo: Norwegian Cruise Line)
Make that five ships in Europe for Norwegian Cruise Line.
The Miami-based cruise operator on Tuesday announced it would send five vessels to Europe for the summer of 2017 -- one more than this year and the most in its 50-year history.
Norwegian said one of its newest ships, the 3,969-passenger Norwegian Getaway, would reposition to the Baltic for the summer from its current home in Miami, operating eight- and nine-night voyages out of Copenhagen.
The Getaway's new itineraries will feature calls in Tallinn, Estonia; Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and St. Petersburg, Russia.
Norwegian in 2017 also will offer its first complete season of cruises out of Hamburg, Germany as the Norwegian Jade moves to the city. The ship will operate seven- and nine-day Western Europe cruises; nine- and ten-day Norwegian Fjords cruises; 12-day Norway and North Cape sailings; as well as a 14-day Norway, Iceland and UK cruise.
In addition to Hamburg, passengers sailing the Norwegian Jade during the summer of 2017 also will be able to embark the vessel in the UK and Amsterdam.
Norwegian Jade sailings that include stops in the UK will mark the first time since 2010 that the line has operated from one of the country's ports.
Other Norwegian ships operating in Europe for the summer of 2017 will include the Norwegian Epic, which once again will offer seven-night sailings out of Barcelona; Civitavecchia, Italy (near Rome); and Marseille, France.
Norwegian Spirit will sail alternating 10- and 11-night Grand Mediterranean cruises between Barcelona and Venice; and Norwegian Star will spend the summer cruising from Venice to the Greek Isles as well as the Adriatic, Greece & Turkey.
The newly announced voyages will open for sale to members of Norwegian's frequent cruiser program and travel agents on Feb. 9 with the general public able to book starting Feb. 10.
USA TODAY Cruise in October got exclusive access among U.S. media to Norwegian's newest ship, the Norwegian Escape. For our 'first look' tours of the vessel's public areas and cabins, click through the carousels below.
Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1RL0FC3A new ad campaign called “Hardest Job in the World” is a tribute to mothers, although it could easily apply to fathers too. Click the photo to calculate your own parent salary. (Photo by Interflora)
Being a parent is hard work and a new ad campaign is underscoring that message with a fake job description for the “Hardest Job in the World.” The compensation: 172,000 British pounds, or about $254,000 American dollars (provided workers are paid 40 hours a week plus 79 hours of overtime).
The British campaign is from the flower company Interflora in honor of Mother’s Day, which, in the U.K., is March 15. The description — which could easily describe that of a father — ran this week: “The hours are long, some days you won’t get time to eat, you’re unlikely to ever have a full night’s sleep and you won’t get to take any holidays. But as well as being the hardest job in the world, this role is one of the most rewarding too. The successful candidate will be responsible for dealing with unreasonable demands, managing a busy schedule and co-ordinating multiple projects. You must have excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours in a chaotic environment. Responsibilities also include chauffeuring, cooking, cleaning and counseling.
The ad also states, “To be considered for this role, you must: Be willing to learn on the job (no formal training is provided), be tenacious with impeccable time management skills, be willing to be on call 24/7, have unlimited patience and be calm under pressure.”
STORY: Meet the Man Who Sued His Boss to Spend More Time with His Kids
Parents can calculate compensation unique to their own families by filling out a questionnaire answering how much time they spend fulfilling their child’s needs when it comes to cooking, cleaning, playing, homework, and more. The site determines a parent’s salary by factoring in the average salary of a chauffeur, teacher, psychologist, housekeeper, head chef, and personal assistant.
Calculate your own parent salary using Interflora’s calculator.
As Adweek points out, the campaign is similar to a 2014 online campaign, from the card company American Greetings, called “World’s Toughest Job.” In that ad, unsuspecting candidates applied for a “director of operations” gig that required catering to an impossibly demanding “associate” and a work week of 135-plus hours, seven days a week, with no breaks or vacation — and no salary. The catch: The job was “Mom.” The campaign earned mixed reaction with people calling it moving and emotional but also manipulative, stereotypical, and unfair to fathers. In June, American Greetings followed up with anad geared toward fathers that portrayed male actors auditioning for the role of “Dad.” The tagline: “In real life, there’s no script for being a dad.”
STORY: Maternity Leave in the U.S. vs. The Rest of the World
So far, social media reaction to the Interflora ad has been mostly positive with people deeming it “brilliant” and “terrific.” Given the United States is the only developed country that doesn’t guaranteepaid maternity or paternity leave (only offering 12 weeks of unpaid leave for new parents), and the fact that studies show women work longer hours than men, both at jobs and at home (cleaning and providing childcare), ads like Interflora are a reminder that parenting is often a thankless job. But the ads can also be inflammatory — not every parent is 100 percent committed to his or her family, single parents often shoulder a unique burden, and such messages can even seem trite when conceived by flower companies right before Mother’s Day.
Either way, the message is solid. Moms and dads deserve praise for all their hard work.
Please follow @YahooParenting on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, andPinterest. Have an interesting story to share about your family? E-mail us at YParenting (at) Yahoo.com.NASA/Rebecca J. Rosen
We live in an age of space-image abundance. Sure, NASA may not be able to continue running its existing missions, but, guys, we have more space photos and videos than we know what to do with.
Well, actually, we do know what to do with them: love them, unreservedly. In a fast-moving world, on a fast-moving Internet, space rises up above the snark, the cynicism, and the inanities. They are little oases of sincerity amid it all.
But how do you sell space in a headline?
This is a pretty tough question for your run-of-the-mill space story, but it is especially difficult for one genre in particular: time-lapses of the Earth from the International Space Station. There are so many of these little videos, and they are all so beautiful. How can you ever convey to the Internet audience, in just a few little words, why they should click on any given one?
With adjectives, of course. And not just any adjectives, but serious adjectives. For these little videos, the Internet brings out its big guns.
For starters, check out this quintessential time-lapse-from-ISS headline, from Mashable:
Speaking for myself, this was an honest headline. I am both stunned and astonished. I don't know which feeling is more intense, but there is definitely a lot of both.Young people use tactics not dissimilar to those used by older people to get a job, new research finds. But youth unemployment rates are much higher than other age groups - in October 2017 youth unemployment was 12.4% compared to 4.1% for those aged 25 or more.
Young and old job seekers both tend to adopt at least three job search strategies with the most common being: applying in writing, by phone or in person to an employer for work, looking in newspapers, on the internet or notice boards, and answering an advertisement for a job.
Read more: The costs of a casual job are now outweighing any pay benefits
Young job seekers are more likely to be registered with Centrelink than older job seekers (53% versus 42%), while those aged 25 and over tended to rely more on social networks and employment agencies when looking for work.
We examined the way young people looked for work with data from the Household, Income, and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey, which since 2001 has interviewed the same people – around 15,000 – each year. The interviews include a question for unemployed participants about job search activities they have undertaken in the previous four weeks.
Almost three quarters (73%) of the unemployed young people in the HILDA sample had applied for a job in the 4 weeks prior to the interview – which was a slightly higher proportion than overall (72.4%).
Differences between young and old job seekers
The HILDA survey also questions unemployed participants about why they think they aren’t able to find work. Young people were more likely than older age groups to cite lack of experience, lack of education and transport issues as key reasons for not getting work.
There is increased competition for entry-level jobs, which the ABS defines as those that require no more than skill level five - compulsory secondary school education or Certificate 1.
Federal Department of Employment data show that vacancies in the skill level five group have declined more than 50% since 2006, the first year for which there are data available.
Department of Employment research shows that employers often want experience even for entry-level jobs and competition for these jobs is increasing. Furthermore, employers are more likely to use word of mouth for lower skilled vacancies than other recruitment methods. Without the right contacts it is hard for young people to even know about available jobs.
Unlike young unemployed people, most mature age jobseekers have experience but they often lack formal qualifications, which can limit them to applying for entry-level jobs.
Mature age job seekers have a much lower rate of unemployment than young people but once unemployed they tend to remain unemployed for longer. The longer they remain out of work, the more difficult it is for them to get a job.
Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows that in September 2017 those aged 45 and over account for 39.1% of the labour force, but make up 38.3% of long term unemployed (more than 52 weeks) and 42.8% of very long term unemployed (more than 104 weeks).
Mature age job seekers are more likely than younger job seekers to think their age is part of the reason they have difficulty in seeking work. But age discrimination isn’t the only challenge facing mature age job seekers.
Recruitment methods have changed over the past few decades and our research suggests that many mature age job seekers lack the skills to search and apply for jobs online. Like younger job seekers they may also lack the right contacts to hear about work, especially if they are unemployed due to a redundancy and have lost touch with former workmates.
Our research suggests that lack of effort isn’t an issue for job seekers – even though it is hardly surprising if job seekers lose confidence after repeated setbacks in their search for work. What young and older job seekers need is skills recognition, career advice, and support – and most importantly investment at a local, state and national level in economic development so that their job search efforts have a chance of success.Shares of General Electric Co. rallied 1.3% in premarket trade Wednesday, putting them on track to open at a four-month high, in the wake of the industrial conglomerate's filing of its annual report, and Chief Executive Larry Culp's pledge to return the company to its former glory. The 10-K filing with the SEC late Tuesday revealed that GE cut 30,000 jobs in 2018, mostly from its power business. Also late Tuesday, the company re-registered for the sales of 15.5 million common shares of stock, as well as registering for the sale of debt, preferred stock and warrants to buy securities. The company had previously filed a registration statement in November 2017 for the sale of 15.5 million common shares, but the shares were not sold, and those securities have been carried forward for application in connection with the current registration statement. GE's stock has run up 9.0% since it announced the sale of its biopharma business early Monday. It has soared 46.5% year to date through Tuesday, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average has gained 11.7%.
by Tomi KilgoreA Farscape movie is in development, a decade after Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars provided closure to fans left hanging by the original series' final episode. Screenwriter Justin Monjo has reportedly written a script for the spinoff, to be directed by Brian Henson (son of Jim Henson), Executive Producer of the show's original four-season run and director of Peacekeeper Wars.
News of the movie spinoff originally broke from if.com, but Tor gives a good summary of the reboot's reported plot:
Set to follow the awesome comics written by our favorite Keith R.A. DeCandido, the film would follow John and Aeryn's son, D'Argo (or Little D, as we will always refer to him). Because their baby was exhibiting a set of interesting powers that made him a magnet for galactic villains, we find that John and Aeryn hide their son on Earth to grow up. Now the kid is 19 and ready to go into space with his parents.
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As if that weren't enough to get excited about, Monjo is also said to be developing a new series for HBO called Mongo. The show is based on the detective series by George C. Chesbro, with a lead role Monjo reportedly wrote specifically for Peter Dinklage.
A new Farscape movie AND a new HBO series led by Peter Dinklage? Is there such a thing as too much good news?
[If.com via Tor]Albania halts construction on TAP section over archaeological discovery
TIRANA (Albania), May 11 (SeeNews) - Construction works on a section of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) gas pipeline project in Albania have been suspended after the remains of an ancient settlement were uncovered near the city of Korca, the project company said.
Construction works at the closed-off area of the discovery are expected to resume within a month, after the relevant institutions conclude their report, TAP said in a statement published on its website on Wednesday. Meanwhile, construction activities along the 215-kilometre long pipeline route in Albania continue to progress in line with the project schedule.
"The rescue, conservation and protection of cultural heritage along the pipeline route is critical to TAP’s construction activities," TAP senior cultural advisor Neil Fairburn said in the statement. "We have carried numerous pre-construction surveys and studies, and put in place a sound approach to ensure we minimise any cultural heritage, environmental and social impact."
After noticing the archaeological finds, the TAP contractor immediately halted the works for clearing the TAP route and contacted Albania's Archaeological Service Agency (ASA), which undertook an assessment of the artefacts, TAP said. Currently a team of archaeologists is carrying out a rescue excavation.
"According to the preliminary assessment undertaken by TAP Cultural Heritage experts, this is an open-air settlement spanning from the early Iron Age (10th – 9th centuries BC) to the late Roman period (4th – 6th centuries AD), as suggested by the wealth of ceramics recovered at the site. During the Middle Ages (XII – XV century) the site was used as a cemetery, overlying the original site," TAP said
The gas pipeline project is designed to carry Azeri gas to |
said actors from public schools were "out of proportion".
Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch, who went to Harrow and is one of a number of public school educated stars, including Damian Lewis, Dominic West and Laurence Fox, has railed against the typecasting of "posh" actors and said it was lazy to treat all public school actors the same way.
Cumberbatch, who has said he was sick of being seen as a "moaning, rich, public school bastard", said last year: "One of the best things about being an actor is that it's a meritocracy."
But actor Freddie Fox, son of Edward Fox and another of the Fox acting dynasty, rubbished Cumberbatch's complaint that he was the victim of "posh bashing".
Fox, who stars in the new film The Riot Club, about a fictional, exclusive Oxford undergraduate dining society drawing comparisons with the Bullingdon Club, told the Radio Times: "A load of bollocks. I mean, Ben's doing alright isn't he? It's not like too many people are hating him in Hollywood."Probe launched into two Diyarbakır hospitals for allegedly treating PKK militants
DİYARBAKIR
An investigation has been launched into two hospitals in Turkey’s southeastern province of Diyarbakır for allegedly treating members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) using fake names.The probe has been opened by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor’s office into the Gazi Yaşargil Hospital and the Selahaddin Eyyubi Hospital, while three inspectors have also been assigned by the Health Ministry.The investigation came after the pro-government daily Star newspaper claimed that wounded members of the PKK and the Syria-based People’s Protection Units (YPG) were treated by the hospitals on Oct. 7, 8 and 9, 2014.Star also alleged that records of the treatment were deleted, with inspectors tracking the treatment reports finding that hospital workers had taken copies of the reports before deleting them.The investigation into the case is ongoing.We’ve already seen Elon Musk roll out the design for his Mars spaceship, but we’re still waiting for NASA to show off the ship future astronauts will take to the Red Planet (oh, and the concept art above is circa 1989, for the record).
The space agency has contracted with six different firms to develop potential deep-space habitats as part of the NextSTEP program, which is essentially a bridge to an eventual deep-space craft. The goal will be to put one of these habitats in space near the moon, and let it serve as a destination for astronauts to visit while NASA tests out all the tech they want to use to get to Mars (and beyond). If the final design works out, NASA could use it as a framework for a habitat on its eventual deep-space craft.
The six companies developing the habitats include Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Bigelow Aerospace, Orbital ATK, Sierra Nevada Corporation and NanoRacks. According to Ars Technica, the companies will get $65 million to refine their designs and build a ground-based prototype for testing. Construction on flight hardware for the winning design is slated to kick off in 2018. The goal would be to actually launch it by the mid-2020s, where it could be used to help train future astronauts and test out equipment for deeper missions.
The NextSTEP program is just that, a next step, as NASA tries to figure out how it will actually get humans to Mars. If all goes as planned it could be a very big step, too.
Check out the six designs below and let us know who you’re pulling for:For the British pilot and aircraft designer, see George Henry Challenger
George Edward Challenger is a fictional character in a series of fantasy and science fiction stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Unlike Conan Doyle's self-controlled, analytical character, Sherlock Holmes, Professor Challenger is an aggressive, hot-tempered, dominating figure.
Like Sherlock Holmes, Professor Challenger was based on real persons—in this case, an explorer named Percy Fawcett, who was Conan Doyle's friend, and a professor of physiology named William Rutherford, who had lectured at the University of Edinburgh while Conan Doyle studied medicine there.[1][2]
Fictional character biography [ edit ]
George Edward Challenger, F.R.S., M.D., D.Sc., was born in Largs, Ayrshire in 1863 and educated at Largs Academy before studying at Edinburgh University[3]. Dr Challenger was appointed to an Assistant position at the British Museum in 1892 and was promoted within a year to Assistant Keeper in the Comparative Anthropology Department. He held a professorship in Zoology and was elected President of the Zoological Institute in London. Several of his inventions were successfully applied in industry and brought him additional income.[4]
Edward Malone, the narrator of The Lost World, the novel in which Challenger first appeared, described his first meeting with the character:
His appearance made me gasp. I was prepared for something strange, but not for so overpowering a personality as this. It was his size, which took one's breath away – his size and his imposing presence. His head was enormous, the largest I have ever seen upon a human being. I am sure that his top hat, had I ventured to don it, would have slipped over me entirely and rested on my shoulders. He had the face and beard, which I associate with an Assyrian bull; the former florid, the latter so black as almost to have a suspicion of blue, spade-shaped and rippling down over his chest. The hair was peculiar, plastered down in front in a long, curving wisp over his massive forehead. The eyes were blue-grey under great black tufts, very clear, very critical, and very masterful. A huge spread of shoulders and a chest like a barrel were the other parts of him which appeared above the table, save for two enormous hands covered with long black hair. This and a bellowing, roaring, rumbling voice made up my first impression of the notorious Professor Challenger.[5]
Challenger was also a pretentious and self-righteous scientific jack-of-all-trades. Although considered by Malone's editor, Mr McArdle, to be "just a homicidal megalomaniac with a turn for science", his ingenuity could be counted upon to solve any problem or get out of any unsavoury situation, and be sure to offend and insult several other people in the process. Challenger was, in many ways, rude, crude, and without social conscience or inhibition. Yet he was a man capable of great loyalty and his love of his wife was all-encompassing.[citation needed]
Challenger married Jessica ‘Jessie’ and the couple settled at 14 Enmore Gardens, Enmore Park, Kensington, London.[6] After his adventures in South America Challenger and his wife purchased The Briars, in Rotherfield, Sussex, as a second home.[7] Later, following his wife’s death from influenza, Challenger sold his London home and rented an apartment on the third floor in Victoria West Gardens. London.[8] Challenger’s friend and biographer, the journalist Edward ‘Ted’ Dunn Malone married Enid Challenger, the Professor’s daughter, in the summer of 1927. Malone had been born in Ireland and achieved some fame in rugby football at international level for Ireland before a career in journalism at the Daily Gazette. Enid Challenger was a freelance reporter at the same newspaper.[9].
In July 1908 Malone joined Challenger, the 66 year-old Mr Summerlee (c.1842-1925), Professor of Comparative Anatomy, and the explorer and mountaineer Lord John Roxton, third son of the Duke of Pomfret and then in his mid-forties, on an expedition to the Amazon Basin, where Challenger claimed to have observed creatures from the Jurassic Age two years previously. On reaching the mouth of the Amazon River in Pará state the expedition hired local guides and servants Mojo, José, Fernando, Gomez, Manuel and Zambo.[10] From Manaus the expedition continued up-river to reach an unnamed tributary, which they followed by canoe until by late August the explorers arrived in the Guiana Highlands and the great table-top mountain (tepui) that was The Lost World. The expedition camped at the foot of the basalt cliffs of the tepui, which they named Maple White Land in honour of the plateau’s discoverer some four years earlier.[11] The isolated plateau was home to numerous prehistoric animals, previously known only from the fossil record, including pterodactyls, allosaurids, iguanodon and an early species of hominid. A group of indigenous people also occupied the plateau and the explorers aided them to subjugate the predatory ‘ape-men’. The expedition returned to London, bringing with them diamonds worth £200,000. Professors Challenger and Summerlee presented their findings to the Zoological Institute on 7 November 1908 at the Queen’s Hall, Regent Street, London. They claimed to have discovered over 150 new species, some dating from the Early Jurassic.[12]
Three years later the friends re-assembled in Challenger’s Sussex home to witness The Poison Belt incident of 27 to 28 August 1911. Challenger interpreted a shift in Frauenhofer’s light diffraction lines to predict that the Earth was passing through a deadly interstellar cloud of ether. By breathing oxygen from cylinders brought to the house earlier Challenger, his wife and friends avoided falling into catalepsy over the several hours the event lasted. It appeared as though all animal life on the planet had expired but within 28 hours all had recovered.[13]
Challenger was able to pursue his scientific interests independently as a result of a bequest by the rubber millionaire Betterton. He purchased an estate on Hengist Down near to his Sussex home, and engaged construction firm Morden & Company to begin excavating works to a depth of eight miles. In the spring of 1921 an American specialist in artesian wells Mr Peerless Jones was engaged to sink a shaft a further hundred feet beneath the Earth’s outer crust. Challenger hoped through this experiment to prove that the Earth was a living organism that sustained its vitality from the ether of outer space. Malone joined Jones at the bottom of the shaft to drill into the Earth’s soft tissue. Preparations were ready by Tuesday 21 June 1921 and the drill breached the tissue causing the planet to issue a loud cry and unleash a geyser of a protective tar-like secretion, accompanied by global volcanic activity. It was the day When the World Screamed.[14]
Some months later, Challenger and Malone were the last people to meet the Latvian inventor Theodore Nemor, who had claimed to have discovered the physics of disintegrating and then reassembling matter. Nemor was apparently seeking competing bids from the British and Soviet governments to buy The Disintegration Machine at the time of his unexplained disappearance from London.[15]
The death of Jessica Challenger affected her husband profoundly. Professor Challenger undertook an investigation into psychic phenomena after Ted Malone and Enid Challenger’s reports on spiritualism appeared in the Daily Gazette in October 1926. Lord John Roxton, Malone, and the Reverend Charles Mason, a former Church of England exorcist who had taken up Spiritualism, visited a haunted house at Dryfont in Derbyshire. An apparition at the house convinced the two friends of the reality of the spirit world and they set out to explore The Land of Mist further. Challenger joined the investigation ostensibly to demonstrate the fallacies of psychic research but became convinced of the reality of intercourse with the spirits of the dead and announced his conversion in a polemic carried by The Spectator magazine. [16]
Stories [ edit ]
By Arthur Conan Doyle [ edit ]
Novels [ edit ]
Short stories [ edit ]
1928 – "When the World Screamed", on Challenger's World Echinus theory.
1929 – "The Disintegration Machine", concerning the potentially dangerous new invention by a scientist named Theodore Nemor.
By other authors [ edit ]
Portrayals [ edit ]
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was the first person to portray Professor Challenger, dressing and making up as the professor for a photograph he wanted included in The Lost World's initial serialized publication in the Strand Magazine. The editor refused, feeling that such hoaxes were potentially damaging. Hodder & Stoughton had no such qualms and featured the image in the first book edition.[23]
Since then, the following actors have played the role:
References [ edit ]199 SHARES Facebook Twitter Linkedin Reddit
There’s some weird and wild things showcasing at Bandai Namco’s VR Arcade VR Zone in Shinjuku, Tokyo. To get a better look, Japan-based YouTube channel VJump goes hands-on with Dragon Ball Z VR, giving us a peek into the 40,000 square feet, 2-floor VR arcade and showing just how awesome going Super Saiyan in VR can be.
In the video, Vjump starts out at a training sequence that allows between 2-4 players to experience it simultaneously. Led by Goku, the series’ protagonist, you then teleport to on an iconic, barren field where he executes a Kamehameha, made more immersive by an open-hand custom device using Vive Trackers. That’s when the battle begins, and you’re positioned at different intervals, using your training mates as target practice.
Bandai Namco, veterans of the arcade gaming industry from days of yore, have freshened up their image by opening dedicated VR Arcades, complete with seated motion platforms and HTC Vive virtual reality powered experiences.
Experience include big name Japanese franchises too, like Gundam, Nintendo’s Mario Kart, and Neon Genesis Evangelion.
If you aren’t already wowed by the time you walk through the door, there’s something wrong.Preview: Adventure Time: Marceline Gone Adrift #1 (of 6) Share:
Adventure Time: Marceline Gone Adrift #1 (of 6)
Story: Meredith Gran
Art: Carey Pietsch
Cover A: Reimena Yee
Cover B: Carey Pietsch
Cover C: Mychal Amann
Cover D: Joe Quinones
Cover E: Britt Wilson
Publisher: BOOM! Studios/KaBOOM!
Publication Date: January 14th, 2015
Price: $3.99
WHY WE LOVE IT: Marceline and the Scream Queens was our first Adventure Time miniseries and we loved the tour Meredith Gran took us on. It’s definitely time for more Marceline and what better way to get everything rolling than with an epic that takes Marceline and Princess Bubblegum to the far corners of the world and into space!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: Marceline. The. Vampire. Queen. From the writer that brought you Marceline and the Scream Queens, Meredith Gran (Octopus Pie), and introducing indie talent Carey Pietsch, this is your chance to get some one-on-one time with one of your favorite residents of Ooo.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Marceline is on a rampage for mysterious reasons, and the kingdom of Ooo is desperately scrambling to stop her. In trying to save both Ooo and Marceline herself, Princess Bubblegum accidentally propels Marceline into the farthest reaches of space…and strips her of her powers! Guilt-ridden, Princess Bubblegum sets off on a space rescue that’ll test the power of her mind…as well as the power of friendship.Afghan police'sell weapons to Taliban, are addicted to drugs and kidnap and rape young boys'
BBC documentary reveals harrowing corruption among Afghan officers
Throws doubt on police's ability to secure nation after Coalition withdrawal
Mother of soldier killed in Sangin asks: 'Was it worth it?'
Police in an area of Afghanistan where 109 British troops died and hundreds were wounded trying to secure peace are riddled with corruption, child abuse, drug taking, kidnap and murder, a devastating investigation by Panorama revealed last night.
Weapons, ammunition and fuel paid for by UK taxpayers are being openly sold by Afghan officers - possibly to end-up with the Taliban - while senior police refuse to crackdown of the abuse of young boys by their officers.
Some officers appear drug-addicted, others are kidnapping civilians for ransom while in the past five weeks, four boys suspected of having been used as'sex slaves' have been shot - one in the face - while attempting to escape from police commanders believed to have abducted them from their families. Three have died.
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A BBC documentary has revealed fears over Afghan police officers, who are set to take over security when Coalition forces withdraw. The force is shown to be drug-addled, selling arms to the Taliban and molesting young boys. File picture
The disturbing reality of what has been achieved in the Sangin area of the troubled Helmand province and the extraordinary workings of local police were laid bare on BBC Panorama by correspondent Ben Anderson, who spent five weeks embedded with US forces in Afghanistan's most violent area.
His stark findings questioned the optimistic assessment of some commanders and politicians, including defence secretary Philip Hammond, ahead of the full hand over next year to Afghan forces that 'transition is proceeding very well - it is on track'.
And it raised questions too for the families of the British troops killed during anti-Taliban operations in Sangin where UK forces handed over security to the US in 2010.
Royal Marines at Sangin District Centre, Afghanistan. A total of 109 British servicemen have died there and hundreds more injured
Lucy Aldridge, whose 18 year-old son William, of 2nd Battalion The Rifles died there is 2009 after being blown-up while trying to rescue colleagues, said: 'This will really make those who have lost loved ones think...it is not a surprise but very worrying.
'If nothing has been achieved and this kind of thing is going on among the police who are meant to be responsible for law and order then everyone who has lost their lives has done so for nothing.
'It begs the question that will be at the back of the minds of all those who lost someone in Sangin...did our loved ones lose their lives in vain?'
The documentary casts doubt on defence chiefs claims the handover is on track
Mrs Aldridge said she was 'pleased' the failings of the police had been exposed and questioned the need for British troops to ever have become involved in Sangin.
She said that at one stage during 2009 Sangin was the most dangerous place in the world and that he son's unit had been 'pretty much a sitting target' as it tried to establish a peace in which Afghan civilian police could operate.
The Panorama programme Mission Accomplished? Secrets of Helmand, highlighted the work of U.S. Marine Major Bill Steuber, who is in charge of police advisory teams.
Afghan police in Jalabad, 2007. Some officers are believed to be selling off arms, petrol and even scrap metal from security walls
There was despair in his voice as he said corruption among the police was rampant, comparing it to the TV show 'the Sopranos.' 'It's vast,' he said, 'everything from skimming ammunition off their supplies to skimming fuel off their shipments.
'There's false imprisonment - they'll take people during an engagement, and they'll just wrap everyone up, then they'll wait for the families to come in and pay them money to be able to release them.'
The major said police often sell weapons and ammunition in the local bazaar, including rocket propelled grenades.
In one instance, a patrol base was deemed unsafe to stay in because the Afghan police were selling off the security walls as scrap metal.
Lucy Aldridge, the mother of 18-year-old Rifleman William Aldridge, the youngest soldier killed in Afghanistan. He died in Sangin.
Every Afghan police base has one 'chai boy', a tea boy, who is often barely into his teens - some are used as servants and sex slaves, Major Steuber told Anderson.
None of the commanders responsible have been arrested and referring to the frustrations of his job, the US Marine officer said : 'Try doing that day in, day out...working with child molesters, working with people who are robbing people, murdering them.
'It wears on you after a while.' He adds : 'As an adviser you are a dog with a lot of bark and not a lot of bite...if we were to shut down all of their corruption schemes you would render them ineffective.'
Many of the patrol bases British and US forces fought so hard to establish and defend have been abandoned and most of the US marines remain on base with just 18 leaving to advise Afghan police and troops at 34 sites.
Anderson said that because of the growing risk of deadly insider - or 'green on blue' - attacks, the Americans live completely apart from their Afghan counterparts.
Whenever the Americans enter the Afghan side of the base, they have their weapons cocked, ready to fire.
'When they did go out, what the marines saw was far from encouraging,' he said, 'At one checkpoint, the Afghan police were openly smoking marijuana. Two other police officers, assigned to fill sandbags to fortify a watchtower, were high on something stronger - probably opium or heroin.
'When one of the police commanders was shot, three weeks after I left, the American medics who saved him found a bag of heroin in his pocket.'
Anderson told how a police commander identified a factory making the improvised explosive devices that have killed hundreds of Coaltion troops and Afghan civilians and asked the Americans to close it down.
Told that it was now his job, he reluctantly agreed to mount an operation only to disappear on unannounced leave.
Coalition forces will withdraw the vast majority of troops from Afghanistan by 2014
VIDEO BBC investigation: Afghan police'sell weapons to Taliban and rape boys'
Watch the full programme hereMalicious software has attacked Britain’s health service and companies in Spain, Russia, the Ukraine and Taiwan. What is it and how is it holding data to ransom?
WannaCry malicious software has hit Britain’s National Health Service, some of Spain’s largest companies including Telefónica, as well as computers across Russia, the Ukraine and Taiwan, leading to PCs and data being locked up and held for ransom.
The ransomware uses a vulnerability first revealed to the public as part of a leaked stash of NSA-related documents in order to infect Windows PCs and encrypt their contents, before demanding payments of hundreds of dollars for the key to decrypt files.
The co-ordinated attack had managed to infect large numbers of computers across the health service less than six hours after it was first noticed by security researchers, in part due to its ability to spread within networks from PC to PC
The ransomware has already caused hospitals across England to divert emergency patients – but what is it, how does it spread and why is this happening in the first place?
What is ransomware?
Ransomware is a particularly nasty type of malware that blocks access to a computer or its data and demands money to release it.
How does it work?
When a computer is infected, the ransomware typically contacts a central server for the information it needs to activate, and then begins encrypting files on the infected computer with that information. Once all the files are encrypted, it posts a message asking for payment to decrypt the files – and threatens to destroy the information if it doesn’t get paid, often with a timer attached to ramp up the pressure.
How does it spread?
Most ransomware is spread hidden within Word documents, PDFs and other files normally sent via email, or through a secondary infection on computers already affected by viruses that offer a back door for further attacks.
MalwareHunterTeam (@malwrhunterteam) There is a new version of WCry/WannaCry ransomware: "WanaCrypt0r 2.0".
Extension:.WNCRY
Note: @Please_Read_Me@.txt@BleepinComputer pic.twitter.com/tdq0OBScz4
What is WannaCry?
The malware that has affected Telefónica in Spain and the NHS in Britain is the same software: a piece of ransomware first spotted in the wild by security researchers MalwareHunterTeam, at 9.45am on 12 May.
Less than four hours later, the ransomware had infected NHS computers, albeit originally only in Lancashire, and spread laterally throughout the NHS’s internal network. It is also being called WanaCrypt0r 2.0, Wanna Decryptor 2.0, WCry 2, WannaCry 2 and Wanna Decryptor 2.
How much are they asking for?
WannaCry is asking for $300 worth of the cryptocurrency Bitcoin to unlock the contents of the computers.
Myles Longfield (@myleslongfield) Shocking that our @NHS is under attack and being held to ransom. #nhscyberattack pic.twitter.com/1bcrqD9vEz
Who are they?
The creators of this piece of ransomware are still unknown, but WannaCry is their second attempt at cyber-extortion. An earlier version, named WeCry, was discovered back in February this year: it asked users for 0.1 bitcoin (currently worth $177, but with a fluctuating value) to unlock files and programs.
How is the NSA tied in to this attack?
Once one user has unwittingly installed this particular flavour of ransomware on their own PC, it tries to spread to other computers in the same network. In order to do so, WannaCry uses a known vulnerability in the Windows operating system, jumping between PC and PC. This weakness was first revealed to the world as part of a huge leak of NSA hacking tools and known weaknesses by an anonymous group calling itself “Shadow Brokers” in April.
Was there any defence?
Yes. Shortly before the Shadow Brokers released their files, Microsoft issued a patch for affected versions of Windows, ensuring that the vulnerability couldn’t be used to spread malware between fully updated versions of its operating system. But for many reasons, from lack of resources to a desire to fully test new updates before pushing them out more widely, organisations are often slow to install such security updates on a wide scale.
Who are the Shadow Brokers? Were they behind this attack?
Contact the Guardian securely Read more
In keeping with almost everything else in the world of cyberwarfare, attribution is tricky. But it seems unlikely that the Shadow Brokers were directly involved in the ransomware strike: instead, some opportunist developer seems to have spotted the utility of the information in the leaked files, and updated their own software accordingly. As for the Shadow Brokers themselves, no-one really knows, but fingers point towards Russian actors as likely culprits.
Will paying the ransom really unlock the files?
Sometimes paying the ransom will work, but sometimes it won’t. For the Cryptolocker ransomware that hit a few years ago, some users reported that they really did get their data back after paying the ransom, which was typically around £300. But there’s no guarantee paying will work, because cybercriminals aren’t exactly the most trustworthy group of people.
There are also a collection of viruses that go out of their way to look like ransomware such as Cryptolocker, but which won’t hand back the data if victims pay. Plus, there’s the ethical issue: paying the ransom funds more crime.
What else can I do?
Once ransomware has encrypted your files there’s not a lot you can do. If you have a backup of the files you should be able to restore them after cleaning the computer, but if not your files could be gone for good.
Some badly designed ransomware, however, has been itself hacked by security researchers, allowing recovery of data. But such situations are rare, and tend not to apply in the case of widescale professional hits like the WannaCry attack.
How long will this attack last?
Ransomware often has a short shelf life. As anti-virus vendors cotton on to new versions of the malware, they are able to prevent infections originating and spreading, leading to developers attempting “Big Bang” introductions like the one currently under way.
Will they get away with it?
Bitcoin, the payment medium through which the hackers are demanding payment, is difficult to trace, but not impossible, and the sheer scale of the attack means that law enforcement in multiple countries will be looking to see if they can follow the money back to the culprits.
Why is the NHS being targeted?
The NHS does not seem to have been specifically targeted, but the service is not helped by its reliance on old, unsupported software. Many NHS trusts still use Windows XP, a version of Microsoft’s operating system that has not received publicly available security updates for half a decade, and even those which are running on newer operating systems are often sporadically maintained. For an attack which relies on using a hole fixed less than three months ago, just a slight oversight can be catastrophic.
Attacks on healthcare providers across the world are at an all-time high as they contain valuable private information, including healthcare records.The Nanking Safety Zone
The Nanking Safety Zone (simplified Chinese: 南京安全区; traditional Chinese: 南京安全區; pinyin: Nánjīng Anquán Qǖ; Japanese: 南京安全区 Nankin Anzenku, 南京安全地帯, Nankin Anzenchitai) was a demilitarized zone for Chinese civilians set up on the eve of the Japanese breakthrough in the Battle of Nanking (December 13, 1937). Following the example of Jesuit Father Robert Jacquinot de Besange in Shanghai, the foreigners in Nanking created the Nanking Safety Zone, managed by the International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone led by German businessman and Nazi party member, John Rabe. The zone and the activities of the International Committee were responsible for saving the lives of many thousands of Chinese civilians during the Nanking Massacre.
Evacuation of Nanking [ edit ]
Many Westerners were living in the city at that time, conducting trade or on missionary trips. As the Japanese army began to approach Nanking, the Chinese government departed, moving to the transitional capital of Hankow. Most of the foreigners in Nanking fled the city as well.[citation needed] However, a small number of Westerners chose to remain behind. It is not clear exactly how many Westerners stayed behind and who they were. The number reported ranges from 20 to 30. David Askew has analyzed various sources who provide differing numbers of foreigners remaining in the city on different dates. According to Askew, the best estimate seems to be that there were 27 foreigners in the city, five of whom were journalists who left the city on December 16, a few days after it fell to the Japanese army.[1]
Other than these five journalists, the other Westerners who remained in Nanking were businessmen, physicians and missionaries. Almost all of these were members of either the International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone or the International Red Cross Committee of Nanking.
Establishment [ edit ]
The Westerners who remained behind established the Nanking Safety Zone, which was composed of a score of refugee camps that occupied an area of about 3.4 miles2 (8.6 km2).[citation needed] The Safety Zone was bordered by roads on all four sides, and had an area of approximately 3.86 km2, with 25 refugee camps centered around the U.S. Embassy. This is approximately the same size as Central Park in New York.
To coordinate their efforts, the Westerners formed a committee, called the International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone. German businessman John Rabe was elected as its leader, partly because of his status as a member of the Nazi party and the existence of the German-Japanese bilateral Anti-Comintern Pact. The International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone was formed on November 22, 1937.
Recognition [ edit ]
The City of Nanking affirmed the existence of the Safety Zone, sent cash and food, and staffed security personnel in the zone. On December 1, 1937, the mayor of Nanking, Ma Chao-chun, ordered all Chinese citizens remaining in Nanking to move into the "Safety Zone" and then fled the city.
The Japanese army did not recognize its existence, but they agreed not to attack parts of the city that did not contain Chinese military forces. The members of the International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone managed to persuade the Chinese government to move all their troops out of the area.
According to Miner Searle Bates, one of the American missionaries, "The Chinese authorities agreed to the idea of the Zone, though the military were naturally reluctant to move out of the area before the very last minute." Bates described the Japanese position on the Safety Zone in this way, "The Japanese authorities never formally recognized the Zone, but did say that they would not attack an area which was not occupied by Chinese troops. On this narrow margin of agreement, the Chinese promise to evacuate the area and the Japanese statement that they would not intentionally attack an unoccupied place, the Safety Zone was finally put through."[citation needed]
The Japanese army did not subject the Safety Zone to concentrated air bombardment or shelling. Only a few shells landed in the Zone throughout the siege, which wounded about 40 refugees.[citation needed]
Atrocities committed by the Imperial Japanese Army [ edit ]
The Japanese did respect the Zone to an extent; no shells entered that part of the city leading up to the Japanese occupation except a few stray shots. During the chaos following the attack of the city, some were killed in the Safety Zone, but the atrocities in the rest of the city were far greater by all accounts.
Japanese soldiers committed atrocities in the Safety Zone that were part of the much larger Nanking Massacre. The International Committee appealed a number of times to the Japanese army, with John Rabe using his credentials as a Nazi Party member, but to no avail. From time to time, the Japanese would enter the Safety Zone at will, carry off a few hundred men and women, and either summarily execute them or rape and then kill them.[2] The Japanese army claimed that there were guerrillas in the Safety Zone due to the fact that anyone not wearing a uniform could enter.
End [ edit ]
In late January 1938, the Japanese army forced all refugees in the Safety Zone to return home, and claimed to have "restored order". On February 18, 1938, the Nanking Safety Zone International Committee was forcibly renamed "Nanking International Rescue Committee", and the Safety Zone effectively ceased to function. The last refugee camps were closed in May 1938. John Rabe and his International Committee were credited with saving 50,000–250,000 lives despite the ongoing massacre.[3][4] After George Fitch departed, Hubert Lafayette Sone was elected Administrative Director of the Nanjing International Relief Committee.[5]
Legacy [ edit ]
Before the normalization of relations between China and the West, the Westerners who remained behind in Nanking to run the Nanking Safety Zone were vigorously criticized by the Chinese government. For example, a group of researchers at Nanking University in the 1960s condemned the members of the Western community in Nanking for turning a blind eye to the Japanese atrocities in the city and misused the primary sources to suggest that the Westerners had cooperated in the Japanese slaughter of Chinese. As Chinese concerns about "American imperialism" diminished, and as Japan became the target of official vitriol (partly at least because of the highly politicized and contentious issue of Japanese textbooks), views in China dramatically changed. Westerners were now depicted as active resistors rather than active collaborators.
However, certain right-wing and nationalist Japanese authors and politicians claim that along with the Nanking Massacre, the Safety Zone never existed.[6] The museum of the Yasukuni shrine omits any mention of the Nanking massacre and proclaims that "The Japanese established a safety zone for Chinese civilians and made a special effort to protect historical and cultural sites. Inside the city, residents were once again able to live their lives in peace."[7]
See also [ edit ]
Notes [ edit ]
Sources [ edit ]
Rabe, John, The Good Man of Nanking: The Diaries of John Rabe, Vintage (Paper), 2000. ISBN 0-375-70197-4
, Vintage (Paper), 2000. ISBN 0-375-70197-4 Vautrin, Wilhemina, Minnie Vautrin Papers. Special Collection, Yale Divinity School Library, Record Group No. 8 and No. 11.
. Special Collection, Yale Divinity School Library, Record Group No. 8 and No. 11. Online Documentary – the Nanking Atrocities, 2000. <http://www.nankingatrocities.net/Table/table.htm>
Further reading [ edit ]I am an 22 year old student in Canada, and I am married. The music scene here is terrible. I don't know anyone else who likes Manowar, most people I know only know about them because of me. The first Manowar album I ever got was Kings Of Metal and it blew my mind. I am now fanatical about Manowar and have 10 of their albums. It has recently come to my attention, thru newsletters and such, that people change their pages and banners with the trends to get more visits. I don't know how long this has been happening, seing as how I just got on the internet for the first time a few months ago, but it makes me sick. Here, were anybody can do whatever the hell they want, we have millions of people just looking to increase their popularity by cheating eerybody who visits. The whole purpose of personal pages is to establish individuality and express opinions, not cater to trends. My page and banner won't change just because the trends do or because I'm not getting enough visits, I like them and all the trends in the world can KISS MY ASS!
For those of you who want to know, here is what I listen to. My favorite two bands are Manowar and AC/DC. These bands both play true to their style and never let their fans down. I love old gothic music from the dark ages and classical music as well. These styles have some very heavy songs if you look hard enough. I like some blues and really like blues influenced rock, such as very early AC/DC, Led Zeppelin and some other bands from the period. I love Jimi Hendrix, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Judas Priest and other bands of this type. From the 80's metal, not much is good. I like Metallica's old stuff and bands like Iron Maiden and Megadeth. Death Metal like Cannibal Corpse and Death are pretty good as are Black Metal bands like Emperor. I really like Gothic Metal like Mercyful Fate, Theater Of Tragedy(this band kicks ass!) and Cradle Of Filth. Industrial Metal such as Die Krupps, some KMFDM and some Spahn Ranch is also quite good. John Williams, the composer of the music in the Star Wars trilogy is one great composer. I love the soundtracks to the Star Wars trilogy. I also like orchestral soundtracks like The Rock. White Zombie and Gwar are also pretty damn good(Gwar is the oddest and sickest group in musical history).
Recently I have been visiting some heavy metal newsgroups and am enraged at the amount of people putting down Manowar. |
96%. And with 9 cards of your deck being Gilgamesh-characters, you are set to draw one to activate Strongest Sword ever 1.5th Draw Step.
So if you think turn-1 Golbez is scary, think about Strongest Sword coming down instead (also costing 2CP less to resolve, which keeping one more card in hand).
This puts you in a really tough spot. If you were only able to play 1 forward per turn, you may never catch up on the board. While Gilgamesh is able to swing in for damage each turn due to being Brave, he is additionally able to break your guy with a mind boggling chance.
But that’s not the end of that.
The other 2 versions of Gilgamesh perfectly cover some unfavorable match-ups. Morphing Time blocks all of the otherwise unblockable forwards of Opus 1 while presenting the opponent with 2 potential damage each turn due to the high amount of Gilgamesh-cards in the deck.
Divider allows the player to play the same tempo-game as Strongest Sword. The price and conditions for it to work are a little tougher (at least in this deck), but as an upside it takes care of cards like Leviathan.
Because this deck need as much cards a possible to be forwards, you get access to a lot of other outstanding tempo-based card like Lightning and Cait Sith.
How Gilgamesh makes this deck work
With the plan to include as many great forwards in the deck as possible it is pretty hard to limit yourself to only one or even two elements. This is where Golbez comes into play. He allows the deck to play otherwise almost unplayable threads like Zidane or blockers like 2-Warrior of Light.
The way Golbez’s auto ability synergizes with Strongest Sword and Divider is a big bonus. Being able to break Golbez at instant speed during the opponents turn makes him even more scarier. Even more so, since you also are threatening to take one of the opponents forwards instead.
Golbez also serves as a combo-like finisher after you have won the early and mid game with your Gilgamesh. Breaking him revealing 2-Tifa and 2-Onion Knight can bring the game to a quick end.
TL;DR
If you have the feeling the all-forward Golbez-deck is lacking, stop playing it like a Golbez-deck, and play it the way it was designed to play: Like a tempo-based Gilgamesh-Deck.
All-outing yourself with a Golbez is a big risk that can be punished by a lot of strategies. Use Gilgamesh to win the early and mid game, closing the game out with Golbez.
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Author Bio:
Prinny first dipped his toe into the pond of TCGs in 2002 when Yu-Gi-Oh! made it’s way to Europe. He has been taken the part of TO, judge and tournament player in several games. Mainly focusing on Magic: The Gathering and the World of Warcraft TCG.This was written by education historian Diane Ravitch for her Bridging Differences blog, which she co-authors with Deborah Meier on the Education Week website. The item was first published on April 10. In their blog, Ravitch and Meier exchange letters about what matters most in education. Ravitch, a research professor at New York University, is author of “The Death and Life of the Great American School System,” a critique of the flaws in the modern school reform movement that she just updated.
By Diane Ravitch
We heard a lot last month about the MetLife Survey of the American Teacher. It showed that teachers across the nation are demoralized and that their job satisfaction has dropped precipitously since 2009. The proportion thinking of leaving teaching has gone from 17 percent to 29 percent, a 70 percent increase in only two years. If this is accurate, it would mean the exit of one million teachers. I hope it is not true.
What has happened in the past two years? Let’s see: Race to the Top promoted the idea that teachers should be evaluated by the test scores of their students; “ Waiting for Superman ” portrayed teachers as the singular cause of low student test scores; many states, including Wisconsin, Florida, Louisiana, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio have passed anti-teacher legislation, reducing or eliminating teachers’ rights to due process and their right to bargain collectively; the Obama administration insists that schools can be “turned around” by firing some or all of the staff.
These events have combined to produce a rising tide of public hostility to educators, as well as the unfounded beliefs that schools alone can end poverty and can produce 100 percent proficiency and 100 percent graduation rates if only “failing schools” are closed, “bad” educators are dismissed, and “effective” teachers get bonuses.
Is it any wonder that teachers and principals are demoralized?
Another survey, released about the same time, has not gotten the attention it deserves. This one conducted by Scholastic and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is called Primary Sources: 2012. It contains valuable information about what teachers think.
Among other things, the survey asked teachers what they believe will have the greatest impact on improving academic achievement.
This is what teachers said were the most important factors:
1. Family involvement and support (84 percent said it would have a “very strong impact”);
2. High expectations for all students (71 percent said it would have a “very strong impact”);
3. Fewer students in each class (62 percent said it would have a “very strong impact”);
4. Effective and engaged principals and building-level leaders (57 percent said it would have a “very strong impact”).
These were the factors that teachers said were least important in improving academic achievement:
1. A longer school day (6 percent);
2. Monetary rewards for teachers based on the performance of the entire school (8 percent);
3. Monetary rewards for teachers based on their individual performance (9 percent);
4. A longer school year (10 percent).
Other factors that teachers thought were relatively less important: common assessments across all states (20 percent thought these would have a “very strong impact” on academic achievement); and common standards across all states (29 percent).
Teachers believe that families are crucial for improving student academic performance, but about half of the teachers surveyed say that parent participation in their school has declined, and only about 10 percent said that parent participation had increased.
Sixty-two percent of teachers say that the best measures of student performance are ongoing, formative assessments, the kinds that are integrated into daily instruction and give the teacher immediate feedback. Fifty-five percent of teachers say that class participation is “absolutely essential” as a measure of student performance. Performance on class assignments” is viewed as “absolutely essential” by 47 percent of teachers.
The least valuable measures of student academic achievement, according to teachers, are: tests from textbooks (4 percent); district-required tests (6 percent); state-required standardized tests (7 percent); and final exams (10 percent).
When teachers were asked whether the state standardized tests were “meaningful benchmarks” to measure students’ progress or to compare schools, only 5 percent agreed strongly.
It is interesting that the least useful measures, in the eyes of teachers, are the state-required standardized tests that policymakers use to punish and reward students, teachers, principals, and schools. Only 7 percent of teachers consider them to be “absolutely essential” measures of their students’ academic performance. Yet, to policymakers, this same measure is the only one that matters.
Teachers are quite willing to be evaluated, contrary to popular myth spread by politicians. But they want to be evaluated in a professional manner, by principal observation and review, by formal self-evaluation, by peer observation and review, by their department chair’s observation and review, and by assessment of their content-area knowledge.
When asked about the challenges they face, 62 percent of teachers say they have more students “with behavioral problems that interfere with teaching” than in the past; 56 percent say they have more students living in poverty; 50 percent say they have more English-language learners; 49 percent say they have more students who arrive at school hungry; and 36 percent say they have more students who are homeless. Policymakers tend to dismiss all these social and economic issues as unimportant. Teachers don’t, because they see them every day in real time.
Our policymakers often say that merit pay will lead to the retention of the best teachers. Teachers don’t agree. They say that the factors that are “absolutely essential” to keeping them in the classroom are “supportive leadership” (68 percent); “more family involvement in students’ education” (63 percent); “more help for students who have behavioral or other problems that interfere with learning” (53 percent); and “time for teachers to collaborate” (50 percent).
By contrast, teachers rank the following factors as least important in keeping them in the classroom: “pay tied to teachers’ performance” (4 percent); “in-school teaching mentors/coaches for first 3 years of teaching” (15 percent); “opportunities for additional responsibility and advancement while staying in the classroom” (15 percent).
What do teachers want? They want to spend less time on discipline and more time collaborating with their colleagues and preparing lessons. They want more resources for the students with the greatest needs. They want more training to reach every student in their care.
Unlike the MetLife survey, the Scholastic-Gates survey found that 51 percent of teachers plan to teach “as long as I am able,” even past retirement age, and another 32 percent expect to teach until they reach retirement age. So while MetLife concluded that 29 percent were ready to quit, Scholastic-Gates tallied this group as 16-17 percent.
To the policymakers who seem to think that teaching is an easy job, and to those who write letters to the editor asserting that teachers don’t work hard enough or long enough, consider this: The Scholastic-Gates survey says in its conclusion that “On average, teachers work about 11 hours and 25 minutes a day.” (Although on Page 13 of the report, the survey says that “teachers work an average of 10 hours and 40 minutes a day, three hours and 20 minutes beyond the average required work day in public schools nationwide.”) Whether it is one or the other doesn’t really matter. This is a demanding job that requires enormous dedication and gets inadequate support from families, from policymakers, from elected officials, and from the public.
The teacher comments that accompany each page of the report are illuminating. One teacher says, “In my school, we are feeding the children, clothing the children, and keeping many of them from 7:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m.” Another says, “I am a general education teacher, but at least 50 percent of my class each year has special needs. At least 25 percent of these students have extreme behavior problems which interfere with teaching the other students to learn.”
The goal of the survey “is to place teachers’ voices at the center of the conversation on education reform by sharing their thoughts and opinions with the public, the media, and education leaders.” Is anyone listening?
Diane
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Follow The Answer Sheet every day by bookmarking http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet.Ivan Rogers outside the House of Commons after appearing before a select committee | Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP via Getty Images EU will demand exit bill, former UK ambassador warns Ivan Rogers says UK’s departure will create ‘immense’ financial difficulties for the EU.
LONDON — European leaders believe Brexit “exploded a bomb" underneath the EU’s budget and they will “care passionately” about securing an exit bill of up to €60 billion from the U.K., the former British ambassador to the EU warned Wednesday.
Sir Ivan Rogers, who resigned last month, criticizing “muddled thinking” in government, said the U.K.’s departure would create “immense” financial difficulties for the EU.
He said reports that EU leaders were considering demanding up to €60 billion from Britain were “genuine” and would become a major sticking point in negotiations after the triggering of Article 50.
Giving evidence to MPs on the House of Commons European scrutiny committee, Rogers predicted that the EU27 would first seek to negotiate the scope of Article 50 talks, but would then turn to the question of the exit bill.
“I think it’s important that you all understand that from an EU perspective, however much we dispute this … they will think, they do think, many have said to me, ‘you’ve exploded a bomb underneath the multi-annual financial framework,’" Rogers told MPs, referring to the seven-year financial framework that runs from 2014 to 2020.
"Many have said to me, 'you’ve exploded a bomb underneath the multi-annual financial framework’" — Ivan Rogers
While he said that the U.K.’s financial liabilities to the EU, in terms of budget commitments and pension contributions for EU employees, could be used as “leverage” by British negotiators, it could also unite EU member countries in a hard-line approach.
He said one diplomat from a “poorer Central Eastern European member state” had told him that Brexit would force his government to tell its citizens that the country would be receiving less EU funding than hoped.
“The reality for them on the ground … is that they have told their people that structural funds receipts of quantum X will be available until 2020,” he said. “And that figure, merely by dint of U.K. exit and us not paying anymore, is diminished by 10 or 12 percent. So they’ve got to go to their own citizens and say: ‘Whoops! When I was saying to you you’re going to get 100, you’re now going to get 88.”
Meanwhile, taxpayers in member countries that are net contributors to the EU, such as Germany and the Netherlands, could resent having to cover the bill for Britain’s liabilities, he predicted, creating a united position among richer and poorer EU states that the U.K. must pay.
The prospect of paying a large exit bill is anathema to Euroskeptics in Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservative party, and will be difficult for her to sell at home. May has said the U.K. should no longer have to pay "huge sums" into the EU budget after leaving the single market, but it could pay an "appropriate contribution" to remain involved in certain EU programs.
Asked what would happen if the U.K. refused to agree to demands on financial liabilities, Rogers suggested such a stance could kill a preferential trade deal with the EU.
Rogers added that the view among many EU leaders was that leaving the bloc with no deal and relying on World Trade Organization rules, as May has said she is prepared to do, would be so “unpalatable” for the U.K. that the prime minister will not risk it.Man dubbed 'The Human Doughnut' sheds 29st to drop from 41st to 12st after morbid obesity left him housebound
Rob Gillett had a BMI of 104 and his waist measured 6ft 6ins
He had severe sleep apnoea and had already had a mini-stroke
Went on Channel 4's 'Supersize vs. Superskinny' and lost 4st but rapidly regained the weight and was shocked by the negative attention he received
Then joined LighterLife which saw him adopt a low calorie diet and attend counselling sessions - in 17 months he lost 29st
A morbidly obese man dubbed ‘The Human Doughnut’ has lost 29 stone with the help of a low calorie diet and counselling.
Rob Gillett, 27, hit the headlines in March 2012 when he appeared on Channel 4’s ‘Supersize vs. Superskinny’ weighing 41st 10lbs.
At just 25 years old and 5ft 3ins, his BMI was an incredible 104 – the healthy range is between 18 and 25.
Scroll down for video
Rob Gillett, 27, weighed 41st 10lbs and had a BMI of 104 by the time he was just 25 years old
Doctors became increasingly concerned about his health and now, in just 17 months, he has turned his life around by losing 70 per cent of his body weight.
He has dropped to a healthy 12st 9lbs.
Mr Gillett, from Bridgend, said: ‘Taking the decision to lose weight wasn't easy as I knew I had to tackle my demons, and still can’t believe I have lost the same amount of weight as two grown men.
‘I have a new lease of life now. I ran a 10k race, do Nordic walking and have a personal trainer.’
Mr Gillett, whose waist measured 6ft 6ins, decided to take part in ‘Supersize vs. Superskinny’ as his first bid to lose weight.
He said: ‘I wanted to do Supersize as I thought that it could help me deal with my weight, however, I just felt humiliated at the media headlines.
Mr Gillett (pictured at 28st) was morbidly obese and doctors were seriously concerned about his health
Mr Gillett has now lost 29st and weighs 12st 9lbs. In just 17 months he lost 70 per cent of his body weight
‘The attention I got from the show was just horrendous at times too. Somebody sent me a big box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts and put jagged pieces of metal in them.
‘The police never caught the person who sent the box, but needless to say my family and myself were distraught.
‘I know that I was the person putting food into my mouth, but the reality is that food was not the issue - I was battling with underlying, deep-seated problems and I was using food to dull the pain.
Mr Gillett said: 'I know that I was the person putting food into my mouth, but the reality is that food was not the issue - I was battling with underlying, deep-seated problems and I was using food to dull the pain'
Mr Gillett's first attempt at weight loss saw him appear on Channel 4's 'Supersize vs. Superskinny' (pictured). He lost 4st but quickly regained the weight and says he was shocked by the negative attention he received
‘I felt the show really didn't help at all, and I ended up putting on the four stone I lost quickly after filming stopped.’
Mr Gillett started to pile on the pounds at the age of eight as a result of childhood abuse.
By the time he was in his early 20s, he was eating 7,000 calories a day and was addicted to fizzy drinks and cake.
Before his weight loss, Mr Gillett ate two slices of toast with poached eggs for breakfast, with a cup of tea and a glass of orange juice.
He would then have a breakfast baguette, a bag of crisps, biscuits, an apple and 500ml of coke for lunch.
For dinner he would eat a chicken curry with rice and chips washed down with 500ml of coke.
Mr Gillett has now lost weight by adopting a very low calorie diet and by attending LighterLife counselling sessions to help him understand the underlying psychological issues contributing to his overeating
Mr Gillett said: 'The attention I got from the show was just horrendous at times too. Somebody sent me a big box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts and put jagged pieces of metal in them'
He would also snack on cake and would drink another two cups of tea and 1.5l of coke each day.
He said: ‘I was a healthy, happy child up until the abuse started. It went on until I left school and included every type of abuse.
‘It was horrific and something that I am only just coming to terms with. I don't want to make excuses, but I know that my issues with food are directly linked to these events.
‘If I had not turned to food, I would probably have used drugs or alcohol.’
During his teenage years, Mr Gillett gained about 2st each year and at just 17 he suffered a mini-stroke.
He also had such bad sleep apnoea that even breathing apparatus could not always keep him breathing normally.
After 'Supersize vs. Superskinny' failed to help him lose weight, Mr Gillett joined LighterLife which saw him revolutionise his diet and regain his self-confidence meaning he shed the pounds rapidly
He said: ‘I know people will be shocked by how much weight I put on, but it was the only way I knew how to deal with my emotional issues.
‘I look back now, and can’t believe that I put my life in so much danger. The sleep apnoea was terrifying and the reality is I could have died at any time.’
At his heaviest, Mr Gillett was almost housebound and he was unable to drive because his stomach got in the way.
He had to get a taxi to take him to the bus stop and he had to be given a bucket when he was on a plane as he couldn’t use the bathroom.
Mr Gillett also lost nearly all of his teeth because his gums became so weak.
After failing to maintain his weight loss after taking part in ‘Supersize vs. Superskinny’, Mr Gillett joined LighterLife.
Mr Gillett says he hopes his weight loss will inspire other people to realise that they too can lose weight
Before his weight loss, Mr Gillett had severe sleep apnoea and he had suffered a mini-stroke. He was also housebound and had to take a taxi to his local bus stop
He said: ‘I knew I had to do something about my weight, and had seen people like Pauline Quirke lose weight on LighterLife and thought it could work for me.
‘I had tried so many diets in the past that I was sceptical it could work, but it was like a light bulb came on for me when I went to my first session.
‘For the first time I was on a weight loss programme that tackled the emotional issues of eating, and it allowed me to see why I was basically eating myself to death.’
The programme saw him adopt a very low calorie diet as well as having cognitive behavioural therapy and counselling.
The youth worker said: 'I was named "The Human Doughnut" because of my shape and size.
'My addiction was mostly for sweet stuff, like chocolate, biscuits and cakes - and I quite liked a pie, once in a while.
Mr Gillett (pictured at 18.5st during his weight loss) was dubbed 'The Human Doughnut' by the media because of his incredible size
'I didn't like what I see in the mirror but when I saw food I just want to eat it. And eat, eat, eat. But I am no longer that person. I feel brilliant.
'I'm down at the gym at 5am and I exercise five days a week. Its changed my life - I am raring to go.
'Sometimes people think I've had gastric surgery, but I'm so proud I've done it all myself. The challenges I've faced have made me stronger.'
Mr Gillett added: ‘The support I have received from the general public has been incredible too.
‘So many people have been staggered by how much weight I have lost.
‘It’s not uncommon for people to recognise me in Cardiff from “Supersize vs. Superskinny” and be shocked when they realise I have lost 29 stone.
Mr Gillett believes he turned to food for comfort as a result of being abused as a child - he says that if he had not started comfort eating, he would probably have becoming addicted to drink or drugs
‘The best thing about losing weight is that I can hopefully inspire others and make them realise that it’s possible to lose weight with the right support.’
Claire Warren, LighterLife counsellor for Bridgend said: ‘Rob has worked so hard to lose weight and he is a real inspiration.
‘We have worked together for more than 16 months and I have been so impressed with his commitment to the LighterLife programme.
‘He has seen this whole experience as a real opportunity for change, and has been a huge support to all the other men in his group sessions.
‘The best thing for me is seeing Rob turn into a confident and assertive young man, who is taking enjoyment in life.Border Walls appears in American Truck Simulator
This is a work of satire
| Source: Modstats Author: Mark Campbell
Border Walls appears in American Truck Simulator
In a surprise content update, American Truck Simulator now includes a new border control system and illegal immigrant removal services as a new cargo option.
This content update will be free to existing owners of American Truck Simulator with SCS Software, the developers of the game, stating that Mexico will pay for this DLC. SCS Software's lead game designer, Ester Jones, said that the company believed that it would be "dishonest to the game's subject matter" to keeping not include these new mechanics in this US-based cargo haulage simulator.
This update comes mere hours after Donald Trump won the US Presidential election, where the Republican candidate defied all odds to defeat Hillary Clinton in this race towards the Oval Office. As anyone acquainted with American politics will know, a border wall with Mexico and tighter immigration controls were major highlights of the Trump Presidential campaign, making this new addition to American Truck Simulator very appropriate.
(This is a joke, right?)
Just over 4 months ago, SCS Software updated Euro Truck Simulator to remove the United Kingdom from the EU to reflect the results of Britain's Brexit vote. At the time a spokesperson for the company did state that the company had plans to include Britain in a new iteration of the "Truck Simulator" franchise, which is currently under the working title "British" Truck Simulator, which plans to bring VR support to the series as well as improved rain physics and enhanced Left hand Driving mechanics.
Right now American Truck Simulator is available for £14.99 on Steam.
You can join the discussion on Trump's Mexico Border Wall appearing in American Truck Simulator on the OC3D Forums.
1 - This is a work of satire «Prev 1 Next»
Most Recent CommentsDate 30/05/2013 Tags Erlang / concurrent programming
Abstract
This article aims to summarize Erlang error handling both in sequential and in concurrent environments. The targets of this article are novices that, like me, make their first steps into the beautiful world of Erlang. Moreover, I always find that trying to explain things makes me understand them better.
Disclaimer (for Erlang gurus): I'm a complete Erlang novice so please be indulgent with me while you read my thoughts. Corrections and suggestions are welcome!
Introduction
Recently I started studying Erlang; coming from a pure imperative background (C, C++, and Python) I have to say that Erlang has been a surprise and a joy. I did not find something so innovative since long, even if the pure functional part of the language was not totally new since it is available in Python too.
The concept of runtime system, with a support for concurrency built in the language itself, the pattern matching idea and the recursion as a way to implement loops are all very intriguing, so learning them is fun (pun intended, if you do not get it review Erlang anonymous functions).
One of the innovative concepts that ploughed through my imperative mind was that of defensive programming under its formulation in the Erlang tenet "Let it crash". This was something new, partly because I rarely found advice on system organization while learning the foundations of a programming language and partly because about 80% of the code I write has the task of avoiding programs to crash.
I found this very interesting post of Mazen Harake on the subject. Basically, he clarifies that the Erlang philosophy is not that of just let errors happen and propagate: the point is that the programmer should deal only with errors that are documented. This means that the code specification includes that error as a possibility. Well, it is not my intention to state something already well explained: go and read Mazen's post.
Anyway, before discussing the Erlang way of dealing with code errors, it is necessary to firmly grasp syntax and structures that the language provides.
Exceptions in Erlang
The simplest way to make something go wrong when dealing with a computer is to treat it like a sentient being. Joking apart, a good way to crash a program is to execute a division by zero.
1 > 1 / 0. ** exception error : bad argument in an arithmetic expression in operator '/' / 2 called as 1 / 0 2 >
As you can see Erlang does not get mad at your provocation and simply raises and exception, i.e. signals that something went wrong, giving some details about why and where it happened. This is not different from what other languages, like Python, do.
>>> 1 / 0 Traceback (most recent call last): File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module> ZeroDivisionError: integer division or modulo by zero >>>
So exceptions are in Erlang, as in other languages, a "reserved channel" the language uses to propagate errors. If you code in C, you cannot leverage something like exceptions and must rely on return values. This means that you have to format the results of your functions so that they can host a wrong result too and end up returning an int with the error code while functions results are managed by reference.
Back to Erlang. Exceptions crash you program, i.e. they make your program immediately stop, reporting the error to the system process that executed it (usually the OS GUI or a textual shell). Indeed the Erlang shell crashed when you tried to reach for the infinity.
1 > self (). < 0. 32. 0 > 2 > 1 / 0. ** exception error : bad argument in an arithmetic expression in operator '/' / 2 called as 1 / 0 3 > self (). < 0. 35. 0 > 4 >
Remember that in Erlang self() gives you the Erlang PID of the process (not the operating system's one). As you can see the Eshell process crashed and was restarted by some magic behind the scenes.
I hear you mumble that, well, world is not perfect, and errors happen. So how do we deal with this? Shall we crash every time something wrong occurs in our code or is there some way to unravel the knot and happily continue running the code?
This seems to be a question that even Erlang creators wanted to answer, and their answer was: you can, but you shouldn't always. By now, let us drop the "you shouldn't always" part and learn the basics; you can stop an exception before it crashes your pretty program. Before diving into stopping exceptions techniques, let me review the types of exception you may encounter.
Exception types
There are three types (or classes) of exceptions in Erlang: throw, error, and exit.
The first, throw, identifies an exception that a called function voluntarily raises (throwing it at you); such exceptions shall be documented, i.e. the documentation of the function you are calling shall state that this exception may be raised and specify under what conditions this may happen. "Shall" here means that if the programmer does not document the exception all sorts of curses will be casted on his or her code forever. As a Python programmer I strongly advice you to read "shall" as "must".
The second exception type, error, signals that something very bad happened in the system, something that was unexpected to the author of the code raising the exception. Even if this type of exception can be raised explicitly, it is usually raised by the Erlang run-time system. If you recall the first example of this post, the division by zero, you can now understand why the shell printed "exception error"; that exception has not been raised by an instruction in the code of the Erlang shell, but from the run-time system itself. This type of exception also contains a stack trace, but I will not cover it in this article.
The third and last exception type, exit, means that your code is being told to stop immediately.
As you can see the real difference between the three types is the communication intent, not a special behaviour. So from the pure theoretical point of view an error exception can be replaced by a throw exception without any side effect. Obviously, the communication intent is not negligible: indeed, as explained before, throw exceptions are usually documented while errors are not intended for being formalized.
In addition to a class, exceptions encompass a reason, that is a valid Erlang item (an atom, an integer, a pid,...). The reason carries the explanation of the exception, i.e. a detailed insight in what really happened.
Dealing with exceptions
Now that we got acquainted with Erlang exception types we may step further into exception management structures and learn how to stop exceptions from crashing our programs. The way of managing exceptions raised by a function called in our code should be familiar to Python, C++, java and Ruby developers (and to many others, probably); the basic Erlang syntax is
try < expressions > of < result_pattern_matching > catch < exception_pattern_matching > after < after_expressions > end
The large part of this structure is well known. Here, <expressions> is a series of Erlang expressions, comma-separated as usual; the <result_pattern_matching> part is a classical Erlang pattern matching structure, just like that you write in a case construct; last, the <after_expressions> is a series of Erlang expressions. The <exception_pattern_matching> part has a slightly new syntax we will cover in a moment.
The structure works like in other languages: the <expressions> code is evaluated and the result is pattern matched against <result_pattern_matching> and the result is returned by the whole try statement. If an exception is raised when evaluating <expressions>, it is pattern matched against the code listed in <exception_pattern_matching> and the relative code is executed. Regardless of what happens in the try/catch part the code in <after_expressions> is executed, and its result is not returned.
The exception matching code has a syntax that is very similar to that of the usual pattern matching, but exceptions are listed in the new form ExceptionType:Reason, where type and reason have been already described in the previous section. When the exception is a run-time error the reason is one of the values listed here.
So the complete form of a try/catch statement in Erlang is the following, where Expressions is always a comma-separated list of Erlang expressions.
try Expression1,..., ExpressionN of Pattern1 [ when Guard1 ] -> PatternExpressions1 ; Pattern2 [ when Guard2 ] -> PatternExpressions2 ;... PatternN [ when GuardN ] -> PatternExpressionN catch ExceptionType : Reason1 [ when ExceptionGuard1 ] -> ExceptionExpressions1 ; ExceptionType : Reason2 [ when ExceptionGuard2 ] -> ExceptionExpressions2 ;... ExceptionType : ReasonN [ when ExceptionGuardN ] -> ExceptionExpressionsN after AfterExpressions end.
Exceptions pattern matching allows the use of the do-not-care variable _ not only for reasons but for also for types. So the following syntax catches all exceptions of type ExceptionType
... catch ExceptionType : _ -> ExceptionExpressions1 ; end
while the following catches all exceptions
... catch _:_ -> ExceptionExpressions1 ; end
I will not cover here the old-style error handling mechanism with catch ; the interested reader can find it documented here.
Returning values from try/catch statements
Try/catch statements return the value of the last expression executed, that is one of PatternExpression1,..., PatternExpressionN if no exception is raised, or one of ExceptionExpressions1,..., ExceptionExpressionsN. This means that we can assign the value of the whole expression to a variable
Result = try Expression of... end.
Remember that AfterExpressions are always executed, but their final value is not returned by the statement.
Since a lot of times you want to return the result of the expression after the try keyword, you can omit the of part
try Expressions catch... end.
Raising exceptions
Erlang provides three different BIFs to raise exceptions, profitably called like the exception type they raise: throw/1, erlang:error/1, and exit/1. As you see, error/1 is not automatically imported by the system and must be called in its full form. This is a hint for us programmers: error/1 is there and can be used, but it is not something you should need often; otherwise, you misunderstood what an error exception is in Erlang.
So in most cases, if your code encounters an error condition and you need to raise an exception, you end up using throw/1 or exit/1. The argument of these functions is the reason of the exception: remember that you can format the reason you attach to your exception to match your needs, you only need to document it.
my_function ( Somebadvalue ) -> throw ({ badvalue, Somebadvalue }).
Pay attention, however, that exceptions are a double-edged sword; the fact that they return values through a reserved channel is powerful, but can lead to subtle bugs and to long debug sessions. The advice in Erlang is to spare throw() for some special cases and to try always to communicate the failure through standard function results. This is, however, part of a coding philosophy that cannot be examined in depth here.
Exceptions and exit signals
Erlang is a run-time system, not just a language; as such, it has built-in structures and concepts that are usually provided by libraries in other languages. One of these concepts is the dependency between processes, which may be realized through links (and monitors, but I am not going to introduce them in this article). Process linking in Erlang means a very simple thing: when two processes are linked they die together, i.e. when one of the two terminates abnormally the other one is terminated too. A process can link to more than one other process, and the dying behaviour is propagated among all them.
What is the point of this structure? In Erlang, you are encouraged to spawn processes to accomplish tasks, even the simplest ones. Thus, you can easily end up with a multitude of processes working together to perform some action, and if one of them crashes it is likely that others should exit too, being them dependent from it. This is not mandatory; it is all up to you to decide what processes have to be linked, but if they are they must die together.
How is this accomplished? Linked processes are connected by a hidden communication channel, which carries information about their termination with so-called exit signals. Exit signals are invisible to the programmer, and when a process receives one of them it simply terminates, spreading the news under the form of other exit signals.
Process termination and reasons
Exit signals are always sent when a process dies, but they carry a reason for its termination, just like exceptions. This reason is very important for the subsequent events concerning processes linked to the dying one.
First of all let us look at process termination. A process in Erlang can terminate normally or abnormally: the |
Working Group Members A Blair (USA)—Meeting Chair; L Fritschi (Australia); J McLaughlin; C M Sergi (Canada); G M Calaf (Chile); F Le Curieux (Finland); I Baldi (France); F Forastiere (Italy); H Kromhout (Netherlands); A ‘t Mannetje (New Zealand); T Rodriguez [unable to attend] (Nicaragua); P Egeghy [unable to attend], G D Jahnke; C W Jameson; M T Martin; M K Ross; I Rusyn; L Zeise (USA) Invited Specialists C Portier (Switzerland) Representatives M E Gouze, for the French Agency for Food, Environment and Occupational Health and Safety (France); J Rowland, for the US Environmental Protection Agency (USA) Observers M K Boye Jensen, for Cheminova (Denmark); B Fervers, for the Léon Bérard Centre (France); E Giroux, for University Jean-Moulin Lyon 3 (France); T Sorahan, for Monsanto Company (USA); C Strupp, for the European Crop Protection Association (Belgium); P Sutton, for the University of California, San Francisco (USA) IARC/WHO Secretariat L Benbrahim-Tallaa; R Carel; F El Ghissassi; Sonia El-Zaemey; Y Grosse; N Guha; K Z Guyton; C Le Cornet; M Leon; D Loomis; H Mattock; C Scoccianti; A Shapiro; K Straif; J Zavadil Preamble to the IARC Monographs see For thesee http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Preamble/index.php declarations of interests see Forsee http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Meetings/vol112-participants.pdf
We declare no competing interests.
Article Info Publication History Identification DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(15)70134-8 Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. ScienceDirect Access this article on ScienceDirectES News Email Enter your email address Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid You already have an account. Please log in or register with your social account
Turner Prize-winning sculptor Sir Anish Kapoor has come under fire from south London residents who claim plans to extend his studio will leave them feeling like they are “living in a prison”.
Kapoor — who co-designed the Orbit Tower in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park — wants to build an extra office floor above his workspace on Farmers Road in Camberwell, a converted dairy factory.
Documents submitted with the application to Southwark council say the space is needed to “expand the applicants’ capacity to produce work”.
However, opponents claim that the additional storey, clad in corrugated aluminium, will prevent light from reaching the houses opposite, impinge on the privacy of occupants and overshadow their gardens.
Nicholas Abrahams, a film-maker who owns a property on Camberwell New Road, told the Evening Standard: “I’ve owned this ground floor flat for 10 years. It will clearly affect the light coming in. If someone builds upwards, you have the sky blocked out and feel enclosed.”
A local resident, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: “It will make [my flat] so dark and be so domineering that it will feel like we’re living in a prison.
“Right now, I have nine windows at the back of my flat and I can see the sky from six of them. If they do this extension, I think I’ll be able to see a slice of the sky from only two.”
More than 130 people have backed an online petition titled “Stop Anish Kapoor stealing our light and colour!” to call for a public consultation.
A number of locals have also raised concerns on the planning portal of Southwark’s website, with one writing: “An artist who works with light and colour should know how depriving people of sunlight and daylight is not a good thing.”
Documents filed with Southwark council show that a shadow assessment has been carried out as part of the application. However, residents dispute its accuracy.
In a previous planning application, submitted in 2014, it was noted that raising the height of the building risked “creating a sense of enclosure” for the “dwellings and plots on Camberwell New Road”.
Mr Abrahams said: “We’d have expected someone to come around and assess the impact it would have on our properties. That hasn’t happened. That’s why we’ve started a petition to force that public discussion. These plans are inconsiderate to people who live here.”
A spokesperson from Southwark council said: “A decision has not yet been made but the usual consultation and planning process has been followed. Comments will be taken into consideration.”
The proposal has not gone before the council’s planning committee because the local ward members have not called it in. A decision is expected by June 2. A spokesperson for Sir Anish declined to comment.
Most of the buildings on Farmers Road are owned by Kapoor, who won the Turner Prize in 1991. The Sunday Times Rich List estimates his net worth at £134 million.Moral high ground
I mean, you can have it. But please don't pretend you were "belittled" without provocation. In fact, every time I have brought up my views its actually me who's been confronted directly or by proxy with condescending snipes, insults, patronizing crap or have been literally called a terrorist. I have also never said anything about violently confronting Far right wingers. I'm a fan of lethal self defense is all. So therefor, I dont do nonviolence. I even explained this to you. Of course, it appeared to go in one ear and out the other. Am I nice to people who twist their pants up and have a conniption fit over me not being a pacifist and Antifa? Nope, not at all. But to expect me to be is absurd. I'm afraid I can't do that Dave.
I am also, for that matter, against the idea that in order to be a Leftist of any kind you have to be a pacifist. That makes no sense to me. And the bit about "moral high ground" is exactly why I am not one. I believe Liberalism is a failure, most people completely misunderstand MLK or Bayard Rustin's philosophy based in Ghandi's actions that he followed and miss the plot demanding the marginalized imitate said misunderstanding for superior morality alone. And what....those with less risk get to watch? Nah.
there's more happening here than a contest of morality. Sorry you're uncomfortable, but I am in no way remorseful of my views.
See M.X. for me exact views on violence.Chris Ramsey has admitted that injuries to left-backs Yun Suk-Young and Armand Traore are a concern for QPR ahead of the new season.
Neither player has featured during pre-season, leaving head coach Ramsey with a potential problem as the Championship campaign approaches.
Traore’s fitness woes continue, while South Korea international Yun has been nursing a knee problem.
“When you’re injured in pre-season you’re going to miss out in terms of physical preparation for the new season.”
Chris Ramsey
Ramsey is also unable to call upon left-back Jack Robinson, who was signed from Liverpool last summer and is recovering from a long-term knee injury suffered while on loan at Huddersfield.
“I do think there’s a concern. Yun’s got an injury we didn’t expect and Armand’s got an injury that has been ongoing,” Ramsey told West London Sport.
“It’s a concern because when you’re injured in pre-season you’re going to miss out in terms of physical preparation for the new season.”
Traore has been out of favour for much of his four years at QPR but has another 12 months remaining on his contract, having been given a two-year deal following a decent run of form prior to the club’s promotion in 2014.
There have been reports linking the 25-year-old with a move, but Ramsey said: “We haven’t had any enquiries about him.
“He’s an experienced player we’d probably be looking to use if he’s fit and available to play.”
See also: Perch has medical ahead of QPR move
Ramsey stands firm over Phillips asking price
QPR bring in veteran defender Konchesky
QPR's Yun close to return to action
QPR fans on Twitter full of praise for Robinson
Follow West London Sport on Twitter
Find us on FacebookLONGMONT -- Longmont's city manager declared a state of emergency Thursday morning as the rapidly rising St. Vrain River and Left Hand Creek effectively cut the city in two.
The rising waters, declared a "500-year flood" by city officials, forced neighborhoods to evacuate and major streets to close, including major north-south routes such as Main Street, Hover Street, Sunset Street and Airport Road. Police and city crews spanned the south side of Longmont to warn residents and redirect traffic, reporting the conditions they found to the city's emergency command center, which city officials activated at 2:30 a.m. Later in the day, as the waters continued to rise, neighborhoods just east of Airport Road near Twin Peaks Golf Course were evacuated.
Longmont residents trying to get the north side of the city walk north on a flooded Hover Street on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2013. (Lewis Geyer/Times-Call)
The blocked and flooded streets drove some to frustration as they tried to find a way across the swollen rivers. At Hover Street and Rogers Road, some residents tried walking north on the water-covered Hover despite police warnings. The St. Vrain crested Hover at Rogers Grove shortly before 11 a.m. Elsewhere, drivers went from roadblock to roadblock or else stacked up in massive traffic jams along Rogers, Hover or Ken Pratt Boulevard.
After Hover and Main were closed, the only way to get from the south end of Longmont to the north end was to take Ken Pratt Boulevard east until it connected with Third Avenue, and then go north and west on Third back into the city. And even that way proved difficult to reach.
"How does someone get out of here?" one driver shouted as he approached the Boston Avenue bridge from River Road -- another roadblock. "You can't go that way, you can't go that way -- this town is a maze!"
By 5:30 p.m., Police Cmdr. Jeff Satur said he didn't anticipate re-opening any of the closed river crossings Thursday night.
A man stands on a pickup outside AP Automotive along Price Road on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2013. He was rescued soon after by Longmont firefighters with a large forklift. (Lewis Geyer/Times-Call)
City Manager Harold Dominguez's emergency declaration ordered that residents evacuate "certain areas of Longmont experiencing or expected to experience flooding" as determined by his office. By the day's end, the city would evacuate a dozen neighborhoods totaling 7,000 homes, along with commercial areas such as the Harvest Junction shopping center.
"The best thing right now is really for folks to stay home," Dominguez said late Thursday afternoon, as he and emergency manager Dan Eamon took a short break from supervising the city's EOC.
"In two minutes..."
Conditions often changed rapidly Thursday. During the noon hour, Don Potter stopped his truck near Boston Avenue and Price Road so he could take pictures of the flood. The waters rose abruptly, leaving him on the railroad tracks and his truck marooned.
Alberto, no last name given, center, Laura Hughes, of Hygiene, left, and Boulder County Sheriff's deputy Mitchell Rosebrough work to free a pair of horses from flood water near Hygiene Road and North 75th on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2013, near Hygiene. (Matthew Jonas/Times-Call)
"In two minutes, it completely cut me off," Potter said.
"Now it's washed all the dirt from underneath the tracks," he said, pointing to areas where gravel and dirt were gone with the tide, leaving just the metal rails and wooden beams. "Which is kind of helpful, since it's able to go through now. Just amazing."
Potter's son tried to pull the vehicle out with a chain but got his own truck swamped in the process.
"I'd say we can wait it out, but who knows?" Potter said.
The city did not agree. As onlookers watched from the tracks, a worker pulled through the water, driving a piece of heavy equipment.
"Hey, folks!" he yelled. "There's supposedly a 10-foot wall of water coming this way! You need to GO HOME!"
A group of residents work to unplug a culvert under the train tracks near Sunset St. in a vain attempt to stem the flow as the St. Vrain river floods after days of torrential rains on Thursday Sept. 12, in Longmont. (Eric Bellamy/For the Times-Call)
Around the same time, Simon DeHerrera was pulling his trailer out of his driveway on his 3-acre, Flipside Organic Farm, on the west side of Airport Road just north of Ninth Avenue.
"Everything that I can lift -- my tools, everything that keeps this little place going," DeHerrera said.
Ten-year-old Eli Stratton-DeHerrera said he and his dad had been talking earlier with Eli's great-grandmother, who lives adjacent to the farm. She said the last time she had seen water like this on the farm had been in the late 1940s.
Above water -- for now
The first warnings came at 3 a.m. to residents of the St. Vrain flood plain, asking them to evacuate immediately. Some homes sat high enough to sit tight, with a front-row seat to what was happening.
A large metal dump container that floated down the St. Vrain River sits on a flooded Missouri Avenue at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, 2013. (Lewis Geyer/Times-Call)
"(The water) started crossing Hygiene Road and started filling up all the ponds over here and that's when it started getting close to my grandma's house. A 2-foot wall of water," said Cody Trevithick, a Hygiene volunteer firefighter who lives in Longmont but was at his grandmother's home that morning.
The St. Vrain runs south of Hygiene Road near her house, before the river crosses a bridge and rolls past the ponds at Pella Crossing. Trevithick said Thursday morning that he thought the home sat high enough that it would be OK -- but not so for a shed and a 500-gallon fuel tank on the property.
"I was driving out; my uncle was backing out and the shed almost T-bones him," he said. "I said, 'Whoa, that's something you don't see every day.'"
Rose and Paul Swenby, who live just south of Hygiene on the east side of 75th, found "a river running down the driveway" at about 9 a.m.
"We got reverse-911 calls all night long," Rose Swenby said. "They said this area, but I was just thinking they meant the canyons."
"We're above water -- as long as it doesn't go up another foot," Paul Swenby said Thursday morning.
The mighty Missouri
In the Southmoor Park area, a new "Missouri river" was born -- namely, Missouri Avenue, now full and flowing with water from nearby Left Hand Creek.
"It's almost a catch basin," said Norma Figgs, a resident of South Bross Street.
The waters came quickly. One neighbor, Heidi Platt, said she had been coming home from a job at 7:30 a.m. and could still drive across Missouri then. Just two hours later, police were advising residents to start checking their escape routes.
"If you live in here, you might want to consider finding a place to stay," an officer shouted to watching neighbors on South Bross. "This is going to get worse."
Another officer on South Bowen was more succinct: "You need to leave, now!"
The creek could be seen out of its banks on both the north and south side of a closed Pike Road. On the south, a curious crowd watched spillover fill the playground; north of the road, the waters successfully passed a newly-installed bridge but overflowed further downstream into Missouri, near Brookfield Drive.
"This is incredible," said Melody Williams, as the chocolate-brown waves pounded just under the bridge and down the creek. "We've never had an ocean next to our home before."
Another South Bross resident, Shara Sherwood, couldn't help remembering the recent work done to shrink the Left Hand flood plain.
"I'm glad they got this flood project done, but I'm not feeling too good about it right now," she said, laughing.
Her adult daughter, Samantha, replied: "Imagine if they hadn't."
Later in the afternoon, at the EOC, Eamon said the water's rapid rise had been one of the challenges facing emergency workers.
"We're getting feet rises in 15 minutes," he said.
Closing up
As the waters rose up, a lot of places shut down, including the city's parks maintenance facility on South Sunset Street. From the cul-de-sac Donovan Place, just north of the railroad tracks and within view of the city building, what was normally a barren, open field populated only by prairie dogs became a raging torrent of water.
The St. Vrain school district offices on South Pratt Parkway were also evacuated because of the high water. Classes, needless to say, were canceled for the day, and they're canceled again Friday.
"I've never had a rain day before," Longmont High School paraeducator Katie Klarkowski said as she watched the waters near her home in south Longmont. "Plenty of snow days, but this is a first."
The north campground of St. Vrain State Park was evacuated as a precautionary measure, with campers moved to the south campground. By evening everyone was evacuated and the park was closed.
As of press time, the water had not taken out the Main Street Bridge, despite rumors that it was buckling.
"The information I have says that the Main Street Bridge is fine," city spokesman Rigo Leal said. "Of course, in this particular crisis, things can change quickly."
By 4 p.m., the rainfall had made this Longmont's second wettest September on record, according to Times-Call weather expert Dave Larison. As of then, the city had 4.23 inches of rain for the month, with 3.91 inches of it coming from Thursday's storm.
Police said the evacuated neighborhoods included, as of Thursday night: Harvest Junction business park, Southmoor Park, Creekside, Longmont Estate Greens, Champion Greens, The Valley, Golden Ponds, Willow Creek, Schlagel, Grandview Meadows, a trailer park near Boston and South Sherman Street, and the neighborhood at Main and Pratt.
Dominguez, Eamon and public works and natural resources director Dale Rademacher took a helicopter flight over the length of the city and over to Lyons. It was that flight, Dominguez said, that led them to evacuate neighborhoods that they previously had not known were in danger.
Anyone needing assistance with evacuation is asked to call the EOC at 303-651-8595.
Evacuation centers are at the St. Vrain Memorial Building in Roosevelt Park and at Niwot High School.
Scott Rochat can be reached at 303-684-5220 or srochat@times-call.com. Tony Kindelspire can be reached at 303-684-5291 or tkindelspire@times-call.comThe 1960s: A Time of Civil Unrest Feb 1960 First sit-in, Nashville Woolworth Counter May 1961 Freedom Rides begin in the South Sept 1962 James Meredith first black enrolled at Ole Miss Jan 1963 George Wallace gives "Segregation Forever" speech Feb 1965 Malcolm X assassinated Mar 1965 Selma March across Edmond Pettus Bridge Oct 1966 Black Panthers formed in Oakland, California Nov 1967 Carl Stokes first black mayor of a major U.S. city Apr 1968 Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated Summary
What started out with a tiny, black woman refusing to give up her seat on a bus in Alabama wound up changing the very fabric of this country. The movement Rosa Parks unwittingly sparked because her feet were tired also spawned two of the greatest leaders this country has ever known. Ironically, they only met one time despite years of waging the same battle - yet neither could have existed without the other. When four young men walked into a Memphis Woolworth's, sat down at the lunch counter and refused to leave until they were served, the Civil Rights movement as we know it today was born. A wave of protests quickly sprang up throughout the South, led primarily by the black southern church leadership. Because of his charisma and eloquence, Martin Luther King, Jr. emerged as the voice of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). While King organized and mobilized students, sharecroppers and ordinary citizens to rally to the cause of racial harmony, other anxious organizers began to move away from King's message of non-violence. The Congress on Racial Equality (CORE) and the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) quickly stepped up pressure on the SCLC. While King kept the protest and marches non-violent -- at least on his end -- whites and blacks alike were beginning to lose patience with the constant barrage of protests that seemed to net no actual gains. In the north, Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam began to offer a different voice. With a message diametrically opposed to King's, Malcolm's catch phrase of equality, "By any means necessary" soon became a rallying cry for those disenchanted with King. Malcolm's populist rhetoric that blacks and whites could never live in the same country together quickly drew a large national following. Soon the Nation boasted the largest minority religion in America. After Malcolm was assassinated in New York City, Huey Newton and Bobby Seale picked up on Malcolm's ideas and moved the civil rights movement to California with their formation of the Black Panthers. While neither man lived to see the fruits of his labor, the effects of their efforts still reverberate today. "It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can keep him from lynching me, and I think that's pretty important." (Wall Street Journal, November 13, 1962) "A good many observers have remarked that if equality could come at once the Negro would not be ready for it. I submit that the white American is even more unprepared." (Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?, 1967) "If a man hasn't discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live." (speech, Detroit, Michigan, June 23, 1963) "To be a Negro in America is to hope against hope." (Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?, 1967) "Discrimination is a hellhound that gnaws at Negroes in every waking moment of their lives to remind them that the lie of their inferiority is accepted as truth in the society dominating them." (speech, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, August 16, 1967) Martin Luther King (1929-1968)
Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia with deep roots in the Southern Baptist Church tradition, a tradition that would eventually lead him down the road to becoming one of the most eloquent spokesmen and activists for social justice and change. From a very early age, King was a rebel. Although he admired and loved his father, the pastor of Ebenezer Baptist, he questioned literal translations of scripture. Instead, he saw the Church as a social force, a way to transform the lives of African-Americans. Most of King's great success in the Civil Rights movement came in the waning years of the fifties with the Montgomery Bus Boycotts and the creation of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. But it was the sixties sit-in protests throughout the South and the Freedom rides that truly brought King to an increasingly sympathetic national audience. After a falling out with more militant students involved in the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, King and his top aides retreated. When they reemerged on the national scene, they brought together 250,000 protesters to the steps of the federal government where King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. While lasting only a few minutes, the speech has become the defining moment in time when the country -- threatening to be torn apart by social and political upheaval -- took a collective deep breath from the chaos that was sweeping the land. Slowly, Congress began passing legislation that would in theory allow African-Americans the basic right to live and vote with their white neighbors. But after the March on Washington in 1963, King began to fall out of favor with both the white liberals and the more aggressive African-American youths who would no longer stand for slow change. On April 4, 1968, King was gunned down in Memphis while attempting to help organize a garbage workers strike.
"You can't separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom." ("Prospects for Freedom in 1965," speech, 7 Jan. 1965, New York City) "If violence is wrong in America, violence is wrong abroad. If it is wrong to be violent defending black women and black children and black babies and black men, then it is wrong for America to draft us, and make us violent abroad in defense of her. And if it is right for America to draft us, and teach us how to be violent in defense of her, then it is right for you and me to do whatever is necessary to defend our own people right here in this country." (speech, Nov. 1963, New York City) "I believe in the brotherhood of man, all men, but I don't believe in brotherhood with anybody who doesn't want brotherhood with me. I believe in treating people right, but I'm not going to waste my time trying to treat somebody right who doesn't know how to return the treatment." (speech, 12 Dec. 1964, New York City) "We can never get civil rights in America until our human rights are first restored. We will never be recognized as citizens there until we are first recognized as humans." ("Racism: the Cancer that is Destroying America," in Egyptian Gazette (25 Aug. 1964) "It's just like when you've got some coffee that's too black, which means it's too strong. What do you do? You integrate it with cream, you make it weak. But if you pour too much cream in it, you won't even know you ever had coffee. It used to be hot, it becomes cool. It used to be strong, it becomes weak. It used to wake you up, now it puts you to sleep." ("Message to the Grass Roots," speech, Nov. 1963, Detroit) Malcolm X (1925-1965) (return to top)
One of the most enigmatic characters to ever emerge from this country was Malcolm X. Reviled as a white-hating, black separatist during his stint in the Nation of Islam, he eventually became a respected member of the Civil Rights debate after leaving the Nation. Born Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska, Malcolm was exposed to the teaching of Marcus Garvey by his father, Earl. Six years after he was born, Earl moved his family up to Lansing, Michigan hoping to find a better life for his family. Instead, he was taken from his house one evening allegedly by Ku Klux Klan members. When he was found the next day, he was dead, nearly cut in half by the rails of a trolley car. The years that followed were tough on Malcolm. His mother slowly deteriorated emotionally and eventually, Malcolm was sent to Roxbury to live with his aunt. He fell into a life of crime, and went to prison. In prison, he was exposed to The Nation of Islam, a sect of Islam that was started by Elijah Muhammed, the supposed prophet of Allah. When Malcolm emerged from prison, he dropped his slave name Little and took the Nation's symbolic X as his last name, signifying his loss of identity. He quickly rose to the forefront of the African-American organization, becoming its spokesman. His quote, "By Any Means Necessary," became the mantra for not only young, southern activists, but also for the soon-to-be-formed Black Panthers in California. After helping the Nation grow, Malcolm and Elijah split and Malcolm was ousted from group. He immediately set about rectifying his views with true Islam and to that end, he took a trip to Mecca where he transformed his public image to accommodate the wider audience -- including whites -- that he now spoke to. His tenure didn't last long. In 1965, less than two years after leaving the Nation and forming the Organization for Afro-American Unity, Malcolm was gunned down while giving a speech at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City. Though Malcolm was killed as he entered a new phase in his public life, the legacy of his words has long outlived those who condemned him while he lived.Samuel George on the integration of the Colombian, Peruvian, Chilean and (eventually) Mexican stock markets
A common refrain around Washington these days is that the Pacific Alliance—a free trade and cooperation pact led by Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Chile—is the “most exciting thing happening in Latin America.”
But some other folks that follow the region (not to mention many in the region) remain skeptical.
To the seasoned Latin Americanist, perhaps numbed by the steady diet of short-circuited regional pacts, the excitement over the Pacific Alliance can seem disproportionate.
For one, the Pumas do not exactly have compatible export portfolios. Chile will not get far trying to export copper to Peru. Secondly, poor coastal infrastructure and sheer distance do not portend smooth, cost effective supply chains. Given these issues, and the fact that the Pumas all shared bilateral trade agreements prior to the Pacific Alliance, some consider the bloc little more than a publicity stunt.
Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota recently referred to the pact as a “marketing success.”
I am currently writing a paper that debates this argument, but I wanted to share an excerpt in advance, and call attention to MILA, a Pacific Alliance project that is integrating the stock markets of Bogotá, Lima and Santiago, and is expected to include that of Mexico City in the near future.
MILA is an example of why the Pacific Alliance can be substantial, and why the Pacific Pumas can become regional leaders.
Why MILA Matters
The Pacific Pumas may be growing, but prior to MILA, their bourses remained largely overlooked. Outside of São Paulo and Mexico City, Latin American equity markets lack depth and breadth, with few companies listing publicly and transactions infrequent.
The World Economic Forum’s 2012 Financial Development Index of 62 major markets found Colombia, Peru and Chile to be in bottom quintile in terms of stock market turnover rate. Meanwhile, Mexico, Peru and Colombia ranked in the bottom quarter of stock market value to GDP.
Not only small and illiquid, these markets can appear one dimensional: Chile in retail and services (32 percent of capitalization), Colombia in financials and energy (78 percent of capitalization) and Peru in mining (53 percent of capitalization).
Such specialization may attract boutique investment, but it flies under the radar of the global heard seeking the “next Brazil.”
MILA could change this.
Even without Mexico, MILA’s US$700bn capitalization places the burse second only to Brazil in terms of market size in South America. With 544 firms, MILA offers the largest portfolio in Latin America. The expected eventual integration of the Mexican burse would render a market of global relevance.
The Mexican stock exchange has openly revealed its desire to join the integrated market with the Bolsa Mexicana de Valores signing a letter of intent to join MILA only months after its introduction in 2011. For Mexican brokers, MILA would provide preference access to the Andean listings, even if BMV already has the liquidity and size the other Pumas lack.
In September of 2012, BMV concluded technical feasibility study, and proposed a (potentially unrealistic ) entry date of early-2014. If it did, a Pacific Puma bourse would rival the size of BOVESPA, with the key caveat that, while Brazil appears increasingly inclined towards protectionism, the Pumas have expressed a committment to deconstruct barriers to capital flows.
With this scale comes cheaper transactions, as well as diversified risk—two factors that encourage an active market. Increased access improves resource allocation, hopefully funneling investment to worthy firms.
Moreover, whereas Puma markets may have been individually one-dimensional, combined, they offer a complimentary mix. Finally, international investors will likely be tantalized by this new, large block which will stand out in a way that, say, La Bolsa de Valores de Lima, could not.
Early Harvest Agreements
MILA attests to the efficacy of the Pacific Alliance “early-harvest” negotiations. Rather than quixotically pursuing an immediate integration of the three bourses, the parties sought a step-by-step model that allowed negotiations to methodically overcome knee-jerk opposition.
By moving slowly and building linkages, proponents convinced regulators and brokerages of the three markets that, while they would loss complete autonomy, the end results would be a larger piece of a much larger pie.
Phase I of MILA (completed in August, 2011) built a foundation for future integration. The phase implemented a communications system between Chilean, Peruvian, and Colombian brokerages that encouraged cross-border access to the three bourses.
MILA created the technical infrastructure for, say, a Peruvian broker to partner with a Chilean broker who could intermediate Peruvian transaction on the Bolsa de Santiago. The first phase of MILA also ensured soliciting rights across the three stock markets, allowing a given country to advertise domestic stock listing in participating foreign countries.
Securing Phase I reforms was not easy—Peruvian reluctance to accept a flat capital gains tax of 5 percent delayed implementation for months—but by keeping expectations reasonable, Colombia, Peru and Chile established momentum for the project.
Phase II negotiations, currently under way, will attempt to eliminate inefficiencies baked into Phase I reforms. For example, Peruvian brokerages currently pay the intermediary Chilean firms for their services. The resultant markup eats into already thin margins.
Direct access to the Chilean bourse would be preferable. Furthermore, settlement costs remain expensive. Sticking with the Peruvian – Chilean example, brokers execute the exchange by selling Peruvian soles to New York financial institutions for Chilean pesos that are then moved to Santiago. The transfer fees can equal up to 20 percent of the transaction.
Successful MILA II negotiations would lead to substantial increases in trade volume while costs would decrease. Suddenly, the proverbial pie would be far bigger still. From this point, it is but a short jump to MILA III: Full integration, in which brokers could follow screens in Lima and immediately place an order for a listing in Santiago.
This would be a level of integration that, to this point, Latin America has struggled to meet.
Samuel George in a Latin America specialist working in Washington DC Click HERE for more on the Pacific Pumas And holler at us on Facebook!
AdvertisementsHere’s our latest reader scoop, courtesy of Patrick Harmon, who spotted these three Cadillac ATS prototypes parked together a couple of weeks ago.
“I took these shots at a hotel near the Denver International airport,” he tells us. “Two ATS coupes, one in camouflage the other with just pieces covered and the sedan with black bumpers and grille. You can see the space for the new Caddy logo clearly on the front of all of them.”
The sedan we know from previous spy shots that it’s the 2015MY ATS with the wreathless emblems and the new front grille that grows in height and loses the bottom extension on the bumper, which itself, has been redesign.
The ATS Coupe is scheduled to go on sale in the States just before the end of summer with a starting price of $38,990, so we don’t know if these two models are older engineering prototypes or if Cadillac is testing something new. Feel free to take a closer look at the photos that Patrick sent over and tell us if you spotted anything different or new on the cars.
By John Halas
Thanks to Patrick for the scoop!
PHOTO GALLERYMap of the Danish coast line to the west, and the Swedish coast line to the east. From 1888.
The Sound Dues (or Sound Toll; Danish: Øresundstolden) was a toll on the use of the Øresund which constituted up to two thirds of Denmark's state income in the 16th and 17th centuries. The dues were introduced by King Eric of Pomerania in 1429 and remained in effect until the Copenhagen Convention of 1857 (with the sole exception of Swedish ships between 1660 and 1712).
All foreign ships passing through the strait, whether en route to or from Denmark or not, had to stop in Helsingør and pay a toll to the Danish Crown. If a ship refused to stop, cannons in both Helsingør and Helsingborg could open fire and sink it. In 1567, the toll was changed into a 1–2% tax on the cargo value, providing three times more revenue. To keep the captains from understating the value of the cargo on which the tax was computed, the elegant solution was chosen to reserve the right to purchase the cargo at the value stated.
In order to avoid ships simply taking a different route, tolls were also collected at the two other Danish straits, the Great Belt and the Little Belt; sometimes non-Danish vessels were forbidden to use any other waterways but the Øresund, and transgressing vessels were confiscated or sunk.
The Sound Dues remained the most important source of income for the Danish Crown for several centuries, thus making Danish kings relatively independent of Denmark's Privy Council and aristocracy. However, the dues were an irritant to nations engaged in trade in the Baltic Sea, especially Sweden. Sweden had initially been exempted from the dues at the time of their introduction because it was then in the Kalmar Union along with Denmark. However, after the Kalmar War and the Treaty of Knäred in 1613 Denmark introduced dues on cargoes from Sweden's Baltic possessions and on non-Swedish ships carrying Swedish cargo. The friction over the Dues was an official casus belli of the Torstenson War in 1643.
In 1658, Denmark had to cede her provinces east of the sound (Scania, Halland, Blekinge, Bohuslän, and the island of Ven) to Sweden as a consequence of the Second Northern War. Thus, the |
, they all look down, and down they go. With a comprehensive socialization of investment, the businesspeople, if effect, are individually rewedded to their respective businesses and hence collectively rewedded to the underlying economic realities. This vision of the market economy by Shackle's Keynes is wholly consistent with Keynesian Splenetics.(21)
Leijonhufvud's kinship to Meltzer lies in his portrayal of the connection between the loanable-funds market and the labor market. Meltzer, interpreting Keynes in a comparative-systems framework, would say that the failure of the loan market to clear at a zero rate of interest causes the labor market to clear at a low level of employment; Leijonhufvud, interpreting Keynes in a disequilibrium framework, would say that the failure of the loan market to clear at an interest rate that reflects the underlying economic realities can cause the labor market not to clear at all. The loan market and the labor market are "cross-wired," to use Leijonhufvud's own imagery, such that a change in the conditions in one market has its greatest impact on the other.(22)
For illustration, suppose the economy is functioning at its full-employment level, meaning that the wage rate clears the labor market and that labor supply and labor demand accurately reflect underlying economic realities. Now suppose that the rate of interest rises because of speculation not grounded in the fundamentals. A higher interest rate means a lower level of investment, which means a reduction in labor demand. The old wage rate is now too high. According to Leijonhufved's Keynes, however, it is the interest rate and the corresponding demand for labor�and not the wage rate�that are inconsistent with underlying economic realities. Keynes's assumption that the wage rate will not fall becomes a recommendation that it not be allowed to fall.(23) It is the interest rate�and more fundamentally, the uncertainties that gave rise the destabilizing speculation�that needs attention.
Identifying the interest rate as the source of the problem does not silence criticism in the spirit of Friedman. Wouldn't a fall in the wage rate be a solution to the problem even if an excessive wage rate is not�in some ultimate or general-equilibrium sense�the source of the problem? A reduced wage rate would alleviate the immediate problem of unemployment and may well constitute the first phase of a market process that moves both labor and asset markets toward equilibrium more broadly conceived. Meltzer's Keynes might respond that the prospect of falling wages and falling prices, which would eventually bring the real wage rate in line with labor-market conditions that had been distorted by speculation in asset markets, simply adds to the uncertainties that give rise to destabilizing speculation in the first place.
The interpretations of Shackle and Leijonhufvud, allowing for the differences in analytical frameworks, are largely consistent with Meltzer's treatment of the cyclical component of involuntary unemployment. But rather than acknowledge the similarities and draw strength from them Meltzer simply criticizes Shackle for reading irrational expectations into Keynes and criticizes Leijohhufvud for misreading Keynes as a Swedish-style disequilibrium theorist. Keynes, Meltzer, and Meltzer's Keynes in Perspective
It is probably fair to say that if Meltzer undersells his own interpretation of the General Theory, he oversells Keynes. In his introductory chapter Meltzer (12) claims to share in many of Keynes's social views but to reject Keynes's perception of government. In his concluding chapter Meltzer offers the summary assessment that "Keynes was an economist, one of the greatest" (p. 302). He then briefly discusses seven problems in the General Theory, which he categorizes�somewhat artificially�as flaws in Keynes's analytical framework (1 through 3) and flaws in Keynes's vision of the world (4 through 7). Thus, Keynes (1) fails to explain unemployment, (2) is cavalier in his treatment of expectations (positing elastic or inelastic expectations as suits his immediate purpose), and (3) neglects the effect of inflation on money demand. He (4) omits considerations of international trade, (5) seems unconcerned generally about the consequences of inflation, (6) makes the questionable judgment that the state can reduce interest to zero, and (7) is too willing to sacrifice freedom (p. 311).
At this point, let me simply note the incongruity in claiming that Keynes was a great economist and then listing as one of his analytical flaws a failure to explain unemployment. In accordance with most any interpretation except Meltzer's, the failure of the General Theory to explain unemployment would be catastrophic. Only in the comparative-systems context of Keynesian Splenetics, which most Keynesians have overlooked and the rest have rejected, is the failure to explain unemployment�in the sense of an excess supply of labor�inconsequential to the general thrust of the theory. But the general thrust of Keynesian Splenetics hinges critically on the ideas of zero interest and non-scarce capital, which involve such a serious flaw of vision as to be rejected out of had under most all interpretations.
Meltzer claims in his early article, again in his response to critics, and still again in his book, not to be offering anything more than a "different" interpretation of Keynes�to be added, presumably, to the many existing ones. He emphasizes that no single one is the correct interpretation. Yet by demonstrating the importance of what I have dubbed Keynesian Splenetics, Meltzer penetrates to the core of Keynes's most firmly held beliefs, puts other interpretations of Keynes in clear perspective, and accounts for the decades of difficulties in getting Keynes straight. In the judgment of this reviewer, Allan Meltzer's insights and scholarship will contribute importantly to the writing of the final chapter of the Keynesian episode. Notes 1. Allan H. Meltzer, "Keynes's General Theory: A Different Perspective," Journal of Economic Literature, vol. 19, no. 1 (March), 1981, pp. 34-64 and idem, "Interpreting Keynes," Journal of Economic Literature, vol. 21, no. 1 (March), 1983, pp. 66-78. 2. See, for examples, Lorie Tarshis, Review of Keynes's Monetary Theory: A Different Interpretation, Journal of Economic Literature, vol. 28, no. 3 (September), 1990, pp. 1203-04, and Marcello de Cecco, "Keynes Revived, a Review Essay," Journal of Monetary Economics, vol. 26, 1990, pp. 179-90. In contrast, see Joseph T. Salerno, "The Development of Keynes's Economics: From Marshall to Millennialism," Review of Austrian Economics, vol. 6, no. 1, 1992, pp. 3-64, in which Salerno credits Schumpeter and Meltzer for seeing Keynes's analytics as a reflection of his early vision and then offers his own account of both the continuity and the discontinuity in the development of Keynes's thinking. 3. John Maynard Keynes, The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money (London: Macmillan, 1936). 4. The sharpest contrast in this respect is that between Frank Knight, "Unemployment: And Mr. Keynes's Revolution in Economic Theory," The Canadian Journal of Economics and Political Science, vol. 3 (February), 1937, pp. 102-123, and Paul A. Samuelson, "The General Theory," in Robert Lekachman, ed., Keynes' General Theory: Report of Three Decades (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1964), pp. 315-331. 5. Anatol Murad, What Keynes Means: A Critical Clarification of the Economic Theories of John Maynard Keynes (New York: Bookman Associates, 1962). 6. After presenting his own rendition of Keynesian macroeconomics, Robert Clower makes the unqualified claim that "Keynes either had [Clower's rendition] in the back of his mind, or most of the General Theory is theoretical nonsense." Clower, "The Keynesian Counter-Revolution: A Theoretical Appraisal" in idem, ed., Monetary Theory (Middlesex: Penguin Books, 1969), p. 284. 7. John Maynard Keynes, "The General Theory of Employment," Quarterly Journal of Economics, vol. 51 (February), 1937, pp. 209-223. 8. Meltzer (pp. 255-266) deals with the rigid-wage angle on the General Theory, but New Keynesianism per se is too new to have been included. This strand of thought is sometimes dated to a paper published the same year as Meltzer's book: Laurence Ball, N. Gregory Mankiw, and David Romer, "The New Keynesian Economics and the Output-Inflation Trade-off," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity I (1988), pp. 1-65. With arguments anchored in the pre-Keynesian equation of exchange (MV=PQ), the New Keynesians concern themselves with the question of the effect of changes in spending (Money multiplied by its Velocity of circulation) on inflation and output (as measured by the Prices of goods and the Quantities of goods bought and sold). Because of its attention to changes in MV and the consequent changes in P and Q, new Keynesianism might be better described as New Monetarism. (That this new and important school of macroeconomic thought is seriously mislabeled was pointed out to me by Leland Yeager.) 9. Z-theory is spelled out in Axel Leijonhufvud, "The Wicksell Connection: Variations on a Theme," in idem, Information and Coordination: Essays in Macroeconomic Theory (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1981), pp. 131-202. 10. Keynes, General Theory, pp. 374-78. 11. The three pre-General Theory articles are included in Keynes, Essays in Persuasion (New York: W. W. Norton, 1963), pp. 323-338, 312-322, and 358-373; the post-General Theory article in included in Keynes, The Collected Writings of John Maynard Keynes, vol. 10, ed. Donald Moggridge (London: Macmillan, 1972), pp. 433-450. 12. John R. Hicks, "Mr. Keynes and the 'Classics': A Suggested Interpretation," Econometrica, vol. 5 (April), 1937, pp. 147-19. Meltzer (pp. 129-123) argues, in effect, that Keynes's reservations about Hicks's interpretation are more significant than generally recognized. 13. Keynes, General Theory, pp. 13, 14, and passim. 14. Ibid., p. 379. 15. Ibid., p. 189. In correspondence, however, Meltzer has reminded me that the zero rate of interest is a common feature of classical economics. According to David Ricardo and J. S. Mill, the economic forces that pit labor against capital will eventually eliminate all interest income. 16. This role for protectionist policies is most explicit in Keynes, "National Self-Sufficiency," Yale Review, vol. 22 (June), 1933, pp. 755-769. 17. "The current rate of interest depends... not on the strength of the desire to hold wealth but on the strengths of the desires to hold it in liquid and in illiquid forms respectively, coupled with the amount of the supply of wealth in one form relative to the supply of it in the other." Keynes, General Theory, p. 213. Meltzer's interpretation of this passage is what caused one reviewer to part company with him. See Tarshis, 1203-4. 18. Knight, "Unemployment," p. 102. 19. John B. Taylor, "Involuntary Unemployment," in John Eatwell, Murray Milgate, and Peter Newman, eds., The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics, vol. 2 (London: Macmillan, 1987), p. 1000. 20. G. L. S. Shackle, Keynesian Kaleidics (Edinburgh: Edinburgh Press, 1974); Axel Leijonhufvud, On Keynesian Economics and the Economics of Keynes (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1968); and especially idem, "The Wicksell Connection," in his Information and Coordination (n. 9 above). 21. Keynes himself argued in terms of the institution of marriage: "The spectacle of modern investment markets has sometimes moved me towards the conclusion that to make the purchase of an investment permanent and indissoluble like marriage, except by reason of death or other grave cause, might be a useful remedy for our contemporary evils." Keynes, General Theory, p. 160. 22. Leijonhufvud, "The Wicksell Connection," pp. 177-187. 23. "It is more expedient to aim at a rigid money-wage policy than at a flexible policy responding in easy stages to changes in the amount of unemployment." Keynes, General Theory, p. 266.UK-based anti-extremism charity HOPE not hate has claimed victory in its campaign to get Norwegian Cruise Lines to cancel the upcoming Rebel Cruise that was scheduled to depart from Miami on November 12.
“We recently became aware that one of several affinity groups that booked space on an upcoming sailing was associated with and espoused views that are inconsistent with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings core values,” read a statement from Norwegian posted to HOPE not hate’s site Thursday morning. “The company has therefore exercised its right to cancel this group’s reservation and provide a full refund. As a matter of policy, the company neither discusses nor discloses the identities of our individual guests or groups.”
The group had previously claimed credit for getting Patreon to cancel the account of former Rebel star Lauren Southern.
The annual event — termed the “Hate Boat” by Frank Magazine — includes a program of Rebel and Rebel-adjacent speakers over the course of several days. This year’s week-long cruise in the Western Caribbean, priced between $1,464 to $2,075 per person, remains advertised as featuring Rebel personalities Gavin McInnes, Faith Goldy, David Menzies, and Sheila Gunn Reid, alongside founder Ezra Levant and occasional guest Raheel Raza.
On Thursday afternoon, The Rebel’s travel agent, Carolyn Robinson, confirmed to CANADALAND that the cruise had been cancelled, and referred further questions to Norwegian. Shortly after, the official website was updated with a message at the top:
Dear Rebel cruisers, Norwegian Cruise Line has told our travel agency that they are cancelling our entire cruise. If you have booked a ticket, please contact the travel agency for further instructions.
The cruise line did not return messages Tuesday and Wednesday.
When asked on Wednesday whether the cruise would be taking place as planned, Levant replied in an email: “I think your website should be renamed RebelLand.com. Or EzraDerangementSyndrome.com.”
As of press time, neither domain had been registered.
Updated on Thursday, August 17, at 1:47 p.m. to include confirmation from Robinson, and again at 3:29 to add the official cancellation notice.20 most powerful images from Genesee County tornadoes 20 Gallery: 20 most powerful images from Genesee County tornadoes
BEECHER -- Nearly 60 years after one of the deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history swept through without warning, Beecher residents were once again caught off guard by a tornado Tuesday night, May 28. That's despite the presence of a warning system that the aftermath of the 1953 Beecher tornado helped create.
Sirens warning residents of Tuesday's tornado in the Beecher area weren't activated until the tornado was already on the ground because of a National Weather Service delay in issuing a tornado warning.
National Weather Service records show the tornado touched down at 9:01 p.m. but a tornado warning wasn't issued for the storm until 9:06 p.m -- two minutes after Genesee County 911 had already activated sirens in response to the sighting of a funnel cloud by a Mt. Morris Township police officer.
Genesee County 911 operates the county's 83 warning systems for the county's emergency management department.
The tornado touched down at the southern end of Hasselbring Park in Flint and continued northeast to near Harry Street and Humphrey Avenue in Beecher with wind speeds of 105 mph and a maximum width of 300 yards.
There were no serious injuries from the Beecher storm, nor from the other tornadoes across the county Tuesday.
"We didn't hear the siren until it was over," said Victor McEwen, 70, who survived the 1953 Beecher tornado and whose Rex Avenue home suffered minor damage during the storm this month.
McEwen said he was forced to rely on his experience from the 1953 tornado to get him and his wife to his home's basement when the storm hit.
James Roberts, 39, said he and his family were watching the storm from the porch of his home on Knickerbocker Avenue near Summit Street in Mt. Morris Township.
"We had no warning," Roberts said, adding that the family never heard a siren go off before the storm, but when winds started gusting around his home, he knew it was time he and his family sought shelter in his home's basement.
The deadly 1953 Beecher tornado was one of the three storms that year that led to the implementation of the nation's severe weather watch program less than two weeks later.
Tornadoes touched down that year, killing people and destroying everything in their paths, in Waco, Texas; Beecher; and Worcester, Mass.
The Beecher tornado killed 116.
"1953 was a bad year for storms," said Richard Pollman, warning coordinator meteorologist for the National Weather Service.
Prior to those 1953 events, a weather warning would have been issued, but the ability to quickly notify people in those areas was limited, Pollman said.
It wasn't until after those storms that the Severe Local Storm Warning Center, the predecessor to the Storm Prediction Center, was created and a watch system was organized and made official, according to Pollman
The system was put to the test Tuesday when four tornadoes swept across Genesee County -- destroying homes and uprooting trees.
Matt Mosteiko, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in White Lake Township, said smaller tornadoes like the one in the Beecher area on Tuesday, are difficult to predict because they can touch down and finish before they are ever detected by the weather service's radar system.
"It takes roughly five minutes to do a complete radar scan," said Mosteiko.
Tuesday's Beecher tornado lasted only five minutes and Mosteiko said a tornado watch was not issued for the area, since widespread severe weather was not expected.
Mosteiko added that the Beecher-area tornado differed from the five others that touched down Tuesday in southern Genesee County and in Shiawassee County.
The five tornadoes that occurred along a stretch from Perry to Goodrich were all part of the same supercell -- a potentially severe storm formation, Mosteiko said. The Beecher tornado spawned out of a formation separate from the main storm.
"We paid a little more attention to the main supercell," said Mosteiko.
Genesee County Sheriff Robert Pickell, who oversees the county's emergency management department, said the storm did not meet any of the three criteria needed to activate the sirens prior to being spotted by the officer.
Pickell said the sirens are activated by Genesee 911 when the weather service issues a tornado warning, a trained spotter reports a funnel cloud or his department receives other reliable information that a potentially serious weather event is possible.
These advancements in meteorology and technology and the advent of the warning system -- despite its flaws --may have helped residents in southern Genesee and Shiawassee counties avoid death and injury Tuesday night.
"We understand what storms produce the strong and violent tornadoes," Pollman said. "We have observing equipment, computer models that help us with forecasting and help us issue the warnings 10 to 15 minutes before the tornado touches down.
Residents in the southern portion of the county received an extended warning about tornadoes.
The county's emergency sirens were activated every 10 minutes following their initial activation because of the Beecher tornado, according to Genesee 911 records.
Tornado warning sirens began sounding in the southern part of Genesee County at 9:04 p.m. and continued wailing every 10 minutes until the tornado warning expired at 10:18 p.m., according to Genesee 911 records.
An EF2 tornado touched down near Odell Road, just south of Linden Road, in Fenton Township at 9:30 p.m.
The storm's 115 mph winds left a 2.8-mile swath of snapped-in-half trees, damaged houses and building debris, but no injuries.
Goodrich-area residents were given more than 40 minutes warning before an EF2 tornado touched down at 9:54 p.m. near Vassar Road and Pointe North Drive.
That storm's 130 mph winds left a 4.6 mile path of destruction, but no injuries.
Mosteiko said Southeastern Michigan typically experiences only six tornadoes a year so to experience six in one night in a two-county stretch is rare.
"We did pretty good on this event," said Mosteiko.
Staff writer Shaun Byron contributed to this report.[fve]https://youtu.be/qKmaa01mZZ4?t=4m28s[/fve]
“It’s not that taxes are far too high for giant corporations, as the lobbyists claim. No, the problem is that the revenue generated from corporate taxes is far too low.”
– Senator Elizabeth Warren
Senator Elizabeth Warren gave a “Change Is In The Air” speech Wednesday, talking about corporate tax reform. If there was ever an Elizabeth Warren speech to see, it is this one.
Warren began by describing how lobbyists and corporate CEOs are swarming Congress and saturating the media with a pitch that says corporations are paying too much in taxes, that this is forcing corporations to flee abroad and the solution is to slash corporate tax rates. This story of overtaxation is told and retold.
Warren says there is just one problem with this: “It’s not true.”
Actually, on average corporations only pay 20 percent of their income in taxes. Some pay zero. Boeing, GE, and Verizon paid nothing in 5 years while reporting $80 billion in combined profits.
“So what’s the problem with our corporate tax code? It’s not that taxes are far too high for giant corporations, as the lobbyists claim. No, the problem is that the revenue generated from corporate taxes is far too low.
This trend line is unmistakable. Over the past 60 years corporations contributed a smaller and smaller share of costs of running government. Back in the 1950s, corporations contributed about $3 out of every $10 in federal revenue. Today corporations contribute just $1 out of every $10.”
The Amount Is Staggering
Warren said the amount of money the giant corporations have stashed outside the country in tax havens – and the tax bill they would owe – is staggering. They have $2.1 trillion in untaxed profits sitting offshore. This is the same as the combined total earnings of all U.S. corporations in 2013. (This amount of profits in tax havens means these companies owe our government around $620 billion, and this amount is growing by about $90 billion each year now.)
The tax bonus is not shared evenly; it is rigged for the really big guys. “Out of the millions of businesses in the U.S., just 50 corporations hold 75 percent of the $2.1 trillion in untaxed offshore profits. And even in that rarefied air, there’s a Tax Dodger Hall of Fame. Just 10 American companies hold more than a third of all those offshore profits,” Warren said.
This rigs the game against families and smaller businesses that have to pick up the slack. Families and small U.S. companies pay 17.5 percent. The biggest corporations pay less, even zero.
“They get all the benefits but leave it to families and small businesses to pick up the tax bill,” Warren said.
How To Fix Taxes
Warren laid out three principles for tax reform that benefits middle-class families and small businesses, not just wealthy multinational corporation:
1) Increase the share of revenue that corporations pay. The tax code now is so tilted toward the big corporations that any “revenue neutral” plan leaves the country with too little money to fund basic services.
2) Level the playing field between small and big businesses. The business tax code is rigged against small businesses, making it harder for them to compete.
3) Promote investment and jobs in the U.S. Lower tax rates and loopholes for hiding profits overseas encourages more outsourcing of jobs and investment. “Our tax code should protect jobs and investment here at home, period,” Warren said.
Instead Congress Is Considering Giving Tax-Dodging Corporations “A Big Wet Kiss”
But instead of changing the tax code to benefit families and smaller businesses, Congress is acting under the influence of CEOs and corporate lobbyists.
“Congress talks to CEOs and their armies of lawyers and lobbyists who are pushing some genuinely terrible ideas,” Warren explained. She went on to detail three tax proposals that are getting the most attention:
First, “deemed repatriation.” Warren called this “a giant wet kiss for the tax dodgers who have already parked $2.1 trillion overseas. Deemed repatriation says bring home the money, but pay only half of what you owe on it. Or, if the kiss isn’t wet enough, some are suggesting the repayment rate should be even less than half, maybe around 14 percent.
“Think about what this means. All the small business owners who have been paying their taxes in full can keep right on paying in full. But the tax dodgers will get a special deal.
“And what’s the total price tag for this juicy smooch? Estimates are in the range of $300 to $400 billion paid by U.S. taxpayers.”
The second idea in front of Congress is to have a lower offshore tax rate. Maybe 35 percent here, 19 percent there.
“It’s like holding up a giant sign that says ‘Higher taxes if you invest in the U.S., lower taxes if you invest abroad.’ The result would be that every small business and family in America would be subsidizing foreign investments of multinational corporations — which is a great deal for those multinationals and our foreign competitors, but a terrible deal for us.”
The third idea is something corporate tax lobbyists are calling an “innovation box.” Companies that say they are “innovating” can pay a lower tax rate. “For big pharmaceutical companies and giant tech companies, a provision like this just makes paying taxes — or a chunk of taxes — optional. I strongly support a robust innovation policy – like investing in the NSF (National Science Foundation) and the NIH (National Institutes of Health), funding basic research, and encouraging companies to invest in research — but the innovation box doesn’t do a single thing to encourage new innovation.”
The Same Rigged Game
Warren warned that lobbyists are excited about the coming tax reform. “But when I look at the details, I see the same rigged game – a game where Congress hands out billions in benefits to big, well-connected corporations, while people who really could use a break – the millions of middle-class families and small businesses that have been squeezed for decades – are left holding the bag.”
And this is where Warren makes the big point:
“And that’s what this tax battle is really about: Who does this country work for? Is it just for the rich and the powerful, those who can hire those armies of lobbyists and lawyers? Or can we make this country work for millions of hard-working people?
“This isn’t a fair fight. The corporate giants are lined up to make sure tax changes tilt their way. America’s working families don’t have a zillion-dollar PR team to counter the false claim that corporate taxes are too high. Small businesses don’t have a zillion-dollar lobbying organization to fight back against tax giveaways for giant corporations.”
Warren ends by saying she hopes people will pay close attention.
Also, in the Q&A Warren gives the best outline of what has led to the rigged game and the terrible inequality we have today. It is a must-watch.
Americans for Tax Fairness has produced a booklet of 16 charts and data tables that use publicly available data to disprove some of the claims made in support of the arguments for these huge corporate tax breaks.
See also:
● Report: “Single Sales Factor Apportionment of Global Profits to Broaden the Tax Base”
● A Simplified Way To Tax Multinational Corporations
● A Corporate Tax Idea That Fixes Lots Of Problems
● Corporations Demand Budget Cuts, Owe Government $620 Billion
● Should We Give The Worst Tax-Dodging Corporations A Huge Break?
● Next Big One: Repatriation Tax Giveaway To Corporations
● Trump: Don’t Make Corporations Pay Their Taxes
● Coming Up: Repatriation, A HUGE Huge Tax Giveaway To Big Corporation
● A Better Way To Tax The MultinationalsThe Scottish secretary is due to address a committee of MSPs at Holyrood.
Mundell: Scottish Secretary will address MSPs. (file pic) PA
David Mundell is to tell MSPs there is no way Scotland can remain in the EU as Brexit goes ahead.
The Scottish secretary will use an appearance at Holyrood to insist Scotland will leave the EU with the UK as a whole at the end of the Brexit process.
He will give evidence at the Scottish Parliament's culture, tourism, Europe and external relations committee on Wednesday.
It comes after two academics published a report saying an independent Scotland could be "fast tracked" to full EU membership by 2023.
In an opening statement, Mundell will say: "I think it is important to be clear, because there has been a lot of public debate on this point, that Scotland will not be in the EU at the end of this process.
"There is no set of circumstances in which Scotland could remain a member of the EU after the rest of the UK has left.
"If Scotland's constitutional position were ever to change, it would have to apply to be a member of the EU afresh - and we should not make easy assumptions about the length of time this would take, the process Scotland would have to follow or the terms of membership that may be on offer."
Earlier, law lecturer Dr Tobias Lock, of Edinburgh University, and Dr Kirsty Hughes, a senior fellow at Friends of Europe in Brussels, set out their analysis in a report.
The academics noted Scotland would cease to be a member of the EU in 2019 when the UK leaves.
They said Scotland could be admitted to the EU in 2023 if a majority of MEPs, all EU member states and Scotland's government ratify a treaty of ascension.
Commenting on the analysis, Mundell said: "The Scottish Government has claimed the UK's vote to leave the EU changed everything.
"They are using that claim as a justification for a second independence referendum. But in fact the EU referendum has changed nothing in terms of the Scottish Government's approach to the EU.
"They are in exactly the same position they were in before the 2014 referendum - arguing for an independent Scotland that would face an uncertain process applying to join the EU as a new member state."
Responding to Mundell's comments, a spokesman for the Scottish Government's Brexit minister Michael Russell said: "Scotland faces being dragged out of Europe against its will by a Tory government with just one MP out of 59 in Scotland, but that MP - David Mundell - seems totally oblivious to the irony of him seeking to lay down the law on what should happen next.
"The Scottish Government has put forward compromise proposals to keep Scotland in the single market, which is around eight times bigger than the UK market alone, but that compromise has not been matched by the UK Government."
He added: "Scotland is now faced with a right-wing Tory government we didn't vote for intent on taking us off a hard Brexit cliff edge which would be catastrophic for jobs and livelihoods.
"The Tories now clearly think they can do what they want to Scotland and people will simply accept it - but the Scottish Government is determined to stand up for Scotland's democratic voice and we will pursue every necessary option to protect our place in Europe."
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Download: The STV News app is Scotland's favourite and is available for iPhone from the App store and for Android from Google Play. Download it today and continue to enjoy STV News wherever you are.World’s third penis transplant has been successfully performed on a 40-year-old man in South Africa by doctors from Stellenbosch University (SU) and the Tygerberg Academic Hospital in Cape Town.
This is the second successful penis transplant performed in South Africa after the first operation in December 2014 by the same team.
The 40-year-old recipient is reported to have lost his penis 17 years ago due to complications after traditional circumcision.
It took the doctors, led by Professor André van der Merwe, nine and a half hours to perform the transplant on April 21, local news portal Health24 reported.
Unfortunately we could not find a donor of the same race. In this case the donor is white and the recipient is black.
“He is certainly one of the happiest patients we have seen in our ward. He is doing remarkably well … There are no signs of rejection and all the reconnected structures seem to be healing well,” Van der Merwe said.
Within six months, the recipient will regain full functions of his new organ which has a colour discrepancy because he is a black man and the donor is white.
“Unfortunately we could not find a donor of the same race. In this case the donor is white and the recipient is black,” one of the team members Dr Amir Zarrabi told Health24, adding that the colour discrepancy will be later corrected with medical tattooing.
He expressed confidence that they will perform more successful transplants in the future.
“The loss of a penis from traditional circumcision is big, and we want to create sustainable programmes to help these people,” he added.
The second penis transplant in the world was performed in May 2016 on a 64-year-old man at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston in the United States.
Photo Credit: Stellenbosch UniversityAn oblique wing (also called a slewed wing) is a variable geometry wing concept. On an aircraft so equipped, the wing is designed to rotate on center pivot, so that one tip is swept forward while the opposite tip is swept aft. By changing its sweep angle in this way, drag can be reduced at high speed (with the wing swept) without sacrificing low speed performance (with the wing perpendicular). This is a variation on the classic swing-wing design, intended to simplify construction and retain the center of gravity as the sweep angle is changed.
History [ edit ]
The oldest examples of this technology are the unrealized German aircraft projects Blohm & Voss P.202 and Messerschmitt Me P.1009-01 from the year 1944, based on a Messerschmitt patent.[1][2] After the war, constructor Dr. Richard Vogt was brought to the US during Operation Paperclip.[3] The oblique wing concept was resurrected by Robert T. Jones, an aeronautical engineer at the NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California. Analytical and wind tunnel studies initiated by Jones at Ames indicated that a transport-size oblique-wing aircraft, flying at speeds up to Mach 1.4 (1.4 times the speed of sound), would have substantially better aerodynamic performance than aircraft with more conventional wings.
In the 1970s, an unmanned propeller-driven aircraft was constructed and tested at Moffett Field.[4] Known as the NASA Oblique Wing, the project pointed out a craft's unpleasant characteristics at large sweep angles.
So far, only one manned aircraft, the NASA AD-1, has been built to explore this concept. It flew a series of flight tests starting in 1979. This aircraft demonstrated a number of serious roll-coupling modes and further experimentation ended.
Theory [ edit ]
The general idea is to design an aircraft that performs with high efficiency as the Mach number increases from takeoff to cruise conditions (M ~ 0.8, for a commercial aircraft). Since two different types of drag dominate in each of these two flight regimes, uniting high performance designs for each regime into a single airframe is problematic.
At low Mach numbers induced drag dominates drag concerns. Airplanes during takeoff and gliders are most concerned with induced drag. One way to reduce induced drag is to increase the effective wingspan of the lifting surface. This is why gliders have such long, narrow wings. An ideal wing has infinite span and induced drag is reduced to a two–dimensional property. At lower speeds, during takeoffs and landings, an oblique wing would be positioned perpendicular to the fuselage like a conventional wing to provide maximum lift and control qualities. As the aircraft gained speed, the wing would be pivoted to increase the oblique angle, thereby reducing the drag due to wetted area, and decreasing fuel consumption.
Alternatively, at Mach numbers increasing towards the speed of sound and beyond, wave drag dominates design concerns. As the aircraft displaces the air, a sonic wave is generated. Sweeping the wings away from the nose of the aircraft can keep the wings aft of the sonic wave, greatly reducing drag. Unfortunately, for a given wing design, increasing sweep decreases the aspect ratio. At high speeds, both subsonic and supersonic, an oblique wing would be pivoted at up to 60 degrees to the aircraft's fuselage for better high-speed performance. The studies showed these angles would decrease aerodynamic drag, permitting increased speed and longer range with the same fuel expenditure.
Fundamentally, it appears that no design can be completely optimized for both flight regimes. However, the oblique wing shows promise of getting close. By actively increasing sweep as Mach number increases, high efficiency is possible for a wide range of speeds.
It is theorized[by whom?] that an oblique flying wing could drastically improve commercial air transportation, reducing fuel costs and noise in the vicinity of airports. Military operations include |
era, 2,500 pistoles at Gloucester, Virginia which marked "the beginning of the remarkable racing contests between the rival colonies of Maryland and Virginia." After this, she became a successful broodmare at the Belair Stud in Collington, Maryland.[14][15]
The major Thoroughbred sire Eclipse traces in his sire line to the Darley Arabian, but his dam was a daughter of Regulus and thus also traces to the Godolphin Arabian.[16] This pattern continues to be seen today, with the Godolphin Arabian more heavily represented in dam lines and in the "middle" of pedigrees as opposed to direct sire lines.
The Godolphin Arabian died on the Gog Magog hills Cambridgeshire in 1753, aged around 29. The horse's grave in the stable block of Wandlebury House can be visited. When he was interred, the occasion was marked with ale and cake.
Legacy [ edit ]
Although today the majority of Thoroughbred horses’ sire lines trace to the Darley Arabian, many famous North American horses of the past trace their sire line back to the Godolphin Arabian. These include Seabiscuit, Man o' War, War Admiral, and Silky Sullivan. Today, the sire line is primarily supported by descendants of Relaunch and his son Cee's Tizzy through dual Breeders' Cup Classic winner Tiznow.
In Europe, his influence survives mainly through the 2,000 Guineas winner Known Fact, and his son, the champion miler Warning. This line has produced outstanding sprinters such as Diktat (Haydock Sprint Cup), Avonbridge and Dream Ahead. The Derby has not been won by a sire line descendant of the Godolphin Arabian since Santa Claus in 1964 and is nowadays dominated by descendants of the Darley Arabian.[1]
In fiction [ edit ]
King of the Wind (Chicago: Rand McNally, 1948) is a fictional biography of the Godolphin Arabian by American author Marguerite Henry. She wrote many books about horses for children, and perhaps is best known for Misty of Chincoteague and its sequels. She won the Newbery Medal for King of the Wind, recognizing it as the year's "most distinguished contribution to American literature for children".[17] Misty became a film in 1961, but King of the Wind had to wait till 1990 for its adaptation, with Navin Chowdhry as the Arabian's lifetime stable boy Agba.[18]
In the novel, the Godolphin Arabian was foaled in Morocco and was called Sham. He came to Europe as a diplomatic gift to King Louis XV of France but, due to his poor condition on arrival and relatively small size, was given to the cook as a cart horse. He was soon sold to a woodcarter in Paris, where he was treated poorly and then purchased by the Quaker Edward Coke of Holkham Hall, older brother of the 1st Earl of Leicester 5th Creation,[19] then sold to Francis, Earl of Godolphin, who maintained a stud in Suffolk, near the racing town of Newmarket.
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
Citations
18th-century Arabian stallion and foundation sire of the Thoroughbred horse breedAlex Jones talks with Infowars reporter and Army veteran Joe Biggs about a newly released military document detailing the US Army’s plan to wage war on the American people.
“Jade Helm is a challenging eight-week joint military and Interagency (IA) Unconventional Warfare (UW) exercise conducted throughout Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah and Colorado,” according to an unclassified military document announcing the training drill, which runs from July 15 through September 15.
Multiple branches of the US military, including Green Berets, Navy Seals, and the 82nd Airborne Division, will participate in the 8-week long exercise, which may result in “increased aircraft in the area at night.”
Troops will be tasked with honing advanced skills in “large areas of undeveloped land with low population densities,” and will work alongside “civilians to gain their trust and an understanding of the issues.”
The exercise, in which some participants will be “wearing civilian clothes and driving civilian vehicles,” lists Texas and Utah as “hostile” territory.
According to the document, Texas was chosen due to the state’s “historically supportive… efforts to prepare our soldiers, airmen, marines and sailors to fight the enemies of the United States.”
Despite the document’s claims, multiple Army training manuals and studies in the past have specifically targeted such states due to concerns over the growing influence of right-leaning ideologies and groups, such as the “Tea Party.”
A leaked 2012 US Army Military Police training manual, entitled “Civil Disturbance Operations,” described how soldiers would be ordered to confiscate firearms and kill American “dissidents.” The manual also revealed that prisoners would be detained in temporary internment camps and “re-educated” to gain a new appreciation of “U.S. policies,” in accordance with U.S. Army FM 3-19.40 Internment/Resettlement Operations.
Also in 2012, a Department of Homeland Security-funded study characterized Americans “suspicious of centralized federal authority,” and “reverent of individual liberty” as “extreme right-wing” terrorists.
In the past, large scale domestic military exercises have also included foreign countries.
During a training drill in April 2012, the United States trained soldiers from Russia, hosted in Fort Carson, Colorado, on how to target American terrorists.
And just last year, US Special Forces and commandos trained with troops from 16 foreign nations, including Colombia, France and Germany, in Tampa, Fl., practicing how to coordinate aerial, ground and aquatic operations.
Although nations can benefit from joint drills, the exercises also serve to blur the lines of national sovereignty, slowly leading to the formation of a North American Union, as mentioned by former CIA head General David Petraeus.
Another troubling aspect of domestic drills is the apparent erosion of the Posse Comitatus Act, which the 2007 John Warner National Defense Authorization Act scaled back to allow the armed forces to “Restore Public Order” during events declared national emergency.
See the US Army Special Operations Command’s Powerpoint slides regarding the “Realistic Military Training” drills below:
Jade Helm Martial Law WW3 Prep Document 1
Watch: Reporter Joe Biggs explains why this latest military training exercise isn’t like the others:
Watch: Reporter Joe Biggs takes an even deeper look into Operation Jade Helm 15:
Alex Jones, reporter Joe Biggs and writers Adan Salazar and Mikael Thalen contributed to this report.Good News soldiers!
Today we are happy to announce that our beloved Deal of the Week is back with a very historically accurate wargame! Did you ever want to lead the allied forces on the beaches of Italy, managing all the logistics and defeating the enemy thanks to your superior organization skills? Piercing Fortress Europa puts the players into the shoes of a commanderduring the campaigns of the Western Allies from July, 1943 through the end of April, 1945 in Sicily and Italy.
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Units of both sides are fully modeled, including armored, infantry, airborne, commando and garrison units rated for size, quality, strength and disruption. Although strength and disruption are important, the focus of the game is on supply and fuel.
What are you waiting for?
Grab the game here!Apple gave CEO Tim Cook and other top executives a large pay raise this year, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing on Wednesday.
Cook’s total compensation for 2017 jumped to $12.8 million — a roughly 47 percent increase from last year. Apple’s other top executives also saw raises, each to the tune of roughly $1.3 million.
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Cook’s actual salary saw a comparatively smaller $57,692 increase, but the bulk of his almost $4 million raise came from performance-based cash bonuses.
The raises come after a strong financial year for Apple which saw revenue growth in both hardware products such as phones and computers as well as digital services like Apple Pay, Apple Music and its App Store.
The bonuses received by Apple executives are tied to performance objectives set by the company's board. But the raises are also attracting scrutiny, coming on the heels of President Trump Donald John TrumpHouse committee believes it has evidence Trump requested putting ally in charge of Cohen probe: report Vietnamese airline takes steps to open flights to US on sidelines of Trump-Kim summit Manafort's attorneys say he should get less than 10 years in prison MORE's new tax law which is expected to significantly benefit Apple and other corporations.
One analysis said Apple could see as much as a $47 billion benefit from the tax changes.
Following a 2004 tax holiday, Apple was able to repatriate $755 million in profits it had stashed overseas. The firm pumped much of its cash into stock buybacks which helped drive up the value of its shares.
Many analysts expect Apple to again repatriate funds for stock buybacks, which would raise the value of its executives' shares.NOAA officials have confirmed the existence of underwater oil as far down as 3,300 feet below the surface and several miles from the wellhead. Other scientists have found evidence of plumes more than 10 miles long.
Little is known about the plumes, which are largely separated from the surface slick. It is not clear how much oil they hold, how many and where there are, how quickly the oil will break down, and whether the plumes are harming marine life.
“But even though they are low concentrations, the biological community is very sensitive that far down,’’ said Steve Murawski, chief scientist for NOAA Fisheries Service.
Tests so far show that most of the underwater plumes are diluted: less than 1 part per million, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In those concentrations the water would not look polluted to the naked eye.
“There is certainly oil in the water; we believe [it is] in low and small concentrations,’’ Toby Odone, the BP spokesman, said in an interview. Tony Hayward, BP chief executive, also downplayed the plumes last week during a congressional hearing. Under questioning from Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts, he said the concentrations were low, and some of the oil was not from the ongoing spill.
A BP spokesman last week acknowledged the company participated in the Deep Spill experiment but refused to answer why officials flatly denied the possibility there could be significant amounts of oil trapped underwater — even the day after the federal government confirmed the existence of plumes on June 8.
“Over time, it will rise, but the rate of rise can be quite slow,’’ said Eric Adams, senior research engineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who helped perform several analyses on Project Deep Spill. “A lot of the oil [in the experiment] most likely rose after they went home.’’
Oil and gas were released close to the sea floor and only a fraction of it was spotted on the surface after about seven hours, defying conventional wisdom that oil would almost immediately surface because it’s lighter than water.
The North Atlantic exercise was designed to understand how a spill would behave as the drilling industry plumbed new depths to extract oil and gas. The federal Minerals Management Service and 22 companies took part in the test, at about half the depth of the gulf disaster.
But an unusual experiment conducted in 2000 off the coast of Norway, a trial run of a deep-water oil and gas spill that BP helped pay for, showed that oil could remain underwater for some time.
It wasn’t until seven weeks after the BP oil well began gushing that the company acknowledged oil remained hidden under the surface of the Gulf of Mexico, and it continues to dispute the extent of miles-long submerged plumes.
A research cruise headed by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution researchers and funded by the National Science Foundation set out Thursday to map one of the cloudy mixtures and dissect its components to better understand its toxicity, where it might travel, and how quickly it is being broken down by oil-eating microbes.
There are other concerns. Scientists say the high pressure of the gushing leak is creating tiny oil droplets, some that can become suspended in water. The use of large amounts of underwater chemical dispersants are making those droplets smaller still. All those droplets, suspended in the water and trapped by dense ocean layers, are probably forming the plumes. Scientists are also concerned about how much gas from the gushing well remains trapped underwater.
The use of dispersants is continuing, because scientists believe they help natural forces more easily break down the oil into less toxic compounds. Oil-eating microbes will do that under water. On the surface, they will be aided by sunlight, waves, and weather.
But it’s a careful balance. If there are too many oil droplets in the water, the microbes, which need oxygen, could grow out of control and suck up so much oxygen they create a dead zone. Samantha Joye, a University of Georgia scientist who was one of the first to discover the undersea oil, said oxygen levels were down 30 percent or more in some areas she sampled. Federal officials say ongoing testing shows oxygen levels in the gulf are normal.
“But there is a tipping point... that’s why you need continuous monitoring,’’ and NOAA is doing that, said Murawski, of the Fisheries Service.
The Deep Spill experiment, some 200 miles off Norway’s coast, was celebrated at the time as a forward-looking exercise for the next generation of drilling.
In all, four mixtures were released, including a combination of diesel oil and natural gas that, while not a perfect parallel to the crude oil leaking in the gulf, gives some comparison. Flow rates were comparable to the Gulf spill rate. No dispersants were used.
According to a 2005 analysis by MIT’s Adams and Scott Socolofsky, now a professor at Texas A&M University, between 2 and 17 cubic meters of the 60 cubic meters of released diesel made it to the surface before overflights looking for oil on the sea surface ended, about seven hours after the oil release stopped.
The scientists suggested that a significant portion of the oil rose slowly because it was comprised of very small droplets. Another colleague, Stephen Masutani of the University of Hawaii, found that one-third of the oil in Deep Spill would probably be found in droplets of half a millimeter or smaller, which could have taken a day or more to surface.
In the gulf spill, the dispersants probably made droplets much smaller still, Adams said, which means they could take much longer to surface.
Those droplets can get trapped by currents and dense water layers deep in the sea. “These small droplets have no choice but to follow the water once it leaves the upward-rising oil-and-gas mixture,’’ Socolofsky said.
After Deep Spill, there was no effort by the industry — or government — to better understand these submerged oil droplets.
Beth Daley can be reached at bdaley@globe.com.
CLARIFICATION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said that NOAA had confirmed the existence of oil underwater 142 miles from the wellhead. While NOAA did find evidence of oil, tests showed it did not come from the leaking BP wellhead.
© Copyright 2010 Globe Newspaper Company.Reports from Sweden are linking Ghanaian international Enock Adu Kofi with a move to Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire.
Adu, 25, has been linked with a move away from Malmo FF towards the end of the 2015 Swedish season and his agent - Hasan Cetinkaya, has confirmed Fire have tabled a bid to sign the midfielder.
The rumours have been fueled by his omission from the Malmo FF squad that has travelled to Dubai for pre-season.
But Malmo have insisted he was purely left out of the squad due to fitness concerns.
The former Liberty Professionals man, who has played in Belgium, France, Denmark and Norway, has arguably been the best player at Malmo since his move to the club.
He joined the club three seasons ago from Belgian outfit Club Brugge and he feels he has paid his dues at the club.
Fire signed Ghana attacker David Accam from Swedish side Helsingborg IF before the start of last season and he has left a huge impression about Ghanaian players at the club.
By El Akyereko
Follow the writer on Twitter: @AkyerekOfficialBEIJING (Reuters) - China is still testing its first stealth fighter, the J-20, but the warplane will soon enter service, the air force said, after pictures circulated in Chinese media suggesting it had already joined the active fleet.
What is reported to be a Chinese stealth fighter, is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan province, in this file photo dated January 5, 2011. REUTERS/Kyodo
China expects the J-20 to help narrow the military gap with the United States, and its confirmation of the aircraft’s first test flight coincided with a visit to Beijing in 2011 by then-U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
Some analysts have said J-20 photographs suggest China may be making faster-than-expected progress in developing a rival to Lockheed Martin’s radar-evading F-22 Raptor.
In a statement, China’s air force described as “unreliable” reports that the J-20 had appeared in training exercises, following a weekend state television broadcast that showed grainy pictures of what some viewers took to be the aircraft.
“At present, the J-20 has yet to be equipped for air force service,” the air force said on its official microblog late on Tuesday afternoon.
Both the J-20, and another new aircraft, the Y-20 transporter, are still being test flown as planned, the air force said.
“In the near future, the J-20 and Y-20 will, in succession, be equipped for service, effectively raising the air force’s ability to fulfill its mission,” it added, without giving a timeframe.
However, experts say China is struggling to develop advanced engines that would allow its warplanes to match Western fighters in combat.
China has rapidly been ramping up research into advanced new military equipment, including submarines, aircraft carriers and anti-satellite missiles, which has rattled nerves regionally and in Washington.
There is nothing unusual about developing new technology, which every country does if it wants a modern military, China’s air force said in its statement.
“In recent years, China has mostly been relying on its own strength to develop new armaments, one after another,” it added.
“This is a completely reasonable requirement to protect the country’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity and protect the nation’s security developments. It is a necessary guarantee of effecting peaceful development.”Female dragonflies use an extreme tactic to get rid of unwanted suitors: they drop out the sky and then pretend to be dead.
Rassim Khelifa from the University of Zurich, Switzerland, witnessed the behaviour for the first time in the moorland hawker dragonfly. While collecting their larvae in the Swiss Alps, he watched a female crash-dive to the ground while being pursued by a male.
The female then lay motionless on her back. Her suitor soon flew away, and the female took off once the coast was clear.
“I was surprised,” says Khelifa, who had never previously seen this in 10 years of studying dragonflies.
Female moorland hawkers are vulnerable to harassment when they lay their eggs since, unlike some other dragonflies, they aren’t guarded by their male mates. A single sexual encounter with another male is enough to fertilise all eggs and copulating again could damage their reproductive tract.
Khelifa found that the females often retreat to dense vegetation near ponds at this time, probably to hide. And they often act dramatically when they emerge.
He observed 27 out of 31 females plummeting and playing dead to avoid males, with 21 of these ploys successful.
Few animals have been caught feigning death to trick suitors. The behaviour has been seen in a species of spider (the males use it to improve their chances of mating), two species of robber fly and a type of mantis.
Playing dead to avoid predators, however, is more common and has been observed in dragonflies. “It’s likely that females expanded its use to overcome male coercion,” says Khelifa.
What do you think? 0 points Upvote Downvote Total votes: 0 Upvotes: 0 Upvotes percentage: 0.000000% Downvotes: 0 Downvotes percentage: 0.000000%The government of Kyrgyzstan is working with a Washington, D.C., law firm to reopen the securities fraud case against Maxim Bakiyev, the son of the former president. Kyrgyzstan had made clear its displeasure with the U.S., after the Department of Justice dropped the case without explanation, and the move may have even played a role in the U.S.'s apparent eviction from its air base in Kyrgyzstan. So it's not too surprising that they are continuing to pursue this. But a story about the issue in Buzzfeed contains a number of intriguing details.
One is that the law firm, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer and Feld, is working pro bono. Why it is doing so remains unclear, and the Buzzfeed piece implies there is a hidden agenda.
“It’s not a usual path to represent a country pro bono,” McCarthy [the firm's head lawyer on the case] conceded. He named the firm’s “respect for Roza Otunbayeva” as a main motivating factor in taking the job. When asked what Akin Gump was getting out of the deal, McCarthy said “it motivates me and my team personally as well” and that Akin Gump wants to help Kyrgyzstan “stay the course” when it comes to corruption.
Another interesting piece of news the story broke is the apparent reason that the U.S. dropped the charges:
A person working on the deal who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that State Department officials had told Akin Gump representatives that the case was dropped because Eugene Gourevitch, the Bakiyev family’s financial adviser who was the cooperating witness on the case, had recanted his testimony. Gourevitch is currently in an Italian jail facing charges related to a $2.7 billion carousel scheme.
The lead American lawyer on the case drew a direct connection between the Bakiyev case and the Manas eviction, saying that “the cancellation of the lease by the Kyrgyz parliament was triggered because of the dropping of the extradition case." While that may be an exaggeration, it is no doubt that the Bakiyev case has become a serious irritant in U.S.-Kyrgyzstan relations.
UPDATE: This post has been updated and corrected. A previous version, citing the Buzzfeed report, said that the lead Kyrgyzstan official working on the case was former president Roza Otunbayeva; an Akin Gump representative got in touch to clarify that the lead official was in fact Aida Salyanova, the prosecutor general.Members of the St. George Police Department talk with one another on the scene of a morning shooting at 242 Diagonal St., St. George, Utah, March 18, 2015 | Photo by Devan Chavez, St. George News
ST. GEORGE – Police arrested a man Wednesday in connection with a shooting incident that occurred Wednesday morning at a home on Diagonal Street in St. George.
Edward Dryden Clark, 40, of St. George, was charged Wednesday with second-degree felony aggravated assault for his role in the altercation, which took place in an upstairs rental unit on Diagonal Street.
Police responded to the 200 West block of Diagonal Street Wednesday morning on reports of gunfire in the area after neighbors reported hearing a single gunshot coming from a residence and seeing two vehicles leave the residence very quickly, St. George Police Officer Wyatt Miles said in a probable cause statement supporting Clark’s arrest.
When officers arrived at the scene, they located a bullet hole in the exterior wall of the residence that was consistent with an exit hole from a firearm, the statement said.
Officers were able to make contact with the homeowner.
The homeowner told police he lived at the residence with his nephew, whom he allows to stay with him on occasion, according to the statement. The homeowner told police that his nephew had Clark and another friend come over to the house early Wednesday morning between 4-5 a.m.
Clark and the other man left the home at one point and then returned as the homeowner was leaving for work.
Shortly after the homeowner left for work, Miles said in the statement, he received a call from his nephew saying Clark wouldn’t leave the residence and was causing problems.
The homeowner went back to the residence to confront Clark, who was sitting on the front porch bench, according to the statement. When the homeowner yelled at him to leave, Clark pulled out a handgun and threatened to kill the homeowner.
“(The homeowner) said (Clark) pointed the gun up to his head,” Miles wrote in the statement. “(The homeowner) said he grabbed hold of the gun to try and keep (Clark) from shooting him, and during this, the gun went off firing a round into his living room of his residence.”
The homeowner told police he was able to de-escalate the situation right after and that he let go of Clark’s gun.
As Clark and his friend were leaving, Clark turned back around and again pointed the gun at the homeowner, according to the statement.
No injuries were reported as a result of the incident.
When police located Clark and questioned him about the situation, Clark admitted to being at the residence with a handgun and that an altercation took place between him and the homeowner over the gun.
Clark was arrested and booked into the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility. His bail pending trail stands at $10,000.
Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2015, all rights reserved.(UPDATED) Part 1: Experience firsthand what has been left by the battles in Marawi, and the challenges faced by the Philippine military through the region's first-ever, virtual-reality war documentary
Published 6:44 PM, October 23, 2017
First of 2 parts
Watch Part 2: Marawi in 360: The Cost of War
LANAO DEL SUR, Philippines (UPDATED) – What was the war in Marawi actually like? What did it look like from inside the main battle area? How bad has the destruction been?
Experience firsthand what has been left by the battles in Marawi, and the challenges faced by the Philippine military through the region's first-ever, virtual-reality war documentary. Explore the destroyed buildings, hear the gunshots, and see the streets of Marawi like never before from every angle, in 360 degrees.
This first part of the documentary, Inside the War Zone, was launched in Digicon 2017 by Rappler, in partnership with Group of Five Incorporated and the Internet Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines.
For optimum experience, open the video on the YouTube app, click the glasses icon on the bottom right of the screen, and use VR glasses or a Google Cardboard Viewer. To navigate the scenes in 360, use a mouse or a trackpad on desktop to click and drag to a desired direction. If you're viewing on mobile, you can move your phone around or use your finger to explore.
On May 23, the military entered Marawi City and raided a safe house where Isnilon Hapilon, the so-called emir of ISIS in Southeast Asia, was reportedly spotted. He escaped, but his supporters went out into the streets, waving black Islamic State flags. The terrorists were led by the homegrown Maute Group.
It turned into a full-fledged war between the military and the terrorists.
On October 16, a military assault finally killed and another top terrorist leader, Omar Maute. Exactly 5 months since the war started on October 23, the military announced the official end of fighting in Marawi. – Rappler.comA pregnant woman laughed so much while watching Friday Night Dinner that she went into labour, it has been claimed.
The Channel 4 show's writer Robert Popper revealed the news when he received a message from the new father on Twitter, The Mirror reports.
"My wife and I sat down to watch Friday Night Dinner and laughed so much her waters broke right afterwards," the message said. "He's a little cracker. Thanks for your help getting the whole thing started."
The writer quipped: "I was so shocked I almost went into labour myself."
Channel 4 recently ordered a second series of the sitcom, which centres on two young men - played by Simon Bird and Tom Rosenthal - who return home every Friday night to see their parents Jackie (Tamsin Greig) and Martin (Paul Ritter).
The first series of Friday Night Dinner concludes tonight at 10pm on Channel 4.
Watch our recent interview with Simon Bird about The Inbetweeners movie below:
> 'Friday Night' exec pleased with ratingsAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 5 premieres on Friday night — here are a few hints we can share about the exhilarating opener!
The two-hour season premiere, titled “Orientation,” heralds Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.‘s return from its extended hiatus (thanks Inhumans!) The episodes also serve as the opening salvo in the series’ most radical self-reinvention to date.
Yes, they’re in space. No, that’s not even close to their biggest problem.
Daring, inventive, and almost as disturbing as it is funny, the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 5 premiere provides a slick and giddy return for the Marvel series. And underneath all the imminent peril and sly humor waits a deeper story designed to rattle character and fan alike to their very… well, core.
A whole new world
From its opening moments, “Orientation” (which serves as such both in-story and out) aims to disorient. The new setting — a labyrinthine spaceship packed with untold horrors — is the least of it.
There are new rules to learn. There’s a new lingo to master (what’s a “metric”? Better find out!) There is a new and seriously unforgiving hierarchy to navigate, one utterly unlike anything our agents have encountered on Earth. (And it shows, by the way.)
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“It was like we started another pilot,” showrunner Maurissa Tancharoen says of the premiere, and it’s true. Through these familiar faces and reliable relationships, the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 5 premiere explores a culture that is (no pun intended) entirely alien. From the costumes, to the set, to the language employed, everything has changed.
And even as the second episode draws to a chilling close, it’s obvious that there are still mysterious variables and painful realities to be uncovered. It’s an exciting proposition… but one that carries no shortage of terrifying possibilities.
Where the frak is Fitz?
Yes, good question. As the first 17 minutes of “Orientation” reveal, Fitz does not come along for the unasked-for tour of parts unknown. The reason why, sadly, is not disclosed in the premiere — nor do we see hide or hair of our favorite sciency Scotsman.
But don’t worry. Though Fitz’s place in this new space remains unknown, his absence is strongly felt throughout the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 5 premiere. Even while physically missing, Fitz’s presence makes itself known in one very significant way. Hope is in the little things, after all.
Still, though the characters of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. are canny by now to the wild ups and downs of their lives, not even they can foresee every twist. Fitz’s absence exacts an emotional toll — obviously — but there are practical consequences as well.
Like, certain things might happen to certain people when Fitz isn’t around. For example.
The Framework fallout
Don’t worry fans, the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 5 premiere has not forgotten that Coulson, May, Daisy, Simmons, Mack, and Elena have all just gotten free of the nightmarish Framework. While it’s true that they have more urgent concerns at the moment (like, don’t get eaten by a space-roach!) the fallout of season 4 remains present.
Mack, who survived the very particular trauma of losing his precocious young daughter in the Framework, has an especially poignant reflection in a moment of profound darkness. There is, it seems, not only horror to be gleaned from last season, but a bit of wisdom as well.
New (blue) faces in new spaces
A few new characters join the ranks in “Orientation,” — or more accurately, Team Coulson joins their ranks.
Most prominent among the new faces is Deke (Jeff Ward) who shows up floating through space like grease on a puddle, and continues in that manner throughout the premiere. Like everyone on else on this dark, ugly bucket, he’s got a lot going on. Unlike everyone else, Deke operates on a level that takes as much from an appalling system as it takes from him.
Naturally, the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 5 premiere is inconclusive as to Deke’s ultimate motivations, a state of affairs I expect will linger for a while.
There are also, of course, the aliens — Kree (…for the most part…) who are the prominent figures of authority out here in space. Yes, look for plenty of visual references to the Kree as established in Guardians of the Galaxy, and Marvel’s general space culture. But that’s the least interesting bit.
“Orientation” adds two prominent blue figures to the list of established Kree in the MCU, and they’re not the kind you’ll want to adopt as a surrogate father figure. Eccentricity and menace radiate off of these new characters, enforcing more powerfully than any cool new technology how thoroughly underwater our agents truly are.
Also of note is a character named Tess (Eve Harlow), who very quickly joins the ranks of “Precious, Do Not Harm.” See, space isn’t all bad!
Simmons makes a friend; Daisy learns a lesson
Everyone is busy in the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 5 premiere (well, okay, not Fitz) but the younger ladies of the team have particular achievements to unlock.
As each member of the team grapples with their bizarre new reality differently, Daisy takes a rather interrogative approach. She seeks out answers from the most likely source, and as it turns out, she finds those answers.
She just really, really doesn’t like what she learns.
Meanwhile, Simmons has her own “Orientation” to undergo. The consummate helper, our favorite biochemist finds herself making an unlikely and fascinating connection that also provides more context to The Space Problem. It will also indelibly influence her path going forward, because if Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is incapable of anything, it’s dramatic half-measures.
Themes to watch out for!
Of course, it’s still early days to decide exactly what thematic seeds are being planted in the story so far. But let your eyes and thoughts drift in the directions that the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. premiere suggests.
Pay attention to what the episodes have to say about displaced and desperate people. Political and personal consent are also important ideas, as is the concept of stories told and received.
Oh yes! And monsters. Definitely don’t forget to think about monsters.
The Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 5 premiere, “Orientation (Parts 1 & 2)” airs Friday, Dec. 1 at 8:00 p.m. on ABC.In early 2000, south of Oakland, California, a physicist stuck in traffic was listening to the radio. He heard Mickey Hart, a drummer for the Grateful Dead, say that the archives of the world’s aboriginal musics were deteriorating and needed attention. The bulk of the archives had been assembled between 1890 and 1940 by ethnographers using antique devices that recorded mainly on wax cylinders and aluminum disks. Many of the recordings had not been played for a number of years and had grown so fragile that the pressure of a stylus might destroy them. Anything you can embed sound in you can scratch, crease, crumple, bend, break, tear, warp, or melt. Oil and dust and dirt get in the path of a stylus and deepen, widen, or distort a groove, making the stylus skip. Something, possibly mold, attacks the grooves on wax cylinders, leaving gaps that sound as if someone were banging a drum. On cylinders of Native American music, which typically features singing and chanting, this sometimes sounds like a phantom accompaniment. Wax cylinders were meant for businessmen to dictate letters on. After a letter had been typed, the cylinder was scraped clean with a tool the manufacturer supplied, so that another letter could be dictated, until the cylinder was used up. No one regarded the cylinders as permanent, and permanence wasn’t what the ethnologists sought. They wanted a version to transcribe—they wanted to read the text more than hear it. The physicist, whose name is Carl Haber, works at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, in Berkeley, California. There are essentially two kinds of physicists—experimental and theoretical. Experimental physicists test the ideas of theoretical physicists. Sometimes they observe peculiarities that theoretical physicists then name and explain. Haber is an experimental physicist. At Lawrence Berkeley, he is a member of the ATLAS Group, an international alliance of labs and universities that conduct experiments at the CERN collider, in Switzerland, where they discovered the Higgs boson, the “God particle,” in 2012. The ATLAS Group is huge. When a paper is published, Haber says, “it has more than two thousand names on it.” Haber specializes in the silicon detectors that line the collision chamber at CERN. The detectors are a little bigger than a passport, there are thousands of them, and they are arrayed like shingles around the chamber. They track the paths of subatomic particles in the aftermath of their impacts. Forty million collisions take place each second. Haber regards himself as an instrument builder—that is, as someone who, after considering what device an experiment requires, designs the device and makes it or sees to its being made by a custom shop. To align the detectors at CERN, he had used a machine called a SmartScope, which “photographs the detectors in microscopic detail, then analyzes the images and the placement over and over again,” he says. This type of measuring is called optical metrology. The SmartScope had worked so well that Haber was drawing sketches and writing notes for new ways to use it. “When I heard Mickey Hart talking about sound recordings, I thought, Maybe I’ve been considering the wrong problem,” he says. With the SmartScope, Haber had precisely positioned |
the meaning "to strive; to struggle" (viz. "in the way of God"), which includes the aspect of struggle "by the sword".[36]
The first forms of military Jihad occurred after the migration (hijra) of Muhammad and his small group of followers to Medina from Mecca and the conversion of several inhabitants of the city to Islam. The first revelation concerning the struggle against the Meccans was surah 22, verses 39-40:[37]
To those against whom war is made, permission is given (to fight), because they are wronged;- and verily, Allah is most powerful for their aid. (They are) those who have been expelled from their homes in defiance of right,- (for no cause) except that they say, "our Lord is Allah". Did not Allah check one set of people by means of another, there would surely have been pulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in which the name of Allah is commemorated in abundant measure. Allah will certainly aid those who aid his (cause);- for verily Allah is full of Strength, Exalted in Might, (able to enforce His Will). — Abdullah Yusuf Ali
This happened many times throughout history, beginning with Muhammad's battles against the polytheist Arabs including the Battle of Badr (624), and battles in Uhud (625), Khandaq (627), Mecca (630) and Hunayn (630).
Judaism [ edit ]
In the Jewish religion, the expression Milkhemet Mitzvah (Hebrew: מלחמת מצווה, "commandment war") refers to a war that is obligatory for all Jews (men and women). Such wars were limited to territory within the borders of the land of Israel.[citation needed] The geographical limits of Israel and conflicts with surrounding nations are detailed in the Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible, especially in Numbers 34:1-15 and Ezekiel 47:13-20. The concept of a religious war was absent in Jewish thought for approximately 2000 years, though it reemerged in some factions of the Zionist movement, particularly Revisionist Zionism.[38] "From the earliest days of Israel's existence as a people, holy war was a sacred institution, undertaken as a cultic act of a religious community.[39]
According to Reuven Firestone, ""Holy War" is a Western concept referring to war that is fought for religion, against adherents of other religions, often in order to promote religion through conversion, and with no specific geographic limitation. This concept does not occur in the Hebrew Bible, whose wars are not fought for religion or in order to promote it but, rather, in order to preserve religion and a religiously unique people in relation to a specific and limited geography."[40]
Religious conflict in the modern period [ edit ]
Israeli–Palestinian conflict [ edit ]
The Israeli–Palestinian conflict can be viewed primarily as an ethnic conflict between two parties where one party is most often portrayed as a singular ethno-religious group consisting only of the Jewish majority and ignores non-Jewish minority Israeli citizens who at varying levels support a Zionist state, especially the Druze and Circassians who for example volunteer in higher numbers for IDF combat service and are represented in the Israeli parliament in greater percentages than Israeli Jews are[41][42] as well as Israeli Arabs, Samaritans,[43] various other Christians, and Negev Bedouin;[44] the other party is sometimes presented as an ethnic group which is multi-religious (although most numerously consisting of Muslims, then Christians, then other religious groups up to and including Samaritans and even Jews). Yet despite the multi-religious composition of both of the parties in the conflict, elements on both sides often view it as a religious war between Jews and Muslims. In 1929, religious tensions between Muslim and Jewish Palestinians over Jews praying at the Wailing Wall led to the 1929 Palestine riots[45] including the Hebron and Safed ethnic cleansings of Jews.
In 1947, the UN decided on partitioning the Mandate of Palestine, led to the creation of the state of Israel and Jordan annexing the West Bank portion of the mandate, since then the region has been plagued with conflict. The 1948 Palestinian exodus also known as the Nakba (Arabic: النكبة),[46] occurred when approximately 711,000 to 726,000 Palestinian Arabs fled or were expelled from their homes, during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War and the Civil War that preceded it.[47] The exact number of refugees is a matter of dispute, though the number of Palestine refugees and their unsettled descendants registered with UNRWA is more than 4.3 million.[48][49] The causes remain the subject of fundamental disagreement between Palestinians and Israelis. Jews make a religious and historical claim to the land, and Palestinians make historic, religious and ethnic claims to the land.[50]
Pakistan and India [ edit ]
The All India Muslim League (AIML) was formed in Dhaka in 1906 by Muslims who were suspicious of the Hindu-majority Indian National Congress. They complained that Muslim members did not have the same rights as Hindu members. A number of different scenarios were proposed at various times.This was fuelled by the British policy of "Divide and Rule", which they tried to bring upon every political situation. Among the first to make the demand for a separate state was the writer/philosopher Allama Iqbal, who, in his presidential address to the 1930 convention of the Muslim League said that a separate nation for Muslims was essential in an otherwise Hindu-dominated subcontinent.
After the dissolution of the British Raj in 1947, two new sovereign nations were formed—the Union of India and the Dominion of Pakistan. The subsequent partition of the former British India displaced up to 12.5 million people, with estimates of loss of life varying from several hundred thousand to a million.[51] India emerged as a secular nation with a Hindu majority, while Pakistan was established as an Islamic republic with Muslim majority population.[52][53]
Abyssinia – Somalia [ edit ]
The Abyssinian–Adal war was a military conflict between the Abyssinians and the Adal Sultanate from 1529 until 1559. The Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi (nicknamed Gurey in Somali and Gragn in Amharic (ግራኝ Graññ), both meaning "the left-handed") came close to extinguishing the ancient realm of Abyssinia, and forcibly converting all of its surviving subjects to Islam; the intervention of the European Cristóvão da Gama, son of the famous navigator Vasco da Gama, attempted to help to prevent this outcome but was killed by al-Ghazi. However, both polities exhausted their resources and manpower in this conflict, allowing the northward migration of the Oromo into their present homelands to the north and west of Addis Ababa.[54] Many historians trace the origins of hostility between Somalia and Ethiopia to this war.[55] Some historians also argue that this conflict proved, through their use on both sides, the value of firearms such as the matchlock musket, cannons, and the arquebus over traditional weapons.[56]
Nigerian conflict [ edit ]
Inter-ethnic conflict in Nigeria has generally had a religious element. Riots against Igbo in 1953 and in the 1960s in the north were said to have been sparked by religious conflict. The riots against Igbo in the north in 1966 were said to have been inspired by radio reports of mistreatment of Muslims in the south.[57] A military coup d'état led by lower and middle-ranking officers, some of them Igbo, overthrew the NPC-NCNC dominated government. Prime Minister Balewa along with other northern and western government officials were assassinated during the coup. The coup was considered an Igbo plot to overthrow the northern dominated government. A counter-coup was launched by mostly northern troops. Between June and July there was a mass exodus of Ibo from the north and west. Over 1.3 million Ibo fled the neighboring regions in order to escape persecution as anti-Ibo riots increased. The aftermath of the anti-Ibo riots led many to believe that security could only be gained by separating from the North.[58]
In the 1980s, serious outbreaks between Christians and Muslims occurred in Kafanchan in southern Kaduna State in a border area between the two religions.
The 2010 Jos riots saw clashes between Muslim herders against Christian farmers near the volatile city of Jos, resulting in hundreds of casualties.[59] Officials estimated that 500 people were massacred in night-time raids by rampaging Muslim gangs.[60]
Buddhist uprising [ edit ]
During the rule of the Catholic Ngo Dinh Diem in South Vietnam, the discrimination against the majority Buddhist population generated the growth of Buddhist institutions as they sought to participate in national politics and gain better treatment. The Buddhist Uprising of 1966 was a period of civil and military unrest in South Vietnam, largely focused in the I Corps area in the north of the country in central Vietnam.[61]
In a country where the Buddhist majority was estimated to be between 70 and 90 percent,[62][63][64][65][66] Diem ruled with a strong religious bias. As a member of the Catholic Vietnamese minority, he pursued pro-Catholic policies that antagonized many Buddhists.
Chinese conflict [ edit ]
The Dungan revolt (1862–1877) and Panthay Rebellion (1856–1873) by the Hui were also set off by racial antagonism and class warfare, rather than the mistaken assumption that it was all due to Islam that the rebellions broke out.[67] During the Dungan revolt fighting broke out between Uyghurs and Hui.
In 1936, after Sheng Shicai expelled 20,000 Kazakhs from Xinjiang to Qinghai, the Hui led by General Ma Bufang massacred their fellow Muslims, the Kazakhs, until there were only 135 of them left.[68][69]
Tensions with Uyghurs and Hui arose because Qing and Republican Chinese authorities used Hui troops and officials to dominate the Uyghurs and crush Uyghur revolts.[70] Xinjiang's Hui population increased by over 520 percent between 1940 and 1982, an average annual growth rate of 4.4 percent, while the Uyghur population only grew by 1.7 percent. This dramatic increase in the Hui population led inevitably to significant tensions between the Hui and Uyghur Muslim populations. Some old Uyghurs in Kashgar remember that the Hui army at the Battle of Kashgar (1934) massacred 2,000 to 8,000 Uyghurs, which caused tension as more Hui moved into Kashgar from other parts of China.[71] Some Hui criticize Uyghur separatism, and generally do not want to get involved in conflicts in other countries over Islam for fear of being perceived as radical.[72] Hui and Uyghur live apart from each other, praying separately and attending different mosques.[73]
Lebanese Civil War [ edit ]
War-damaged buildings in Beirut
There is no consensus among scholars on what triggered the Lebanese Civil War. However, the militarization of the Palestinian refugee population, with the arrival of the PLO guerrilla forces did spark an arms race amongst the different Lebanese political factions. However the conflict played out along three religious lines, Sunni Muslim, Christian Lebanese and Shiite Muslim, Druze are considered among Shiite Muslims.
It has been argued that the antecedents of the war can be traced back to the conflicts and political compromises reached after the end of Lebanon's administration by the Ottoman Empire. The Cold War had a powerful disintegrative effect on Lebanon, which was closely linked to the polarization that preceded the 1958 political crisis. During the 1948 Arab–Israeli War an exodus of Palestinian refugees who fled the fighting or were expelled from their homes, arrived in Lebanon. Palestinians came to play a very important role in future Lebanese civil conflicts, whilst the establishment of Israel radically changed the local environment in which Lebanon found itself.
Lebanon was promised independence and on 22 November 1943 it was achieved. Free French troops, who had invaded Lebanon in 1941 to rid Beirut of the Vichy French forces, left the country in 1946. The Christians assumed power over the country and economy. A confessional parliament was created, where Muslims and Christians were given quotas of seats in parliament. As well, the President was to be a Christian, the Prime Minister a Sunni Muslim and the Speaker of Parliament a Shia Muslim.
In March 1991, parliament passed an amnesty law that pardoned all political crimes prior to its enactment. The amnesty was not extended to crimes perpetrated against foreign diplomats or certain crimes referred by the cabinet to the Higher Judicial Council. In May 1991, the militias (with the important exception of Hezbollah) were dissolved, and the Lebanese Armed Forces began to slowly rebuild themselves as Lebanon's only major non-sectarian institution.
Some violence still occurred. In late December 1991 a car bomb (estimated to carry 220 pounds of TNT) exploded in the Muslim neighborhood of Basta. At least thirty people were killed, and 120 wounded, including former Prime Minister Shafik Wazzan, who was riding in a bulletproof car.
Yugoslav Wars [ edit ]
The Croatian War (1991–95) and Bosnian War (1992–95), have been viewed of as religious wars between the Orthodox, Catholic and Muslim populations of former Yugoslavia, that is, Serbs, Croats and Bosniaks.[74][75] Traditional religious symbols were used during the wars.[76] Notably, foreign Muslim volunteers came to Bosnia to wage jihad ("jihad" doesn’t mean "holy war", it means "struggle"), and were thus known as "Bosnian mujahideen".
Sudanese Civil War [ edit ]
The Second Sudanese Civil War from 1983 to 2005 have describe the conflict as an ethnoreligious one where the Muslim central government's pursuits to impose sharia law on non-Muslim southerners led to violence, and eventually to the civil war. The war resulted in the independence of South Sudan six years after the war ended. Sudan is Muslim and South Sudan is Christian.[77][78][79][80]
References [ edit ]
Bibliography [ edit ]For a restaurant chain called Burger King, it sure is serious about its vegetarian food—in India anyway.
The company opened its first India location in November, fully committed to meeting the needs of the local vegetarian clientele. Not only did it develop a menu tailored to Indian flavors, including a Chicken Tandoor Grill sandwich, it also made fully half of its menu meat-free,according to data from Technopak, going further than McDonald’s, which has been in the country since 1996.
The opening in India, the 100th country that Burger King operates in, is part of the company’s “aggressive international growth strategy,” it said at the time, and it spared no expense to mark its entrance into the market. In addition to offering six vegetarian sandwiches, like the Paneer King Melt and Spicy Bean Royale, it also built dual production lines—one for the vegetarian food and the other for non-vegetarian products—and even divided the staff up based on whether they worked on one side or the other.
With a population of 1.2 billion, India is an obvious choice for any company looking to expand internationally, but the hundreds of millions of vegetarians in the country makes it a bit trickier for chains that normally rely on burgers and chicken nuggets (or Chicken Fries, as the case may be).
So far, Burger King has been successful enough in its effort that it spawned rumors that the menu items would be taken global. Unfortunately for the rest of the world’s vegetarians, the company ultimately said it had no immediate plans to do so. In the US, at least, customers are left with the chain’s Morningstar Farms veggie burger, which lacks the appeal of a vegetarian Whopper. However, it still beats McDonald’s, which offers zero vegetarian sandwiches in the US.Here's five more additions to the Concrete Slabs of Jacksonville series.
1. Manuel's Tap Room
Manuel's Tap Room was located at 626 W. Ashley Street. Manuel's was described in the January 1942 issue of The Crisis, the magazine of the NAACP, as "the finest of its kind in the South."
Courtesy of The Crisis, January 1942
Owned by Manuel Rivera, the lounge and grill was a popular place for drinking, dining and dancing. Manuel's was open 24 hours a day, something that's hard to find anywhere in downtown today.
Inside Hayes Luncheonette in 1938.
Manuel's was just one of several popular establishments where one could grab a meal on Ashley Street. Hayes Luncheonette was located next door at at 634 West Ashley Street. After a failed attempt to revitalize LaVilla during the 1990s, not much is left of the once vibrant Ashley Street strip. In 2015, there are no meals being served up by restaurants on this history block of black entertainment. Instead, the foundations and floor tiles of restaurants, like Manuel's and Hayes Luncheonette, are being used for parking cars and fostering weeds.
What's left of Manuel's Tap Room in 2015.
The foundations of Manuel's Tap Room and Hayes Luncheonette. The ghostly walls of Genovar's Hall stand behind them. In the 1920's, this building became the Wynn Hotel. When in town, Louis Armstrong preferred to stay at the Wynn, because it was "on the street" where the action was. The first floor of this building was occupied by the Lenape Tavern, one of Ashley Street's most popular nightspots.
In front of the Lenape were two metal horse hitching rails, which still remain. In the early 1940's this spot was known as "the rail of hope," where waiters and musicians would hang out, waiting for a job. One of the frequent occupants of the rail was R.C. Robinson, a blind piano player who had attended the Deaf and Blind School in St. Augustine before coming to live with a relative at 633 Church Street, one block away. He developed his talents playing as side-man for some of the well known performers and later rose to stardom himself under the name of Ray Charles.
Stories Behind the Concrete Slabs of Jax: Part I
Stories Behind the Concrete Slabs of Jax: Part IIA witness to the tragic death of a 10-year-old boy on the world's tallest water slide in Kansas has revealed gruesome details of how the boy died.Caleb Thomas Schwab, the son of Kansas state Rep. Scott Schwab, was killed Sunday while riding "Verruckt" at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City. The slide is 168 feet and has 264 stairs leading to the top -- taller than the Statue of Liberty. The slide's name means "insane" in German.ABC News talked with Esteban Castaneda, who witnessed the incident at the water park. He described a horrific scene after the boy's death.Castaneda said that he heard booms coming from the area of the slide and then saw a body wash down the slide directly after the raft did.Castaneda said he noticed a lifeguard was trying to push the crowd back from the slide, but he continued to try to help because he thought there was someone lying face down in the water.The lifeguard told Castaneda that there was nothing he could do to help. It was at that point that he noticed the boy appeared to have been decapitated. Castaneda said two other women were strapped into the raft, and the first position of the raft was empty. This is likely where Caleb had been sitting.Castaneda said he had ridden the slide earlier in the day with his cousin's 14-year-old daughter. She had told him that her safety belt's Velcro came undone toward the end of her ride.Kansas City Police also released more information about the incident Monday, calling the boy's death a "fatal neck injury at the end of the ride." The two women riding in the raft with Caleb suffered minor facial injuries. They were not related to the boy.Pastor Clint Sprague, the family spokesperson for the Schwab family said they're heartbroken. He said Caleb was a hugger who loved his parents, sports and Jesus.A memorial service is planned for Friday afternoon.The park was closed down after the incident Sunday and remained closed Monday.Verruckt was certified as the world's tallest water slide by Guinness World Records. Riders go down the slide in multi-person rafts and have to be at last 54 inches tall, according to the park's website.Senate President Stanley Rosenberg said lawmakers may delay parts of the ballot measure that would legalize marijuana in Massachusetts.
A top Massachusetts lawmaker Monday confirmed legislators are talking about delaying aspects of the measure to legalize marijuana, a ballot initiative approved by more than 1.7 million voters last month.
Senate President Stanley C. Rosenberg said, “We’ve had discussions about delaying some of the dates to give us more time to fine-tune the bill and, in the next few weeks, we have to make final decisions on that.”
Rosenberg, an Amherst Democrat who supported legalization, told reporters if lawmakers slow the rollout, “it’s going to be a very time-limited delay.” And, he said, changes to the timing of the measure could happen in informal legislative sessions over the holiday season, which are usually attended by just a few elected officials.
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On Thanksgiving, the Globe reported lawmakers were discussing delaying several aspects of the measure, including when residents could legally grow marijuana at home and when retail stores could sell the drug. Until Monday, legislators were mostly mum on that Globe report.
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The initiative, which passed 54 to 46 percent, legalizes marijuana for possession, use, and home-growing on Dec. 15 — a week from Thursday. It mandates the state treasurer appoint a three-person Cannabis Control Commission to regulate the new industry by March 2017. And it authorizes retail stores to start selling the drug in January 2018.
But, once the vote is certified, the legalization initiative will be a law like any other. That means the House and Senate can change it through the normal legislative process. However, during informal sessions, a single legislator can thwart the proceedings.
Rosenberg said changes to all the dates in the measure are “on the table.”
But he said there is a “a strong feeling that we ought to be looking at the later dates, rather than the earlier dates.”
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Speaker Robert A. DeLeo, a Winthrop Democrat who opposed legalization, echoed those comments. But his words did not make clear if he was staking out a position in favor of slowing implementation.
The legislators made the comments after a closed-door meeting with Governor Charlie Baker in which the state’s tight budget appeared to be a major part of the conversation. The fiscal squeeze also came up in the discussion with the press.
Proponents of legalization spotlighted what they framed as the dissonance between difficult fiscal times and delaying implementation of the pot initiative.
“It’s encouraging that these leaders seem to be indicating that there will be no attempt to delay the December 15 possession and home-grow provisions,” said Jim Borghesani, who helped lead the effort to pass Question 4.
But given the state’s difficult financial position, he said, “it seems counterintuitive that they would consider pushing back the post-December 15 timelines and in doing so push back a significant new revenue stream.”
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The measure imposes a 3.75 percent tax on marijuana sales, in addition to the state’s 6.25 percent sales tax. It also gives towns and cities the authority to add an additional 2 percent tax to local sales.
Joshua Miller can be reached at joshua.miller@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @jm_bos and subscribe to his weekday e-mail update on politics at bostonglobe.com/politicalhappyhourA movie theatre in Aurora, Colorado. Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. The Washington Navy Yard. The college town of Isla Vista, California. Most of us recognise these as US sites of recent mass murder, loosely defined as the intentional killing of more than four people in a single incident. Unlike the casualties of war or gang-related murders carried out in inner cities, these acts of domestic terrorism strike a particular brand of fear in the hearts of Americans because they seem to be random acts committed in places where such behaviour is unexpected.
Naturally, we respond by trying to pinpoint the cause: bad parenting, mental illness, guns, video games, the media, heavy metal music, or just plain evil. Once some ‘other’ is identified as an offending agent, we set up a kind of quarantine so that it can be banished from society and no longer threaten. Hoping to allay fears and respond to emotionally charged demands for action, politicians jump on this or that bandwagon with proposals for legislation aimed at sequestering and eliminating would-be culprits. Then we go about our lives, until the next mass shooting occurs and the cycle is repeated.
In the short term, this process makes us feel safer than looking inward and thinking: ‘There but for the grace of God go I.’ But what if the reality is that the underlying cause of mass murder lies not in something external to ourselves, but rather something at the root of human instinct and behaviour that’s also interwoven into American popular culture? This possibility suggests that, rather than trying to get rid of some offending external agent, a more meaningful approach might require looking within ourselves and our own communities for a solution.
In support of this idea, James Fox and Monica DeLateur, criminologists at Northeastern University, published a paper last year in Homicide Studies that dispels some myths about mass shootings and calls into question our tendency to blame things outside of ourselves. To begin with, the authors note that ‘mass shootings have not increased in number or death toll, at least not over the past several decades’. They then go on to demythologise a number of common assumptions about mass shootings. Contrary to popular opinion after the Columbine High School massacre in 1999, in which two schoolboys murdered 12 fellow students and a teacher, violent entertainment doesn’t seem to be a significant cause of mass murder. In terms of interventions, neither tighter gun control nor arming our schools are likely to reduce mass shootings. Even expanded efforts at profiling would-be mass murderers or enhancing mental health services might be futile. Needless to say, these conclusions aren’t very encouraging and the authors end by suggesting that we ought to continue ineffective responses in any case because ‘doing something is better than nothing’.
Perhaps we need to look at these elements within the context of the culture itself. Guns are instruments for killing, but as the founding fathers of the US recognised in placing gun rights directly into the Constitution, they can also be effective tools for equalising power and overcoming oppression. Indeed, the US was born out of violent revolt, and the idea of the underdog responding with force to defeat an aggressor has been an archetype for the US hero ever since. As a nation, Americans see themselves as promoters of armed rebellion in the name of freedom and democracy around the globe.
Over the past century, generations of US boys have grown up romanticising the Wild West by playing ‘cowboys and Indians’ with replica six-shooters, battling each other as ‘cops and robbers’ armed with plastic revolvers, or staging vast campaigns of toy soldiers in which opposing armies were gunned down in droves. More recently, ‘first-person shooter’ simulations featuring both military and criminal role-plays have become some of the most successful video games of all time. A casual perusal of the top-grossing films of the past two decades is replete with examples of movies intended for children and adults alike that glorify gun violence along with posters featuring heroes posing with firearms, even in comedies.
And while it’s technically true that ‘guns don’t kill people, people kill people’, the phrase ‘guns don’t kill people, but people kill people with guns’ better portrays the relationship between guns and killing. Guns have popular appeal in our society because they can make us feel powerful and safe, in a world that feels increasingly dangerous and uncertain to many. It would seem that the fear of falling victim to the kind of violence featured heavily on the nightly news, ranging from domestic murder to global terrorism, has become something of an industry in the US. At the same time, whether morally justified or rationalised, protecting oneself and one’s family by arming against ‘the bad guys’ and taking ‘an eye for an eye’ remains an enduring US fantasy.
Of course, while violent fantasies might very well reside somewhere within the average US male, they’re often just that – fantasies. Thankfully, the vast majority of us do not discharge a firearm in self-defence, much less commit murder. So, how do we explain why mass murder, although infrequent, does sometimes occur? A typical response would have us believe the answer lies in mental illness or, if not illness per se, then individuals who are somehow flawed and different from the rest of us – ‘psychopaths’, ‘losers’, or ‘evildoers’. Proposed solutions, usually couched in terms of enhancing mental health services, often involve plans to further marginalise those struggling with emotional issues, screening them based on risk factors and warning signs so that they can be locked away in psychiatric hospitals or prisons, which themselves have become the largest mental institutions in the US. Such proposals reflect the instinct to cull such individuals out of the pack so that they can be banished from society.
These risk factors for mass murder are not necessarily the domain of mental illness, but rather the ‘psychiatry of everyday life’
However, efforts to profile mass shooters don’t support mental illness as a root cause. For instance, a 1999 publication by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) suggested a wide variety of risk factors for school shooters, including depression, alienation, narcissism, poor coping skills, low frustration tolerance, lack of trust, fascination with violence-filled entertainment, negative role models, low self-esteem, access to weapons, and the tendency to manipulate others. Such wide-ranging warning signs result in a profile that has reasonable sensitivity (mass shooters often do have multiple risk factors), but very poor specificity (the overwhelming majority of people who have those same risk factors do not become mass shooters). This sets up the problem of ‘false positives’ in which widespread screening would lead to the inappropriate identification of large proportions of the population. While some might find that reasonable, they might also feel very different if they or their child was among those identified at risk.
Mass shooters are almost exclusively white and male, but aside from that there is no one profile of the group. In defiance of stereotypes, most mass shooters are not psychotic, delusional, ‘crazy’, or ‘insane’. A 2002 US Secret Service report found that the majority of school shooters have had a history of ‘feeling extremely depressed or desperate’ (not the same as having a clinical diagnosis of major depression) and nearly 80 per cent had considered or attempted suicide in the past. Almost all had experienced a major loss such as a perceived failure, loss of a loved one or romantic relationship, or a major illness prior to the shooting, and about 70 per cent perceived themselves as wronged, bullied or persecuted by others.
Revenge was a motive in the majority of incidents. Christopher Ferguson, a psychologist at Stetson University in Florida whose work has contributed to the debunking of the link between violent video games and violence, recently summarised the most salient features of a typical mass shooter, noting that risk factors for mass murder are similar for both adults and children. These include antisocial traits, depressed mood, recent loss, and a perception that others are to blame for their problems. And herein lies the rub – while this kind of profile implies that mental illness could be an important risk factor, what we’re really talking about are negative emotions, poor coping mechanisms and life stressors that are experienced by the vast majority of us at one time or another. These risk factors are not necessarily the domain of mental illness, but rather the ‘psychiatry of everyday life’.
Therefore, it appears that the most important risk factors aren’t those that set mass murderers apart from the rest of us; instead, they are simply appropriated from culturally sanctioned patterns of aggression. The difference between one who fantasises about revenge and carries it out could be a matter of degree, rather than some bright divide separating a murderer from the rest of society.
Several authors have speculated on how the dynamics between individuals, risk factors and popular culture might set the stage for mass murder. Augusto De Venanzi, a professor of sociology at Purdue University in Indiana, has argued that modern society, with its emphasis on individualism and the pursuit of material happiness, fosters narcissism and that, within the microcosm of white suburban schools in particular, self-worth is defined by the likes of socioeconomic status, achievements in competitive academics and athletics, and fashion. James Knoll IV, a forensic psychiatrist at Upstate Medical University, part of the State University of New York, has written that in such a narcissistic culture or subculture, affronts to self-esteem can be equated with threats to our very survival and that the typical response to such narcissistic injuries is a desire for revenge.
Roy Baumeister, a social psychologist at Florida State University and the author of The Cultural Animal (2005), has concluded that low self-esteem is not a cause of violence and that boosting self-esteem ought to be a reward for, rather than a precondition of, achievement and good behaviour. As a matter of speculation, perhaps the promotion of unconditional self‑esteem of children in more affluent family structures instills a kind of entitlement that helps to explain why mass murder is primarily a crime carried out by white males. When the happiness and social status that one feels is deserved is not forthcoming, feelings of peer rejection, resentment and blame can become all-consuming.
Obsessed with revenge, those aspiring to mass murder draw from the archetypal US hero who relies on gun violence to right wrongs and overturn oppressive institutions. Those who transition from fantasy to action are those who rationalise no other option than murder-suicide by ‘going out in a blaze of glory’. No doubt this rationalisation represents a distinct kind of tunnel vision, distorting the traditional US hero into an anti-hero who regards society as the enemy. But in creating enemies in one’s mind, perception can be reality and moral justifications are subjective. As the saying goes: ‘One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom-fighter.’
In psychiatry, a ‘culture-bound syndrome’ is an idiosyncratic, locale-specific pattern of behaviour that represents a culturally sanctioned expression of distress if not a mental illness per se. In Malaysia, for example, the culture-bound syndrome amok involves episodes of mass violence committed by an individual following a period of brooding. Unfortunately, in addition to borrowing the word amok in our own lay speech, it would appear that the US, along with other Western societies, has developed our own brand of running amok in the form of mass shootings. Once the cultural mythology of such mass murder has been firmly planted into public consciousness, a select few distressed individuals will look to this model to guide their own behaviour, creating the problem of copycat killings.
we should reach out to those who have fallen away from mainstream society, bringing them back to the herd before they come to see only a single, deadly alternative
If mass shootings are difficult to predict, potentially self-perpetuating, and result not from easily eliminated sources but rather from untimely interactions between normal instincts, culturally sanctioned patterns of behaviour and entrenched features of modern society, is there a rational approach to prevention? Inasmuch as marginalisation seems to lie at the heart of the mass murderer’s grievances, further attempts to screen, identify, remove and effectively punish those with the potential to commit such violence are doomed to fail.
Instead, interventions that screen for risk with a goal of reintegrating at-risk individuals into their communities make more sense and bypass the problem of false-positives. This approach doesn’t mean that society is to blame for mass murder, nor does it suggest that we should embrace mass murderers through some kind of ‘Have you hugged a mass shooter today?’ campaign. But it does mean that we should reach out to those who have fallen away from mainstream society, bringing them back to the herd before they come to see only a single, deadly alternative.
Mass shootings are terrifying phenomena that deserve our best efforts at prevention, but it’s high time we resisted the usual knee-jerk defence of trying to find an easy target to blame and eliminate. If you still think that guns are to blame, take care not to remove responsibility from the individuals that wield them. If you think bad parents are the problem, make sure you read Susan Klebold’s heartfelt essay about her son who committed mass murder at Columbine. Support the expansion of mental health services, but know that what we’re really talking about is reaching out to those on the fringe of clearly defined mental illness where there’s no easy solution in a pill.
Let’s also consider re-assessing some of our cultural values and teach our children about different kinds of heroes, how to resolve conflicts, and cope with loss. And, as a recent report from the Making Caring Common Project suggests, let’s prioritise raising children who are kind. The real solution is not about blame, but opportunity. According to the 2002 Secret Service report, mass shootings are not sudden, impulsive acts. They occur with planning that is known to at least one other person in more than 80 per cent of cases. This means that there’s time to reach out – not to a murderer, loser or weirdo; but to someone’s son, student, classmate and neighbour.India’s oldest scientific organisation, the Survey of India (SOI), was set up in 1767, 10 years before the world’s oldest democracy the US was even born! Americans were still fighting a bloody civil war when India’s official map maker started gathering geographical wisdom of the sub-continent. Working silently, hidden away from public discourse for so long, the agency now wants to be heard, become transparent and even seeks to climb the Mount Everest to assert its new found independence. The Survey of India, now headquartered in Dehradun, has done great silent service in the last 250 years by being the official map maker for India and keeping records of the exact international borders of the country. On its 250th birthday, Swarna Subba Rao, the Surveyor General of India, proclaimed last week at the Geospatial World Forum here, “For 250 years, the Survey of India has been silent. Now we should speak openly to the people.”
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inside of the hubs of the two rear wheels. The maximum height from the ground of the main body of the chair shall be 50cm.
4) The maximum diameter of the large wheel including the inflated tire shall not exceed 70cm. The maximum diameter of the small wheel including the inflated tire shall not exceed 50cm.
5) Only one round hand rim is allowed for each large wheel. This rule may be waived for persons requiring a single arm drive chair, if so stated on their medical qualification cards.
6) No mechanical gears or levers shall be allowed that may be used to propel the chair.
7) Only hand operated, mechanical steering devices will be allowed.
8) Competitors must be able to turn the front wheel(s) manually both to the left and the right.
9) Mirrors are permitted but are not required.
10) No part of the chair may protrude behind the vertical plane of the back edge of the rear tires.
11) It is the responsibility of the competitor that the wheelchair conforms to all the above rules and no event shall be delayed while the competitor makes adjustments to the chair.
12) Competitors must ensure that no part of their lower limbs can fall to the ground during the event.
13) Competitors shall wear CPSC approved bicycle helmets at all times while seated in the chair.
14) Chairs may be measured in the transition area and may not leave that area before the start of any event. Chairs which have been examined may be liable to re-examination before or after the event by the official in charge of the event.
c) Propulsion by any method other than pushing on the wheels or push-rims shall result in disqualification. An overtaking paratriathlete bears responsibility of ensuring full clearance of the chair before moving laterally across the path of the overtaken participant. A paratriathlete being overtaken shall not obstruct or impede the passing athlete once the front wheels of the passing chair are within sight.
d) PTWC athletes shall be judged as finished when any part of the torso reaches the perpendicular plane extending from the leading edge of the finish line.
e) Paratriathletes who use catheters or other urinary diversion devices must use a catheter bag at all times.
P 2.0 PTIV Paratriathlete and Guide Conduct.
The following additional rules apply to PTIV Paratriathletes and their guides:
a.) PTIV competitors must furnish and use one guide of the same gender in competition.
b.) Guides must be a minimum of 16 years of age on the day of the event.
c.) An athlete cannot act as a guide until a period of twelve (12) months has passed since his/her last elite ITU event.
d.) The PTIV competitor may choose to use an elbow lead or tether lead.
e.) All PTIV competitors must be tethered during the swim. The tether may be used around the waist, leg or foot.
f.) During the run portion, PTIV competitors may receive verbal instruction only from their guide.
g.) Bicycles, paddle boards or any other mechanical means of transport may not be used by guides on the swim or run.
h.) PTIV competitors must use a tandem bicycle. The specifications of the tandem bicycle are:
1) The tandem bicycle is a vehicle for two riders, with two wheels of equal diameter, which conforms to the general principles of UCI construction for bicycles. The front wheel shall be steerable by the front rider, known as the ‘pilot’. The guide shall be the front rider and the PTIV competitor will ride in the rear. Both riders shall face forward in the traditional cycling position and the rear wheel shall be driven by both cyclists through a system comprising pedals and chains.
2) The tandem top tube, and any additional strengthening tubes, may slope to suit the morphological sizes of the riders.
3) The tandem bicycle shall measure no more than 2.70 meters in length and 0.5 meters in width.
i.) At no time shall the guide lead or pace the athlete or propel the athlete forward by pulling or pushing. Time penalty.
j.) Whether or not a tether is being used, the athlete and guide shall not be more than 0.5meters apart at all times. Time penalty.
k.) Athletes who meet the B1 sub-class criteria will need to wear black out glasses through the run
l.) As the PTIV athlete crosses the finish line, the guide must maintain no more than the required 0.5 meter maximum separation distance and may not precede the athlete. Time penalty.
m.) Guides shall be subject to all USA Triathlon Competitive Rules, including membership requirements.
Infringement of any these rules shall result in a disqualification (DQ) unless otherwise indicated.
PC Open Division Guidelines
Not all athletes with ADA defined disabilities fit into a Paratriathlon medical classification or can follow the strict equipment usage rules of Paratriathlon. Accordingly, USA Triathlon offers a PC Open Division as an accommodation for those persons who wish to participate in a sanctioned event but who will not follow some Paratriathlon rules.
Participation in the PC Open Division is available to athletes with a medically verified physical, visual, or neurological impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
As defined in the Paratriathlon rules, athletes with miscellaneous conditions such as, but not limited to, intolerance to temperature extremes, organ transplants, joint replacements (endoprosthetics), kidney dialysis, hearing impairments, and or cognitive impairment are not eligible for the PC Open Division.
Formal Paratriathlon classification into approved categories is not required
Adaptive equipment used in the PC Open Division must conform to the equipment specifications listed in the Paratriathlon Rule Modifications or in Article 5.11 of the Competitive Rules with the following exceptions:
Participants with any disability that may affect balance may choose to use stabilizer wheels on the bicycle. The BIKE USA, Inc. Stabilizer Wheel Kit is an adult training wheel kit and it has been approved for use. For information and pictures of the product, see http://www.stabilizerwheels.com/
Recumbent style tricycles are allowed.
Recumbent style tricycles are allowed. Hand-cycles that do not meet the Paratriathlon measurement restrictions for length, wheel size, seat angle, and have no safety bars are allowed.
PC Open athletes may use any of the allowed adaptive equipment in combinations that are not permitted in Paratriathlon.
Any request to use adaptive equipment not defined in the Paratriathlon Rules or in the exceptions above must be submitted to USA Triathlon at least 14 days in advance of the event.
Conduct of athletes in competition, other than equipment restrictions, shall be governed by the Paratriathlon Rules and the USAT Competitive Rules.
Conduct and standards for handlers and guides shall remain as defined in the Paratriathlon rules with the exception that guides are not required to be the same gender as the visually impaired athlete.
Questions from athletes and event organizers should be directed to USA Triathlon.
USA Triathlon Supplemental Youth Rules
The rules set forth in this document are constructed to supplement the USA Triathlon Competitive Rules and shall apply to all competition sanctioned as “Youth Events.” For any issue not specifically addressed in these Youth Rules, the relevant USAT Competitive Rules shall apply.
Penalties. The type of penalty for violating a specific rule is listed at the end of the rule as either “T” for Time or “DQ” for Disqualification. Time penalties shall be administered per the table and are added to the participant’s final time.
1st Offense 2nd Offense 3rd Offense 1:00 minutes 2:00 minutes Disqualification
Membership and Eligibility
All Youth participants shall compete based upon their age on December 31 of the year of the event. The minimum age for Youth competition is six years and the maximum is 15 years of age on December 31 of the year of the event. Youth participants must be Youth members of USA Triathlon. Youth Membership in USA Triathlon is available to all persons, age 17 and under, in good standing with USA Triathlon who, along with their parents or guardians, submits a completed application, pay the required membership fee, and comply with all the requirements determined by USA Triathlon to be applicable to Youth Membership. Race officials reserve the right to require proof of age from each participant in the form of a birth certificate or other official proof of age document. Failure to produce a proof of age document may result in disqualification from the event.
Swimming Rules
Proper swimwear must be worn. DQ No flotation devices of any kind may be used during the swim. DQ No artificial propulsive devices such as fins, paddles, or gloves may be used. DQ Swimmers must be able to complete the entire course using any stroke. Swimmers may not make forward progress by pulling on lane ropes, swim gutters or any other inanimate object. T Goggles or face masks may be worn but are not required. If provided by the event, swimmers must wear the assigned swim cap throughout the swim. T Participants must follow instructions given by lifeguards and officials including prohibitions against running on the pool deck or diving in restricted areas. T or DQ at official’s discretion
Transition Rules
The transition area is open to participants only. The event organizers, at their discretion, may allow one parent to accompany the participant but when transition closes for competition to begin, only participants and race officials may enter transition. Finishers may not retrieve gear until all participants have finished the cycling portion and have begun the run. T or DQ at official’s discretion Competition apparel (shoes, socks, shirts) must be placed next to the bicycle at the rack and may not be taken to the pool or swim start area. T Bicycles must be placed in the rack according to the directions given by race officials. Bicycles may be racked in the assigned area, by the handlebars, the seat or by using the kickstand. Bikes placed on kickstands must be in the designated area, in line with other bikes, and may not extend out into the lane of travel. T Participants may not interfere with other participants’ gear. T or DQ at official’s discretion After completing the cycling portion, participants must return bicycles to an upright position in the same assigned location before beginning the run portion. T No riding bicycles in transition. Participants must walk or run with their bicycles and may not mount until out of transition and in the designated mount zone. T
Bicycle Equipment Rules
The bicycle must be road worthy and in safe operating condition. DQ The bicycle shall have two wheels. No training wheels are allowed. DQ There must be at least one working brake on each of the two wheels unless the bicycle was manufactured with only one brake, in which case, the working brake shall be on the rear wheel. DQ The bicycle may be on-road, off-road or youth style. No recumbent style bicycles are allowed. DQ Only standard drop, straight, or curved handlebars are allowed. No aero or time trial bars may be attached to the bike or used during competition. All handlebars ends shall be solidly plugged. DQ No disc wheels or wheel covers are allowed. DQ Race officials reserve the right to disallow any bicycle deemed unsafe. Any unusual bicycle must be approved by race officials prior to competition.
Cycling Conduct
Cyclists must wear a helmet approved by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission for road cyclists age 5 and older. No time trial, “chrono,” or “aero” helmets with a tail may be used. DQ The helmet must be securely fastened prior to mounting the bicycle and at all times while riding the bicycle. The helmet may not be unfastened and removed until the participant has completely dismounted. DQ Cyclists shall wear shoes at all times while on the bike. DQ Cyclists shall ride in a safe manner, which includes: Riding on the right side of the lane; T Riding no closer than two bike lengths distance behind a leading cyclist; T Passing on the left of the slower cyclist; T Riding in a straight line without swerving, veering, or blocking the forward progress of other cyclists. DQ Race officials may remove and disqualify any cyclist who appears to ride or behave in an unsafe manner.
Running Conduct
Participants shall run or walk the entire course. DQ Participants shall wear shoes at all times while on the run course. T
General Race Rules
Unsportsmanlike conduct on the part of participants or their parents and supporters will not be allowed. Participants must treat others with courtesy and respect. No rude, abusive, or discourteous language or behavior will be tolerated. T or DQ at official’s discretion Participants must complete the prescribed course in its entirety. DQ No personal audio devices or headsets may be used or carried during any portion of the event. T No unauthorized assistance of any kind is allowed. Parents or other non-participants may not run or ride a bicycle with a participant nor may they provide participants any food, fluid, or equipment aid during competition. T Race numbers must be displayed at all times. Swimmers must be clearly body-marked, cyclists must display their bike numbers, and runners must wear their bib numbers. T
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Disclaimer
USA Triathlon makes no express or implied warranty, guarantee, or representation regarding the degree of safety, which may or may not result from compliance with the Competitive Rules or sanctioning criteria. Examinations of race courses and inspections of equipment are undertaken solely to monitor compliance with the Federation's rules and guidelines and do not guarantee or ensure safety from personal injury or property damage. Safe participation in any event and the safety of race equipment is the sole responsibility of each and every participant.
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USA TriathlonTwo sheriff's deputies in Washington state arrived at the house of 23-year-old Renee Davis after the single mother texted someone to say she was in a "bad way" and that person called 911 to tell law enforcement, according to Davis' foster sister.
The deputies said they saw her with a handgun and, according to a release from the King County Sheriff's Department distributed to local media, both deputies fired at Davis, killing her. The release does not appear to suggest that Davis had pointed the handgun at the officers.
The shooting occurred on Muckleshoot tribal lands on Friday evening. The deputies, who have not been identified, were placed on paid leave—one has reportedly worked for the department for eight years and is assigned to the tribal lands while the other worked for the department for three years.
There were two children, aged two and three, at the house. Davis also had a five year old staying at a friend's house and was five months pregnant. The department says it's investigating the shooting but has not indicated that any outside agency was or would be involved in that investigation.
"It's really upsetting because it was a wellness check," Davis' foster sister told the Seattle Times. "Obviously, she didn't come out of it well." She says she does not know whether Davis owned a handgun but says Davis had a rifle and was an avid hunter.
Davis was Native American. Native Americans are killed at the highest rate of any racial group in the United States. With 13 killed through August, the number in 2016 is set to be twice as high as it was in 2015.It all appeared to come from an eerie green shelf cloud over Wylie
Wylie closed all schools on Tuesday given the damage
Baseball-sized hail stones battered Texas on Monday, smashing windows, cars, and buildings.
Footage shared by people in Dallas, Fort Worth, Wylie and Denton showed astonishing clumps of ice bigger than an adult hand that fell during one of the worst storms the region has seen in months.
It all appeared to come from an ominous-looking green shelf cloud, which shone a luminous glow over northern Texas.
The damage drove officials in Wylie, which is 10 miles east of Plano, to close all schools on Tuesday.
Horrific: These are four of the hail stones, the size of a baseball, which battered northern Texas on Monday
Damage: This house is one of many houses left completely shattered by the intense ice clumps
Nightmare: Adrian Correa pictured with his semi-collapsed car. His eight-month-old girl was in the car when hail sent glass flying into the back seat, leaving her with scratches, as they drove near Wylie, he told WFAA
Footage shared by people in Dallas, Fort Worth, Wylie and Denton showed astonishing clumps of ice bigger than an adult hand that fell during one of the worst storms the region has seen in months
It all appeared to come from an ominous-looking green shelf cloud, which shone a luminous glow over Texas
One picture shared online showed how every window in a large three-story family home had been smashed by the hail stones.
A video taken by a resident in Wylie showed hail stones pummeling his swimming pool, sending water flying.
One young couple and their eight-month-old checked themselves into hospital after their car was battered and the windows shattered as they drove from one city to another.
Sara Correa told WFAA.com that the weather seemed fine as she, her husband, and baby Addison set off in their car.
But it wasn't long before the enormous hail stones began pounding down on the windscreen, which caved in entirely.
The stones sent shattered glass flying into the backseat where little Addison was strapped into her chair.
'The back window was just completely shattered through,' Mrs Correa told WFAA. 'It was the scariest thing I've ever been through.
Mr Correa added: 'She [Addison] is getting pelted with hail and glass, and there's nothing you can do about it.'
On Tuesday, schools in Wylie were closed as residents rallied together to repair the buildings
The clean-up: Grayson Singleton, 14, is watched by his brother Benjamin Singleton, 13, as he vacuums broken glass from the hail-shattered window of his father's car in Wylie, Texas, on Monday
Twisted metal lies in the parking lot of a Walgreens in Wylie
Addison survived with a couple of minor scrapes, but they took her to hospital as a precaution.
Another driver, Tanner Kasper, told the network he stopped his car and hid under his jacket to protect himself from the glass as they stormed dragged on for minutes.
The storm traveled east from north Texas, even hitting counties bordering Oklahoma and Arkansas.
Atoka, Oklahoma, saw baseball-sized hailstones on Monday.
A suspected lightning bolt struck a church in El Dorado, Arkansas. A woman died in Mountainburg, Arkansas, after losing control of her car in the storm.
Lightning also struck Birmingham, Alabama.
The thunderstorms show no sign of letting up on Tueday, with large hail, flooding, severe winds and a possible tornado forecast to hit the southern Texas cities of San Antonio, Corpus Christi and Houston.
Fierce storms are also expected to sweep east through southern parts of Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.Lebanese Druze clerics are pictured after a meeting in Beirut to discuss the situation of their co-religionists in neighboring Syria, Friday, June 12, 2015.
Israel has asked the United States to increase its aid to the Druze in Syria, where they are under attack from Sunni rebels in the Jabal al-Druze region of southern Syria. The request was made during a visit to Israel by the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey.
A file photo of a tank decorated with the Nusra Front flag near al-Zahra village in Syria. Reuters
As reported in Haaretz on Friday, Druze leaders in Israel recently appealed to the political and military leadership here to help their brethren in Syria, in light of recent rebel attacks on the town of Khadr on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights and a massacre that took place in a village in Idlib Province, northern Syria, last Wednesday.
Israel is prepared to offer humanitarian aid to the residents of Khadr, near the Israeli border. However, after consultations between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon and other senior security officials, intervention to assist the Druze in the Jabal al-Druze region, deep in Syrian territory, was ruled out as it would be perceived as direct intervention in the Syrian civil war and could entangle Israel in the fighting there.
According to reports that ran on Saturday evening, a delegation of Israeli Druze officers is scheduled to meet Sunday with Prime Minister Netanyahu to discuss events in Syria. Deputy Minister of Regional Cooperation Ayoub Kara, an Israeli Druze MK from Likud, did not confirm the meeting but told Ha'aretz that he himself has met with Netanyahu regarding the Druze in Syria. "It is important to emphasize that we are working in this context as a [ethnic] community, not as the government of Israel,” said Ayoub, adding that “all assistance that will be given [to Syria’s Druze] will be by fellow Druze, and I know that the Druze of Syria know how to defend themselves.”
Kara also criticized statements made on Friday by the leader of Lebanon’s Druze community, Walid Jumblatt, and called on him to send soldiers to Syria, saying: "Jumblatt has the option of sending troops, since the border is open. We [in Israel] cannot do that, and it’s preferable that he acts instead of just talking.”
Jumblatt said on Friday that Syria’s Druze population didn’t intend to ask Israel for assistance. “We don’t need [Bashar] Assad or Israel,” said Jumblatt, during a press conference in Beirut. “Both sides are speaking in sectarian terms, which only perpetuates sectarianism and divides the country.”
Jumblatt, one of Assad’s biggest critics, added that the future of Syria’s Druze lies in an internal political agreement that would guarantee the safety of government institutions in a transitional government. He added that the Druze in Syria are part of the Syrian people, and should not be dealt with separately.
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Dempsey was making a farewell visit to Israel before ending his term on October 1. He met with President Reuven Rivlin, Netanyahu, Ya’alon, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot and army brass. At the meetings, Israeli officials raised concerns over the situation of the Druze in Syria and the possibility of offering military and humanitarian aid through the border with Jordan.
Dempsey apparently did not commit to U.S. action, although it is believed the issue may be considered positively in Washington. According to reports in the Arab media, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states have in recent months increased coordination and assistance to the anti-President Bashar Assad groups fighting in Syria.
Under attack
Nearly 450,000 out of the estimated 700,000 Druze in Syria live in the Jabal al-Druze region. The Druze there are concerned over assaults by the Sunni rebels from two directions: from the Southern Front – an alliance of rebel groups that includes the extremist Nusra Front – in the west; and, mainly, from Islamic State (also known as ISIS or ISIL) from the east.
Last week, after the takeover of its large military base west of Jabal al-Druze, the Syrian army’s 52nd Brigade collapsed and most of its forces fled the region and withdrew toward the capital, Damascus. Over the past few days, battles have been fought around the Sweida military airfield in the Jabal al-Druze area. The Druze are now trying to organize themselves in self-defense militias, utilizing weapons in the hands of local residents. However, these militias lack a command level and organization, as well as heavier weaponry. It seems that some of the defense efforts will rely on soldiers and officers who deserted the Syrian army.
The more extreme factions among the Sunni rebels are hostile to the Druze both because of their religion and the long-standing good relations between the Druze and Assad’s regime. The Druze hope they will be able to persuade the Southern Front not to move beyond Jabal al-Druze.
However, most of the concern among the Druze in Jabal al-Druze involves Islamic State to the east, in light of previous massacres carried out against the Yazidis in Iraq and the Kurds in Syria and Iraq.
Following last week’s massacre of some 20 Druze in a village in Idlib Province, the Nusra Front released a statement of regret over the weekend.
The group said it had received, with “great sorrow,” news of the incident in which “a number of Nusra Front members” had taken part without consulting their leaders.
All those involved would face trial in an Islamic court, it added. “Everyone involved in this incident will be presented to a sharia court and held to account for blood proven to have been spilt.”
The statement was circulated on a Nusra Front-affiliated Twitter feed. It did not give a casualty toll or describe what had happened in the incident.
Jumblatt also spoke about the Idlib incident. He claimed that the incident was connected to a local conflict and was not a focused attack on the Druze by the Syrian opposition.
Like other Lebanese leaders in the March 14 Alliance, Jumblatt expressed support for the opposition against Assad as the conflict began. As groups like Nusra Front and ISIS got stronger, however, these Lebanese leaders found themselves under attack. Now they are calling for a diplomatic solution.
With additional reporting by ReutersRiyad Hammadi
“Every attempt to make two contradictory things agree is wasted effort; it amounts to no more than tapping on the shoulder and can only delay perhaps the moment of collision.” “Is it reasonable to believe that [the hadith collectors] al-Bukhārī and Muslim and all the other collectors of hadith did not realise the reality that many of the hadith that they had collected conflicted with other hadith and other Qur’anic texts?”
A perplexing issue indeed. All the criteria for accepting the validity of a hadith focus upon the chain of transmission – that is, the narrators of the hadith – rather than their content. Their watchword in this respect is “the soundness of the justice of a man and his truthful character is an indication of the soundness of the hadith that he narrates!”
Focus has been upon the chain of their transmission – rather than their content
A historical comedy or farce in every sense of the word. Imagine one of them offering you some merchandise – salt, for example – and he sells it to you as sugar, or peddles you iron as gold. And instead of verifying the merchandise you ask about the trade or the seller, and if you are told that he is a honest broker, you buy his wares! The sad thing is when you find out the true nature of the goods, nevertheless you purchase them and the greatest disaster is that you are unaware of the truth about them!
There is a huge difference between goods that fool a single person where the damage is limited to him, and hadith goods – a primary constituent of an entire culture – which have taken in millions of people over centuries of time who remain besotted by this trick, whilst at the same time we continue to extol in gratitude morning and evening the very trader who sold us the goods and who is now a pile of crumbling bones.
Is it reasonable to believe that al-Bukhārī and his colleagues were so unfamiliar with the Qur’anic texts that they remained oblivious to the extent to which the texts which they had collected – the hadith – were conflicting with other hadith and Qur’anic texts?
Verifying the merchandise, not the seller: 'The Silk Merchants' by Edwin Lord Weeks (circa 1883)
Because this is certainly not reasonable, we are clearly left all the more perplexed at this greatest religious scam in Islamic history. Our confusion is all the greater when we realise that al-Bukhārī (Abū ʽAbd Allāh Muhammad ibn Ismāʽīl, 809-867 AD) collected together 70,000 hadith – others say that he collected 200,000 hadith – but he considered no more than 2,726 hadith not to be repetitions of others, and 7,397 to have complete chains of transmission, including repeated hadith.[1] That is, he undertook a screening process for the hadith and rejected the major part of them. So on what basis did he undertake this screening process? On the basis purely of the soundness of the chain of transmission. That is, he never accorded any importance to the matter of content!
Despite this intensive screening process some faqihs and scholars had issues with the drawbacks of al-Bukhārī’s Sahīh. Hadith memorisers criticised 110 hadith, 32 of which were in agreement with the collection by Muslim and 78 of which are self-standing. As they said, some of those he narrated were not reliable, while some of them “were acceptable in terms of their message but not in terms of their expression” (that is, that they were semi-silly).[2]
A contradiction indeed! ‘But who says that there is a conflict or a contradiction between the hadith and the Qur’ān?’ Such is the response of those who defend the hadith; they affirm that the contradiction is illusory and in order to buttress their claims they engage in another process of interpretive scamming through wringing the necks of the texts and inappropriately employing all manner of fraud, deception, trickery, cunning and slyness. You find them at various times resorting to philosophy, logic, science, declamation, poetry, rhetoric, legerdemain and charlatanry, and anything made available to them, to gain the approval of the believing public.
Operations undertaken by these people to harmonise the Qur’anic text with the hadith are yet another form of scamming process the Islamic nation has fallen victim to – willingly, happily and entirely taken in. None of the calls for the necessity of purging the hadith and comparing them with the Qur’ān and rejecting any that conflict with it, is of any use.
Examples of conflict between the hadith and the Qur’ān
1) Cases of clear conflict in ruling
The question of whether a hadith may abrogate the Qur’anic text is a one shrouded in mystery. There are some who claim that the hadith cannot abrogate the Qur’ān, while others hold that mutawātir[3] hadith may indeed abrogate the Qur’ān. Whatever the view, all are agreed that a mutawātir hadith or a non-mutawātir hadith (that is, an āhād hadith[4]), can abrogate the rulings of the Qur’ān whenever many of such hadith can be amassed together. Muhammad Salīm al-ʽAwā notes the following:
One should not cite as evidence for the propriety of abrogating the Almighty’s words: Let there be no compulsion in religion the existence of sound Prophetic hadith that refer to the killing of an apostate, given that it is established in usūl al-fiqh[5] that only a Qur’ānic text can abrogate another Qur’ānic text.[6]
That is, al-‘Awā does not agree with the killing of an apostate, but he defends such hadith – which he terms ‘sound’ – when these call for the killing of an apostate!
Muhammad Salīm al-ʽAwā: disagreeing with the deed but defending the text
How can we make sense of this? How can a hadith be ‘sound’ and yet be contradictory to the Qur’ān at one and the same time? Yet, again, if this hadith is sound it consequently can indeed abrogate a Qur’anic ruling, as al-ʽAwā states above! All this ducking and diving is carried out simply in order to preserve this lame contradiction. It is a lame contradiction because they do not recognise its existence, that is, they are blind both in vision and insight. Keep in mind that al-‘Awā is considered to be a member of the moderate al-Wasat trend of Islamic thought, and that in his above opinion he is opposing the standpoint taken by his Shaykh al-Qaradawi, who in fact maintains the necessity of applying the ruling on apostasy to secular thinkers.
Example: the punishment for adultery
The ruling of the Qur’ān: flogging, with no distinction made between the married or unmarried woman, or the married man or bachelor:
The adulterer and the adulteress, scourge ye each one of them (with) a hundred stripes. And let not pity for the twain withhold you from obedience to Allah, if ye believe in Allah and the Last Day. And let a party of believers witness their punishment. [Qur’ān XXIV,2]
The ruling of the hadith: Flogging for the non-married woman and stoning to death for the married woman:
‘Ubāda ibn al-Sāmit relates that the Prophet said: Take this from me, God hath appointed a way for women – in the case of the virgin with a virgin: the penalty is 100 lashes and banishment for a year; in the case the non-virgin with the non-virgin: flogging and stoning [Muslim and Abū Dā’ūd].
Not contented with just this ruling of the hadith, some sought to support it with a Qur’ānic verse. Since there was no such verse to be found, they were left with having to invent one:
If an adult male and female commit adultery then surely ye must stone them outright as an exemplary punishment from God!
Their argument was that the recitation of the Qur’anic verse had indeed been abrogated but the force of its ruling had not!
Example: The punishment for apostasy
The ruling of the Qur’ān: There is no worldly penalty or punishment for the apostate according to the content of the verses of the Qur’ān:
And they will not cease from fighting against you till they have made you renegades from your religion, if they can. And whoso becometh a renegade and dieth in his disbelief: such are they whose works have fallen both in the world and the Hereafter. Such are rightful owners of the Fire: they will abide therein. [Qur’ān II,217]
O ye who believe! Whoso of you becometh a renegade from his religion, (know that in his stead) Allah will bring a people whom He loveth and who love Him, humble toward believers, stern toward disbelievers, striving in the way of Allah, and fearing not the blame of any blamer. Such is the grace of Allah which He giveth unto whom He will. Allah is All-Embracing, All-Knowing. [Qur’ān V,54]
Lo! those who believe, then disbelieve and then (again) believe, then disbelieve, and then increase in disbelief, Allah will never pardon them, nor will He guide them unto a way. [Qur’ān IV,137]
They employ all manner of fraud, deception, trickery, cunning and slyness
The ruling of the hadith: ‘The one who changes his religion – kill him.’ This is the prevalent ruling, while in the hadith and the sīra (biography) of the Prophet there are passages that go against this ruling. The community apostatised after the death of the Prophet, but the Prophet when alive had referred to a group who would counteract the apostasy saying: “They are the people for this, and pointed to Abū Mūsā al-Ashʽarī” (from a hadith narrated by al-Hākim in his Sahīh). Even though the verdict of death is not in accordance with what had been established concerning the freedom of religious belief and the absence of any compulsion to remain in a religion in which one no longer believes. Nevertheless they machinate, as is their wont, against the Qur’ānic ruling by saying:
The putting to death of the apostate is not a punishment against thought itself or against the quitting of the Islamic faith. Rather, it is a punishment against high treason and religious intrigue perpetrated by the apostate when he falsely and slanderously declared his adoption of Islam, only to announce his renunciation of it with the intention of abusing it and challenging it.[7]
Read Part 2 of this article
[1] M.S al-‘Ashmāwī, The Truth concerning the Hijāb and the use of the Hadith as a Pretext. The above examples are merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the errors in the hadith. For more details see the works such as Yahyā Muhammad, The Problem of the Hadith and Ibrāhīm Fawzī, The Recording of the Sunna.
[2] M.S. al-Ashmawi, ibid.
[3] A hadith of which the narrators constitute a group or large number, on the understanding that it is considered impossible for them all to agree to transmit a lie. (Ed.)
[4] A hadith where there is only a single narrator for it, or a single, geographically isolated group of narrators for it, thus disqualifying it from being considered mutawātir (Ed.)
[5] The ‘science of legislative principles’, See Glossary: usūl al-fiqh
[6] Dr. Muhammad Salīm al-ʽAwā, his article ‘The Ruling on Apostasy is a punishment, not a penalty’, Islamonline.
[7] The Ruling on the Apostate: The Islamic Encyclopaedia.This morning we get our first look at yet another new “hard” beverage coming from Small Town Brewery in La Crosse, WI. This is |
patients in the wrong direction for their care.”
Dr Helen Stokes-Lampard, a GP in Lichfield and spokesperson for the RCGP, said: “Doctors have a duty to provide healthcare to patients regardless of their ability to pay. Patients seek healthcare when they are at their most vulnerable and if they attend A&E, it is usually because they don’t know where else to turn. Emergency departments are really struggling but the way to solve the crisis is to adequately fund general practice, so that family doctors can provide more care for patients…”
Attendances at A&E wards have increased from 18 million in 2004-05 to 22 million in 2012-13. There were a record 105,800 emergency hospital admissions in the first week of December 2013. A&E wards missed a government target to see 95 per cent of patients in less than four hours for two weeks running at the beginning of December, with data for the Christmas period due next week. Last winter, 6 per cent of patients waited longer than four hours in A&E departments – a nine-year high.
The College of Emergency Medicine has said the problems is rooted in a staffing crisis, warning that the country has a shortage of 375 emergency doctors.In a move that’s disappointing for viewers of The Masters, PGA Championship and the approximately 20 golf tournaments aired on its network, CBS will part ways with its funny, sarcastic and outspoken golf analyst David Feherty. The former pro from Northern Ireland had been with the network for nearly 20 years. The news was reported by John Ourand of the Sports Business Journal, which said CBS and Feherty couldn’t reach an agreement on his “role in the network’s golf coverage.” SBJ said last week’s tournament — the Barclays — was Feherty’s last.
Feherty should have been a divisive television figure, with his demeanor that was decidedly different from the usually staid golf commentary generations grew up with. He was caustic, he wasn’t afraid to make fun of players and he was far too lighthearted for such an “important” sport.
(Getty Images)
Yet Feherty’s devil-may-care attitude and his distinct personality made him one of the most lovable analysts on TV. He had carte blanche to say whatever he’d like, almost like a golf Charles Barkley (a compliment which pleased him when I suggested it to him earlier this year). Feherty is a beloved golf voice and a quick search of Twitter shows how angry people are about the report. Feherty was every bit as important to CBS’s golf coverage as Jim Nantz or Nick Faldo.
That’s why it’s hard to imagine Feherty sitting on the sidelines for too long. Fox is in desperate need of a voice after its U.S. Open debacle, but will he want to go to a network that broadcasts one big event per year? Feherty already has a relationship with NBC, with his self-titled show on the NBC Sports-owned Golf Channel. That network airs a handful of events per year, plus the Ryder Cup (which Feherty would be great on) and the Olympics, where golf will make its debut in 2016. Plus, NBC will regain the major Fox bought away when it starts airing the British Open in 2017.Based on joint research between TI-UK and Bellingcat, “Offshore in the UK” provides new insights into how money launderers are abusing Scottish Limited Partnerships (SLPs) – the UK’s own home-grown secrecy vehicle – to move billions of pounds of corrupt wealth around the world.
The report identifies how SLPs have become unusually popular in the last ten years, with a substantial proportion of them bearing the hallmarks of money laundering vehicles.
According to this new research:
71 per cent of all SLPs registered in 2016 were controlled by anonymous companies based in secrecy jurisdictions, like Belize, Seychelles and Dominica – an opaque corporate structure which is a known indicator for money laundering risk.
113 SLPs with similar secretive structures were used to launder between $20 billion and $80 billion between 2010 and 2014 as part of what has been called the ‘Global Laundromat’.
SLPs formed key parts of a $1billion raid on Moldovan banks, involving corrupt judges and officials, which cost the country around an eighth of its annual GDP.
Two SLPs are alleged to have helped facilitate illegal bribes to an Italian politician at the Council of Europe. These could be part of a much wider network of over 1,500 other UK legal entities with suspicious corporate structures.
The full report can be read here.Nine new polls as the elections loom a week away:
I know I mentioned this last week, but the New Jersey graph looks almost identical to the 2008 Minnesota Senate Election and the addition of a Daggett (I) trendline to the New Jersey Graph below solidifies my point:
Christie's (R) decline seems to be linearly associated with Daggett's surge while Corzine's (D) support has remained consistent. The most recent sample points do however illustrate a departure from this correlation; Dagget's and Christie's numbers have declined in the last week while Corzine's have increased. Christie's earlier support seems to have migrated to Daggett, and now that Corzine is back in the race, some Daggett voters are shifting to their second choice, Corzine.
In the next week I expect a minor Christie resurgence, and a solidification of Daggett's support around the 15% threshold. I expect both major party candidates to head into next Tuesday's election hovering around the 40% mark.
Virginia is another story, Deeds (D) has all but lost:
Deeds was dominated in the money race, and had perception issues during the debates; the last of which occurred on Tuesday, October 20th:
Deeds and McDonnell were generally polite, although they interrupted each other several times in a series of feisty exchanges made possible by an open-ended format. When the moderator asked Deeds which taxes he would support increasing, McDonnell tried to jump in: "I can answer that!" "No, you can't!" Deeds responded, glaring at McDonnell before saying that he would consider raising any tax tied to transportation funding. Still, the lively 60-minute debate appeared to do little to change the dynamics of a race in which Deeds trails McDonnell in public opinion polls, fundraising and advertising. The questions covered mostly familiar ground, and there seemed to be no game-changing moments. Source: Washington Post
The last pre-election fundraising reports were due on Wednesday; the highlights are below:
Deeds (D) McDonnell (R) Receipts $ 16,264,941.15 $ 21,466,447.67 Expenditures $ 15,327,168.54 $ 19,633,513.91 Cash on Hand $ 937,772.61 $ 1,832,933.76 Filing Period: 10/01/2009 - 10/21/2009
Source: Virginia State Board of Elections
Deeds was basically defeated in every aspect of the campaign, and his polling numbers reflect these various deficiencies. Our mathematical projection gives Deeds less than a 1% chance of victory, and from a purely logical standpoint, this seems realistic. Deeds has lost, unless something absurd happens.
New Jersey also conducted their final debate last week on Thursday, October 22nd:
The third and final debate in the tightening New Jersey governor's race turned into something of a free-for-all on Thursday night as Gov. Jon S. Corzine tried to portray the state's battered economy as poised for a slingshotlike recovery, while his Republican rival, Christopher J. Christie, depicted him as lamentably out of touch. But the two were constantly harassed by a pesky Christopher J. Daggett, the independent candidate, who pointed to a new poll that showed him within striking distance, and who taunted Mr. Corzine and Mr. Christie over property taxes, corruption and the environment. The hourlong debate, broadcast on the jazz station WBGO in Newark, broke little new ground, but allowed the three men to deliver their closing arguments. Source: New York Times
The latest fundraising filings from New Jersey have not yet been posted, although the 11 day deadline has passed. Hopefully the data will be available next week. In the meantime you can read through last period's reports at the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission. Corzine bankrolled his own campaign, while Christie and Daggett relied upon matching public funds. As a result Corzine had the capability to out raise his opponents, which he has done up to this point and I see no reason why this trend when end with the release of the new data.
More in a week for our probably last polling update. I'll also, hopefully, have a few other surprises.Left: Olympia Press’s two-volume edition of Lolita as part of its nondescript “The Traveller’s Companion Series,” 1955.
Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta. She was Lo, plain Lo, in the morning, standing four feet ten in one sock. She was Lola in slacks. She was Dolly at school. She was Dolores on the dotted line. But in my arms she was always Lolita.
— Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita
It is through the Young-Girl that capitalism has managed to extend its hegemony to the totality of social life. She is the most rugged pawn of market domination in a war whose objective remains the total control of daily life and “production” time.
— Tiqqun, Introduction to Preliminary Materials for a Theory of the Young Girl
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AFTER NEARLY 60 YEARS, the character of Lolita, nee Dolores Haze, continues to hold court as the most notorious tween in American letters. Nabokov’s third English-language novel, provisionally titled The Kingdom by the Sea, Lolita was first published in 1955 by Maurice Girodias’s Olympia Press after numerous New York publishers rejected it for its explicit portrayal of narrator Humbert Humbert’s pedophilia. Although the Paris-based Olympia had the distinct honor of publishing semi-legal texts by Jean Genet, Henry Miller and William Burroughs, Girodias’s “blue” press (whose covers were in a nondescript green) was organized as and perceived by most as a porn publisher — lending Lolita its less than literary tenor. The book was subsequently banned in France, England, Australia and parts of the US. It was only published in the United States three years later when writers and critics like Graham Greene and Lionel Trilling publically offered their endorsements. (Trilling, perhaps incautiously, extolled it as a book “not about sex but about love […] It put the lovers, as lovers in literature must be put, beyond the pale of society”). In part because of its blacklisted status, by 1958 popular scuttlebutt had elevated the G.P Putnam’s Sons English edition to a bestseller and invented a new cultural archetype in post-War American literature: the nymphet.
As Barbara Churchill writes,
[T]he Lolita image has so pervaded popular consciousness that even those who have never read the book usually know what it means to call a girl “Lolita.” The moniker “Lolita,” translated into the language of popular culture, means a sexy little number, a sassy ingénue, a bewitching adolescent siren.
Ironically, it is because of her very prominent role as an erotic cipher that Lolita’s physical appearance — as Nabokov describes — has often been exaggerated or reinterpreted like an inexhaustible Rorschach.. Ephebophiles and media marketers have been typically as elated by the signifiers of “[a] disgustingly conventional little girl…Sweet hot jazz, square dancing, gooey fudge sundaes, musicals, movie magazines and so forth,” as Nabokov was repulsed by them. Indeed, through the highly subjective — and sociopathic, as some would claim — portraiture of Humbert’s erudite pervert, only a few basic, physical statistics of Lolita avail themselves to the reader. She is introduced as 12 years old, 4’10” tall and 78 pounds, with chestnut hair, brown skin, pale-grey eyes and lips the color of red candy. Several years younger than the teenage Lolita Sue Lyon portrays in Stanley Kubrick’s 1962 film adaptation, she never sported the heart-shaped sunglasses, freshly polished toenails, or dangling lollipop with which she became associated. Nor did she exhibit the kinds of hyper-sexualized, “jail bait” delinquencies that served as fodder for a half-century of school-girl pulp, porn, and mondo. She was prepubescent and pre-sexed — sex for her is an act that, according to Humbert, the child imagines to be “merely as part of a youngster’s furtive world, unknown to adults [and that] [w]hat adults [do] for the purposes of procreation [is] no business of hers.” It is only in Humbert’s purpled ruminations that Lolita attains the rarefication of the Grecian nymphet, which he characterized as “maidens who, to certain bewitched travelers, twice or many times older than they, reveal their true nature which is not human, but nymphic.”
Is this the image of the girl-child that has come to stoke the juvenescent lusts of decades of literati, as well as latter-day porn enthusiasts, whose internet metrics consistently place “teen” as the highest porn-related word and category search on Google?
In his 2008 study, Chasing Lolita, literary critic Graham Vickers explains, “Lolita was to become the patron saint of fast little articles the world over, not because Nabokov’s mid-1950s novel depicted her as such but because, slowly and surely, the media, following Humbert’s unreliable lead, cast her in that role.” In the aftermath of Lolita’s eroticization of the young girl, there remains a singular aura about her, largely because she inhabits one of the last taboos of which we do not speak — yet her likeness has saturated our daily perceptions of fashion, celebrity and youth culture. “She it was to whom ads were dedicated: the ideal consumer, the subject and object of every foul poster,” Humbert observes of his nubile “brat”’s vulgar taste in the American culture of the commodity. From victim to coquette to sex kitten to feminist and young girl, her star persists in differing generational guises of power, seduction and maturity. Among her sisters are Carroll Baker, Natalie Wood, Brooke Shields, Traci Lords, JonBenét Ramsey, Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, Lana del Rey, and the nameless, near-naked vixens of countless Calvin Klein and American Apparel ads.
In this series, the Los Angeles Review of Books assembled a group of female authors, artists and performers who, dedicated to examining the faces, bodies and voices of the young girl, consider the significance of Nabokov’s pubescent protagonist as both a literary conceit and an object of patriarchal fetish. Among the many important themes and motifs they consider include these larger, crucial questions: Who precisely is Lolita and why are we awestruck in her presence? How have our perceptions of her changed since 1955? What does she look like now? Are we all guilty of objectifying the young girl? And why are we afraid to articulate the sex, passion and emotions of the contemporary nymphet?
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Lara Delage-Toriel is a professor of US literature and creative writing at the University of Strasbourg and former/founding French Nabokov Society president. Her current work focuses on the body in American literature, and she has written extensively on representations of women in Nabokov’s oeuvre. She is also the author of the bilingual text, Lolita de Vladimir Nabokov et de Stanley Kubrick.
ERIK MORSE: Do you remember when you first read Lolita?
LARA DELAGE-TORIEL: Lolita was the first of Nabokov’s works I read, when I was 19 or so. I remember noticing his Lectures on Literature, propped up high in our local library, some years beforehand, and associating the letters that made up his name with some remote area of knowledge, an islet to which I was denied access. Then one morning I found a boat. It was on the Parisian metro, on my way to the Lycée Henri IV. A classmate was immersed in Lolita and encouraged me to read it. I remember buying the book without daring to start it. I only did so a few months later, after I’d stumbled upon chapter 2 of Transparent Things in the course of a translation class: “As the person, Hugh Person (corrupted ‘Peterson’ and pronounced ‘Parson’ by some) extricated his angular bulk from the taxi that had brought him to this shoddy mountain resort from Trux, and while his head was still lowered in an opening meant for emerging dwarfs […]” I still feel the awkwardness of the position I’d been thrust into, an Alice in Nabokovland trying to coax her translator’s bulk into a hole cut out for crazy creatures. Only then did I feel ready to read Lolita.
What were your initial impressions, both of Nabokov’s story and the character of Lo? Do you recall how you first envisioned her before seeing other visual depictions?
I don’t quite remember the exact impression either the novel or its eponymous character made on me. All I know is that I decided to launch into a Master’s Thesis on Nabokov just a few months later.
Though the original Olympia Press edition of Lolita had only a simple green cover — which was standard for their “porn” catalog — there have been numerous pictorial covers over the last 60 years. Is there any cover or edition that you think made a particularly lasting contribution to the iconography of the nymphet?
“There is one subject which I am emphatically opposed to: any kind of representation of a little girl,” wrote Nabokov to Walter Minton of Putnam’s, in 1958, when discussing the dustjacket for the first American edition of Lolita. In a certain way, therefore, Olympia Press was one of the rare publishers to offer an acceptable cover by Nabokovian standards. The iconography that has prevailed most often shows not a little girl, but a young woman. The representation that perhaps has left the most lasting contribution to Lolita’s iconography is the poster of Kubrick’s 1962 adaptation, which metonymically features Sue Lyon’s eyes peering at us through red heart-shaped glasses, a red lollipop between her red lips. I say “metonymically” because one of the chief attractions of this picture is its incompleteness, the fact that we are only allowed a fragment of the girl’s body, suggestive of greater riches to be mined. The actress’ alluring gaze places the reader or spectator in the same position as Humbert Humbert/James Mason, when he first discovers Sue Lyon lying in a bikini suit in her mother’s garden. We are made complicit in our voyeuristic desire as she makes us “salivate” for more. But most importantly, this picture inverts the novel’s initial power relationship: whereas Nabokov’s girl is constantly an object of gaze and desire, a prey whose voice and thoughts are most often smothered by the narrator’s overweening presence, here she clearly becomes a gazing subject, and therefore a much more active, self-conscious and potentially dangerous female.
MGM’s infamous teaser poster for Stanley Kubrick’s Lolita, with lollipop and heart-shaped sunglasses, 1962.
In an essay dedicated to the literary pictorialism of Nabokov, you write that “his art has too often been treated as a kind of rococo wedding cake, decked with delicate sugar flowers and sexy little girls — fantastically ornamental, indeed, yet hardly artistic, in the noblest sense.” Nowhere is this more true than in Lolita, the only text of his to have captured the attention of the reading public, who seem ambivalent to label Nabokov as a literary “dirty old man” in the vein of Bataille, Lawrence, or Miller. What kind of influence do you think the specter of Lolita has had in depictions of femininity and girlhood in the literary arts?
The fact that Lolita has become a common noun — a linguistic process that goes by the name of antonomasia — indicates how widespread the influence of Nabokov’s nymphet has been. Shaped into a figment of our “collective representations” — to borrow a phrase by sociologist Durkheim — her image has most often been reduced to a certain type of female figure, “a precociously seductive girl” (Webster’s Dictionary). Accordingly, apart from Amy Homes’s controversial The End of Alice (1997), the various pastiches, parodies and winking allusions that have been spawned by Lolita draw less on the theme of child abuse than on the erotic appeal of a 14+ young girl who would qualify as “that horror of horrors” by Humbert’s book. No trace of tragedy remains in Steve Martin’s blithe story, “Lolita at Fifty” (1998) or Lee Siegel’s romance, Love in a Dead Language (1999). Since she is much less of a victim, the young girl gains in agency and the reality of her far from “innocent” teenage mind is foregrounded — particularly when the narrative is written from the girl’s point of view, as in Pia Pera’s Diario di Lo (1995), or Emily Prager’s Roger Fishbite (1999). In Frédéric Beigbeders’s Au secours pardon (2007), the largely quoted blog of 14-year old Lena reveals how sexually experienced she already is.
Do you think Nabokov has generally avoided the kind of public censure typically experienced by those writers/artists interested in childhood sexuality?
One tends to forget that public institutions and media in the 1950s did not welcome Lolita, although it soon turned into a bestseller and has since been canonized as a literary masterpiece. The reason for this critical endorsement is due to the fact that Lolita does little to satisfy the voyeuristic impulse and erotic gratification to which pornographic books generally cater. In order to appreciate the novel, readers need to wade through an extremely sophisticated text bristling with intertextual references, metaphors, puns, and metatextual patterns. The presence of an unreliable narrator — i.e. Humbert the pedophile — who admits he is a monster further thwarts any unmitigated form of identification with what little erotic fulfillment is actually described, essentially within the first half of the novel.
Reverse shot of Sue Lyon’s iconic pose on the Lolita film set. Included in the image: set photographer Joe Pearce and director Stanley Kubrick, c. 1961.
In Graham Vickers’s critical biography, Chasing Lolita, the author traces a wonderful cinematic history of the character of the precocious girl-child in American film, both prior to and after Kubrick’s adaptation of Lolita, from Shirley Temple to Brooke Shields. He points to the Tennessee Williams film Baby Doll as the primary example of film and rock ’n’ roll’s synergetic sexualization of the girl-child in the 1950s. In many ways Baby Doll’s Southern Gothic melodrama is the obverse of Lolita and yet was a much more radical onscreen exploration of sexuality. Can you speak a bit about how the culture and aesthetic of the 1950s, both in Europe and America, gave rise to this iconic shift in the sexualization of the young girl from what had come before?
Two important and interdependent trends might help us explain this “shift:” on the one hand, the prevailing Cold War ideology; on the other, the birth of a new youth culture after the Second World War.
America’s Cold War ideology was characterized by an anxiety-ridden rhetoric, which divided society, much like world politics, into simple binaries. Thus, in much the same way that communists threatened to penetrate the government, it was felt that sexually deviant individuals threatened to infiltrate American homes. As Estelle Freedman has shown, “each of the two major sex crime panics — roughly from 1937 to 1940 and from 1949 to 1955 — originated when, after a series of brutal and apparently sexually motivated child murders, major urban newspapers expanded and, in some cases, sensationalized their coverage of child molestation and rape.” According to Frederick Whiting, “the pedophile was considered the apogee and epitome of all sex criminals.” A striking illustration of this was featured in American Magazine (July 1947) by the picture of an enormous male hand looming over the heads of three girls, apparently between eight and 10 years of age, with an article by J. Edgar Hoover, the title of which could not be more explicit: “How Safe Is Your Daughter?” Of course, this kind of anxiety was not wholly new, but what grew in the 1950s was the presence in mass media of the teenager figure — and the teenage girl in particular — after the apparition of very young Hollywood stars like Shirley Temple in the 1930s and 1940s. Hence a double phenomenon arises: an urgency to protect the adorable child, but also a sexualized glamorization of youthful femininity, as seen by the increasing use of young girls as agents or objects of commercial baiting.
Against this backdrop of vulnerability, and hence control, emerged a new youth culture, seeking to free itself from suburban domestic standardization. One of its key representatives is Holden Caulfield, the main protagonist of Catcher in the Rye (1951), who wanders around Manhattan after he has been dismissed from school, and in the process pulls down all the idols of “phony” America. Another important role model for young people was furnished by James Dean, the “rebel without a cause” who gave youth a cause to fight for. Rock n’ roll and the Beat generation are also emblematic of this quest to find new idioms, codes, and territories in which to express an identity distinct from older generations. Humbert’s song makes quite clear the role played by rock n’ roll in allowing teenage girls and boys to acquire an autonomous space from which the parent is debarred:
Oh Dolores, that juke-box hurts!
Are you still dancin’, darlin’?
(Both in worn Levis, both in torn T-shirts,
And I, in my corner, snarlin’).
Leerom Medovoi has studied the way in which female teenagers also found within this context a space to carve out their own nonconformist identity, notably through the figures of the tomboy and the rough girl, as featured in films like Gidget (1959) and Girls Town (1959). Ironically, the nonconformism of youth culture was in fact absorbed by dominant ideology since it could serve as ammunition in America’s war against totalitarianism. In Lolita, Humbert seeks to conceal the traces left by his intercourse with a minor by suggesting “the abandoned nest of a restless father and his tomboy daughter, instead of an ex-convict’s saturnalia with a couple of fat old whores,” the former case appearing of course both more plausible and acceptable. Nabokov also mockingly evokes this absorption in a parodic scene featuring Miss Pratt, Beardsley College’s principal, and her “progressive” theory of education. Concerned about Lolita’s lack of sexual maturity, she gives Humbert a prescriptive account of youth culture’s priorities: “Dr. Hummer, do you realize that for the modern pre-adolescent child, medieval dates are of less vital value than weekend ones [twinkle]?”
Either rightly or wrongly, it seems the lasting public perception of the character of Lolita has been due to Stanley Kubrick’s 1962 cinematic adaptation with actress Sue Lyon. In fact, the paradigmatic clichés we often associate with the nymphet — the heart-shaped sunglasses, the lollipop, the painted toenails — are not highlighted in the novel. So many of the subsequent fetishes and imageries that have become associated with the nymphet don’t seem to reside with Nabokov’s Lo, but with Kubrick’s. How did Sue Lyon’s portrayal of Lolita in Stanley Kubrick’s film emblemize or exaggerate a sexuality that had been absent in Nabokov’s text?
While I agree with you that Kubrick has greatly contributed to fashioning today’s perception of Lolita, I’d hardly say that sexuality is absent in Nabokov’s text, or that the paradigmatic objects we’ve come to associate with the nymphet were wholly invented by the filmmaker. I can think of a few basic facts about film as a medium that explain why Kubrick’s Lolita might give the impression of having created something entirely of its own: films are visual artifacts and most often last about an hour and a half to two hours. Since they’re visual, the objects they present (such as lollipops or heart-shaped sunglasses — the latter being in fact only used for the poster, not the film itself) can be immediately recognizable and reproducible. Surprisingly, although the Nabokovs pestered against the commercial distortions of the original nymphet, they did seem to endorse the heart-shaped prop, since a 1966 photograph shows Nabokov’s wife Véra smilingly wearing a similar pair of glasses (only they were white instead of red-framed) as she reclines in a bathing suit by the Montreux Palace Hotel’s pool. Thanks to its mimetic effect, film representation may thus strike a more immediate correlation with reality. And because a film is relatively short, it needs to concentrate and make a drastic selection of the information it’s going to show; this concentration acts as a kind of magnifying glass, making those objects that have been selected protrude.
Véra Nabokov lounging at Montreux Palace Hotel in Lolita sunglasses, 1966.
In comparison, novels can be much denser, their ingredients unfolding more leisurely over longer stretches of time, which makes it more difficult for their objects to become iconic. Lolita is however rife with artifacts which draw from popular culture: Cokes, sundaes, fudges, hamburgers — which, to Humbert’s dismay, have a much greater appeal for Lolita than Humbergers — comics, magazines, milk bars, chewing gum, and so on. More obviously sexualized items also appear in the novel, such as her lone white sock; the remnants of cherry-red polish on her toenails;; the “check weaves, bright cottons, frills, puffed-out short sleeves, soft pleats, snug-fitting bodices and generously full skirts,” which Humbert relishes; down to the nuances of swimsuits he has to choose from for his darling: “dream pink, frosted aqua, glans mauve, tulip red, oolala black.”
However, much of the allure of the nymphet lies in her elusiveness, in the narrator’s failure to fully depict and consume her: “I would like to describe her face, her ways — and I cannot, because my own desire for her blinds me when she is near. I am not used to being with nymphets, damn it. If I close my eyes I see but an immobilized fraction of her, a cinematographic still, a sudden smooth nether loveliness, as with one knee up under her tartan skirt she sits tying her shoe.” Humbert’s tartan evocation could have easily been a cliché, were it not for its fluttering fleetingness. Instead of cinematographically “stilling” and stealing images of the desirable girl, Nabokov makes them fluctuate within Humbert’s complex subjectivity, refracting them through “the prism of his senses,” and reflecting them in his very blood. The novel is hence permeated by the language of desire, with its incandescent curlicues: “What’s the katter with misses?” mutters Humbert the spoonerist as his kissing tongue runs amok. The suggestive playfulness of Nabokov’s prose allows him to be much more daring and subversive than Kubrick could ever be. One of the reasons for this is that although the latter had escaped from Hollywood, he still had to comply by current censorship rules, and thus had no choice but to turn the relationship between the stepfather and his protégée into something very chaste. Emblematic of this is the night in the Enchanted Hunters Hotel, which features James Mason not in bed with Sue Lyon, but trapped in a ridiculous cot, now a slapstick comedian instead of a Latin lover. Kubrick also chose to foreground the rivalry between Quilty and Humbert in order to steer his film towards the more politically correct form of the love triangle. So I’d say that Kubrick’s film does not so much exaggerate the sexual content of the novel as it transfers Nabokov’s diffuse poetic sophistication onto more readily accessible and less controversial iconic objects.
Despite Nabokov’s assertion that in Lolita he “revived” the modern term nymphet directly from its Greek predecessor, recent, literary scholarship has proven his claim to be suspect. From where did Nabokov retrieve the description of the nymphet and was he the first modern writer to transform the etymology of the word into its contemporary meaning?
Apparently Nabokov believed he had coined and therefore owned the term “nymphet” — as well as its various translations — when in 1960 he declared his intention to sue a French company that was about to make a film entitled Les Nymphettes. It is quite tricky to determine what measure of bad faith may have entered in a claim that was made at the very time when Nabokov was writing his screenplay for Kubrick. As critic Maurice Couturier has indicated, our author had indeed overtly acknowledged French 16th-century poet Ronsard’s antecedence, during an interview he’d given for the French magazine L’Express barely six months earlier. However, he did state that the meaning underlying Ronsard’s nymphet — a frolicsome little nymph addressed in a rather carefree and salacious song in the vein of the Roman elegists — was quite different from that with which Lolita is endowed. It is also true that Nabokov, a devoted taxonomist in the field of Lepidoptera, was responsible for devising a series of parameters and criteria which have come to define the contours of the nymphet, thus turning her into a type, in the zoological sense. Before him, 16th and 17th-century French and British poets had made use of the term “nymphet” as a diminutive within a mythological context, but without affording this creature any recognizable, individuating traits. Later on, in 1915, British writer John Louis J. Carter did publish a short novel called Nymphet, featuring a 12-year old girl involved in a love triangle with a mature man, but this work didn’t leave any lasting trace in our culture. So, to answer your question: it depends, of course, what you mean by “modern” — the French consider that “modern” times start with the end of the Middle Ages and end with the French Revolution — but I’d say that Nabokov revived and refashioned a word which had been occasionally used as a poetic conceit during the Renaissance but which had fallen in oblivion since.
In addition to Lolita, the characters of the pedophile/nymphet appear in “A Nursery Tale” (1926), Laughter in the Dark (1932), The Gift (1935), and The Enchanter (1939). Nabokov was also an avowed fan of Lewis Carroll and was responsible for the first Russian translation of Alice in Wonderland in 1923. What all this means is that the character of Lolita has to be seen not as a momentary example of Nabokov’s interest in ephebophilia, but rather part of his integral fascination with the young girl in representations of women. You write rather beautifully on this subject that Nabokov’s motto was “caress the details,” all the more so when these details belong to a woman. The “father of Lolita has indeed a weakness for female portraits, which he limns with utmost care, lingering on the woman’s colours and contours with chiaroscuro’s gentlest touches […] [I]n his attempt to frame women, Nabokov rises to the challenge of outstretching the frame of literature.” To what degree do you think we can separate Nabokov’s descriptions of the young girl between some kind of rhetorical or poetic conceit, as opposed to an over-sexualized, fantasy/fetish figure?
In an essay entitled “Inspiration,” Nabokov identifies inspiration as a “nubile muse.” In the case of this writer, then, the poetic fuses with the sexual in the figure of the young girl, and more specifically the nymphet, a creature all the more attractive since it represents “the great rosegray never-to-be-had” (Lolita) and affords his male protagonists and narrators a transient glimpse of the ineffable, the absolute of art. As you have noted, Nabokov’s fictional world is peopled with such myriad figures of desire: to your bibliographical list, I wish to add Bend Sinister (Mariette), Invitation to a Beheading (Emmie), the poem “Lilith,” Ada (Ada and Lucette), Look at the Harlequins (Bel) and his final unfinished novel, The Original of Laura (Flora). These nymphets could be considered as Nabokov’s peculiar figuration of the age-old pantheon of muses, with its strong — yet not, in my view over- — sexualization of the creative impulse that springs from their appeal. And as I have shown in my PhD dissertation, it is often when depicting the nymphet’s body that Nabokov’s words become most radiant. Take for instance this passage from The Enchanter — the Lolitan Urtext, written in Paris in 1939 — where the main character observes the little girl during her sleep: “He dared not kiss those angular nipples […]. His eyes returned from everywhere else to converge on the same suedelike fissure, which somehow seemed to come alive under his prismatic stare.” Notice how the writer arrests the reader’s gaze by choosing an unusual term, “fissure” and an almost oxymoronic combination, “suedelike |
30% of the company, giving the company an implied valuation of $1B. The most common misrepresentation I see is that the company will claim that because they’re giving an option for, say, 0.1% of the company, your option is worth $1B * 0.001 = $1M. A related, common, misrepresentation is that the company raised money last year and has increased in value since then, e.g., the company has since doubled in value, so your option is worth $2M. Even if you assume the strike price was $0 and and go with the last valuation at which the company raised money, the implied value of your option isn’t $1M because investors buy a different class of stock than you get as an employee.
There are a lot of differences between the preferred stock that VCs get and the common stock that employees get; let’s look at a couple of concrete scenarios.
Let’s say those investors that paid $300M for 30% of the company have a straight (1x) liquidation preference, and the company sells for $500M. The 1x liquidation preference means that the investors will get 1x of their investment back before lowly common stock holders get anything, so the investors will get $300M for their 30% of the company. The other 70% of equity will split $200M: your 0.1% common stock option with a $0 strike price is worth $285k (instead of the $500k you might expect it to be worth if you multiply $500M by 0.001).
The preferred stock VCs get usually has at least a 1x liquidation preference. Let’s say the investors had a 2x liquidation preference in the above scenario. They would get 2x their investment back before the common stockholders split the rest of the company. Since 2 * $300M is greater than $500M, the investors would get everything and the remaining equity holders would get $0.
Another difference between your common stock and preferred stock is that preferred stock sometimes comes with an anti-dilution clause, which you have no chance of getting as a normal engineering hire. Let’s look at an actual example of dilution at a real company. Mayhar got 0.4% of a company when it was valued at $5M. By the time the company was worth $1B, Mayhar’s share of the company was diluted by 8x, which made his share of the company worth less than $500k (minus the cost of exercising his options) instead of $4M (minus the cost of exercising his options).
This story has a few additional complications which illustrate other reasons options are often worth less than they seem. Mayhar couldn’t afford to exercise his options (by paying the strike price times the number of shares he had an option for) when he joined, which is common for people who take startup jobs out of college who don’t come from wealthy families. When he left four years later, he could afford to pay the cost of exercising the options, but due to a quirk of U.S. tax law, he either couldn’t afford the tax bill or didn’t want to pay that cost for what was still a lottery ticket -- when you exercise your options, you’re effectively taxed on the difference between the current valuation and the strike price. Even if the company has a successful IPO for 10x as much in a few years, you’re still liable for the tax bill the year you exercise (and if the company stays private indefinitely or fails, you get nothing but a future tax deduction). Because, like most options, Mayhar’s option has a 90-day exercise window, he didn’t get anything from his options.
While that’s more than the average amount of dilution, there are much worse cases, for example, cases where investors and senior management basically get to keep their equity and everyone else gets diluted to the point where their equity is worthless.
Those are just a few of the many ways in which the differences between preferred and common stock can cause the value of options to be wildly different from a value naively calculated from a public valuation. I often see both companies and employees use public preferred stock valuations as a benchmark in order to precisely value common stock options, but this isn’t possible, even in principle, without access to a company’s cap table (which shows how much of the company different investors own) as well as access to the specific details of each investment. Even if you can get that (which you usually can’t), determining the appropriate numbers to plug into a model that will give you the expected value is non-trivial because it requires answering questions like “what’s the probability that, in an acquisition, upper management will collude with investors to keep everything and leave the employees with nothing?”
Black-Scholes valuation as value
Because of the issues listed above, people will sometimes try to use a model to estimate the value of options. Black-Scholes is commonly used because well known and has an easy to use closed form solution, it’s the most commonly used model. Unfortunately, most of the major assumptions for Black-Scholes are false for startup options, making the relationship between the output between Black-Scholes and the actual value of your options non-obvious.
Options are often free to the company
A large fraction of options get returned to the employee option pool when employees leave, either voluntarily or involuntarily. I haven’t been able to find comprehensive numbers on this, but anecdotally, I hear that more than 50% of options end up getting taken back from employees and returned to the general pool. Dan McKinley points out an (unvetted) analysis that shows that only 5% of employee grants are exercised. Even with a conservative estimate, a 50% discount on options granted sounds pretty good. A 20x discount sounds amazing, and would explain why companies like options so much.
Present value of a future sum of money
When someone says that a startup’s compensation package is worth as much as Facebook’s, they often mean that the total value paid out over N years is similar. But a fixed nominal amount of money is worth more the sooner you get it because you can (at a minimum) invest it in a low-risk asset, like Treasury bonds, and get some return on the money.
That’s an abstract argument you’ll hear in an econ 101 class, but in practice, if you live somewhere with a relatively high cost of living, like SF or NYC, there’s an even greater value to getting paid sooner rather than later because it lets you live in a relatively nice place (however you define nice) without having to cram into a space with more roommates than would be considered reasonable elsewhere in the U.S. Many startups from the last two generations seem to be putting off their IPOs; for folks in those companies with contracts that prevent them from selling options on a secondary market, that could easily mean that the majority of their potential wealth is locked up for the first decade of their working life. Even if the startup’s compensation package is worth more when adjusting for inflation and interest, it’s not clear if that’s a great choice for most people who aren’t already moderately well off.
Non-cynical reasons
We’ve looked at some cynical reasons companies might want to offer options instead of cash, namely that they can claim that their options are worth more than they’re actually worth. Now, let’s look at some non-cynical reasons companies might want to give out stock options.
From an employee standpoint, one non-cynical reason might have been stock option backdating, at least until that loophole was mostly closed. Up until late early 2000s, many companies backdated the date of options grants. Let’s look at this example, explained by Jessie M. Fried
Options covering 1.2 million shares were given to Reyes. The reported grant date was October 1, 2001, when the firm's stock was trading at around $13 per share, the lowest closing price for the year. A week later, the stock was trading at $20 per share, and a month later the stock closed at almost $26 per share. Brocade disclosed this grant to investors in its 2002 proxy statement in a table titled "Option Grants in the Last Fiscal Year, prepared in the format specified by SEC rules. Among other things, the table describes the details of this and other grants to executives, including the number of shares covered by the option grants, the exercise price, and the options' expiration date. The information in this table is used by analysts, including those assembling Standard & Poor's well-known ExecuComp database, to calculate the Black Scholes value for each option grant on the date of grant. In calculating the value, the analysts assumed, based on the firm's representations about its procedure for setting exercise prices, that the options were granted at-the-money. The calculated value was then widely used by shareholders, researchers, and the media to estimate the CEO's total pay. The Black Scholes value calculated for Reyes' 1.2 million stock option grant, which analysts assumed was at-the-money, was $13.2 million. However, the SEC has concluded that the option grant to Reyes was backdated, and the market price on the actual date of grant may have been around $26 per share. Let us assume that the stock was in fact trading at $26 per share when the options were actually granted. Thus, if Brocade had adhered to its policy of giving only at-the-money options, it should have given Reyes options with a strike price of $26 per share. Instead, it gave Reyes options with a strike price of $13 per share, so that the options were $13 in the money. And it reported the grant as if it had given Reyes at-the-money options when the stock price was $13 per share. Had Brocade given Reyes at-the-money options at a strike price of $26 per share, the Black Scholes value of the option grant would have been approximately $26 million. But because the options were $13 million in the money, they were even more valuable. According to one estimate, they were worth $28 million. Thus, if analysts had been told that Reyes received options with a strike price of $13 when the stock was trading for $26, they would have reported their value as $28 million rather than $13.2 million. In short, backdating this particular option grant, in the scenario just described, would have enabled Brocade to give Reyes $2 million more in options (Black Scholes value) while reporting an amount that was $15 million less.
While stock options backdating isn’t (easily) possible anymore, there might be other loopholes or consequences of tax law that make options a better deal than cash. I could only think of one reason off the top of my head, so I spent a couple weeks asking folks (including multiple founders) for their non-cynical reasons why startups might prefer options to an equivalent amount of cash.
Tax benefit of ISOs
In the U.S., Incentive stock options (ISOs) have the property that, if held for one year after the exercise date and two years after the grant date, the owner of the option pays long-term capital gains tax instead of ordinary income tax on the difference between the exercise price and the strike price.
This isn’t quite as good as it sounds because the difference between the exercise price and the strike price is subject to the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). I don’t find this personally relevant since I prefer to sell employer stock as quickly as possible in order to be as diversified as possible, but if you’re interested in figuring out how the AMT affects your tax bill when you exercise ISOs, see this explanation for more details.
Tax benefit of QSBS
There’s a certain class of stock that is exempt from federal capital gains tax and state tax in many states (though not in CA). This is interesting, but it seems like people rarely take advantage of this when eligible, and many startups aren’t eligible.
Tax benefit of other options
The IRS says:
Most nonstatutory options don't have a readily determinable fair market value. For nonstatutory options without a readily determinable fair market value, there's no taxable event when the option is granted but you must include in income the fair market value of the stock received on exercise, less the amount paid, when you exercise the option. You have taxable income or deductible loss when you sell the stock you received by exercising the option. You generally treat this amount as a capital gain or loss.
Valuations are bogus
One quirk of stock options is that, to qualify as ISOs, the strike price must be at least the fair market value. That’s easy to determine for public companies, but the fair market value of a share in a private company is somewhat arbitrary. For ISOs, my reading of the requirement is that companies must make “an attempt, made in good faith” to determine the fair market value. For other types of options, there’s other regulation which which determines the definition of fair market value. Either way, startups usually go to an outside firm between 1 and N times a year to get an estimate of the fair market value for their common stock. This results in at least two possible gaps between a hypothetical “real” valuation and the fair market value for options purposes.
First, the valuation is updated relatively infrequently. A common pitch I’ve heard is that the company hasn’t had its valuation updated for ages, and the company is worth twice as much now, so you’re basically getting a 2x discount.
Second, the firms doing the valuations are poorly incentivized to produce “correct” valuations. The firms are paid by startups, which gain something when the legal valuation is as low as possible.
I don’t really believe that these things make options amazing, because I hear these exact things from startups and founders, which means that their offers take these into account and are priced accordingly. However, if there’s a large gap between the legal valuation and the “true” valuation and this allows companies to effectively give out higher compensation, the way stock option backdating did, I could see how this would tilt companies towards favoring options.
Control
Even if employees got the same class of stock that VCs get, founders would retain less control if they transferred the equity from employees to VCs because employee-owned equity is spread between a relatively large number of people.
Retention
This answer was commonly given to me as a non-cynical reason. The idea is that, if you offer employees options and have a clause that prevents them from selling options on a secondary market, many employees won’t be able to leave without walking away from the majority of their compensation. Personally, this strikes me as a cynical reason, but that’s not how everyone sees it. For example, Andreessen Horowitz managing partner Scott Kupor recently proposed a scheme under which employees would lose their options under all circumstances if they leave before a liquidity event, supposedly in order to help employees.
Whether or not you view employers being able to lock in employees for indeterminate lengths of time as good or bad, options lock-in appears to be a poor retention mechanism -- companies that pay cash seem to have better retention. Just for example, Netflix pays salaries that are comparable to the total compensation in the senior band at places like Google and, anecdotally, they seem to have less attrition than trendy Bay Area startups. In fact, even though Netflix makes a lot of noise about showing people the door if they’re not a good fit, they don’t appear to have a higher involuntary attrition rate than trendy Bay Area startups -- they just seem more honest about it, something which they can do because their recruiting pitch doesn’t involve you walking away with below-market compensation if you leave. If you think this comparison is unfair because Netflix hasn’t been a startup in recent memory, you can compare to finance startups, e.g. Headlands, which was founded in the same era as Uber, Airbnb, and Stripe. They (and some other finance startups) pay out hefty sums of cash and this does not appear to result in higher attrition than similarly aged startups which give out illiquid option grants.
In the cases where this results in the employee staying longer than they otherwise would, options lock-in is often a bad deal for all parties involved. The situation is obviously bad for employees and, on average, companies don’t want unhappy people who are just waiting for a vesting cliff or liquidity event.
Incentive alignment
Another commonly stated reason is that, if you give people options, they’ll work harder because they’ll do well when the company does well. This was the reason that was given most vehemently (“you shouldn’t trust someone who’s only interested in a paycheck”, etc.)
However, as far as I can tell, paying people in options almost totally decouples job performance and compensation. If you look at companies that have made a lot of people rich, like Microsoft, Google, Apple, and Facebook, almost none of the employees who became rich had an instrumental role in the company’s success. Google and Microsoft each made thousands of people rich, but the vast majority of those folks just happened to be in the right place at the right time and could have just as easily taken a different job where they didn't get rich. Conversely, the vast majority of startup option packages end up being worth little to nothing, but nearly none of the employees whose options end up being worthless were instrumental in causing their options to become worthless.
If options are a large fraction of compensation, choosing a company that’s going to be successful is much more important than working hard. For reference, Microsoft is estimated to have created roughly 10^3 millionaires by 1992 (adjusted for inflation, that's $1.75M). The stock then went up by more than 20x. Microsoft was legendary for making people who didn't particularly do much rich; all told, it's been estimated that they made 10^4 people rich by the late 90s. The vast majority of those people were no different from people in similar roles at Microsoft's competitors. They just happened to pick a winning lottery ticket. This is the opposite of what founders claim they get out of giving options. As above, companies that pay cash, like Netflix, don’t seem to have a problem with employee productivity.
By the way, a large fraction of the people who were made rich by working at Microsoft joined after their IPO, which was in 1986. The same is true of Google, and while Facebook is too young for us to have a good idea what the long-term post-IPO story is, the folks who joined a year or two after the IPO (5 years ago, in 2012) have done quite well for themselves. People who joined pre-IPO have done better, but as mentioned above, most people have diminishing returns to individual wealth. The same power-law-like distribution that makes VC work also means that it's entirely plausible that Microsoft alone made more post-IPO people rich from 1986-1999 than all pre-IPO tech companies combined during that period. Something similar is plausibly true for Google from 2004 until FB's IPO in 2012, even including the people who got rich from FB's IPO as people who were made rich by a pre-IPO company, and you can do a similar calculation for Apple.
VC firms vs. the market
There are several potential counter-arguments to the statement that VC returns (and therefore startup equity) don’t beat the market.
One argument is, when people say that, they typically mean that after VCs take their fees, returns to VC funds don’t beat the market. As an employee who gets startup options, you don’t (directly) pay VC fees, which means you can beat the market by keeping the VC fees for yourself.
Another argument is that, some investors (like YC) seem to consistently do pretty well. If you join a startup that’s funded by a savvy investors, you too can do pretty well. For this to make sense, you have to realize that the company is worth more than “expected” while the company doesn’t have the same realization because you need the company to give you an option package without properly accounting for its value. For you to have that expectation and get a good deal, this requires the founders to not only not be overconfident in the company’s probability of success, but actually requires that the founders are underconfident. While this isn’t impossible, the majority of startup offers I hear about have the opposite problem.
Conclusion
There are a number of factors that can make options more or less valuable than they seem. From an employee standpoint, the factors that make options more valuable than they seem can cause equity to be worth tens of percent more than a naive calculation. The factors that make options less valuable than they seem do so in ways that mostly aren’t easy to quantify.
Whether or not the factors that make options relatively more valuable dominate or the factors that make options relatively less valuable dominate is an empirical question. My intuition is that the factors that make options relatively less valuable are stronger, but that’s just a guess. A way to get an idea about this from public data would be to go through through successful startup S-1 filing. Since this post is already ~5k words, I’ll leave that for another post, but I’ll note that in my preliminary skim of a handful of 99%-ile exits (> $1B), the median employee seems to do worse than someone who’s on the standard Facebook/Google/Amazon career trajectory.
From a company standpoint, there are a couple factors that allow companies to retain more leverage/control by giving relatively more options to employees and relatively less equity to investors.
All of this sounds fine for founders and investors, but I don’t see what’s in it for employees. If you have additional reasons that I’m missing, I’d love to hear them.
_If you liked this post, you may also like this other post on the tradeoff between working at a big company and working at a startup.
Appendix: caveats
Many startups don’t claim that their offers are financially competitive. As time goes on, I hear less “If you wanted to get rich, how would you do it? I think your best bet would be to start or join a startup. That's been a reliable way to get rich for hundreds of years.” (that’s an actual Paul Graham quote) and more “we’re not financially competitive with Facebook, but…”. I’ve heard from multiple founders that joining as an early employee is an incredibly bad deal when you compare early-employee equity and workload vs. founder equity and workload.
Some startups are giving out offers that are actually competitive with large company offers. Something I’ve seen from startups that are trying to give out compelling offers is that, for “senior” folks, they’re willing to pay substantially higher salaries than public companies because it’s understood that options aren’t great for employees because of their timeline, risk profile, and expected value.
There’s a huge amount of variation in offers, much of which is effectively random. I know of cases where an individual got a more lucrative offer from a startup (that doesn’t tend to give particular strong offers) than from Google, and if you ask around you’ll hear about a lot of cases like that. It’s not always true that startup offers are lower than Google/Facebook/Amazon offers, even at startups that don’t pay competitively (on average).
Anything in this post that’s related to taxes is U.S. specific. For example, I’m told that in Canada, “you can defer the payment of taxes when exercising options whose strike price is way below fair market valuation until disposition, as long as the company is Canadian-controlled and operated in Canada”.
You might object that the same line of reasoning we looked at for options can be applied to RSUs, even RSUs for public companies. That’s true, although the largest downsides of startup options are mitigated or non-existent, cash still has significant advantages to employees over RSUs. Unfortunately, the only non-finance company I know of that uses this to their advantage in recruiting is Netflix; please let me know if you can think of other tech companies that use the same compensation model.
Some startups have a sliding scale that lets you choose different amounts of option/salary compensation. I haven't seen an offer that will let you put the slider to 100% cash and 0% options (or 100% options and 0% cash), but someone out there will probably be willing to give you an all-cash offer.
In the current environment, looking at public exits may bias the data towards less sucessful companies. The most sucessful startups from the last couple generations of startups that haven't exited by acquisition have so far chosen not to IPO. It's possible that, once all the data are in, the average returns to joining a startup will look quite different (although I doubt the median return will change much).
BTW, I don't have anything against taking a startup offer, even if it's low. When I graduated from college, I took the lowest offer I had, and my partner recently took the lowest offer she got (nearly a 2x difference over the highest offer). There are plenty of reasons you might want to take an offer that isn't the best possible financial offer. However, I think you should know what you're getting into and not take an offer that you think is financially great when it's merely mediocre or even bad.
Appendix: non-counterarguments
The most common objection I’ve heard to this is that most startups don’t have enough money to pay equivalent cash and couldn’t raise that much money by selling off what would “normally” be their employee option pool. Maybe so, but that’s not a counter-argument -- it’s an argument that the most startups don’t have options that are valuable enough to be exchanged for the equivalent sum of money, i.e., that the options simply aren’t as valuable as claimed. This argument can be phrased in a variety of ways (e.g., paying salary instead of options increases burn rate, reduces runway, makes the startup default dead, etc.), but arguments of this form are fundamentally equivalent to admitting that startup options aren’t worth much because they wouldn't hold up if the options were worth enough that a typical compensation package was worth as much as a typical "senior" offer at Google or Facebook.
If you don't buy this, imagine a startup with a typical valuation that's at a stage where they're giving out 0.1% equity in options to new hires. Now imagine that some irrational bystander is willing to make a deal where they take 0.1% of the company for $1B. Is it worth it to take the money and pay people out of the $1B cash pool instead of paying people with 0.1% slices of the option pool? Your answer should be yes, unless you believe that the ratio between the value of cash on hand and equity is nearly infinite. Absolute statements like "options are preferred to cash because paying cash increases burn rate, making the startup default dead" at any valuation are equivalent to stating that the correct ratio is infinity. That's clearly nonsensical; there's some correct ratio, and we might disagree over what the correct ratio is, but for typical startups it should not be the case that the correct ratio is infinite. Since this was such a common objection, if you have this objection, my question to you is, why don't you argue that startups should pay even less cash and even more options? Is the argument that the current ratio is exactly optimal, and if so, why? Also, why does the ratio vary so much between different companies at the same stage which have raised roughly the same amount of money? Are all of those companies giving out optimal deals?
The second most common objection is that startup options are actually worth a lot, if you pick the right startup and use a proper model to value the options. Perhaps, but if that’s true, why couldn’t they have raised a bit more money by giving away more equity to VCs at its true value, and then pay cash?
Another common objection is something like "I know lots of people who've made $1m from startups". Me too, but I also know lots of people who've made much more than that working at public companies. This post is about the relative value of compensation packages, not the absolute value.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Leah Hanson, Ben Kuhn, Tim Abbott, David Turner, Nick Bergson-Shilcock, Peter Fraenkel, Joe Ardent, Chris Ball, Anton Dubrau, Sean Talts, Danielle Sucher, Dan McKinley, Bert Muthalaly, Dan Puttick, Indradhanush Gupta, and Gaxun for comments and corrections.A Chicago Police Department DUI Strike Force will patrol the Far Northwest Side this weekend. View Full Caption Getty Images/File Photo
JEFFERSON PARK — Two people were arrested and 114 tickets were issued during a weekend crackdown on drunken driving, police said Friday.
Police from the Jefferson Park Police District conducted a DUI Strike Force patrol from 7 p.m. Sept. 19 to 3 a.m. Sept. 20 on the Far Northwest Side.
One person was arrested for drunken driving and another was arrested for possession of cannabis, police said.
Forty-five people were cited for driving an unsafe vehicle, 15 were ticketed for not having proper insurance, 14 were ticketed for not wearing their seat belts and seven for not having their driver's licenses, police said.
Thirty-two other drivers were also ticketed and three cars were towed, police said.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:Forget the two-state solution: start thinking about the four-state problem. The phrase comes from Palestinian negotiator and analyst Ahmad Khalidi, who has toiled for decades to see two states side by side, one for Palestinians, the other for Israelis. Now, though, he sees one strong state, Israel, surrounded by three statelets. The first is the West Bank, ruled by the secular nationalists of Fatah. The second is Gaza, for nearly two years the fiefdom of Islamist Hamas. The third is the surprise: still in embryo, we got a glimpse of its future earlier this month.
Militant Jewish settlers in Hebron resisted their eviction from a disputed house by not only hurling stones and debris at Palestinians nearby - and daubing black stars of David on Muslim gravestones in what Israel's prime minister Ehud Olmert called a "pogrom" - but also by turning their fire on the soldiers of the Israel Defence Forces. These images were a shock to the Israeli system, confirmation that a hard core of Jewish settlers now exists that has next to no loyalty to the state of Israel, and that indeed regards the state as godless and illegitimate - and which is prepared to raise its hand to the teenage men and women who comprise the bulk of Israel's conscript army. Soon we might speak of Israel, the West Bank, Gaza and a new, zealous, rebel entity: call it Judea.
We are not quite at that point yet. But add it to the long list of developments causing veterans of the Middle East peace process - a saga so long-running that it's the Mousetrap of international negotiations - to lose faith in the two-state solution, even as that model enjoys near global support among the world's governments, restated again yesterday, whether at the United Nations security council or at Olmert's meeting in London with Gordon Brown.
The causes for despair are numerous, starting with that fragmentation cited by Khalidi. Palestinians who once believed the split between Fatah and Hamas was transient and reparable now worry the division is hardening, that there is no figure on the horizon capable of putting this sundered people back together. They ask why Hamas would come back under the authority of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas. What would be in it for them?
And yet so long as the Palestinians remain divided, Abbas is too weak to do a meaningful deal with Israel, one that would bind all Palestinians. Indeed, conversations with those on both sides in the last week have told a remarkably similar story: neither Israelis nor Palestinians believe they are capable of reaching an agreement.
The mood is hardly conducive. A month-long blockade of Gaza, with Palestinians there denied access to fuel, medical equipment and much else, may not have garnered a great deal of attention here but the rising human cost, of sick patients and darkened schools, is a staple of the nightly news on television around the Arab world. The anger is directed mostly at Israel, for enforcing the sanctions, imposed in response to the discovery of secret tunnels into Israel from Gaza. But Egypt is blamed too, for failing to open its border, thereby bringing respite to those in desperate need - as are the European Union and the US, both of which are party to the embargo of Hamas. On Friday, Hamas's six month-long ceasefire, which has mainly held, will expire. Few would bet on it being extended.
Meanwhile, Abbas faces an expiration date of his own: his presidential term runs out on 9 January. He is hinting that he will step aside, allowing elections for a new leader. Even those unimpressed by Abbas - by his remoteness, his inability to act as a unifying, national figure - see his departure as an invitation for more division and paralysis.
The stalemate has roots on the other side, too. Olmert's time is also running out; Israel will have new elections on 10 February. Polls predict a return to power for Binyamin Netanyahu and Likud, whose defining trait is a nationalistic scepticism about the peace process. Even if that were to be overcome, Israel has its own inbuilt divisions, expressed in coalitions perennially too fragmented to make the concessions that have to be made.
Besides, there are plenty in Israel's policy establishment who think the status quo is bearable, that Palestinians pose nothing like the existential threat of, say, a nuclear Iran. They're happy enough to have a process but are not really serious about peace. As I heard one senior Israeli official put it recently: "Negotiations are good, results are bad."
Some respond to this bleak landscape by focusing on individual elements within it and imagining how they might be improved. Maybe new Palestinian elections would produce a useful outcome. After all, the latest survey from pollster Khalil Shikaki has Fatah leading Hamas by 42% to 28% - with Fatah polling especially strongly on Hamas's turf in Gaza. Or perhaps Netanyahu will follow the Nixon-to-China principle and, as a man of the right, do the deal. After all, when he last served as PM a decade ago, he proved to be more pragmatic than his reputation had suggested. Or there will be a miracle and the new, dovish party founded by former Camp David negotiator Gilead Sher, and backed by literary giants Amos Oz and David Grossman, will sweep to unexpected victory.
Dream on. Rather than hoping the factors thwarting a two-state solution might change, it is surely more rational to step back and rethink the entire approach. Britain's foreign secretary, David Miliband, is fond of quoting Eisenhower's maxim that, when faced with an intractable problem, the first move is to make it bigger. Frustrated by the impossibility of making peace between two peoples, why not up the ante and seek to make peace between Israel and the entire region? A comprehensive peace or, as Miliband put it in a speech last month, "a 23-state solution - 22 members of the Arab League plus Israel".
This is not as fanciful as it might seem. The Arab peace initiative of 2002, which offered full normalisation of relations in return for Israel's withdrawal to its 1967 borders, is still on the table. Indeed the Arab League wrote to Barack Obama just last week, urging him to work for Middle East peace, with their initiative as the basis.
There are problems with the Arab plan. For one thing, there has been no public diplomacy for it, no public face for it - no equivalent of Anwar Sadat's breakthrough visit to Israel, proving the sincerity of his desire for peace. And how would it work in practice? Khalidi wonders how on earth 22 Arab countries are meant to reach "simultaneous orgasm", coming to an agreement with Israel all at the same time.
And yet the logic behind it is compelling. Right now, the Palestinians don't have enough to offer Israel to make the sacrifices required for a peace deal worthwhile. But an accord with the entire Arab world, that would be a prize worth bending for. And, while today's Palestinian leadership is too weak to make compromises on, for instance, Jerusalem, united Arab support would give the Palestinians all the cover they need.
Fear of Iran might motivate the Arabs to come together. A falling oil price could concentrate the mind too. And as always, the sine qua non is the active intervention of the US. Some Israeli officials believe that, after the Bush era, the US is no longer capable of imposing its will on the Middle East. Starting next month, President Obama will have a chance to prove them wrong - and solve one of the world's most persistent problems into the bargain.
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Following two of our most popular ‘Top 10 lists’ posts (Top 10 Japanese Stab Binding Tutorials on the Internet & Top 10 Coptic Stitch Binding Tutorials on the Internet), we’ve been asked to find some resources for the rare, and ever so secret, Secret Belgian Binding technique.
We have also prepared several other bookbinding tutorial collections:
The Belgian Binding (aka crisscross binding) is a bookbinding technique/method which produces a beautiful and distinct, semi-exposed stitched spine as a result of a dual sewing process (initial sewing for the book covers and a later sewing process used to attach the text block to the covers). Originally invented in the mid-1980’s by Belgian bookbinder, Anne Goy (and her book: Reliure crisscross : The secret belgian binding), who was looking for an alternative binding technique to the Japanese Stab Binding method that would allow the book to open flat whilst also remaining simple to make.
The secret Belgian Binding type of binding is relatively rare in the bookbinding community and is mostly used in specialised bindings. This technique is often referred to as the ‘Secret’ Belgian Binding mainly due to the fact that much of the thread used for binding the cover to the text block is hidden behind the spinal board but, other interesting and slightly unexpected explanations of how the name of this technique was derived can be found here, here and here! Which one is correct? You decide!
An interesting feature of the Secret Belgian Binding is that the spinal board (or spine piece) is only held together in tension by the cord that is woven above and below it.
Click the ‘Follow us on Pinterest!’ button above to view more photos of this binding method on our Pinterest! page.
The signatures of a Belgian Bound book are sewn directly to the cord that is threaded behind the spinal board, as a result the signatures can become ‘loose’ and thus wear if correct tension is not applied during the signature sewing process.
There are however many benefits to a Belgian bound book over many other binding techniques, these can include:
The book will lay completely flat when opened
Book covers can be easily transferred from one book to another
Repairs are relatively simple and straight forward
No glue or adhesives are used during the |
anders that violated the equal protection clause.
For District 1, the panel ruled unanimously that race predominated in drawing the district’s lines, and considerations under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 didn’t justify the racial predominance because there was a lack of evidence of racial bloc voting as required under the Supreme Court’s precedents.
The district court divided 2-1 regarding District 12 in North Carolina, with the majority ruling race predominated against political concerns. The dissenting judge would have held that politics dominated against race in the district’s drawing.
In the Virginia case, the state legislature drew a map after the 2010 census that created 12 state House of Delegates districts with the black voting-age population of at least 55 percent.
Virginia still was a covered jurisdiction under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, before the Supreme Court’s 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision. That ruling in an Alabama case struck down Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act, the provision that established the coverage formula for Section 5—which required states and locations with a history of discrimination in voting to gain federal approval of changes, including redistricting and election procedures. (See “Voting Blocks,” November).
State lawmakers contend they had to draw the 12 districts with high BVAP levels to avoid racial retrogression and to win preclearance for their plan. (And the Department of Justice precleared the plan in 2011.)
Still, the plan was challenged as a racial gerrymander by voters. A three-judge panel upheld the plan. While the adoption of a 55 percent BVAP goal was “significant evidence” of racial predominance, the court said that strict scrutiny applies only when, quoting Justice Sandra Day O’Connor in a redistricting case, “the state has relied on race in substantial disregard of customary and traditional districting practices.”
The court evaluated each district at issue and found that in 11 of the 12, race hadn’t been a predominant factor. In the 12th district, the court found that the state had required “drastic maneuvering” to meet the 55 percent BVAP target, but it upheld the district because it said the use of race was narrowly tailored to meet the preclearance requirement.
One judge dissented, arguing that the state’s use of a “one-size-fits-all” BVAP target suggested that race predominated in all 12 districts.
POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Elias, whose firm also represents the challengers to the Virginia state districts, wrote in a brief that the district court majority reached a “counterintuitive conclusion” that the 55 percent BVAP goal did not result in racial predominance in 11 of the 12 challenged districts. “Ultimately, the majority’s analysis turns a blind eye to the concrete harms of unjustified race-based districting,” Elias wrote.
Clement, in defending the Virginia remap, argued that a broad consensus existed on the need to maintain the 12 majority-minority state House districts to avoid preclearance problems, and that the legislature did not deviate from traditional districting principles to achieve its goal.
“To the contrary, the challenged districts retained, on average, more than 72 percent of their cores—a level above the statewide average,” Clement wrote in a brief. “And the few seeming abnormalities in the districts’ lines are readily explained by traditional criteria, such as incumbency protection, increasing compactness and contiguity, or political considerations.”
Law professors and other analysts inevitably turn to an issue not squarely presented by the cases—political gerrymandering.
“On partisan gerrymandering, there is already a majority of justices who think that it is unconstitutional, but it’s just nonjusticiable because they haven’t figured out what the test ought to be for doing that,” says Martin S. Lederman, a professor at Georgetown University Law Center.
Clement agrees. “In the world we live in, the court has kind of said, ‘Well, we’re not going to say it’s OK, but we haven’t come up with any justiciable standards,’ ” he says.
Richard H. Pildes argued an Alabama redistricting case two terms ago and won a decision that required closer lower-court scrutiny of an alleged racial gerrymander in the state legislative redistricting.
“In these cases, the Supreme Court has to define the path between using race to draw election districts in a way that is required by the VRA and using race in a way that goes significantly beyond that and is unconstitutional,” says Pildes, a professor at New York University School of Law.
The North Carolina and Virginia cases will be heard by an eight-member Supreme Court. With the lower court decisions largely split between striking down and upholding the challenged plans, a deadlock would leave redistricting laws unsettled as time ticks closer to the next round of line drawing.
This article originally appeared in the December 2016 issue of the ABA Journal with this headline: "Lines in the Sand: Court considers challenges to racial gerrymandering in Southern redistricting cases."Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley got three percent in the poll, with former Sen. Jim Webb at two percent and former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee at 1 percent.
Bloomberg reported that Sanders’ rise in Iowa is powered by enthusiasm from first-time and young caucus-goers.
Saturday’s poll found that 43 percent of voters attending their first caucus in 2016 would pick Sanders, compared with 31 percent who would back Clinton.
It also found that 50 percent of Iowa Democratic voters under 45 support Sanders. Of that group, 27 percent say they support Clinton and 8 percent Biden.
Most respondents are picking Sanders because they are excited by the Vermont lawmaker’s ideas, not just opposed to Clinton, the poll said.
An overwhelming 96 percent said Sanders’ ideas had won them over, versus 2 percent who pick him based on objections to Clinton.
Clinton is the current front-runner for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination across multiple polls.
The latest RealClearPolitics average of polls finds her with 47.8 percent and Sanders, her closest completion, at 26.3 percent.
Clinton’s momentum is fading, however, amid voter concerns over her transparency and trustworthiness while serving at the State Department.
At issue is Clinton’s use of a private email server during her tenure at the agency. Critics say the device may have prevented accountability of her service there and jeopardized sensitive national intelligence.
Clinton has repeatedly argued she used the email server for convenience without exposing any national security information to prying eyes.
She announced earlier this month that she is turning the device and its backup thumb drive to Justice Department investigators.There are very significant limits [on what you can and cannot say], and they are very cumbersome and unwieldy. If you want to play a watchdog role, you try to work within the rules. This is a sensitive subject. A lot of people have just said to me, "Well, you feel so strongly about [these issues] – when you knew this, why didn't you just go to the floor of the United States Senate and just, you know, read it all [into the record]?" And, of course, anybody who does this kind of work thinks a lot about that. You think about it all the time. I can see why plenty of people would criticize me – progressives and others. I can understand why plenty of people who have views similar to mine would say they would have done it differently.Regular price $ 35.99 Sale price $ 0.00
Print shows a large campaign banner for Republican presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln and running mate Hannibal Hamlin. Lincoln's first name is given here as "Abram." The banner consists of a thirty-three star American flag pattern printed on cloth. In one corner, a bust portrait of Lincoln, without beard, encircled by stars, appears on a blue field.
By: Howard H.C
Published: 1860
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FREE SHIPPING WITHIN THE UNITED STATES.Never skip leg day ppl! Squats (500 lbs) paired with box jumps (51 inches) #legday A video posted by David Johnson (@davidjohnson31) on Jul 6, 2016 at 2:34pm PDT
Most things a professional athlete does to train might surprise and impress the common man. We admit that.
But some things flat out can’t be unseen, and Cardinals running back David Johnson squatting 500 pounds a couple times like it’s nothing and then box-jumping 51 inches is one of those things.
Johnson posted his workout video to his Instagram account with the accompanying caption “Never skip leg day, ppl!”
It appears he’s taking a visit to Northern Iowa based on the Panther logo in the background, and it’s probable the post will make Arizona fans giddy with excitement about what the 6-foot-1, 224 pound running back can accomplish in his second season.
The expectation is that Johnson will improve upon his 581 rushing yards (4.6 yards per carry), 457 receiving yards (12.7 yards per catch) and 13 total touchdowns from 2015.
Just by the looks of it — and without any relative weight-lifting experience — Johnson can live up to those expectations if 2016 goes anything like Wednesday’s leg day.
Follow @AZSportsYelp’s mission is to connect people with great local businesses; along the way, we hope to enrich lives of consumers and small business owners. In pursuit of this mission, we want to provide the most helpful information possible about local businesses. While ratings and reviews are incredibly powerful ways to guide spending decisions, we’re always looking for new ways to supplement the information to provide a better experience for consumers.
Today, we’re excited to join San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee in announcing that restaurant hygiene scores from the City of San Francisco will be imported onto Yelp business pages. This is huge news in itself, but perhaps the bigger news is what we’ve created to enable this new business attribute: a new open data standard — the “Local Inspector Value-entry Specification” or, simply, LIVES.
The LIVES standard was co-developed by Yelp and the technology departments of the cities of San Francisco and New York. The standard was created with the guidance and encouragement of the White House.
You can already see some live examples on the site today: here and here.
LIVES enables local municipalities to display their hygiene inspection data as a business attribute on Yelp. Consumers in SF and NYC will be the first to benefit from this program as it rolls out in the weeks ahead. San Francisco users will be able to click through and view the inspection history of a local establishment.
Public/private partnerships like this don’t necessarily provide a direct contribution to Yelp’s bottom line, but evidence suggests the LIVES open data standard will have a positive impact on society.
According to a study of the Los Angeles restaurant industry, when consumers have better exposure to restaurant hygiene scores, the number of hospitalizations due to foodborne illness drops. The LA study also demonstrated that when restaurant scores are posted conspicuously, best practices improve across the industry.
We hope other cities will join San Francisco in fully embracing this new open data standard. If you work for a city hall and are interested in learning more about implementation, visit http://yelp.com/healthscores.For Canada to meet its climate change goals it will have to make significant cuts to emissions from the oilsands, according to an international report card published today.
The report from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) provides a detailed analysis of Canada's environmental progress from the time the last report was published in 2004 until May of this year.
It says that while Canada has made progress in some areas, it has failed in others.
"Without a drastic decrease in the emissions intensity of the oilsands industry, the projected increase in oil production may seriously risk the achievement of Canada's climate mitigation targets."
The report notes that Canada has the fourth largest greenhouse gas emissions of the OECD's 35 developed national economies.
Canada's emissions did decrease since the last report was issued, but only by 1.5 per cent compared to the OECD as a whole, which cut emissions by 4.7 per cent over the same time period.
While emissions decreased in most provinces, they surged by 18 per cent in Alberta. The report says the province is now responsible for 40 per cent of the country's emissions, due in large part to the development of the oilsands.
Emissions went down in every other province and territory except Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Nunavut. Half of Canada's emissions now come from the oil and gas industry (26 per cent) and the transport sector (24 per cent), the report says.
"Canada is the... third largest emitter [in the OECD] in per capita terms — and emissions show no clear sign of falling."
Taxation as a solution
The report says Canada is also falling behind when it comes to using taxes to encourage individuals and industry to reduce emissions. The country's environmental tax regime, the report says, "is far below that of other OECD member countries."
"Petrol and diesel taxes for road use are among the lowest in the OECD, fossil fuels used for electricity and heating remain untaxed or taxed at low rates in most jurisdictions and the federal excise tax on fuel-inefficient vehicles is an ineffective incentive to purchase low-emission vehicles."
The report says Canada's national carbon pricing strategy, the Pan-Canadian Framework for Clean Growth and Climate Change, will be essential to the country meeting its climate change goals.
Renewable potential
Canada's electricity sector got some better marks. About 80 per cent of the country's electricity supply comes from non-emitting sources like hydro and nuclear power. And Quebec and Manitoba get nearly their entire supply from renewable sources.
Though "much of Canada's vast renewable energy potential remains untapped," the report says, since the early 2000s Canada has had "a remarkable expansion in wind power," giving the country the eighth largest wind power capacity in the world.
"However, this has been more than offset by rising demand from the mining and quarrying sectors, including oil and gas extraction, as well as road transport and households," the report says.
Recommendations
To meet the goals set out in the Paris climate accord, the report recommends several actions including expanding the national carbon tax.
"Under current plans, the carbon price would apply to between 70-80 per cent of total emissions," the report says, noting that share is higher than it is in the European Union. "However, the long-term ambition should be to ensure no significant emitters are exempt and that its coverage is as wide as possible."
It also recommends Canada do a better job of aligning its national energy policy and oilsands production with its climate change and environmental policies.
Other recommendations include:
Expanding the use of natural gas and biofuels for freight and passenger transport.
Increasing the number of zero-emission vehicles in urban areas.
Expanding renewable energy production.
Consider charging motorists fees to drive through congested urban areas.
'Proud' of our record: McKenna
Environment Minister Catherine McKenna said despite the report's findings she's "proud of what [her] government is doing on climate action and clean growth."
"We are phasing out coal, putting a price on carbon pollution and making historic investments in transit, energy efficiency and supporting Canadian companies with clean solutions," she said in an email to CBC.
"We've also expanded our national parks and protected areas. We are committed to meeting our targets, growing the economy and creating jobs, while protecting the environment for our kids and grandkids."Four months after it announced an ultra high speed fiber optic network experiment in Kansas City, Google is beginning to connect homes to the 1,000 Mbps service. In a recent blog post, the company breaks down the installation process, saying that it wants to nail the small details — arriving at the beginning of the appointment window, installing everything cleanly and efficiently, and getting everything sorted out in a single visit. Ars Technica spoke with a resident of the Hanover Heights neighborhood where Google is starting its installations, who quoted actual speeds of 600-700Mbps for the $70 monthly service.
Google released a short video describing the installation process (below), showing the delightful experience we’re used to from other internet service ads, only with stacks of Google-colored boxes and a Nexus 7 remote control for the accompanying TV service. Now that things are underway in Hanover Heights, the other 179 or so neighborhoods that signed on for Google Fiber can't be that far behind.Editor’s note: Marat Ryndin is a UX/visual designer, writer and app/tech/soccer/music junkie. He worked for Google and various startups and climbed to Everest base camp.
A couple of years ago, right around the time Google’s Gmail team decided to start working on a standalone email app — the recently announced Inbox — a major redesign of Gmail was launched. As is the case with all Google products it was first released internally as “dogfood” to let Googlers themselves digest all the new features, or as was the case with this particular redesign, the removal of most of the advanced features.
The Gmail team did not have to wait for the reaction for long. And it wasn’t very “googly.” It caused an uproar teeming with disgust for just about every decision the Gmail product/design team made. Phrases like, “You guys just completely destroyed Gmail!” and “What are these crazy designers doing over there?!” were everywhere. From being spoken at many of Google’s cafes to every internal online forum.
Google engineers, in typical OCD engineer fashion, wrote long internal Google+ and forum posts detailing every single use case that was no longer supported, no matter how obscure. Hell hath no fury like a product team removing a feature an engineer had been using on a daily basis. Add to that the decision to turn words into icons and add white space between rows and Google engineers were ready to storm the Gmail product/design team office with torches, swords and in full knight armor (you’d be surprised how many Google engineers own that stuff).
In response, the head of the Gmail design team made a presentation entitled “You Are Not the User.” If you were not lucky enough to witness the carnage in person you could view its archived version on the internal Google+.
The presentation detailed the reasons behind every decision the design/product team made showing gobs of usability data supporting the decisions to remove advanced features that the overwhelming majority of Gmail users were never using. These features, it was argued, were unnecessarily complicating the user interface when most people just wanted a simple email client.
All of the decisions revolved around the central fact that a typical Gmail user was receiving only about five emails per day, most of which were of promotional nature, and as such, required no response. This was in contrast to a typical Googler who received an average of about 450 emails per day, many of which were important to at least read, with a good chunk of them requiring a reply.
Despite supplying a large amount of concrete data supporting the Gmail design/product team’s decisions the presentation did not quell the criticism, but rather stoked the fire even more. Even its title was called “purposefully inflammatory” and further upset Googlers who, like many techies, were using every possible advanced feature to deal with the daily onslaught of email.
Finally, a compromise was reached. Gmail would stay streamlined and optimized for its gigantic user base (hundreds of millions of monthly active users) while still keeping some of the more advanced features (now well hidden) for those who really needed them.
In parallel, the Gmail team would begin working on a standalone product specifically designed from the ground up for advanced users who have to handle a firehose of incoming emails every day. And that’s how Inbox was born.Spider-Man star Andrew Garfield encounters a man wearing a Spider-Man mask as he arrives at the world film premiere of 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' in London on April 10.
Peter Parker, that boy from Queens who has a thing for spiders, is a neurotic Jew – or maybe he's Jesus, says Andrew Garfield, the half-Jewish actor who plays Spidey in "The Amazing Spider-Man" and "The Amazing Spider-Man 2."
"Spider-Man is neurotic," Garfield, a U.S.-British actor who was brought up Jewish, told Time Out. "He never feels like he's doing enough. And Peter suffers from self-doubt. He ums and ahs about his future because he's neurotic. He's Jewish. It's a defining feature."
"Peter Parker is not a simple dude," said Garfield. "He can't just switch off."
Garfield said the generalizations apply to himself as well, adding: "I hope Jewish people won't mind the cliché, because my father's Jewish. I have that in me for sure."
But wait a second. Spidey might not be your run-of-the-mill Jewish boy. The "overthinker," adds the actor, might just be the Jew who became the Christian messiah.
"He is misunderstood, like Jesus," says Garfield. "I don't mind the Jesus parallel for Spider-Man. Jesus is an awesome guy. When Pontius Pilate said: 'They say you're the son of God. If you're the son of God tell me,' Jesus was like: 'I know who I am, bitch.'"
Backtracking a bit, Garfield says Peter Parker isn't quite as secure in his identity as that "awesome guy" who was nailed to a cross.
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"Peter is not that evolved," Garfield told Time Out. "Peter wants to tell the world he's a good guy: 'Like me, I'm nice.' He's a 19-year-old kid. He's a kid struggling with being misunderstood. We've all been misunderstood. That's universal too. I like being Peter."
Garfield isn't the first to see Jewish overtones to the Spider-Man story.
Others have portrayed it as an allegory for post-World War II Judaism in America, writes The Independent. After all, as the British daily points out, Parker is an angst-ridden orphan who (like many Jews) lives in Forest Hills, Queens, and fights evil by adopting an alter ego, much as some Jews submerged their identities to avoid persecution.Inventor's ashes to be made into Frisbees Frisbee pioneeer's ashes to be made into'memorial discs'
SAN FRANCISCO - "Steady" Ed Headrick, the California inventor who figured out a way to make the Frisbee fly fast and straight, has died at the age of 78. His family said his ashes will be made into Frisbees.
Headrick died in his sleep early Monday at his home in La Selva Beach, California, his son Ken told the Santa Cruz Sentinel Tuesday.
While no services are now planned, Headrick's ashes will be molded into a limited number of "memorial flying discs" which will be distributed to family and friends, and sold to help fund a future Frisbee/disc golf history and memorabilia museum, his son, Ken Headrick, said.
The elder Headrick, who had high blood pressure, had suffered two strokes while attending the Professional Disc Golf Association Amateur World Championships in Miami last month and returned home to California after doctors determined that his condition was likely to deteriorate.
Hailed as the father of the modern Frisbee, Headrick helped to perfect the popular flying disc beloved by generations of college students while working at Emeryville, California-based toymaker Wham-O Inc. in 1964.
The Frisbee -- said to be named after the Frisbie Pie Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut, whose round metal tins were used as toys by students at Yale University in the late 19th Century -- took on new life with the advent of industrial plastics.
After World War Two, an inventor named Walter Morrison worked on perfecting a plastic version of the toy and came up with the "Pluto Platter" prototype, a plastic mini-flying saucer.
But the platter still proved to be a wobbly throw. Headrick, who was then working on research and development at Wham-O, took a look at the design and added aerodynamic ridges on the top of the disc, making it more flight-worthy.
Awarded the patent for the first "professional" model Frisbee in 1966, Headrick went on to popularize a wide variety of Frisbee-related sports, founding the International Frisbee Association and later the Professional Disc Golf Association, which involves throwing a Frisbee at a metal cage.
"We all wished for a miracle that would have had him up and out of bed throwing discs and joking around once again. That miracle that was Ed will have to live on in our hearts and souls now," the Disc Golf Association said in a release Tuesday.
Headrick is survived by his wife as well several children and grandchildren.
In an interview with the Santa Cruz Sentinel last year, Headrick acknowledged the special power of the Frisbee -- one of the simplest and most successful toys ever devised.
"I felt the Frisbee had some kind of a spirit involved. It's not just like playing catch with a ball. It's the beautiful flight," Headrick said.
"We used to say that Frisbee is really a religion -- 'Frisbyterians,' we'd call ourselves," he said. "When we die, we don't go to purgatory. We just land up on the roof and lay there."The following words are showered on Mr. Romney; bold, honest, tells it like it is, non-compromising on principles. He has only one mouth he speaks from.
During his speech at NAACP, he got booed. Of course, booing goes with public life, so is cheering; after all we are a free people and respond to situations instinctively.
Steve Holland of Reuters writes, “Although several of his lines were greeted with applause, Romney drew waves of boos when he blasted Obama's record on jobs and the healthcare overhaul that was backed by the president and recently upheld as constitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court.”
The wire continues, “I'm going to eliminate every expensive, non-essential program. That includes Obamacare," Romney told the crowd of hundreds in a half-filled ballroom. “Sustained boos of more than 10 seconds broke out, and Romney seemed unsettled by the reaction.”
There is other side to it.
Reuters continues, “Was it to court black voters - or to show Romney's mostly white, conservative base that he could take his message to the heart of the opposition?”
The conservatives on the other hand see him as Rambo, the guy who dares into the enemy territory and comes back unscathed. Hence fund him more!
ABC News reports, “Critics in Obama's camp charged immediately after the speech that Romney planned to be booed in an effort to charge up Republican voters.”
Romney said, he will give the same message where ever he goes. Really?
Did he say those words because he had nothing to lose? Did he discount the NCAAP group because he had nothing to gain from them? No funds no votes?
Would he be straight forward when he goes to the NRA or AIPAC? Or will he become an appeaser or play mouse?
Should a president do what is right, or what is beneficial to his political aspirations?
_______
Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and a writer on the topics of Pluralism, Coexistence, politics, interfaith, Islam and cohesive societies. He is committed to building a cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day.Count new Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner among the growing crowd of local transportation officials wary of road-expansion as a solution to traffic problems. Turner told the Texas Transportation Commission last week that it was time for a “paradigm shift” away from the ineffective approach of widening highways, according to prepared remarks posted by Streetsblog’s Angie Schmitt. That strategy, he said, only makes congestion worse.
To help his case, Turner pointed to the Katy Freeway in Houston, or Interstate 10. A few years ago it was expanded to 26 lanes in some segments at a cost of $2.8 billion—good enough to earn the title of the “world’s widest freeway.” Despite all that new road capacity, rush-hour travel times increased between 2011 and 2014; in 2015, Turner pointed out, one segment of the Katy was ranked among the most congested roads in Texas.
He continued:
This example, and many others in Houston and around the state, have clearly demonstrated that the traditional strategy of adding capacity, especially single occupant vehicle capacity on the periphery of our urban areas, exacerbates urban congestion problems. These types of projects are not creating the kind of vibrant, economically strong cities that we all desire.
Turner ran on a transportation platform that says all the right things about improving urban mobility via travel alternatives to single-occupancy vehicles. His position emphasizes road maintenance without any mention of expansion and favors new public transit options, the Houston-Dallas high-speed rail plan, and the reconstruction of Interstate 45—an elevated highway that cuts through the city. His latest talk offered three specific suggestions:
Texas DOT should prioritize projects that help increase the share of non solo-drive trips from its present 3 percent up to at least 15 percent. That means new intercity rail efforts, HOT lanes, and better local transit. “Experience shows that focusing on serving the 97% will exacerbate and prolong the congestion problems that urban areas experience,” he said. Highway money pegged for urban regions like Houston should be used toward enhancing roads in the core—as opposed to those on the fringes. Again his point was that expanding peripheral highways only makes the whole road system more congested. Texas DOT and the city need to work together to coordinate Houston’s last-mile trip options, especially along local streets that feed off major highways.
Houston has taken strong steps to improve its urban mobility options in recent years. It reimagined its local bus network into a high-frequency grid that does a better job connecting workers and workplaces. It’s expanded the light rail system and pushed bus-rapid transit projects along certain corridors. But Turner and other local leaders have a lot of ground to make up in terms of changing the established thinking when it comes to transportation.Scientists from Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a new "switch" that could do wonders for quantum computing systems.
According to an MIT press release, the scientists have used a laser to pair off single atoms of a metal known as rubidium with a light particle, or photon. Published in the journal Nature, the study found this creates a switch for the atom and photon to achieve quantum-level computing.
"This is a major advance of this system," study co-author Vladan Vuletić, a professor in MIT's Department of Physics and Research Laboratory for Electronics (RLE), said in the release. "We have demonstrated basically an atom can switch the phase of a photon. And the photon can switch the phase of an atom."
Interaction with the atom allows a photon to switch between its two polarization states. The photon does the same for the atom, allowing it to change between its two phases, described as "ground" and "excited."
The scientists believe this new mechanism will enhance quantum computing by making it more efficient. By having a high volume of atoms within a field of light, they believe they can process information much more quickly.
"You can now imagine having several atoms placed there, to make several of these devices - which are only a few hundred nanometers thick, 1,000 times thinner than a human hair - and couple them together to make them exchange information," Vuletić said.
The Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics in Germany is running a parallel research project, according to the MIT release. They are currently using mirrors to form quantum gates able to allow the photon-atom interaction to change directions.
"The Harvard/MIT experiment is a masterpiece of quantum nonlinear optics, demonstrating impressively the preponderance of single atoms over many atoms for the control of quantum light fields," Gerhard Rempe, a researcher on the Max Planck Institute team, said in the release. "The coherent manipulation of an atom coupled to a photonic crystal resonator constitutes a breakthrough and complements our own work... with an atom in a dielectric mirror resonator."By Steve Holland and Linda Stern
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK, June 30 (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush released 33 years of tax records on Tuesday that traced his path to a net worth of between $19 million and $22 million, in a show of transparency that will pressure Democrat Hillary Clinton and his Republican rivals to open their financial books.
Bush's income has soared since he left the Florida governor's office in 2007, the records showed. His annual income was $260,580 in 2006, his last year as governor. Tracking steadily higher through the financial crisis and deep recession, Bush's income was nearly $7.4 million in 2013.
The release of 1,150 documents, dating to the start of his commercial real estate career in Miami in 1981, appeared to be the largest such disclosure ever by a presidential candidate.
"This release will show voters how I earned a living over the past three decades and how much of that living I had to give back to Uncle Sam. (Spoiler alert: a lot)," said Bush, whose effective tax rate exceeded 40 percent in 2013.
Bush's move stands in sharp contrast to Clinton, the overwhelming favorite for the Democratic presidential nomination for the November 2016 election. She has been under pressure for months to release more details of her finances.
She and husband Bill, the former president, have built vast wealth through speaking fees. In May, they said they had earned more than $25 million for delivering 104 speeches since the beginning of 2014.
"He's revealing in this that he's going to be transparent," said Rick Wilson, a Florida Republican strategist. "It's an invitation to the Clintons to open the books."
The former Florida governor also is applying pressure to his rivals for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, who have divulged little of their own financial backgrounds.
Asked in a meeting with a small group of reporters in Washington whether his release was aimed at pressuring his rivals, Bush said: "They'll figure out what to do."
In the trove of information he made public, Bush included a chart showing his 33 years of tax records exceeded disclosures by previous presidential nominees, with 1996 Republican nominee Bob Dole closest at 30 years of returns.
Releasing so much tax information, said Bush, 62, was intended to "give people a sense of who I am."
Since leaving the governor's office in 2007 through 2013, Bush and his wife, Columba, have reported earnings of around $28.9 million. His lawyer said Bush would release his 2014 return when it was complete and its filing date had been extended to October.
Bush comes from a family of means. His father George H.W. Bush and brother George W. Bush were both elected president.
CONTRAST WITH ROMNEY
The effective tax rate Bush has paid contrasts with 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney, a multi-millionaire who paid effective tax rates of less than 20 percent in 2010 and 2011 on income derived largely from capital gains. Romney's wealth was a central issue in the 2012 campaign.
Bush's effective tax rate of more than 40 percent exceeds most Americans'. The 2010 average U.S. tax rate was 18.1 percent and for highest 1 percent of earners 29.4 percent, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
But Bush also wrote off substantial pre-tax business expenses from 2007 to 2013, reducing the income used in calculating his effective tax rate.
In each of 2011, 2012 and 2013, Bush wrote off more than $1 million in business expenses. Over the seven-year period, he deducted roughly 20 percent of his business income in expenses. Had those expenses all been considered part of his taxable income, his effective tax rates would be lower.
Bush has earned most of his money since 2007 through Jeb Bush & Associates, a consulting firm, and by forming, with three partners, a company called Britton Hills, which has focused on a few growth-capital investments.
He has made an average of $1.1 million each year in giving speeches since 2007 with fees ranging from $40,000 to $75,000.
"I made less than Chelsea Clinton," Bush quipped, referring to the reported $65,000 speaking fee of the Clintons' daughter, Chelsea.
In a revelation that Democrats may pounce on, Bush made an average of $1.3 million per year over two years in working as a consultant for Lehman Brothers before the former Wall Street investment firm went bankrupt during the 2008 financial crisis. Later, he was an adviser for Barclay's.
Bush paid no federal taxes in 1985 and 1986, two years when his investment losses canceled out his income.
He also made some mistakes in his tax record-keeping: A $6,500 item listed as income from gambling in 2013 was actually a prize he won at a holiday party, an aide said.
REAL ESTATE
The tax records released covered nearly his entire business career, including his involvement in Miami real estate.
Over the years, Bush became a successful investor and a savvy tax filer. He and his tax preparer were aggressive about capturing investment losses through the credit crisis and thereafter. For example, in 2009, the market bottom following the crisis, he claimed $97,079 in capital losses that have allowed him to reduce his taxes that year and subsequent years.
Bush's investments in so-called passive activity, such as real estate and investment partnerships have grown substantially. In 2008, he declared $590 in income in real estate and partnerships. In 2013, he claimed $679,526 in real estate and partnership income.
For the past several years, Bush has held shares in private funds founded - and in some cases managed - by relatives. As early as 2001, Bush was earning money from investments in the Winston Capital Fund, managed by his brother Marvin Bush.
More recently, beginning in 2007, Jeb Bush bought shares in several funds issued by a Texas-based real estate investment company co-founded by his son George P. Bush that is now known as Pennybacker Capital which buys office buildings, retail properties and apartments that are in disrepair and renovates them to increase their potential returns |
who was Akbar's governor in Delhi, wrote to his masters who were camped at Jalandhar, that Hemu had captured Agra and intended to attack the capital Delhi which could not be defended without reinforcements. While the main army could not be spared due to the belligerent presence of Sikandar Shah Suri, Akbar's regent, Bairam Khan, realising the gravity of the situation, sent his most capable lieutenant, Pir Muhammad Sharwani, to Delhi. Meanwhile, Tardi Beg Khan had also ordered all the Mughal nobles in the vicinity to muster their forces at Delhi. A council of war was convened where it was decided that the Mughals would stand and fight Hemu, and plans were made accordingly.
After winning Agra, Hemu, who had set off in pursuit of the city's governor, reached Tughlaqabad, a village just outside Delhi where he ran into Tardi Beg Khan's forces. The Mughals while outnumbered, put up a gallant fight against Hemu's forces which, according to Bada'uni, included 1000 elephants, 50,000 horses, 51 cannon and 500 falconets. Jadunath Sarkar describes the battle thus:
The Mughal army was thus drawn up: Abdullah Uzbeg commanded the Van, Haidar Muhammad the right wing, Iskandar Beg the left, and Tardi Beg himself the centre. The choice Turki cavalry in the van and left wing attacked and drove back the enemy forces before them, and followed far in pursuit. In this assault the victors captured 400 elephants and slew 3,000 men of the Afghan army. Imagining victory already gained, many of Tardi Beg's followers dispersed to plunder the enemy camp, and he was left in the field very thinly guarded. All this time Himu had been holding 300 choice elephants and a force of select horsemen as a reserve in the centre. He promptly seized the opportunity and made a sudden charge upon Tardi Beg with this reserve. At the impetuous advance of the huge beasts and the dense cavalry behind them, many of the Mughal officers fled away in terror without waiting to offer a defence. At last Tardi Beg himself took the same course.
Hemu's push was also bolstered by the timely arrival of fresh reinforcements from Alwar under the command of Haji Khan. When the previously victorious Mughal vanguard and left wing returned from their pursuit, they realised that the day was lost and dispersed without offering a fight. Hemu took possession of Delhi after a day's battle on 7 October 1556.
As Raja Vikramaditya Edit
c. 1910s portrayal of Hemu Vikramaditya portrayal of Hemu Vikramaditya
After taking control of Delhi, Hemu claimed royal status and assumed the title of Vikramaditya (or Bikramjit), an appellation used by a number of Hindu kings in India's ancient past. What this signifies is, however, a subject of speculation among historians.
Historians such as Satish Chandra do not believe that this implies that Hemu had declared himself to be an independent king. He reasons that, for one, none of the Mughal authors of the time explicitly say so in their histories. In the Akbarnama, Abu'l-Fazl writes that after Hemu's victory at Tughlaqabad, "the ambition of sovereignty" was stirring within him. According to Bada'uni, Hemu took on the title of Bikramjit like a great Raja of Hindustan. Another contemporary historian named Nizamuddin Ahmad merely states that Hemu took on said title, but refrains from saying anything more. Secondly, it would have been an ill-advised move as Hemu's military force was composed almost entirely of Afghans. According to Bada'uni, there were also some murmurings against Hemu amongst the Afghans who were "sick of his usurpation … prayed for his downfall".
Other historians describe Hemu's claim to be an attempt to set himself up as an independent ruler, throwing off the yoke of Adil Shah's authority. Abraham Eraly quotes Ahmad Yadgar who states in his history of the Afghans that Hemu "raised the imperial canopy over him, and ordered coin to be struck in his name". This was done in connivance with the Afghans to whom he had liberally distributed the spoils. But Eraly notes that Hemu continued to humour Adil Shah with professions of fealty.
Whether he had set himself up as an independent king or not, Hemu Vikramaditya's reign was to be short-lived as he would again clash with the Mughals only a month later. This time the battlefield would be at Panipat, not far from the site where Akbar's grandfather, Babur, had been victorious against the Lodis 30 years earlier.
Second Battle of Panipat Edit
The defeat of Hemu, a c. 1590s painting by Kankar from the [21], apainting by Kankar from the Akbarnama. Neither Hemu nor Akbar are depicted here suggesting that this might be part of a double-page composition.
On hearing the disastrous news from Tughlaqabad, Akbar immediately set off for Delhi. Ali Quli Khan Shaibani with Sayyed Mahmud Khan Barha who had recently joined Bairam Khan's army were sent ahead with 10,000-strong cavalry force chanced upon Hemu's artillery which was being transported under a weak guard. He was easily able to capture the entire train of artillery. This would prove to be a costly loss for Hemu.
On 5 November 1556, the Mughal army met Hemu's army at the historic battlefield of Panipat. Akbar and Bairam Khan stayed in the rear, eight miles from the battleground. The Mughal army was led by Ali Quli Khan Shaibani in the centre with Sikandar Khan Uzbak on the right and Abdulla Khan Uzbak towards the left and the vanguard led by Husain Quli Beg and Shah Quli Mahram. Hemu led his army himself into battle, atop an elephant named Hawai. His left was led by his sister's son, Ramya, and the right by Shadi Khan Kakkar. It was a desperately contested battle but the advantage tilted in favour of Hemu. Both the wings of the Mughal army had been driven back and Hemu moved his contingent of war elephants and cavalry forward to crush their centre. Hemu was on the cusp of victory when he was wounded in the eye by a Mughal arrow and collapsed unconscious. This triggered a panic in his army which broke formation and fled. The battle was lost; 5000 dead lay on the field of battle and many more were killed while fleeing.
The elephant carrying the wounded Hemu was captured and led to the Mughal camp. Bairam Khan asked the 13-year-old Akbar to behead Hemu, but he refused to take the sword to a dying man. Akbar was persuaded to touch Hemu's head with his sword after which Bairam Khan executed him. Hemu's head was sent to Kabul while his body was gibbeted on a gate in Delhi. A minaret was subsequently constructed of the heads of the other dead.The following are release dates and changes for August 2015 products.
For a complete list of upcoming release dates, please see the Product Release Schedule.
Please note these are the release dates for Japan. The overseas shipping dates may differ from the dates listed below.
The following release dates have been confirmed:
Shipping out from GSC on the 24th August 2015:
ThreeA - RPU DROPCLOTH 23 and 87 - MEMBER TWO and THREE SHITTY 9
threezero - TITANFALL ATLAS (Rerelease)
Shipping out from GSC on the 25th August 2015:
Good Smile Company - Nendoroid Plus Rubber Straps: LoveLive! 01 (Rerelease)
HOBBY STOCK - Touken Ranbu -ONLINE- Gold Lacquer Stickers #4
HOBBY STOCK - Touken Ranbu -ONLINE- Linkable Trading Acrylic Keychains: 4th Unit
Shipping out from GSC on the 26th August 2015:
Good Smile Company - Nendoroid Mikudayo- (Rerelease)
Good Smile Company - Nendoroid Celty Sturluson
Good Smile Company - Nendoroid Laura Bodewig
Good Smile Company - figma Lucina
Good Smile Company - Himouto! Umaru-chan Clear Files (A/B)
Good Smile Company - Nendoroid Plus: Himouto! Umaru-chan Tote Bag
Good Smile Company - Himouto! Umaru-chan Acrylic Keychains
Good Smile Company - Nendoroid Plus: Himouto! Umaru-chan Mug
Good Smile Company - Himouto! Umaru-chan U.M.R Badge Set
Phat! Company - Ranko Kanzaki: Anniversary Princess Ver.
Phat! Company - Ranko Kanzaki: Anniversary Princess Ver. ~Mad Banquet~
Shipping out from GSC on the 28th August 2015:
WING -
Beast Kingdom - Egg Attack Iron Man 3: Mark III Magnetic Floating Version
The following products have had their release dates changed:
Delayed from August 2015 to 3rd September 2015:
Max Factory - PLAMAX MF-01: minimum factory Nene
Delayed from August 2015 to September 2015:
Phat! Company - Medicchu KanColle: Airfield Princess
Phat! Company - Medicchu KanColle: Kongo
Phat! Company - Medicchu KanColle: Kaga
Phat! Company - Medicchu KanColle: Yukikaze
Phat! Company - Yayoi Takatsuki (Rerelease)
Phat! Company - Iori Minase (Rerelease)
ThreeA - TOMORROW QUEENS CALL ECHO SAISHO / SAIGO / ITSUMO
ThreeA - TOMORROW KINGS UNDERVERSE RANGER(SENSAI KoGEKI / DAI NI SUTORAIKI)
ThreeA - STRIGOI TOTEMNAUT – SECURITY RED
ThreeA - 2000 AD - Judge Death
ThreeA - HALO UNSC SPARTAN GABRIEL THORNE
ThreeA - Megatron
ThreeA - Bumblebee
threezero - WWR ROTHCHILD FIELD MECHANIC - NIGHT FIXER JENKINS
threezero - APU
threezero - Heisenberg
threezero - Mass Effect 3 Commander Shepard
threezero - RoboCop 3.0
threezero - RoboCop 1.0
Beast Kingdom - Egg Attack Iron Man 3: Mark I
Beast Kingdom - Kids Nations Series 004: Earphone Jack Accessories
Beast Kingdom - Kids Nations Series 005 Avengers: Age of Ultron Earphone Jack Accessories
Delayed from August 2015 to October 2015:
Phat! Company - Medicchu KanColle: Northern Princess
Other products not mentioned yet are still in the final stages of quality control and as soon as we have a set date we will inform you. Please note that the actual date of products releasing in stores will differ depending on your location. Weather conditions and other unforeseen circumstances may also delay products, however we will inform you as soon as possible if this is the case.The proposed contracts for the touring versions of Kinky Boots and Newsies triggered a firestorm among members of Actors Equity Association, who say the salaries being offered are much too low for such successful musicals.
Using Facebook and other social media, members have started a group called Actors Working Together to voice their disappointment to Actors Equity, the union that represents stage actors and managers, and to see if there is anything that can be done to lift the salaries.
Initially, many members were upset with the union but some have backed down because they want to present a united front to producers. Still, other members plan to express their outrage at a general union meeting on Friday afternoon. Another meeting with union officials has been slated for later this month just to discuss the contract issue.
"This is a tipping point for us," said one actor, who requested anonymity because he feared reprisal from the union and Broadway producers. "These are two of the most successful shows of the last three years and they want to pay us half what we'd make on Broadway."
Over the Christmas holidays, producers from each show announced upcoming auditions for roles in their respective shows and announced their proposed salaries, according to actors. Kinky Boots is offering a minimum of $976 a week while Newsies minimum is $1,091 a week, according to according to Maria Somma, a spokeswoman for the union. The minimum on Broadway is $1,800 a week, and there are shows currently on tour that pay that much. Ms. Somma said that actors or their agents can negotiate higher salaries.
In October, Kinky Boots producers Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig announced the Tony-winning show had recouped its $13.5 million investment in 30 weeks, according to published sources. Meanwhile, Disney Theatrical Productions said it recouped its $5 million capitalization in just nine months, becoming the fastest of any of its shows to reach profitability.
A Kicky Boots representative didn’t have an immediate comment. In a statement, David Schrader, executive vice president at Disney Theatrical Productions, said that the company "received a positive official response from Equity before we announced our casting process." He added that Disney is "thrilled" that tour would create more than 30 more jobs for Equity-represented actors.
Many actors don’t share his enthusiasm but voicing their disapproval may help their fortunes later on.
"For the union, this interest is incredibly important because it will help us formulate what our future proposals will be," said Ms. Somma. "Having more participation is vital because the union is only as strong as it members and this will make us stronger going forward."
However, Ms. Somma noted that touring companies are financed separately from the Broadway productions. And she added that while Broadway is a commercial enterprise, many of the venues that host the touring productions are nonprofit groups and that affects how much they can spend on bringing in a show. She also noted that actors had ratified the contract that allowed for the salaries being offered back in 2011 and that it doesn't expire until 2015.
In 2004, Actors Equity agreed to allow production companies to pay actors less on the road because so many of the tours were not using union labor. There are three different salary levels. Production companies submit information to the union such as the size of the tour, the itinerary and projected guaranteed revenue from venues to determine the appropriate level. The contract does allow for actors to make bonuses should the shows reach certain performance targets. That doesn't really impress many actors.
"Why should I take on the risk of producing?" said another actor, who also requested anonymity. "Do I get to see the books and know what's going on?"
Ms. Somma said there are no provisions to reopen the contract.
Another actor said that it is important to raise the issue and create awareness of the inequities to strengthen the union in front of the next contract negotiation. "We have to be more participatory," he said. "We need to get the word out."Specific details about the now-confirmed Indiana Jones 5 are in short supply still, as you might expect. We know that Harrison Ford is returning, we know that Steven Spielberg is directing again, and it’s unclear if George Lucas will have any involvement at all. Oh, and David Koepp is penning the screenplay.
See related Revisiting Indiana Jones & The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull
Producer Frank Marshall has thrown in one or two more bits of information, though. He’s told Variety that Indiana Jones 5 will definitely not see the title role recast, as had been rumoured, and that Indy will be Harrison Ford.
He also confirmed that the new film will be a “continuation” of Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull.
That said, it sounds like a well chosen word. Continuation doesn’t mean sequel, and it’s quite likely he just means it’ll follow the events of that film, rather than us having to meet Mutt again. We can but hope.
Indiana Jones 5 is set for release in July 2019. Expect no shortage of speculation between then and now…
Variety.By Oleksandr N.
[Note: Oleksandr originally posted a link to this intriguing paper in the comments section, where it has generated a considerable amount of discussion. Oleksandr has developed one of the most intriguing hypotheses about the Inmarsat data to emerge in a long time. In a nutshell, he suggests that data that has long been viewed as spurious might in fact be an important clue as to what the plane was doing during two crucial and as-yet poorly understood periods of its final flight. — JW]
Introduction
There are two obviously abnormal BFO values of 273 Hz (18:25:34.461 UTC) and -2 Hz (00:19:37.443 UTC) recorded by Inmarsat. The first of them is inconsistent with the other BFO records in the same cluster of BFOs 18:25 – 18:27, and it is also inconsistent with the known heading and speed of the aircraft by 18:22.
The second abnormal BFO value of -2 Hz considerably differs from the BFO value of 182 Hz just 8 seconds earlier. Should this value be correct, it would imply an extreme descent rate (~15,000 ft /min).
While attempts took place to explain the BFO of 273 Hz as a result of some maneuver, such as a lateral offset, the second anomalous value of -2 Hz is widely believed to be erroneous.
This technical note provides an alternative view, suggesting that both the anomalous BTO values are valid, but they are the results of the inability of AES to apply Doppler compensation due to missing position/velocity data.
You can find the whole paper here.Please visit my new CigarCraig blog at http://www.cigarcraig.com.
The word “Herf” is used liberally throughout the online cigar community and I think a lot of people probably don’t know it’s origins. I was a frequent contributor to the alt.smokers.cigars (ASC) Usenet group at the time the term appeared and have re-printed below the definitive origin of the term “Herf” as posted by the esteemed Mr. John Chunko on alt.smokers.cigars on May 4, 1998:
HERF… to herf; herfing; herfers; the ASC Philly Herf;
the Gellman Office Herf; Herfedor; Fart Nard Herfing;
circle-herfs; herf-off; an after-dinner herf;
the San Francisco Herf; Gentlemen, you may herf…
HERF – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The un-official word of ASC is Herf. Herf is a unique part
of speech. It can be correctly used as a noun, a verb, an
adjective, an adverb, an infinitive, a prefix, a suffix and
an explicative. The arcane word “herf” first entered the
ASC lexicon on November 21, 1996, and was quickly elevated
to frenetic and common use by ASCers. The Prince of Skeeves
(aloys…@gte.net) exposed ASC to the word herf in a casual
posting to the group… however it was ASCers, as a budding
collective, who took the word and made it divine. Herf is
now virulently spreading to worldwide common use as hip
cigar parlance.
HERF – CHRONOLOGY:
As for the _origin_ of Herf, here’s the History of Herf
(it’s a matter of record on DejaNews)…
The word “herf” first appeared on ASC…
——– [post quoted below] ———————————-
It was November 21, 1996… the elections were over,
and “herf” unceremoniously beams into our lexicon…
And, you were there (here’s the exact post)…
******************************************************
> Subject: worst cigars IMHO
> From: aloys…@gte.net (Prince of Skeeves)
> Date: 1996/11/21
> Message-ID: <571i9b$…@news3.gte.net>
> Newsgroups: alt.smokers.cigars
> I bought a Canaria d’Oro(sic?)Robusto out of curiousity
> and it was really a horrible, stale,grassy smoke with a
> peed-on taste. I gave it about 2 inches before I put it
> out. Also, anything Macanudo…I tried several when I
> first began smoking cigars and found them all to be very
> bland and almost impossible to herf, they were so tightly
> wrapped. I think the list of `Mediocre Smokes’ for most
> folks would be huge.
<http://groups.google.com/group/alt.smokers.cigars/browse_thread/thread/55d33094dad52477/f1a8baef7888fa05?hl=en&q=worst+cigars+IMHO#f1a8baef7888fa05>
******************************************************
And, the voices of ASCers cry out immediately…
saying, “what is this _herf_ thing?”
In answer… on November 23, Prince of Skeeves elucidates,
Message-ID: <5770op$…@news1.gte.net>:
> To `herf’ is to draw on a cigar.
The voices of ASC follow in chorus: “this herf thing… it is good”
And, in a grand gesture, full grace is shared…
– Show quoted text –
——– [end quoted post] ———————————-
So, that’s the herf story… on 11/21/96 “Prince of Skeeves” (whoever
he/she/it is/was) introduced our newsgroup to its very own beloved word…
And, as a bonus…
HERF LEVITY:
Herf… a word which is now spreading to virtually all corners of the cigar
world… thanks to the likes of the many and varied distinguished herfing
enthusiasts (herfnicks)… such as:
• the good Dr. Miguelit (used on his many national radio interviews),
• Mr. Lew Rothman (used proudly and prominently on JR’s Winter
catalog issue’s front cover),
• ASC elder Mr. Bob Curtis (used liberally all over the ICG website),
• the Hon. Steven Saka (used strategically at least four times in the
course of the 1997 New Hampshire state senatorial debate and
once as an invective following the debate’s broadcast, which,
btw, was televised on CSPAN-3 to over a half-billion viewers
worldwide, including the space shuttle mission crew),
• Connie Whittager, perky weatherwoman on Montgomery, Alabama’s
WKKG-TV (used to describe the fog which paralyzed suburban
roadways for two straight days in April 1997… in an interview
on the Weather Channel, she explained, “…motorists were advised
to avoid the western beltway and all lakeside arteries due to a
stationary fog bank thicker than a hundred hounddogs herfin’
Hondurans in a hayloft”, and
• by Jorge Jesus Delgado, Jr., now departed, (who ardently
pleaded to “herf a cigar” before his execution in the
Texas death-house in October 1997)…
…just to mention a few of the notables!
PS: Remember… November 21 is World Herfing Day!!!
Sorry you asked, huh?!
Regards,
…JC
_______________________________________________________________
I have attended many herfs, hosted a few herfs, and herfed many cigars over the years. Obviously there are references in the above post that are unique to the ASC community at the time. The Google Groups archive of alt.smokers.cigars can be a very useful resource for cigar information, as well as some very funny threads. Over the 10 year span that I was a contributor, I was fortunate to have met hundreds of fellow posters at herfs and crawls all over the country. I have many friends today that I wouldn’t have met otherwise. If you have the chance, go to a herf, even if you don’t know one person, I bet you will have a great time! Cigar smokers are generally a pretty friendly bunch!
Until next time,
CigarCraig
AdvertisementsHe's out of the hospital and speaking now publicly for the first time about being purposely set on fire, police say, by an ex-girlfriend."It happened slowly I guess in my mind, but I guess in real time it was fast," said Thelonious Haley."It" was the attack in Galveston, outside his apartment, on Nov. 29. Police say Haley was ambushed and set on fire by an ex-girlfriend."I look up, I see her eyes and I just remember her saying, 'Huh,'" Haley said.He tells us that woman was Nancy Allen, an "ex" that he dated for only a few months, several years ago."I said, 'Damn! She threw something on me!' The next thing I feel is the fire, and I feel the explosion," He remembered.In surveillance video from a nearby grocery store, you can see Haley struggling to take off a smoldering hoodie."I just took it off and I started thinking about, I just can't go out like this. I just wasn't going to go out like that," Haley said.He spent over a week in the burn unit with second and third degree burns to his hand, arm and neck. Some of those burns required a skin graft.Haley says it never should have come to this. He says he's been targeted by Allen repeatedly.He tells Eyewitness News she burned down his grandmother's home a few years ago when he lived there. He says she previously doused him with lighter fluid. She was convicted once of even of biting him. He says he's called police so many times and she always returns, hell-bent on hurting him."How can somebody just keep getting away with this? Over and over and over. If the shoe was on the other foot, I just feel like I would have been shut down a long time ago," Haley concluded.He is thankful for the friends who have taken him in, offered encouragement and stood by his side through this ordeal."I just had this outpouring of people who cared about me and I just want to say thank you," he said, choking back tears.Nancy Allen is charged now with felony aggravated assault and is in jail. She faces up to 99 years in prison, if convicted. Haley hopes she is punished for as long as his scars might remain, maybe longer.We are excited to announce the v0.5.1 release of Pyston, our high performance Python JIT.
This minor release passes all SciPy tests and is on average about 15% faster than 0.5.0. In addition several bug fixes and compatibility improvements got merged.
Performance related changes:
We released recently a blog post about our baseline JIT and inline caches. This release brings a lot of improvements in this area, some of the changes are:
the number of ICs slots is now variable. Before we specified for every IC how many slots it has and how large they should be (all slots in a IC had the same size). This often led to higher memory usage than necessary. We changed it now to a fixed size of memory which will than get filled with variable size slots whenever a new slot is required and there is space left in the IC. In addition this makes our IC size estimates in the LLVM tier more accurate because they are now based on the number of bytes we required in the bjit tier.
the interpreter reuses the stack slots (internally called vregs) assigned to temporary values which are only live in a basic block. This reduces stack usage which saves memory and made Pyston faster.
better non null value tracking, stack spilling, duplicate guard removal and much more temporary values will get held in registers
the bjit and ICs can now use callee-save register which removes a lot of spilling around calls
added a script which allows to inspect jited code directly from `perf report`. usage with `make perf_<testname>`
our codegen and analysis passes now work on the vreg numbers which allows us to use arrays as internal data structures instead of hash tables which makes the code easier to understand and faster
faster reference counting pass in the code generator of the LLVM tier
Performance comparison:
startup performance benchmarks:
This benchmarks show that the startup time improved significantly. Part of this comes from the numerous bjit improvements mentioned above (the chart also contains a direct comparison between the bjit performance of the different releases).
steady state benchmarks:
Conclusion:
There are still a lot of low hanging fruit and we still have a huge amount of ideas for (performance) improvements for future releases.
The next months we will use to make Pyston ready for usage at dropbox – this is going to be very exciting 🙂
Finally, we would like to thank all of our open source contributors who have contributed to this release, and especially Nexedi for their employment of Boxiang Sun, one of our core contributors who helped greatly with the SciPy support.
Cullen Rhodes
Long Ang
Lucien ChanAfter twice exonerating two Sunnybrook doctors for their conduct in a controversial 2008 end-of-life case, Ontario’s medical watchdog has had what experts are calling an unprecedented change of heart.
Joy Wawrzyniak holds a photo of her late father, Douglas DeGuerre. Wawrzyniak has filed a potentially precedent setting lawsuit against Sunnybrook Hospital and two doctors alleging they failed to save his life despite the family's wishes. ( TANNIS TOOHEY / TORONTO STAR )
The College of Physicians and Surgeons has issued written cautions against Drs. Martin Chapman and Donald Livingstone after previously rejecting a formal complaint and two appeals by the daughter of a man they treated. “Dr. Chapman and Dr. Livingstone’s conduct was not completely appropriate, and some action is necessary,” reads the latest ruling by the college’s Inquiries, Complaints and Reports committee, obtained by the Star. “This complaint has focused their attention on the need to educate themselves and to consider how they might handle a similar situation differently in the future.”
Article Continued Below
Joy Wawrzyniak filed the complaint and appeals against the two physicians after the death of her father, Douglas DeGuerre, at Sunnybrook on Sept. 22, 2008. The 88-year-old man had wanted to be given every chance at life with a “full code” designation on his chart, Wawrzyniak says. That wish was ignored when physicians unilaterally changed his status to “do not resuscitate” just hours before he entered into cardiac arrest. Medical staff looked on as she called out for their help to save him, Wawrzyniak alleged in a 2009 complaint to the college and in a $1-million civil suit against Chapman and Livingstone. “In our view, Drs. Chapman and Livingstone failed to properly communicate with Ms. Wawrzyniak in this case when they made the decision that it was appropriate in the circumstances to change her father’s status,” reads the college committee’s latest ruling. In two previous reviews of the case, the college ruled the physicians conducted themselves properly and concluded no further action was required. The Health Professions Appeal and Review Board (HPARB) took a differing view in two separate appeal rulings that both found the college’s response to be “unreasonable.” “This is quite possibly the first time that the college has had a decision sent back to them twice to get it right in law,” says Mark Handelman, a Toronto health law lawyer and one of Canada’s leading experts in end-of-life decisions.
“They got told they were wrong. The perception it creates is that doctors protect doctors. They were slapped down twice, and the third time they were obliged to recognize their error of law.... I’m still shaking my head.” Erica Baron, the lawyer representing the two physicians, declined to comment on the college’s findings Tuesday.
Article Continued Below
In submissions to the college, the doctors argued they “did not act unlawfully” in writing a DNR order for DeGuerre, that they were not obliged to resuscitate him and that doing so would have “exacerbated” his suffering. Written cautions against a physician are kept secret. The college does not include them on a physician’s public record. While this third college ruling marks a rare change of opinion, it doesn’t go nearly far enough for Wawrzyniak, who wants the doctors referred to a formal and public disciplinary hearing. “They still just don’t get it,” she said in an interview. “The whole issue is consent. They’re violating the substitute decision maker’s rights and taking them away. And when they get caught, they make excuses that he would die anyway. It’s terrible.” Wawrzyniak is considering a third appeal seeking a tougher ruling. “How can physicians be expected to obey the law when their own regulatory body is willing to excuse a different approach?” asks her lawyer, Barry Swadron. A college spokesperson declined to comment on the case or even confirm that written cautions have been issued to the two physicians. This case, first reported in a 2010 Star investigation, fits into a much broader public debate about the often vague rules and intractable conflicts that emerge between medicine and personal convictions at the end of life. As DeGuerre struggled to breathe, Wawrzyniak, a career nurse, says she begged medical staff to assist her in saving his life in believing the “full code” status remained on his chart. Instead, she says they stood back and did nothing. She says she learned the next day when she reviewed her father’s chart that physicians had changed the code only hours before DeGuerre died.Providence's penchant for coffee cup activism continues: According to the Providence Journal, a group of Rhode Island residents gave away coffee last Friday outside of the Providence police headquarters. The coffee cups had the phrase "#blacklivesmatter" written on them.
The group explains that this move was in response to a protest held by a former cop a week ago. Tony Lepore set up the small protest outside of the Dunkin' Donuts where earlier this month, a Providence police officer purchased a cup of coffee. He was given a cup with "#blacklivesmatter" scrawled across the side after alleging receiving reluctant service from the employee. Lepore is calling for the employee to be fired.
Many police officers were just as upset as Lepore over the incident. The police union was quite angry and released a statement "condemning the employee and the Black Lives Matter Movement." A spokesperson for the union called the slogan written on the cup "anti-police." Franny Choi, one of the residents handing out coffee outside of the police station, tells ABC6 "We know the police have been very outspoken in their opposition to simple acts of protest, such as writing 'black lives matter' on a cup," and so they wanted to take a stand. Another volunteer, Victoria Ruis, explains that the group is trying to "do outreach" about a measure before the city council that would help curtail "the ramifications of racial profiling in Providence."
The group was hoping that officers would agree to pose with one of the "#blacklivesmatter" cups, but unfortunately they were not successful. Most officers declined the coffee and said that it was "against the rules for them to accept anything for free." Other officers turned down the coffee but accepted the fliers that listed information like, "In 2015 alone, 64 unarmed black people have been killed by the police in the United States." Other officers just the gave the group a thumbs up as they drove by. Watch the local news story below:As we reflect on Pearl Harbor Day, here’s something to keep in mind: The “men” who fought and died for the United States in World War II, were just barely out of adolescence, as young as 18 years old—the same age as guys obsessed with “Maxim” and Grand Theft Auto today. The WWII flight jackets painted with provocative pin-up girls, favorite comic characters, or lucky charms are a reminder of just how young these servicemen were.
“If this guy wants to paint a naked lady on the back of the jacket, why stop him? He could be dead tomorrow.”
At the beginning of the war, Army Air Corps members were issued the most badass jacket in the military, the leather A-2—which had been the standard leather flight jacket since 1931. In WWII, these jackets became a canvas for teenage flyers to express their rugged individuality. They’d get the backs painted, and often these images included the plane’s nickname and little bombs to tally how many missions the crew flew. On the front, personalized patches would often indicate one’s squadron or bomb group.
On the bawdiest of these jackets, scantily clad babes gleefully ride phallic bombs. On others, cuddly cartoon characters charge forward, bombs in tow, driven by a testosterone-fueled determination to kill. Some jackets depict caricatures of Native Americans or Pacific Islanders, usually drawn with bones in their noses. Even rarer are those showing Hitler being humiliated—while the number of bombs designated missions flown, swastikas represented German aircrafts destroyed.
“I’ve talked to people who, when they got back from the war, hung their jacket up in the closet because they wouldn’t dare ever wear it in public again,” says John Conway, co-author of Schiffer Books’ American Flight Jackets and Art of the Flight Jacket. “When you’re a teenager and you’re 3,000 miles from home, having a naked lady painted on the back of your jacket is not that big a deal. But you wouldn’t want your mom to see it.”
You might think the concept of personalization would be frowned on in the U.S. military. After all, aren’t soldiers stripped of their identities in boot camp, where they dress in uniform, fall in line, follow orders, and work as a cohesive unit? Conway’s co-author Jon Maguire says American soldiers have always held on to their individuality in some way.
“In the Revolutionary War, the soldiers would carve on their powder horn or take a nail and make a stipple design on their musket,” says Maguire, an Oklahoma City historian for World War II’s 27th Air Transport Group |
ping off in the quarter-final with a groin tear.
But Hansen has shown he is a more progressive and more willing to take risks to achieve results than his grounded southern persona perhaps reflects.
Taylor is the risky selection, but also the exciting one. This is a young man who looks like he could be something special, with a steely goalkicking nerve - he slotted them at 90 per cent for the Crusaders this year - and a natural feel for the game that is clearly in his genes.
Slade is also a gifted footballer, but he has struggled to regain his very best form since suffering a succession of injuries following the last World Cup. At 25 he has time still on his side, but he is a young man rebuilding his confidence, rather than revelling in it.
Taylor has been on the All Blacks radar for a while now, with his ability to play 10, 12 or 15 with equal assurance. In fact, his lack of game-time at No 10 further underlines the audacity of Hansen's selection.
Taylor played one warmup game at first-five for the Crusaders before starting seven matches at second-five and a further three at fullback during their Super Rugby campaign.
But Hansen is happy to roll the dice with an opportunity that has come a little ahead of schedule, and maybe in a different position than he might have envisioned.
"He is mentally tough and plays the game with a lot of confidence and maturity," said Hansen. "These factors, along with his assured goalkicking under pressure, has made this an easy selection.
"We have every faith that he will handle the occasion with aplomb."
Taylor is one of two injury-enforced changes from the team that started last week's impressive Bledisloe victory over the Wallabies in Sydney.
The other will raise less eyebrows, with well performed Chiefs lock Brodie Retallick coming in for Luke Romano who is out for the remainder of the Rugby Championship with a groin injury.
The test will also be the 100th cap for veteran loosehead prop Tony Woodcock who is part of an unchanged front row, deservedly retained after their superior scrummaging display in Sydney.
There is more movement in the reserves, where Wellington hooker Dane Coles comes back into the matchday 23 after proving his fitness at provincial level, as does fit-again prop Wyatt Crockett and Lions skipper Jeremy Thrush to cover lock.
In the backs, Slade makes is named in the All Blacks for the first time since 2011 and Taylor's ability to cover second-five means Auckland's Charles Piutau replaces Ryan Crotty as the outside back cover.
Hansen said it would be a special test for Woodcock as he became the All Blacks' fourth test centurion, behind skipper Richie McCaw (117), Keven Mealamu (105) and Mils Muliaina (100).
Some had wondered whether Woodcock's days were numbered after Crockett's performances in the June tests, but last Saturday night provided a timely reminder of what the 32-year-old is still capable of.
"Woody is a hugely respected player within the group who always puts the team first," said Hansen. "It has been business as usual for him and the team this week, but we will enjoy acknowledging his achievement with him after the game."
Hansen also warned against any complacency following the 47-29 victory in Sydney that sees the All Blacks just one win away from retaining the Bledisloe Cup for another year.
"They will be hurting after that test and will throw everything at us," he said. "They will be looking to play with more accuracy and intensity, so we will need to meet - or better - that with a higher level of execution right across the board."
Meanwhile, Frank Halai (Counties Manukau), Joe Moody (Canterbury) and Brad Shields (Wellington) have been released to play in week two of the national provincial championship if required.
All Blacks: Israel Dagg, Ben Smith, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Julian Savea, Tom Taylor, Aaron Smith; Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (capt), Steven Luatua, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Owen Franks, Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock. Reserves: Dane Coles, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Jeremy Thrush, Sam Cane, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Colin Slade, Charles Piutau.MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines is still perceived as one of the most corrupt countries in the world, getting a score of 34 on a scale of 1 to 100 with 100 being very clean, according to the latest Corruption Perceptions Index of Transparency International.
But the Philippines has at least outranked its neighbors Vietnam, Indonesia and Bangladesh, which all fared better than the country in the previous CPI, said TI, a civil society organization that promotes transparency and accountability.
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Indonesia scored 32, Vietnam 31 and Bangladesh 26.
The top five countries perceived to be very clean were Denmark, Finland, New Zealand, Sweden and Singapore, while the five viewed as very corrupt were Somalia, North Korea, Afghanistan, Sudan and Myanmar.
TI-Philippines President Rosalinda Tirona said the 2012 CPI, which covered data gathered between December 2010 and September 2012, showed that the Philippines has to take more action to improve how things are done in the country.
One of these actions is the “immediate” passage of the freedom of information bill (FOI), Tirona said.
“This means we still have to do a lot more. TI-Philippines is here to show the Filipino people we can do many more things to fight corruption,” Tirona said in a briefing Wednesday.
“We must go beyond this ranking and think of what we can do,” she added.
Ranking 105th in the latest CPI, the Philippines belonged to two-thirds of the 176 countries with scores below 50, according to TI.
But TI-Philippines said the results of the 2012 CPI could not be compared with the results of the previous CPI because the latest index used a new methodology that changed the scoring system.
In the previous CPI, countries were scored 1 to 10, but in the latest survey, the scores ranged from 1 to 100. This has an effect on the ranking, TI-Philippines noted.
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The new methodology also used a new formula that would allow for a more accurate comparison of the changes in the countries’ scores from year to year, but this would only begin with the 2012 CPI.
“Therefore, 2012 CPI cannot be compared with all the previous CPI including that of 2011,” TI-Philippines said.
In 2011, the Philippines was No. 129 on the list, which ranked 178 countries. In 2010, it was No. 134.
TI-Philippines founder Dolores Español said there were certain actions of the Aquino administration that helped change public perception in the country.
These were the impeachment trial, the declaration of the statements of assets, liabilities and net worth, the transparent process of replacing dismissed Chief Justice Renato Corona, the first year of Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, and the general openness of the administration in its quest for a transparent government, Español said.
“However, there is still much to be done for it not to remain purely in the change of perception but in societal transformation that is truly tangible,” she said in a statement.
In pushing for the FOI passage, TI-Philippines said the measure had been described in the Philippine Development Plan as the “cornerstone of transparent and accountable governance.”
The FOI has faced delays in Congress, however. In the House of Representatives, it has yet to be subjected to plenary debates because it still has to go through another round of approval at the committee level. But the House has only six remaining session days this year.
TI-Philippines said other actions that could be done include the speedy resolution of corruption cases, especially those involving the big fish; the enactment of a whistle-blower protection law and a law on campaign finance reform to regulate campaign contributions; and the adoption of a comprehensive anti-corruption program.
TI chairperson Huguette Labelle said in a statement that based on the 2012 CPI, corruption still continues to ravage many societies.
“Governments need to integrate anti-corruption actions into all public decision-making. Priorities include better rules on lobbying and political financing, making public spending and contracting more transparent, and making public bodies more accountable to people,” Labelle said.
TI Managing Director Cobus de Swardt said in the same statement that the leading economies must lead by example and that they should see to it that their institutions are fully transparent and their leaders held accountable, De Swardt said.
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MOST READScouts who had been watching infielder Jonathan Schoop at Double-A Bowie and the Arizona Fall League seem convinced that he will become an everyday player in the majors. But like the Orioles’ rotation this season, his position is TBA.
Is he a third baseman, shortstop or second baseman?
Yes.
Schoop, 21, has been moving around, which seems like a wise plan by the Orioles. Shortstop J.J. Hardy just won his first Gold Glove and he’s signed through 2014. Manny Machado is the starting third baseman in 2013. Second base is a riddle.
Schoop won’t break camp with the Orioles. He could be assigned to Triple-A Norfolk. And as Machado knows, you’re still only a phone call away if you’re in Bowie.
In 21 games with the Mesa Solar Sox of the Arizona Fall League, Schoop batted.270/.446/.429 with four doubles, two homers and 10 RBIs over 63 at-bats. In the minors, he’s played 204 games at shortstop, 152 at second base, 24 at third and one in left field. All of his appearances this year were confined to the middle infield until the AFL, where he got more work at the hot corner.
“Defensively, Schoop is going to be really solid no matter where they put him,” said a scout from outside the organization. “He doesn’t have great foot speed, which is probably why they have him at third base, but he handles everything there. He has plenty of arm. He can handle that or second base. And I’ve heard he can handle shortstop.”
Schoop, the Orioles’ minor league Player of the Year in 2011, batted.245/.324/.386 with 24 doubles, a triple, 14 homers and 56 RBIs in 485 at-bats at Bowie this summer.
“I talked to scouts about him all the time. I loved him at Bowie this year,” the rival scout said earlier this week. “He’s the guy everybody is intrigued by. To me, he looks like he’s a little tired at this point. His hand speed at the plate looks a little down. I think that’s why his batting numbers aren’t quite as good as they might be.
“I think he has a ton of upside. From a batting standpoint, he’s very young and raw, but when he’s on, he has really good bat speed and really strong hands. The ball explodes off his bat. I saw that, and talked to other scouts who saw it. They’re all very interested in what he’s doing.”
That’s because Schoop’s name always seems to surface in trade talks. It happened last winter and at the non-waiver deadline. Teams check on his availability, but the Orioles would prefer to hold onto him.
“The signs are there that he’s really going to hit,” the scout said. “I liked him at Bowie and I think he’s going to be an everyday player up there eventually. Probably at third base. I talked to other people and that’s the general consensus.”
Of course, Machado would have to move to shortstop, and that’s not happening in 2013.
“I think that’s probably eventually going to be the left side, though I can see Schoop at second, too,” the scout said. “He doesn’t hurt you defensively there. He’s going to catch everything. He’s not going to be Roberto Alomar ranging all over the field, but he’ll make all the plays. And people like the way he plays. It looks like he’s having fun out there, like a young kid who’s enjoying himself. It’s refreshing to watch.”
Shameless plug alert: I’m joining Tom Davis and Dave Johnson for “Wall to Wall Baseball” from 11 a.m.-noon on MASN.Amazon is still reaping the benefits of its early lead in home voice technology, thanks to its Echo smart speaker and Alexa virtual assistant. But that doesn’t mean the race is over, asserted Google CEO Sundar Pichai during Alphabet’s fourth-quarter earnings call Thursday.
Mark Mahaney, an RBC Analyst, asked Pichai if he was concerned that sales of the Google Home were trailing behind the competition. Pichai pointed out that Google Home, the first real competitor for the Echo, has only been on the market since November.
“We just launched it in Q4,” said Pichai. “We had a very strong quarter there and we are going to invest a lot in it over 2017. It’s very early days. When I look at what it would take to do voice search well, our years of progress … in areas like natural language processing come into play and I think there’s a lot of work ahead to make all of this work well for users. This is a core area we have invested in for the very long term. So I feel very comfortable about how this will play out in the future.”
As connected devices, appliances, and security systems become increasingly mainstream, Google and Amazon have emerged as chief competitors for the voice operating system of the home. Mahaney asked whether Google’s slow start could be problematic down-the-line.
Pichai reiterated that it’s much too early to call this race and stressed that Google sees voice as just one component of a larger overall goal.
“It’s a really natural way for users to interact,” said Pichai. “We think it’ll be one mode. Users will have many different ways by which they interact with computing. And for voice, as you pointed out, we expect voice to work across many different contexts so we are thinking about it across phones, homes, TVs, cars, and trying to drive that ecosystem that way. We want Google to be there for users when they need it.”
When Google Home launched, reviewers noted that Google’s massive search capabilities give its assistant a wider knowledge base to tap for queries. But they found Alexa to be more useful for integration with third-party apps, since developers have had nearly two years to create new capabilities using the Alexa Skills Kit. Google opened up a developer platform, called Actions on Google, for its assistant in December.
“We think of this as an end-to-end thing,” said Pichai. “All of this means users engage more with us, more with computing, and look for more information and I think the trends we see are positive. We think about it from a long-term perspective. So I see more opportunity than challenge, when I think about voice search.”“Patents are enshrined in the U.S. Constitution for a single purpose: to promote the progress of science and useful arts.” Alas, when it comes to software, it is difficult to imagine a system worse at this than the current one.
Everyone knows this–and most people will readily admit it–but no one, with the possible eventual exception of the Supreme Court, is willing to do anything about it. No one is sufficiently incentivized to fix a system which hurts everyone a little while helping a handful of trolls and corporations a lot. Even people and organizations who would benefit from radical reform have been so traumatized by the status quo they now have an irrational fear of change.
And so: “Two days ago, Bank of America was granted a patent on [nmap].” Patent war goes nuclear: Microsoft, Apple-owned ‘Rockstar’ sues Google.” “Google sues to protect Android device makers from Apple-backed patent hell.”
The world changed today. Apple definitively crossed over into evil. (Microsoft is merely pathetic.) http://t.co/NQvOkar327 — Paul Graham (@paulg) November 1, 2013
Oh, it goes on and on and on. “Apple Wins Big Against Samsung In Court.” “Google Awarded Patent For Free Rides To Advertisers’ Locations.” “Court: Google infringed patents, must pay 1.36 percent of AdWords revenue.” “Uber-troll Intellectual Ventures faces Motorola in first patent trial.”
https://twitter.com/pkedrosky/status/426154758723108865
Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. And for better or worse — mostly worse — the US patent system influences and infects its counterparts around the world.
It’s true there’s been some progress of late. The US House passed the Innovation Act, which “is designed to target the patent troll problem.” Better than nothing, I suppose, if it passes the Senate; but who are we kidding here? The problems with software patents do not begin and end with patent trolls. Software patents are fundamentally harmful from the word go.
As Matthew Yglesias puts it in Slate:
The problem is that we’re granting far too many patents, tying up vast swathes of industry in litigation and negotiation rather than innovation … In the thriving digital sector, patents don’t work at all, and more patents are likely to cause more litigation rather than more innovation … In almost no sector of the economy do politicians talk about their desire to promote more monopolies and less competition, but that’s exactly what the recent round of patent reform is all about. America […] needs more thinking about how to roll back harmful monopolization without doing too much damage to the sectors where the system works.
Does society benefit from the existence of software patents? Hell, no. In their absence, is there a risk of vitally important software secrets being kept secret for generations by insular guilds? Hint: I’m a software engineer by trade and it was hard for me to type that last sentence without laughing aloud. I suppose it’s possible that there may be some kind of darkly brilliant genius software innovation that no other team of developers in the world could ever stumble upon. But that seems pretty goddamn unlikely to me — especially when contrasted with the enormously negative costs of the software-patent status quo.
It’s sometimes argued that patents protect startups from larger companies, but in today’s software world, that protection is unnecessary. Startups can and very frequently do succeed without the benefit of patents, simply by executing better and faster than the incumbents. As Mark Zuckerberg put it on Facebook’s tenth anniversary:
When I reflect on the last 10 years, one question I ask myself is: why were we the ones to build this? We were just students. We had way fewer resources than big companies. If they had focused on this problem, they could have done it. The only answer I can think of is: we just cared more.
Patent law is a disastrous affliction which hamstrings the entire software industry. It is essentially legal DRM, and as I once said of DRM, “it reminds me of the great Ryszard Kapuściński‘s depiction of the Soviet economy:”
One can assume that a significant portion of the Soviet metallurgical industry is devoted to producing barbed wire … For the matter does not end with the wiring of borders! How many thousands of kilometres of wire were used to fence in the gulag archipelago? … If one were to multiply all this by the number of years the Soviet government has been in existence, it would be easy to see why, in the shops of Smolensk or Omsk, one can buy neither a hoe nor a hammer, never mind a knife or spoon: such things could simply not be produced, since the necessary raw materials were used up in the manufacture of barbed wire.
How much energy is wasted, how many millions of dollars are squandered, how much innovation is stifled because of software patents? The total costs are immense. And the benefits? They honestly seem nonexistent to me.
We could mitigate this damage by giving software patents a shorter lifespan, say 5 or 7 years instead of 20. A useful way to think about this is the Tabarrok curve:
It genuinely seems to me, though, that with software patents, that curve only bends downwards, and while five- or seven-year patents would certainly be much better than the status quo, zero would be better yet.
But unless the Supreme Court steps in to cut this Gordian knot with an unexpectedly enlightened sword, I can say with considerable confidence that nobody will do anything about them. The system has evolved into a status quo wherein nobody has any incentive to do the right thing. That problem, alas, is enormously larger than mere patents — and commensurately more difficult to fix.Image copyright AFP
Speaking truth to power has always been a high-risk strategy in China. Its rulers tend to prefer flattery, and writers who forget this do so at their peril. China's "grand historian" - 2,000 years ago - was one of many who have paid a terrible price.
"Among defilements, none is so great as castration. Any man who continues to live having suffered such a punishment is accounted as a nothing."
The man who wrote those words is by no means a nothing today. In a nation obsessed by its history, Sima Qian was the first and some say the greatest historian.
Wind back two millennia. It is 99 BC. On China's northern frontier, imperial forces have surrendered to barbarians. At court, the news is greeted with shock. The emperor is raging.
But an upstart official defies court etiquette by speaking up for the defeated general.
"He is a man with many famous victories to his credit, a man far above the ordinary, while these courtiers - whose sole concern has been preserving themselves and their families - seize on one mistake. I felt sick at heart to see it," writes Sima Qian in a letter to a friend afterwards.
As History is My Witness Image copyright AFP Former BBC Beijing correspondent Carrie Gracie starts a 10-part series on figures from Chinese history who reveal something about China today
Programmes can be heard every weekday on BBC Radio 4 at 13:45 BST
Alternatively, listen again on the BBC iPlayer China: As History Is My Witness Download the podcast
The general had committed treason by surrendering. And Sima Qian had committed treason by defending him.
"None of my friends came to my aid, none of my colleagues spoke a word on my behalf," he writes.
There is an interrogation. Sima Qian tells his friend his body is not made of wood or stone. "I was alone with my inquisitors, shut in the darkness of my cell."
At the end he is offered an unenviable choice - death or castration. To his contemporaries, death was the only honourable option but Sima Qian had a bigger audience in mind than the Chinese court of the 1st Century BC. He was writing a history of humanity for posterity.
Sima Qian's father had been court historian before him and had started the project. On his sickbed, with both of them in tears, the father extracted from the son a promise to complete the epic work.
Every time I think of this shame I find myself drenched in sweat Sima Qian, Letter to his friend, Ren'an
So he chose castration.
"If I had followed custom and submitted to execution, how would it have made a difference greater than the loss of a strand of hair from a herd of oxen or the life of a solitary ant?" he wrote.
"A man has only one death. That death may be as weighty as Mount Tai or it may be as light as a goose feather. It all depends on the way he uses it."
But neither in the letter nor in his autobiography can Sima Qian bring himself to describe the horror of castration. He talks instead of going down to the "silkworm chamber".
It was already well known that a castrated man could easily die from blood loss or infection so after mutilation the victims were kept like silkworms in a warm, draught-free room.
Sima Qian Image copyright Other Born between 145 and 135 BC to a family of court astrologers
Father, Sima Tan, is prefect of grand scribes to Emperor Wu of Han
Sima Qian becomes grand historian three years after his father's death in 110 BC
Creates an advanced form of calendar in 104 BC
In 99 BC he offends the emperor - he later becomes a palace eunuch
The Records of the Grand Historian cover a period of 2,500 years
Sima Qian never recovered from the humiliation.
"I look at myself now, mutilated in body and living in vile disgrace. Every time I think of this shame I find myself drenched in sweat."
But he also wrote that if, as a result of his sacrifice, his work ended up being handed down to men who would appreciate it, reaching villages and great cities, then he would have no regrets even after suffering 1,000 mutilations.
If only he could have seen the future as well as he saw the past.
In today's China, Sima Qian's book, The Records of the Grand Historian, is regarded as the grandest history of them all. What Herodotus is to Europeans, so Sima Qian is to Chinese.
What is special about Sima Qian's history is that, even when he wrote about the court, it was not just flattery. Here is his verdict on an emperor from the Shang dynasty 1,000 years earlier:
"Emperor Zhou's disposition was sharp, his discernment was keen, and his physical strength excelled that of other people. He fought ferocious animals with his bare hands. He considered everyone beneath him. He was fond of wine, licentious in pleasure and doted on women…
History is totally political in China, and I think it always has been Frances Wood, Curator of the Chinese collection at the British Library
"He then ordered his Music Master to compose new licentious music and depraved songs. By a pool filled with wine, through meat hanging like a forest, he made naked men and women chase one another and engage in drinking long into the night."
The emperor had critics turned into mincemeat, and nobles who were not up for the party roasted alive.
Zhou was a good illustration of a theory Sima Qian had about dynastic change, as Frances Wood, curator of the Chinese collection at the British Library, explains.
"He introduced the idea… that dynasties begin with the very virtuous and noble founder, and then they continue through a series of rulers until they come to a bad last ruler, and he is so morally depraved that he is overthrown."
Image copyright AFP Image caption China's National Museum has a selective memory concerning Chairman Mao
No suprises - Zhou was the last of the Shang dynasty.
Sima Qian thought the purpose of history was to teach rulers how to govern well.
By contrast, China's current government - like every other Chinese government I can think of - sees it as a means of legitimising its rule.
"History is totally political in China, and I think it always has been," says Frances Wood.
Records of the Grand Historian Image copyright Other "Probing into events, connecting their narrative flow, finding patterns governing victory and defeat, prosperity and decay, I have composed 10 historical tables, 12 royal annals, eight monographs, 30 genealogies of noble houses, 70 biographical accounts - 130 chapters in all. "I have sought, through examination of the interface of heaven and man, and comprehension of change from past through present, to found a new tradition of philosophy."
Just look, she says, at the fate of historians in 20th Century China.
"Somebody who actually became deputy mayor of Peking, Wu Han, was a very important historian who had written about the first Ming emperor.
"The first Ming emperor… in 1368, he's often been compared with Mao Tse-Tung, because he was a charismatic bandit leader who, in his last years, went pretty crazy and paranoid. So you have Wu Han writing that history in the 1950s, which was a very dangerous thing to do, because Mao was already beginning to totter into paranoia."
For criticising the present by writing about the past, Wu Han was arrested. He died in prison in 1969.
Last year China re-opened its national museum, lauded as the world's biggest museum under one roof. It is hugely popular, but it illustrates just how much history is a pick-and-mix for China's rulers. They leave out the bits that do not do them credit and - masters of selective memory - they big up the moments they are proud of.
So instead of the tens of millions who died in Mao's Great Leap forward and the Cultural Revolution, you get China's first nuclear test in 1964, or a celebration of the reform era after Mao's death.
A panel as you exit the museum spells out the key message: "Since the founding of the Communist Party of China 90 years ago, under the strong leadership of the Party, our great nation has successively achieved many historic changes… Socialism is the only way to save China, and reform and opening up is the only way to develop China."
I am sure Sima Qian would hope someone like him is sitting unnoticed in a quiet corner writing a more nuanced history of this period, even if it can only be published when the powerful have passed on.
This, in fact, is how The Records of the Grand Historian saw the light of day.
After his death, his daughter risked her own safety to hide his secret history. And two emperors later, his grandson took another risk in revealing the book's existence. The rest, as they say, is history.
Translation of The Grand Scribe's Records by William Nienhauser. Letter to Ren An by Burton Watson.SYDNEY (Reuters) - Apple Inc on Friday won a victory in its global fight to prevent banks from introducing their own mobile payment services on Apple devices, as an Australian regulator barred lenders from bargaining collectively for access.
The decision by Australia’s competition watchdog, the first of its kind, will stop the banks from introducing their own mobile applications on iPhones and Apple Watches that could be used for contactless payments instead of the Apple Wallet.
The banks had hoped to circumvent transaction fees and get customers to engage more frequently with their own apps, potentially unlocking more of Australia’s contactless payment market valued at an estimated $84 billion a year.
“It will have global implications,” Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Chairman (ACCC) Rod Sims told Reuters after the ruling came down.
“If others need to think it through... we’ve at least got something out there which they can kick off from.”
A win by four of the largest Australian banks involved in the case, which command two-thirds of the nation’s credit card market, would have given them more negotiating power and could have sparked similar appeals to regulators for access to Apple’s systems in other jurisdictions around the world.
Apple does not allow any of its 3,500 bank partners in 15 global markets access to the near-field communication (NFC) technology behind its payment system.
The Australian regulator was concerned that giving the banks bargaining power could reduce competition by forcing Apple to act more like Alphabet Inc, whose Google arm owns the more open Android operating system that allows contactless payments from individual apps.
“(Apple and Android) are very different offerings and they have different implications for ease of use, security and customer experience,” Sims said.
FILE PHOTO: An Apple iPhone 6 with Apple Pay is shown in this photo illustration in Encinitas, California, U.S. June 3, 2015. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo
“It is a tricky issue for a competition regulator to force one competitor to adopt a strategy of the other competitor.”
An Apple spokeswoman said it was a great decision for Australians who wanted the “easiest, most secure and private payment experience possible with Apple Pay”.
The banks involved - Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), Westpac Banking Corp, National Australia Bank Ltd (NAB) and Bendigo & Adelaide Bank Ltd - have yet to allow use of their cards with Apple Pay, which was introduced to the country last year.
Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd began offering Apple Pay to customers last year after reaching a deal with the U.S. company, while Macquarie Group Ltd and ING Groep NV’s ING Direct introduced Apple Pay in February.
ONE AT A TIME
Payments consultant MWE Consulting last year estimated the Australian “tap and go” market at A$110 billion ($84.32 billion) a year and growing, although to date more transactions are with contactless cards than mobile phones.
Lance Blockley, a payments expert representing the four banks involved in the Australian ruling, said they would now review their strategies regarding Apple Pay individually.
“I suspect Apple will want to talk about Apple Pay rather than NFC access,” he said, referring to any future negotiations.
A Westpac spokeswoman said the bank remained open to introducing Apple Pay, while CBA and NAB declined to comment and Bendigo and Adelaide Bank could not be reached immediately for comment.
An Apple logo is seen in a store in Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 24, 2017. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
Steve Worthington, a business professor at Melbourne’s Swinburne University of Technology, said the four banks that battled Apple might now pay a financial price for doing so in the form of higher fees for using Apple Pay.
“If you were in Apple’s shoes what would you do?,” he said. “Would you give them the same deal (as the early adopters) or would you punish them by trying to make it more favorable to Apple?”
($1 = 1.3084 Australian dollars)In the latest Dano on the Devils Q&A, Ken Daneyko explains why Monday night’s loss to Panthers has a silver lining
MSGNetworks.com: It was a tough one-goal loss for the Devils [Monday night] and it looked like their slow start was one of the biggest reasons for the defeat. What was your take on the game?
Ken Daneyko: Teams, coaches and players never try to make excuses. With that said, it was the Devils’ seventh game in 11 nights, so that had to play a factor. For whatever reason, they just were off, especially for the first 40 minutes of the game. They weren’t as good as they expect from themselves from an energy standpoint.
Bryce Salvador and Deb Placey review the action from the Devils 3-2 home loss to the Panthers.
But in a way, that could be viewed as a great thing. They’ve raised their standards significantly from last year and they were disappointed with the performance against Florida. You can also take something positive out of their third period. Cory [Schneider] gave them a chance and without him, the scoreline could have very different heading into the third. They were able to hang around, find some life and energy and tied the game twice. As you’re watching the game, you’re thinking they can at least get out of there with a point. Unfortunately, they gave up the third goal.
I thought Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt, the guys who scored the goals, were two of the better Devils on the ice. The youngsters are continuing to do some good things and those guys gave them a chance to win.
You just chalk it up as one of those games. They played a desperate Panthers team and they didn’t have as much have as they would have liked in the tank, mentally and physically. But you have to take heart in the fact that they showed no quit.
[Watch Devils-Avalanche Friday on MSG+2 & Download Free on MSG GO]
MSGNetworks.com: You mentioned Cory Schneider, who was one of the biggest reasons why the Devils were able to stay close vs. Florida. We talked about how important Cory would be for the Devils this season and so far, the results have been very solid: A 9-5-3 record with a 2.78 goals against average and a.919 save percentage. How would you rate his season so far?
Ken Daneyko: Cory has been good and has made the saves at key times in games. That’s exactly what you want from your goaltender. Really, both goaltenders have been very good this season, Cory and Keith [Kinkaid]. Nowadays, you have to have two quality goaltenders and both guys have been solid so far this season.
They’re going to need that the rest of the way especially with how tight the league is. Certainly, the Metropolitan Division is playing out that way and it’s so good this year. There are going to be a lot of one-goal games and the Devils have been doing their share of winning those one-goal games lately. Unfortunately, they fell one short [Monday].Coordinates:
"The Mississippi Miracle" Beginning of the play 1 2 3 4 Total Trinity 7 3 3 15 28 Millsaps 7 0 7 10 24 Date October 27, 2007 Season 2007 Stadium Harper Davis Field Location Jackson, Mississippi
The 2007 Trinity vs. Millsaps football game is best known for the memorable play that occurred in the game's last two seconds. On October 27, 2007, the NCAA Division III 19th-ranked Trinity University Tigers threw 15 lateral passes and scored a 61-yard touchdown to win a game against the 24th-ranked Millsaps College Majors as time expired in the game.[1][2][3][4] Media sources called the play the "Mississippi Miracle"[5][6] or "Lateralpalooza."[2][6][7] ESPN and other sources said the play was probably "the longest play in college football history"[7][8][9][10] in terms of how much time the play took to complete (over one minute). On January 7, 2008, the final play of the game was named the Pontiac Game Changing performance of the year.
Background [ edit ]
Millsaps brought a 5-0 conference mark into the game, Trinity a 3-1 conference record, essentially turning the regular season contest into a play-in game with the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference's automatic playoff bid on the line. A Millsaps win would secure the playoff berth for the Majors; a Trinity victory would give them control of their own destiny–if they could win their remaining conference games Millsaps would be unable to overtake them.
Coming into the game, Trinity was ranked #19 in the country, while Millsaps was ranked #24 according to the D3football.com poll, despite the Majors one game lead in the conference standings. The previous year, Millsaps had ended Trinity's streak of 13 straight SCAC titles with a 34-12[11] upset over the |
from New York, he finished with 33 points over 74 games in 1997–98. Contrasting his strained relationship with Milbury in New York, Canucks head coach Mike Keenan has recalled his experience with Bertuzzi upon his arrival as positive: "He came as a young player and he was very open-minded about learning about the game."[15] Similar to the Islanders, Bertuzzi joined a struggling club in Vancouver; the team finished last in the Western Conference in his first two seasons after the trade.[20][21]
After beginning the 1998–99 season on the Canucks' top line,[22] Bertuzzi was limited to 32 games due to injuries, the first of which was a fractured tibia. He suffered the injury on November 1, 1998, after a shot by teammate Mattias Öhlund hit him in the leg.[23] His season was later ended with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee, suffered during a game on March 5, 1999.[24] He recorded 8 goals and 16 points in 1998–99. In the off-season, Bertuzzi became a restricted free agent and was re-signed by the Canucks to a two-year contract in September 1999. The deal was reported by The Vancouver Sun to be worth a little over $2 million.[24]
Returning from injury the following season, Bertuzzi emerged as one of the Canucks' best offensive contributors, finishing with 25 goals (second on the team to Markus Näslund)[25] and 50 points in 1999–2000. At the end of the season, he received the team's Most Exciting Player Award, as voted by the fans. He received the distinction three more times during his career with the Canucks from 2002 to 2004).[26] Meanwhile, the Canucks began improving as a team, finishing four points out of a playoff spot in the West in 2000.[27]
The following season, Bertuzzi recorded his first career NHL hat trick, recording all three goals on the power play against San Jose Sharks goaltender Evgeni Nabokov in a 6–3 win on December 30, 2000.[28] Bertuzzi recorded a second consecutive 25-goal season in 2000–01, adding 30 assists for 55 points, third in team scoring behind Näslund and Andrew Cassels. His -18 plus-minus rating, however, was a team-worst.[29] The Canucks continued to improve, qualifying for the post-season for the first time in five years. Entering the 2001 playoffs as the final and eighth seed in the West, they were eliminated in the first round by the Colorado Avalanche. Bertuzzi scored two goals and two assists over four games in his first NHL post-season appearance. In the off-season, Bertuzzi filed for salary arbitration after initially failing to come to terms on a new contract with the Canucks.[30] Both sides avoided arbitration by agreeing to a three-year deal on July 26, 2001.[31]
Bertuzzi spent seven-and-a-half seasons with the Canucks.
In the first month of the 2001–02 season, Bertuzzi received an automatic 10-game suspension from the league (forfeiting $118,557 in salary) after leaving the bench to help teammate Ed Jovanovski in a fight. The incident occurred during a game against the Colorado Avalanche in which opposing coach Bob Hartley sent enforcer Scott Parker onto the ice as the extra attacker during a delayed penalty. Parker proceeded to physically engage Jovanovski, at which point Bertuzzi left the bench to help his teammate.[1] Vancouver struggled with him out of the lineup, winning 3 games during the 10-game span.[1] Two months after returning from suspension, Bertuzzi went 15 consecutive games with at least a point, scoring 7 goals and 12 assists from January 3 – February 4, 2002. The streak tied Petr Nedvěd for the longest in Canucks history.[26] During that span, in a game on January 9, Canucks head coach Marc Crawford replaced Andrew Cassels with Brendan Morrison,[32] marking the beginning of what was considered by many to be the most effective line combination in the league for several seasons.[32][33][34][35] Bertuzzi had emerged as an effective power forward, able to use his size and strength to position himself in front of the net, with good stickhandling ability. According to Canucks assistant coach Jack McIlhargey, Bertuzzi's skill set favourably complemented Näslund's goal-scoring and Morrison's playmaking abilities.[35] The trio were dubbed by Vancouver media as the "West Coast Express", named after the city's commuter rail service of the same name.[33]
Late in the 2001–02 season, Bertuzzi recorded his second career hat-trick on March 19, 2002, during a win against the New York Rangers. He scored his first two goals of the game against Dan Blackburn and his third into an empty net.[26] Despite missing ten games from his suspension, Bertuzzi finished the 2001–02 season third in league-scoring with 85 points, behind Näslund and Calgary Flames forward Jarome Iginla. His 1.18 points-per-game average ranked second in the NHL behind Mario Lemieux, who played 48 fewer games than Bertuzzi.[36] He also improved his plus-minus rating by 39 points from the previous season, finishing a career-high +21.[31] Although the Canucks were the league's highest scoring team,[37] they finished with the final seed in the West for the 2002 playoffs, ranking eighth in their conference.[38] Facing the Detroit Red Wings in the opening round, they were eliminated in six games. Bertuzzi recorded four points in the series.[31]
The following season, Bertuzzi appeared in his first NHL All-Star Game. He was joined by fellow Canucks Markus Näslund, defenceman Ed Jovanovski and head coach Marc Crawford,[39] helping the Western Conference to a 6–5 shootout win against the East.[40] He played on a line with Näslund and Peter Forsberg.[41] Later in the season, he scored his third career hat-trick on March 17, 2003, scoring three goals against Ron Tugnutt in a game against the Dallas Stars.[26] He finished the season with career-highs of 46 goals (third in the league), 51 assists and 97 points (fifth in the league).[42] His 25 power play goals led the NHL and tied Pavel Bure for the Canucks' single-season record.[43][44] Linemates Näslund and Morrison also recorded personal bests with 104 and 71 points, respectively.[45][46] Meanwhile, the Canucks emerged as a top team in the West. Losing the Northwest Division title to the Avalanche by one point in the regular season, they finished as the fourth seed in their conference.[47] After going down three-games-to-one in the opening round against the St. Louis Blues, Vancouver won three straight games to advance to the second round. Facing the Minnesota Wild, the Canucks gave up their own three-games-to-one series lead and were eliminated in seven games. During the series, Bertuzzi had reportedly walked by the Xcel Energy Center box office and told Wild fans they would not need their Game 6 tickets because Minnesota would be eliminated by then. In another on-ice incident, he skated by the opposing bench during Game 7 when the Canucks were winning 2–0, telling Wild players to "get [their] golf clubs".[48] Despite his successful regular season, Bertuzzi struggled to score in the playoffs, recording 6 points in 14 games.[31] In the off-season, Bertuzzi was named with Näslund to the NHL First All-Star Team.[31]
Näslund and Bertuzzi (right) formed a prolific duo for several years on the Canucks' top line.
With Bertuzzi entering the final year of his contract, the Canucks began negotiating a contract extension prior to the 2003–04 season. Despite Bertuzzi's agent, Pat Morris, declaring that they would cease negotiations once the season began,[49] Bertuzzi signed a four-year, $27.8 million deal with the Canucks on October 23, 2003. The contract took effect immediately, erasing the last year on his previous contract, and included a $3 million signing bonus ($2.5 million paid in the first year and $500,000 in the second).[50] The deal paid him $4.3 million the first year, $6.633 million the second year and $6.933 million for the third and fourth years.[50]
In January 2004, Bertuzzi was voted by league fans to the starting lineup of the NHL All-Star Game. Representing the Western Conference alongside Näslund and Canucks head coach Marc Crawford, they were defeated by the East 6–4. Bertuzzi had two assists while playing on a line with Näslund and Joe Sakic.[41] Nearing the end of the 2003–04 season, Bertuzzi was indefinitely suspended by the NHL for punching Colorado Avalanche forward Steve Moore from behind during a game on March 8, 2004. His actions were a retaliation to a hit from Moore on Näslund during a previous game.[51] Sitting out the remainder of the regular season and playoffs due to his suspension, he finished 2003–04 with 60 points over 69 games.[31] Vancouver replaced Bertuzzi on the team's top line with Matt Cooke[52] and went on to their first Northwest Division title,[53] before being eliminated in the first round of the 2004 playoffs by the Calgary Flames.
Inactive in 2004–05 due to the players lockout and his ongoing suspension, which had been extended internationally, Bertuzzi returned to the Canucks in 2005–06, as the league ended his playing ban. He recorded 25 goals and 71 points,[31] including two hat tricks (November 13, 2005, against the Detroit Red Wings and January 14, 2006, against the New York Islanders).[26] Though he ranked third in team scoring, Crawford has recalled that by the end of the season, Näslund and Bertuzzi had been eclipsed by Daniel and Henrik Sedin as the team's offensive leaders.[54]
There was speculation that the effects of the Steve Moore incident, which included assault charges and constant media coverage, were negatively affecting his play. While on the road, he was consistently heckled and booed by fans throughout the NHL.[55][56][57] Näslund, a close friend of Bertuzzi's, later expressed sympathy for him, saying in a 2008 interview, "It still bothers me what Todd has had to go through...There's no question he was standing up for me...it all went too far."[58]
Beyond the negative impact on Bertuzzi's individual play, the media speculated that the fallout from the Moore incident had become a distraction to the organization as a whole.[59] Compounding the situation in Vancouver, the Canucks had missed the playoffs for the first time in four years. As such, general manager Dave Nonis spent the off-season making significant changes to the Canucks lineup. On June 23, 2006, he traded Bertuzzi to the Florida Panthers, along with goaltender Alex Auld and defenceman Bryan Allen, in exchange for goaltender Roberto Luongo, defenceman Lukáš Krajíček and a sixth-round selection in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft (Sergei Shirokov).[60] After seven-and-a-half seasons with the Canucks, Bertuzzi left the club ranked seventh all-time among franchise scoring leaders with 449 points.[61]
Florida, Detroit, and Anaheim (2006–08) Edit
Instrumental in facilitating the trade to Florida was Bertuzzi's positive relationship with Panthers general manager Mike Keenan, who was his first coach in Vancouver.[62] Debuting with the Panthers on October 6, 2006, Bertuzzi scored a goal and three assists in an 8–3 win against the Boston Bruins.[63] He appeared in six more games for Florida, notching seven points total, before being sidelined with back spasms. After being diagnosed with a herniated disc in early-November, Bertuzzi opted for surgery, which kept him out of the lineup for five months.[31] While recovering, the Panthers dealt him to the Detroit Red Wings at the trade deadline in exchange for forward prospect Shawn Matthias and conditional draft picks. Bertuzzi was in the last year of his contract with no guarantee he would re-sign with Florida in the off-season.[64]
Bertuzzi spent one season with the Ducks in 2007–08.
Bertuzzi returned to action on March 22, 2007, debuting with his new team in a 2–1 shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.[65] Eight days later, he scored his first goal as a Red Wing in a 4–3 shootout loss to the Dallas Stars.[66] On April 7, he suffered a neck injury that kept him out of the lineup for the last game of the regular season and the first two games of the 2007 playoffs.[31] He finished the campaign with 11 points in 15 games split between Florida and Detroit.[31] During the playoffs, the Red Wings advanced to the Western Conference Finals, where they lost in six games to the Anaheim Ducks, who went on to win the Stanley Cup. Bertuzzi recorded 7 points in 16 playoff games.[31]
Becoming an unrestricted free agent in the off-season, Bertuzzi agreed to a two-year, $8 million contract with the Anaheim Ducks on July 2, 2007. Signing him was Ducks general manager Brian Burke, who had served as the Canucks general manager during Bertuzzi's time in Vancouver.[67] Bertuzzi had reportedly been in negotiations to re-sign with Detroit, but the club only wanted a one-year deal.[68] Playing the Red Wings in the Ducks' first game of the regular season on October 3, 2007, he registered a goal and an assist in a 3–2 shootout loss.[68] In the first month of the 2007–08 campaign, he suffered a concussion and was sidelined for 14 games in October and November 2007.[31] Bertuzzi returned to the lineup in time for the Ducks' away game against the Canucks on November 27, which marked his first NHL game in Vancouver since being traded away.[69] Bertuzzi was received warmly by Canucks fans, as the Ducks lost the game 4–0.[69] Playing in 68 contests over the season, he registered 40 points with Anaheim.[31] Entering the 2008 playoffs as the defending champions, the Ducks were eliminated in the first round four games to two by the Dallas Stars. In six playoff contests, Bertuzzi recorded two assists.[31]
Bertuzzi signed with the Calgary Flames in 2008.
Calgary Flames (2008–09) Edit
During the subsequent summer, several Ducks players were set to become free agents, including high-profile forward Corey Perry. Requiring additional salary cap space to make room for defenceman Scott Niedermayer, who announced he was returning for another season, Bertuzzi was placed on unconditional waivers with the intention of buying out the remaining year on his contract.[70] Addressing Bertuzzi's buy out with the media, Burke asserted that he "believe[d] [Bertuzzi] can still play at the NHL level," and that the Ducks were merely "handcuffed by [their] salary cap situation."[70] Bertuzzi once again became an unrestricted free agent and signed a one-year, $1.95 million contract with the Calgary Flames on July 7, 2008.[71] Joining Calgary, he was reunited with Flames coach Mike Keenan.[15] Before the start of the 2008–09 season, Bertuzzi switched jersey numbers from 4 to 7, in honour of his boyhood idol, Phil Esposito.[72] The numbers 44, which Bertuzzi wore in New York, Vancouver and Detroit, and 4, which he wore in Anaheim, were already taken in Calgary.[15]
Bertuzzi scored his first goal with the Flames, deflecting a Dion Phaneuf shot, on October 12, 2008, in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Vancouver Canucks.[73] While initial fan reaction to Bertuzzi was negative due to his previous role with the division-rival Canucks, as well as his reputation following the Steve Moore incident, he was eventually accepted in Calgary.[15] In January 2009, he missed five games due to a back injury.[31] Several months later, he was sidelined again with a knee injury and underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair damaged cartilage on March 3, 2009.[74] Missing 11 games,[31] he returned in time for the 2009 playoffs, where the Flames were eliminated by the Chicago Blackhawks in the opening round. He finished his only season in Calgary with 44 points in 66 regular season games, while adding a goal and an assist in six playoff contests.[31]
Return to Detroit (2009–2014) Edit
On August 18, 2009, Bertuzzi re-joined the Red Wings by accepting a one-year contract with the club worth $1.5 million.[75] He recorded 44 points (18 goals and 26 assists) in 2009–10, ranking fifth in team scoring.[76] During the second round of the 2010 playoffs, Bertuzzi recorded a career-high five-point contest (a goal and four assists) in a Game 4 victory against the San Jose Sharks.[77] Bertuzzi finished with a playoffs career-high 11 points in 12 games.[31]
In the off-season, Bertuzzi signed a two-year, $3.875 million contract extension with the Red Wings on June 16, 2010.[78] During the 2010–11 season, he appeared in his 1,000th NHL game on February 20, 2011, against the Minnesota Wild. Bertuzzi scored a shootout goal to help Detroit win the game 2–1.[79] Dressing for 81 games that season, he ranked seventh in team scoring with 45 points (16 goals and 29 assists).[80] During the 2011 playoffs, he added 6 points (2 goals and 4 assists) over 11 games as the Red Wings were eliminated in the second round by the San Jose Sharks.
On February 23, 2012 Bertuzzi re-signed with the Red Wings for $4.15 million over two years.[81] He dressed for seven games in the lockout-shortened 2012-2013 regular season due to injuries, producing three points, and was held pointless over six games in the playoffs. In the 2013-2014 season he played 59 games and produced 16 points, but was a healthy scratch 15 times; he played one playoff game without a point.[82]
During his time with Detroit, he earned praise from head coach Mike Babcock and teammates for adapting his playing style to be more defensively responsible. Bertuzzi credited the influence of teammates Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, both successful two-way players in the league.[83]
Binghamton Senators Tryout and Retirement (2015) Edit
On January 9, 2015 he signed a professional tryout contract with the Ottawa Senators AHL affiliate the Binghamton Senators in hopes to get a contract with Ottawa. Bertuzzi was released from his professional tryout offer with Binghamton on January 21, 2015, after posting no points and a minus-3 rating in his 2 games played with the Senators. He subsequently retired that year.[84]Canada's National War Memorial, the scene of a horrifying shooting less than a month ago, was rededicated today to add the dates of the Afghanistan mission and the South African War.
The rededication was performed by Gov. Gen. David Johnston as part of the Remembrance Day ceremonies at the memorial, which now carries a new inscription: "In Service to Canada — Au service du Canada."
Johnston told onlookers, "We are people of peace, of respect and tolerance, kindness and honour. These qualities are alive in our national conscience precisely because we hold them as precious. We have the luxury to do so because those we remember today believed those qualities to be precious enough to die for."
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Princess Anne read a message from her mother, Queen Elizabeth, which said: "Today it is fitting that, with this ceremony of rededication, we pay tribute to all those Canadians who in the intervening years have laid down their lives in the service of peace, justice and freedom."
The war memorial was first dedicated by King George VI in May 1939, to mark the sacrifices of those who fought in the First World War. He called it "the spontaneous response of the nation's conscience, revealing the very soul of the nation."
The Second World War began just months later in the fall of 1939.
Former CBC correspondent Brian Stewart noted a similarity to the 1939 event, when 100,000 people turned up.
Second World War veteran William Stanfield, 91, is helped to his seat as he and other war veterans take part in Remembrance Day celebrations in Toronto on Tuesday. (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)
"This was a groundswell event," he told CBC's chief correspondent Peter Mansbridge. "A lot of organization goes into it, but what really strikes you here is how many people made this into their day; came out in numbers not seen in our times."
Ottawa police estimated the crowd to have reached 50,000 people. Typically, about 35,000 people turn out each year.
The main Remembrance Day event in Ottawa was held at the same place where Cpl. Nathan Cirillo was shot and killed nearly three weeks ago, two days after a man in Quebec drove his car into Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent, killing him.
The Remembrance Day services and commemorations today came amid a rising tide of concern for Canada's Forces and the memory of those who have protected the country in the past.
Ottawa police had said there would be an increased police presence Tuesday around the memorial where Cirillo was gunned down the morning of Oct. 22, and off-duty officers were able to wear their uniforms to the ceremony and carry their sidearms.
Several armoured vehicles were seen on the streets near the cenotaph this morning, and reporters could see military personnel on rooftops nearby, including those of the National Arts Centre and the Chateau Laurier Hotel facing the memorial.
In a year when poppy sales broke records, emotions were running higher than usual.
Hundreds attended a candlelight vigil at the National War Memorial in Ottawa on Oct. 25 to pay tribute to Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, a reservist from Hamilton who was killed there three days earlier. Since Cirillo's death, people have travelled in droves to the war memorial and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. (Justin Tang/Canadian Press)
Wayne Powell, the Canadian Legion's district poppy chair for Toronto, told CBC News the legion was stretched to keep up with demand for poppies, worn as a symbol of remembrance in Canada, the U.K., Australia and New Zealand.
Princess Anne joined Johnston at the National War Memorial, along with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau. NDP Leader Tom Mulcair attended the ceremony in Halifax.
Others attending included:
Vice-Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, Princess Anne's husband.
Laureen Harper, the prime minister's wife.
Sharon Johnston, wife of the Governor General.
Senate Speaker Noël Kinsella.
Veterans Affairs Minister Julian Fantino.
Gen. Thomas Lawson, chief of defence staff.
The Ottawa commemoration included the familiar rituals of the piper's lament, Last Post, the artillery salute and the recitation of the Act of Remembrance taken from Laurence Binyon's poem, For the Fallen:
"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old …."
Harper and his wife, Laureen, placed a wreath at the memorial after the rededication.
In a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office, Harper said, "We can never repay the debt we owe to the intrepid men and women who paid for our freedom with their lives, but we can remember their enormous sacrifices and pay tribute to their bravery and patriotism."
Since Cirillo's death, people have travelled in droves to the war memorial and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at its foot. They have carpeted the steps with bouquets, poppies, photos, poems, written tributes, stuffed animals, a can or two of beer, even a battered hockey stick.
The formal ceremony, including dwindling numbers of Second World War veterans and ranks of serving soldiers, sailors and air personnel, likely only increased interest, especially since temperatures were warmer than usual Tuesday.
Speaking in Halifax, Mulcair said the tragic events of the past few weeks are a reminder of the sacrifices made by those in Canada's Armed Forces.
"I invite you to join your fellow citizens today to honour the memory of our brave soldiers and to offer a message of encouragement to those who continue to fight for a more peaceful world."
Trudeau issued a statement saying, "Recent events serve as a reminder for us all of the enormous debt owed to our Canadian Armed Forces members, past and present, and the contributions they have made in the name of freedom and democracy."
On mobile? Follow our live blog hereMONACO (Reuters) - Energy storage is an unglamorous pillar of an expected revolution to clean up the world’s energy supply but will soon vie for investors attention with more alluring sources of energy like solar panels, manufacturers say.
Solar panels in a file photo. Energy storage is an unglamorous pillar of an expected revolution to clean up the world's energy supply but will soon vie for investors attention with more alluring sources of energy like solar panels, manufacturers say. REUTERS/Lee Jae-Won
“It’s been in the background until now. It’s not sexy. It’s the enabler, not a source of energy,” said Tim Hennessy, chief executive of Canadian battery makers VRB Power, speaking on the sidelines of a “CleanEquity” technologies conference in Monaco.
VRB will start mass production this year of a longer-lasting rival to the lead acid battery currently used to store energy for example produced by solar panel, Hennessy said.
Low carbon-emitting renewable energy is in vogue, driven by fears over climate change, spiraling oil prices and fears over energy supply and security.
While the supply of the wind and sun far exceeds humanity’s needs it doesn’t necessarily match the time when people need it: the sun may not be shining nor the wind blowing when we need to cook dinner or have a shower.
Soaring production of solar panel and wind turbines is now spurring a race to develop the winning energy storage technologies which will drive the electric cars and appliances of the future.
The race is heating up as manufacturers with entirely different solutions near the moment of commercial production.
For example, UK-based ITM Power sees the future of energy storage in the explosive gas hydrogen. The company is developing a piece of kit called an electrolyzer which uses solar or wind power to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.
The hydrogen is then stored in a pressurized container until it is needed, whether to drive a car, produce electricity or for cooking.
“With batteries you’re taking enormous quantities of basic raw materials,” said Chief Executive Jim Heathcote, referring to cadmium in nickel cadmium varieties. His company won an award for research at the Monaco conference, organized by corporate finance advisers Innovator Capital.
“Two things we’re confident of is the supply of renewable energy and water,” he said.
ITM Power aims to start production later this year of electrolyzers and next year of hydrogen fuel cells which generate electricity.
“The one problem everyone’s had is how to store. The ability to take (surplus) renewable energy and make useful fuel out of it is almost priceless,” Heathcote said.
RICH
The economic opportunities are highlighted by a third company, U.S.-based EnerDel, which aims to supply batteries for the “Th!nk City” electric vehicle, manufactured by Norway’s Think Global.
In the case of electric cars, cheap, lightweight batteries are needed to power motors, and will eliminate carbon emissions if the batteries are charged using renewable power sources.
EnerDel has patented a lithium-ion battery which it says is lighter and cheaper than the nickel metal hydride batteries currently used in hybrid electric cars such as the Toyota Prius.
“I think energy storage is the next frontier,” said Charles Gassenheimer, chairman of EnerDel’s owners Ener1 Inc.
The “Th!nk” car could be the world’s first mass production electric vehicle, starting in earnest in 2009. It will go from 0 to 60 miles an hour in about 8 seconds and have a range of up to 100 miles, said Gassenheimer.
Investors have given their thumbs up to Ener1, which now has a market capitalization of around $700 million, a ten-fold increase over two years ago.IOTA has been making news in recent days. Following the successful launch of its data marketplace in November, its token value has risen dramatically — a 400 percent increase, in fact.
And today, the IOTA Foundation announced that Robert Bosch Venture Capital GmbH (RBVC) — the corporate venture capital company of the Bosch Group — has purchased a significant number of IOTA tokens. Dr. Hongquan Jiang, partner at RBVC, will also join the IOTA Foundation’s advisory board.
The move is a strategic one for RBVC as it looks to the future of the Internet of Things (IoT).
IOTA is the first distributed ledger technology (DLT) to go beyond a blockchain — it enables machines to securely transact data and money with each other for a micro fee. Imagine a car that, from sensor data, retrieves information from Bosch about a malfunctioning car part. This isn’t a pipe dream. IOTA technology has already enabled more than $10 billion in transactions and is being used for feeless micropayment-based electric vehicle charging, parking, and more.
All of that makes IOTA a smart choice to invest in for IoT applications, but the cryptocurrency is also in its infancy. Why choose to invest now, and is IOTA the right choice?
“RBVC is, of course, also evaluating and working with other DLTs,” Dr Jiang said. “Choosing IOTA as the first investment is based on the fact that we have been working with IOTA for quite some time and are very impressed by the founding team and the IOTA community. And IOTA has the potential to solve some fundamental problems in the DLT for IoT, namely the scalability and transaction cost issues. The IOTA technology is still at an early stage. However, this could become a big breakthrough for the IoT industry if it is getting more mature in the future.”
So what does the future of IoT look like in a world that is fast being disrupted by blockchain and DLT technologies?
“The purpose of IoT is it to largely automate and optimize the systems that surround us, making our lives more frictionless, efficient, and secure,” Dominik Schiener, cofounder at the IOTA Foundation, told VentureBeat. “Over the next five years, a larger portion of our infrastructure will become connected and automated, with smart devices, sensors, and actuators creating truly intelligent and distributed networks. There are still some challenges to resolve when it comes to security, but exactly here [is where] distributed ledgers could be a key enabler for new security applications.”
That’s the main argument for most blockchain and DLT applications — the transparent ledger of activities. Here, it helps solve many challenges.
“With a protocol like IOTA, we don’t just work on automation of machines but on the full autonomy of machines, by making it possible for them to transact with each other in this ‘machine economy’,” Schiener said. “This will truly unleash the potential of IoT, by enabling new emerging markets for distributed resources (computation, storage, data, etc.) in global, but also local ad-hoc environments.”
Following this investment, what’s next for RBVC and IOTA, and what does this deal mean for Bosch and its associated partners?
“RBVC will, as it always does for its portfolio companies, try to help the IOTA Foundation in the industrialization of this technology via our network,” Dr Jiang said. “We will connect the development team of IOTA to industrial experts and decision makers. We will also give them advice in the domains where we have experience. Bosch is a pioneer in the industrialization of DLT. The deal is another proof of Bosch’s commitment to this field.”Medication can reduce the number of crimes committed by people suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by one third, according to a Swedish study released on Thursday.
When comparing the behaviour of adults suffering from the disorder during periods when they were medicated, with periods when they weren't, researchers found that medical treatment reduced the risk of committing crimes by 32 percent.
Individuals with ADHD have previously been shown to be at greater risk of entering a life of crime.
"It's said that roughly 30 to 40 percent of long-serving criminals have ADHD," said Paul Lichtenstein, co-author of the study at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.
"If their chances of recidivism can be reduced by 30 percent, it would clearly affect total crime numbers in many societies."
The study, which tracked more than 25,000 people over four years, found that medication had the same effect on those who had committed relatively minor infringements, as on those involved in more serious and violent crimes.
All of the participants were adults, and there was no difference in the outcome for men and women.
Five percent of school children and around half has many of all adults have ADHD, according to the Karolinska Institute.
Symptoms of the disorder, which include poor concentration, hyperactivity and impulsive behaviour, can be treated with central stimulants.
However, concern has been raised over a steep rise in medical prescriptions for ADHD in recent years, and some medical professionals have claimed alternative treatments such as psychotherapy and less potent drugs may be better suited for some patients.
"We need to point out that most medical treatments can have adverse side effects, so risks must be weighed up against benefits and the individual patient's entire life situation taken into consideration before medications are prescribed," said Henrik Larsson, another co-author of the Stockholm study.India’s intelligence agency sparked outrage in Pakistan and self-deprecatory jokes at home this week after it listed ordinary Pakistani shopkeepers as terrorists on a mission to attack some of India’s landmark institutions.
The Research and Analysis Wing, India’s premier intelligence agency, issued an advisory to state governments in which it said that five trained militants from Pakistan’s banned Lashkar-i-Taiba group had sneaked into India with fake identities to attack a nuclear facility, oil refinery, seaport and defense academy.
On Wednesday, a day after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton left New Delhi after delivering some tough comments on Pakistan, Mumbai police released the photographs of the five men.
Within hours, a Pakistani television channel reported that two of the three men on the list were shopkeepers and one was a guard, all living in Lahore, and that none of them had ever left Pakistan.
“India bungles while Pakistan laughs,” the Mail Today newspaper said of the embarrassing blunder. Twitter buzzed with jokes about the Research and Analysis Wing, with some tweeters offering their own lists to the agency.
The incident prompted anger and derision in Pakistan. Muhammad Fayyaz Butt, the head of a traders association for an electronics market where two of the men own shops, condemned India’s “irresponsible and biased attitude.”
On Thursday, the two shopkeepers went to the Lahore High Court, seeking protection from possible action against them by India.
Indian Law Minister Salman Khurshid offered an explanation to reporters in New Delhi on Friday. “We can’t be too careful,” he said. “We have had some bad experiences in the past. And therefore to err on the right side is something we can’t complain about.”
It was not the first time India has made such a faux pas. A year ago, the government released a most-wanted list of 50 Indian fugitives who it claimed were hiding in Pakistan. Two men on the list turned out to be in India, one of them a prisoner in a Mumbai jail.Why without George Romero, there is no The Walking Dead
The following is an excerpt from Dissecting The Walking Dead: Slicing Into The Guts of Television’s Hottest Show, available in paperback and for Kindle.
Without George Romero, there is no The Walking Dead.
His 1968 film, Night of the Living Dead, invented the modern zombie genre. Robert Kirkman himself has said on many occasions that his comic series and television show is essentially an extended take on Romero’s legendary film, borrowing all its core elements and reimagining them as an ongoing story rather than a single night of terror.
In other words, if you want to understand where The Walking Dead comes from, you must understand Night of the Living Dead and the Romero mythos.
As I examined in a previous post, Romero didn’t create the zombie out of whole cloth. There were an array of influences that lead to Night of the Living Dead, and in fact that film refers to the creatures as ghouls, not zombies. Rather, Romero mixed together varied chunks of mythology and turned them into something that was unique in both horror and pop culture.
Born in the Bronx section of New York City, Romero spent the early 1960s producing short films and television commercials, including a short Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood segment. At the time, Hollywood standards were loosening and on-screen violence was becoming more explicit. In 1960, for example, Alfred Hitchcock shocked audiences with Psycho when he showed blood running into a shower drain. It was merely chocolate sauce filmed in black and white, but it disturbed audiences all the same.
Three years later, the envelope wasn’t just pushed, it was shredded to pieces with Blood Feast, a splatter film by Herschell Gordon Lewis that depicted a murderous caterer who hacked up women and served them as food. Blood Feast was a mind-blowing and controversial film that seemed to come out of nowhere. Variety called it “incredibly crude and unprofessional from start to finish.”
Unprofessional, maybe, but it revealed a desire among a niche audience for stuff that pushed the limits of “good taste.” A string of other blood-drenched films followed, including Lewis’s own Two Thousand Maniacs! (1964) and Color Me Blood Red (1965). There was also 1964’s The Flesh Eaters, which became a drive-through cult favorite thanks to its over-the-top gore, including tiny creatures eating a man from the inside out, his intestines pouring out like a fountain. It was critically panned, but audiences loved it.
The |
coach Fatih Terim has mentioned any tangible goals."This is not about reliving the 00s," says Daily Sabah's journalist Bulent Timurlenk, who has worked for the club's official magazine. "Sneijder and Drogba were only opportunistic signings. Inter's desire to get rid of Sneijder's salary made him available for less than €8m, and Drogba was not being paid at Shanghai Shenhua."When Galatasaray won the Uefa Cup in 2000, the salaries of Gheorghe Hagi, Gheorghe Popescu, Claudio Taffarel and others triggered a financial crisis in the years that followed, eventually forcing them to trim down the squad, and they are in danger of the same thing happening again."The way they deal with this coming crisis reflects Aysal's philosophy as a businessman," says Timurlenk. "He believes that the only way is to take risks and be aggressive. For him, cutting back doesn't keep the fans happy and sell season tickets."And the fans are delighted. Aysal's claims that the club would become a global force were met with mockery by Fenerbahce and Besiktas fans. Nowadays, they have the star power in the Super Lig and are progressing well in Europe.For Aysal's gamble to keep paying off, though, the success must continue both at home and abroad. Failure to recreate the glory days of Hagi, Popescu and Taffarel would lead to a sticky fate.There's really 2 worlds for the beto drill that teaches 2 different things: Dan's way is to show where the pulling gets to start, which is at the right pec - and in the video he's blasting those shots. My world: I couldn't blast it. It was seemingly impossible. Slowed it down to the point in the original video I posted, and that's where I felt the levering action. You are just swinging the door open and pivoting the disc out and from the right pec - you can very easy float a Mako 200'. My point was that at no point do you want to feel like you are using muscle to throw the disc. The point of the drill is, at least in my view, to force yourself how to feel the levers of your arm collapse into the right pec position and then extend forward. That was the turning point for me, where I started to experience the loading wrist and holding the disc much later and by a result of that, more forward in my extension. By building on that mechanism, you have a baseline for everything before it. Am I doing stuff that helps that mechanism? shoulder lag and a pause, I think has been around this concept. I think of the right pec position as being a sliding shelf that starts out extended (open) and we brace our weight which slides the shelf into the closed position. From that closed position (right pec), the disc changes direction a bit as it begins the arc. The wrist loads even more and at this point the shoulders CAN* start opening. *This happens so fast that it's very confusing to try to make it happen - but you will see lots of players with immaculate form use the shoulder rotation to speed up the pulling around the nose of the disc. You certainly can throw without the shoulder rotation, it's common in many players who have a stockier build (like my buddy Ryan, who I post videos of) and in my slow motion elbow extension video. Some players like JohnE McCray - start the leverage from left pec or center chest (he's RH). You're not imagining it. I believe that players are trying to find a balance where our body can take the most amount of leverage and still have control of the pull around the nose and the hit. How much or how little you start to open your chest BEFORE the right pec (for my RH)... affects the hand being on the outside. If you open the shoulders, the hand moves forward around the disc. So I try to time it that I stay shoulders aimed at the target to the right pec, and then in about 1/100 of a second the arm extends while the shoulders blast through - hopefully contributing to the pull around. You can feel it when the shoulders pull around versus when they do not. In my experience it's an added feeling of right facing force on the nose of the disc. So ultimately the shoulder is either going to contribute to pulling around the nose or that the shoulder is going to be aimed at the target through the extension more static. If you really wanted aim over acceleration, I'd extend with less shoulder interference.
Finally
Let me be clear, throwing for distance is a completely different thing than golf shots. They're goal is to impart maximum speed on the disc, but just as importantly - to throw the disc very high so that it has as much time as possible to ride the wind to the ground. If a distance thrower tried to use these shots in a round, they'd likely end up on a different course!But throwing far is fun! It's okay, I'm not some kind of skill snobbist that thinks the pursuit of one type of disc competition is better or worse than another. I think it's all really awesome. I also want to say that I can't throw a 360 and rarely work on true distance lines. Most of my time goes towards accurate distance, so I'm just a guy who thinks this stuff is cool.I wanted to point out a few of the variations between the two biggest arms in distance throwing: Simon Lizotte (current distance holder for disc 863.5' and a mini 527.9') and David Wiggins Jr (previous record at 836').You can watch them throw some tandem 360's here: http://instagram.com/p/ur1Up6ifb5 and some great footage here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joW8GkcnaMk What I think is interesting, is that they time their hit in two very different places.If I would have simply guessed, I would have thought Wiggins would have been having the longer drives - because his shoulder rotation is faster. Look at image 1, specifically how closed Wiggins's shoulder is vs. Simon's. By image 2, he's almost caught up, meaning he had to accelerate his shoulders more to get there.One thing that you can't overcome though, is the length of your arms. Simon's got long arms that create more leverage than a shorter arm.There's also an untold number of other variables, from disc selection to grip strength. Holding the disc 1/1000th of a second longer at these power levels can mean the difference in total distance and height, meaning you're in the air in a better place to take advantage of wind.Both guys, phenomenal displays of agility and power. Simon blew apart his shoes he was putting so much force into his plant. Wiggins, by the way, set that previous record 2 years ago... AT THE AGE OF 16!! Boggles the mind, right?!This conversation has been evolving over at DGCR and via email with my buddy Ed regarding shoulder involvement in the backhand. Over-opening is an extremely common struggle, where somebody is facing the target at the point they're releasing the disc. The following is my thoughts on the difference between what we're seeing above with the different levels of shoulder involvement in the pulling around the disc:, a very exciting package arrived yesterday! My son walked into the kitchen holding a box and asked if I bought a bowling ball!? Uh, no! I'd had a short correspondence with Gateway about potentially reviewing their discs. Hadn't known anything was coming in the mail and suddenly:So, expect some reviews to start coming in shortly and please head on over to http://www.gdstour.com/ to have a look at their discs and thanks again guys!TestCafe v0.12.0 Released
HTTP authentication support, a CI-friendly way to start and stop the tested app and lots of API enhancements.
TestCafe now supports testing webpages protected with HTTP Basic and NTLM authentication.
Use the httpAuth function in fixture or test declaration to specify the credentials.
fixture ` My fixture `. page ` http : //example.com`. httpAuth ({ username : 'username', password : 'Pa$$word', // Optional parameters, can be required for the NTLM authentication. domain : 'CORP-DOMAIN', workstation :'machine-win10' }); test ( 'Test1', async t => {}); // Logs in as username test // Logs in as differentUserName. httpAuth ({ username : 'differentUserName', password : 'differentPa$$word' }) ( 'Test2', async t => {});
⚙ Built-in CI-friendly way to start and stop the tested web app (#1047) #
When launching tests, you can now specify a command that starts the tested application. TestCafe will automatically execute this command before running tests and stop the process when tests are finished.
testcafe chrome tests/ --app "node server.js"
runner. startApp ( 'node server.js' ). run ();
You can also specify how long TestCafe should wait until the tested application initializes (the default is 1 sec).
testcafe chrome tests/ --app "node server.js" --app-init-delay 4000
runner. startApp ( 'node server.js', 4000 ). run ();
⚙ Screenshot and window resize actions now work on Linux (#1117) #
The t.takeScreenshot, t.resizeWindow, t.resizeWindowToFitDevice and t.maximizeWindow actions can now be executed on Linux machines.
⚙ Adding custom properties to the element state (#749) #
The state of webpage elements can now be extended with custom properties.
We have added the addCustomDOMProperties method to the selector, so that you can add properties to the element state like in the following example.
import { Selector } from 'testcafe' fixture ` My fixture `. page ` https : //devexpress.github.io/testcafe/example/`; test ( 'Check Label HTML', async t => { const label = Selector ( 'label' ). addCustomDOMProperties ({ innerHTML : el => el. innerHTML }); await t. expect ( label. innerHTML ). contains ( 'input type="checkbox" name="remote"' ); });
TestCafe now allows you to specify that a particular test or fixture should be skipped when running tests. Use the fixture.skip and test.skip methods for this.
fixture. skip ` Fixture1 ` ; // All tests in this fixture will be skipped test ( 'Fixture1Test1', () => {}); test ( 'Fixture1Test2', () => {}); fixture ` Fixture2 ` ; test ( 'Fixture2Test1', () => {}); test. skip ( 'Fixture2Test2', () => {}); // This test will be skipped test ( 'Fixture2Test3', () => {});
You can also use the only method to specify that only a particular test or fixture should run while all others should be skipped.
fixture. only ` Fixture1 ` ; test ( 'Fixture1Test1', () => {}); test ( 'Fixture1Test2', () => {}); fixture ` Fixture2 ` ; test ( 'Fixture2Test1', () => {}); test. only ( 'Fixture2Test2', () => {}); test ( 'Fixture2Test3', () => {}); // Only tests in Fixture1 and the Fixture2Test2 test will run
⚙ Specifying the start webpage for a test (#501) #
An individual test can now override the fixture's page setting and start on a different page.
fixture ` MyFixture `. page ` http : //devexpress.github.io/testcafe/example`; test ( 'Test1', async t => { // Starts at http://devexpress.github.io/testcafe/example }); test. page ` http : //devexpress.github.io/testcafe/blog/` ( 'Test2', async t => { // Starts at http://devexpress.github.io/testcafe/blog/ });
⚙ Initialization and finalization methods for a test (#1108) #
We have added the before and after methods to the test declaration. Use them to provide code that will be executed before a test is started and after it is finished.
test. before ( async t => { /* test initialization code */ }) ( 'My Test', async t => { /* test code */ }). after ( async t => { /* test finalization code */ });
⚙ Sharing variables between hooks and test code (#841) #
You can now share variables between fixture.beforeEach, fixture.afterEach, test.before, test.after functions and test code by using the test context object.
Test context is available through the t.ctx property.
Instead of using a global variable, assign the object you want to share directly to t.ctx or create a property like in the following example.
fixture ` Fixture1 `. beforeEach ( async t => { t. ctx. someProp = 123 ; }); test ( 'Test1', async t => { console. log ( t. ctx. someProp ); // > 123 }). after ( async t => { console. log ( t. ctx. someProp ); // > 123 });
⚙ Assertion methods to check for regexp match (#1038) #
We have added match and notMatch methods to check if a string matches a particular regular expression.
await t. expect ( 'foobar' ). match ( /^f/, 'this assertion passes' );
await t. expect ( 'foobar' ). notMatch ( /^b/, 'this assertion passes' );
⚙ Improved filtering by predicates in selectors (#1025 and #1065) #
Selector's filter predicates now receive more information about the current node, which enables you to implement more advanced filtering logic.
The filter, find, parent, child and sibling methods now pass the node's index to the predicate. The find, parent, child and sibling methods now also pass a node from the preceding selector.
Selector ( 'ul' ). find (( node, idx, originNode ) => { // node === the <ul>'s descendant node // idx === index of the current <ul>'s descendant node // originNode === the <ul> element });
In addition, all these methods now allow you to pass objects to the predicate's scope on the client. To this end, we have added an optional dependencies parameter.
const isNodeOk = ClientFunction ( node => { /*...*/ }); const flag = getFlag (); Selector ( 'ul' ). child ( node => { return isNodeOk ( node ) && flag ; }, { isNodeOk, flag });
⚙ Filtering by negative index in selectors (#738) #
You can now pass negative index values to selector methods. In this instance, index is counted from the end of the matching set.
const lastChild = Selector ( '.someClass' ). child ( - 1 );
⚙ Improved cursor positioning in test actions (#981) #
In action options, X and Y offsets that define the point where action is performed can now be negative. In this instance, the cursor position is calculated from the bottom-right corner of the target element.
await t. click ( '#element', { offsetX : - 10, offsetY : - 30 });
⚙ Client functions as an assertion's actual value (#1009) #
You can now pass client functions to assertion's expect method. In this instance, the Smart Assertion Query Mechanism will run this client function and use the return value as the assertion's actual value.
import { ClientFunction } from 'testcafe' ; const windowLocation = ClientFunction (() => window. location. toString ()); fixture ` My Fixture `. page ` http : //www.example.com`; test ( 'My Test', async t => { await t. expect ( windowLocation ()). eql ( 'http://www.example.com' ); });
⚙ Automatic waiting for scripts added during a test action (#1072) #
If a test action adds scripts on a page, TestCafe now automatically waits for them to finish before proceeding to the next test action.
We have prepared an ESLint plugin. Get it to ensure that ESLint does not fail on TestCafe test code.Real-Time Access to Data for Intelligent Decision-Making Powers the Global Digital Currency Bitcoin
SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - Nov 10, 2015) - As payments companies and merchants rapidly adopt digital currencies like Bitcoin, blockchain technology becomes even more important as a ledger for verifying and analyzing transactions. MemSQL (www.memsql.com), the leader in real-time databases for transactions and analytics, today announced that Coinalytics, the real-time intelligence service for blockchain, has tapped MemSQL to more quickly and easily access data to turn blockchain into actionable insights. Blockchain is the tamper-resistant distributed technology underpinning digital currencies, and lets users instantaneously make and record transactions.
Coinalytics taps MemSQL for real-time access to blockchain data; powers adoption of digital currencies -- Click to Tweet
In an industry where the successful exchange of value requires fast and accurate transactional recording, blockchain offers speed, efficiency, and stringent security over every distributed record. As digital currencies become a mainstream payment method, blockchain will require intense computing power to verify the substantial increase in transactional requests.
Coinalytics is positioned at the intersection of big data, artificial intelligence and the blockchain. The company applies advanced machine learning and state-of-the-art distributed systems to cryptographic platforms, enabling enterprises to derive real-time business intelligence and risk assessment from the blockchain and decentralized applications. Using the Coinalytics platform, companies make better decisions and developers write smarter applications based on more accurate intelligence.
Using MemSQL, Coinalytics will facilitate the global shift in digital currency for its customers. Coinalytics reduces the friction in the user-adoption of Bitcoin by providing immediate compliance and risk assessment for leading wallet providers, payment services, and exchanges. MemSQL delivers the performance from its in-memory rowstore and SSD-based columnstore, and easily scales to accommodate new applications and platforms built on top of blockchain that require real-time access to data.
"Accessing data in the blockchain is no easy task, let alone understanding what the data means to companies looking to tap into this emerging market," said Fabio Federici, co-founder and CEO, Coinalytics. "The Coinalytics platform allows anyone to access the blockchain and derive meaningful insights. By combining data from a variety of sources our customers can instantly assess the risk of a transaction and make the right decision. We are still in the early days of blockchain technology, with new applications and use cases set to appear. We are confident that MemSQL is the right database to take us forward."
First offerings from Coinalytics include simple APIs and visual interfaces that reduce the complexity of Bitcoin use. With more flexible SQL-like queries using MemSQL, users also have more control over the tasks they can perform.
"There's growing interest in using blockchain as a settlement layer across many industries to prove digital document ownership, ensure the legitimacy of transactional requirements, and manage the exchange of assets all along the supply chain," said Eric Frenkiel, co-founder and CEO, MemSQL. "To move the needle, companies need broad access to real-time intelligence to serve up actionable insights. As traditional industries start opening up to Bitcoin, and blockchain, we see Coinalytics as well positioned to engage with this emerging ecosystem."
MemSQL ingests streams of data in real time, processes transactions, and performs analytics -- simultaneously in a single database. In industries such as financial services, MemSQL is perfectly suited to power analytics and serve up insights on constantly changing datasets, enabling businesses to process market data as it arrives, detect anomalies like fraud, and aggregate data from numerous sources for centralized risk and compliance management.
Read more about how Coinalytics is using MemSQL here: http://blog.memsql.com/coinalytics-blockchain-analytics.
About MemSQL
MemSQL is the leader in real-time databases for transactions and analytics. As a purpose built database for instant access to real-time and historical data, MemSQL uses a familiar SQL interface and a horizontally scalable distributed architecture that runs on commodity hardware or in the cloud. Innovative enterprises use MemSQL to better predict and react to opportunities by extracting previously untapped value in their data to drive new revenue. MemSQL is deployed across hundreds of nodes in high velocity big data environments. Based in San Francisco, MemSQL is a Y Combinator company funded by prominent investors including Accel Partners, Khosla Ventures, First Round Capital and Data Collective. Follow us @MemSQL or visit at www.memsql.com.It's a story of legend that was finally proven true earlier this year: back in April, construction workers in New Mexico unearthed a cache of Atari 2600 games (including the notoriously horrible E.T.) from a landfill, where they had been buried for more than 30 years. Atari put them there during the great video game crash of 1983, but the story had never been confirmed until the excavation.
Now, there's a plan for the uncovered games: according to a report from Polygon, the approximately 1,200 games that were found will either head for museums or be auctioned off on eBay. "The primary goal is that they go into museums and the story be told," said dig site manager Joe Lewandowski, according to a recording of a city council meeting this past Tuesday. "The second is that they go into the city inventory for whatever we decide to do with them. The balance is what we will sell."
It sounds like about 800 of the games found will be sold off in three lots, with the first going on eBay within the next few weeks if all goes according to plan. There's no real estimate yet on how much they're worth, but Lewandowski said someone offered him $500 for a single cartridge. That's a steep price for a 30-year-old game that likely doesn't work, but there were quite a few less games recovered from the landfill than expected. Some 792,000 games were believed to have been buried, and the crew hoped to get 20,000 or more back — but only 1,300 were recovered. 100 were kept by a documentary team making a film about the excavation, leaving just 1,200 for museums and auction.
The games that aren't sold will be inventoried, cataloged, sealed, and have certificates of authenticity attached — interested museums will the be able to borrow and display the collections. Alongside the games will be photos from the burial site as well as recovered controllers and pieces of consoles. It's hard to say yet what kinds of institutions will want to showcase these rather unusual artifacts, but the New Mexico city of Alamogordo has already heard from a museum in Rome that wants to exhibit the collection.Get the biggest daily stories by email Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email
A furious farmer got his own back on a group of travellers by barricading them in with a dozen tractors when they refused to leave.
Chris Awdry, 53, took direct action when the travellers - who had arrived with six caravans - told him he would need a court order to shift them.
He turned to police but they said it was a civil matter and refused to get involved.
So Chris called in his staff to drive the tractors around the edge of the 1.5-acre site and block them in as police watched.
And less than three hours after arriving the travellers decided it was time to leave the land in Trowbridge, Wiltshire.
Mr Awdry, who rents the land, said: "They went in and they were ruining the land and we wanted them out.
"The owner of the land didn't want them there and we did what we could to protect the land.
"I had asked them nicely to leave but they said they wouldn't and that I would have to get a court order to move them on.
(Image: SWNS)
"I then contacted the police and they said it was a civil matter.
"We then decided to barricade them in until they went, with the police in attendance the whole time to keep the peace.
"I was glad we managed to sort it quickly and peacefully.
"Luckily, it happened on a day when we were not so busy harvesting, so we were able to act straight away, although even if it had been a busy day we would have still dealt with it."
One farmhand said motorists beeped their horns in support as they saw the gypsies leaving.
Police told the travellers they had to go under section 61 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.
They can invoke the law where they are satisfied two or more people are trespassing on the land and the landowner has taken reasonable steps to make them leave.
One traveller claimed they had only stopped off for food and to allow the children to rest.
Inspector Alan Lumley said: "They were peacefully dispersed without the necessity of us using police powers.
"The local land controller has been spoken to and no offences have been disclosed.
"We always try and resolve such matters peacefully, although we do have powers to remove them if needed to."NWHL Commissioner Says League Will Score Big
Bruce Bennett/Getty Images Commissioner Dani Rylan said it will be a "no-brainer" for sponsors to partner with the NWHL after the league proves itself in its inaugural season.
When Dani Rylan, 28, failed to land an expansion team for New York City in the Canadian Women's Hockey League, she did the next best thing. She started her own league. With franchises in New York, Buffalo, Connecticut and Boston, the National Women's Hockey League is the first such league in North America to pay salaries, a historic breakthrough that gives its players a better chance to develop their skills between Olympics. No one is getting rich -- the top salary is $25,000 -- but it's a start.
Shortly before the league's inaugural weekend, espnW caught up with Rylan.
espnW: Since you launched the league last March, people have questioned where your financing is coming from. You've never identified your investors, not even to the players. How come?
Dani Rylan: These are people who are totally comfortable and OK with being anonymous. I think that speaks for the game of women's hockey, hockey fans, hockey players in general. No one needs to take the credit for the success that's happening. I respect the investors for wanting to remain anonymous. They definitely have a huge part in the decisions that the league is making. But as far as being in the public eye, they've asked to remain anonymous, and I respect that.
espnW: You realize some people remain skeptical.
Rylan: That's totally fine. I'm very aware that we have a lot to prove. The product is going to prove itself on the ice. This is a successful business model we've come up with.
espnW: Do you have enough money on hand to get through the first season?
Rylan: Yes.
espnW: What about the second season?
Rylan: Yes. We're in this for the long haul. We definitely have a support system that makes sure this is going to be successful and will be successful. We will be around for a long time.
espnW: So far you've had no luck landing major sponsors for the league. Why do you think potential sponsors are hesitating?
Rylan: There was a huge push to get huge sponsors before the first puck-drop, but sponsors want to know tangible numbers -- how many butts are in the seats, what is our exact demographic. They want things we don't really have the answers to yet. We want to focus on making Year 1 as successful as possible, so in Year 2 sponsors are approaching us. The companies that wanted us to get our bumps and bruises and learn through Year 1, we'll circle back with them, and it will be a no-brainer. It's going to be yeses across the board.
espnW: How do you convince investors and sponsors to invest in women's pro hockey?
Rylan: If you look at the 2014 Olympics, 4.9 million viewers watched the gold-medal game. It was the most-watched [hockey game] on NBC in the 2014 Olympics. That not only says something about the game of women's hockey, but women's sports in general. I don't have to speak to the success of the women's soccer team this summer and Ronda Rousey. There have been so many success stories lately that only further prove there is a business in women's sports. This is what people are believing in and supporting, so it's not even a hard sell.
espnW: Even before the league played its first game, you hinted it might consider expansion if the first year goes well. That's pretty bold. Aren't you getting ahead of yourself?
Rylan: It does sound crazy, the idea of expansion. But you'd be shocked how many fans are begging for it. Everyone wants to see the best players in the world playing in their backyard. If we have a successful Year 1, expansion in Year 2 is definitely on the horizon.
espnW: You've been actively courting the Minnesota Whitecaps. They're pretty far afield from the Northeast. What's the attraction of Minnesota?
Rylan: The Whitecaps are a great organization with a lot of talent. While we are in the Northeast to start, we do recognize there's a lot of talent in the state of hockey in Minnesota. The numbers show 33 percent of all USA Hockey registration among girls and women is in the Northeast, and 19 percent is in the state of Minnesota alone. When we think of expanding down the line, it's somewhere we definitely want to go. We want to start building that alliance and that relationship as soon as we can.
espnW: How many teams are you thinking for expansion? One? Two?
Rylan: We may have 10. We'll see how successful we are. There are definitely a lot of viable hockey markets, not only in the U.S. but in Canada as well.Why do people sometimes say that when we look at stars that are very far away that we are "looking back in time"?
This is because of the finite speed of light. When we look at objects that are very large distances away from us, the light that is hitting us now will have started from the object quite a long time ago, so in effect we aren't looking at what the object looks like now but what it looked like some time ago (when the light was emitted).
For example, Proxima Centauri, which is the closest star to us (other than the Sun), is about 4 light-years away. This means that the light we see from it now left the star about 4 years ago. Something catastrophic could have happened to the star within those four years and we can't know about it yet (but that's unlikely, by the way!).
Even the light from the Sun takes about 8 minutes to reach us here on Earth, so when you look up at the Sun, you see it as it was 8 minutes ago! (PS: It is NOT advisable to look at the Sun too closely as you can damage your eyes.)
Similarly, even the light you see from nearby objects is slightly delayed, but since the speed of light is about a foot per nanosecond (billionth of a second!), the finite speed of light doesn't matter much in everyday life. However, you may notice it on TV broadcasts involving communication between people who are on opposite sides of the Earth. It takes time for the signal from one person to reach the other, so you may observe a slight delay between one person's question and the other's response.
This page was last updated on June 27, 2015A conservative group is now attacking Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV), with a new ad singling him out for having headed up a group for Arab-American supporters of Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential campaign.
As Amanda Terkel reports, the West Virginia Conservative Foundation’s new ad shows video of Rahall, with scary-sounding music in the background. “Now I happen to have been an early supporter of Barack Obama…I campaigned with him in the hills of West Virginia. And I proudly chaired the Arab-Americans for Obama campaign nationwide group, dedicated to mobilizing Arab-Americans and bringing light to those issues we care about.”
An announcer then cuts in: “Call Nick Rahall and tell him what you care about.”
Rahall is a Christian of Lebanese descent, and was born and raised in West Virginia.
The interesting thing about this ad is that it combines two attacks into one: That Rahall is a long-time supporter of President Obama, and that he chaired an Arab-American campaign group.
On the one hand, the Obama-based attack is certainly fair game. According to the TPM Poll Average, Obama’s approval in West Virginia is only 31.6%, with 65.0% disapproving. So linking a Dem to Obama is an obvious way to go for any Republican candidate or organization.
On the other hand, basing an attack on the aforementioned Arab-American group, well…By: Staff –
Ontario’s newest music festival, the Bonnaroo-affiliated Wayhome Music Festival, announced its inaugural line-up at a secret event at The Great Hall in Toronto tonight.
The event, which is set to take place at Burls Creek Event Grounds, in Oro-Medonte, Ontario, will happen from July 24-26th with tickets going on sale February 16th.
Appearing at Wayhome are St Vincent, Modest Mouse, Bassnectar, Girl Talk, Alt-J, Kendrick Lamar, Future Islands, The Sheepdogs, The Gaslight Anthem, Walk The Moon, Metz, Danny Brown, Cold War Kids, Fucked Up, Rural Alberta Advantage, Timber Timbre, Run The Jewels, Hey Rosetta, Passion Pit, July talk, Alvvays, Yukon Blonde, Odesza, Kaytranada, G-Eazy, Courtney Barnett, Sloan, Thousand Foot Krutch, Big Kritz, Sylvan Esso, Dear Rouge, For Esme, Bear Mountain, Lowell, The Highest Order, SZA, Viet Cong, Com Truise, Evening Hymns, How To Dress Well, + more!
Update 1: Sam Smith, The Decemberists, Hozier, & Vance Joy have been added to the line-up.
Update 2: Check out our photos below from the Wayhome Festival press conference at The Gladstone Hotel in Toronto!
Update 3: Click here to win 2 GA passes to Wayhome Festival (closes Feb. 20 at 12pm EST)
Update 4: Neil Young + Promise of the Real, Brandon Flowers, Theophilus London, Manchester Orchestra, The Lone Bellow, Django Django, The Growlers, Rhiannon Giddens, Dwyane Gretzky, Tobias Jesso Jr, Chad VanGaalen, Broncho, Slow Magic, Highs, Brave Shores, Kevin Garrett, Weaves, Ascot Royals, The Beaches, Tomi Swick, Zorch, Amos the Transparent, Teen Violence, The Huaraches and Cross Dog have been added to the line-up.
Wayhome Festival press conference at The Gladstone Hotel in Toronto. (Photo: Amy Buck/Aesthetic Magazine Toronto) Executive Director, Republic Live Shannon McNevan at the Wayhome Festival press conference at The Gladstone Hotel in Toronto. (Photo: Amy Buck/Aesthetic Magazine Toronto) Wayhome Festival press conference at The Gladstone Hotel in Toronto. (Photo: Amy Buck/Aesthetic Magazine Toronto) President & CEO of CARAS, The JUNO Awards and MusiCounts Alan Reid at the Wayhome Festival press conference at The Gladstone Hotel in Toronto. (Photo: Amy Buck/Aesthetic Magazine Toronto) CEO of AC Entertainment, co-founder and producer of the Bonnaroo Music Festival Ashley Capps at the Wayhome Festival press conference at The Gladstone Hotel in Toronto. (Photo: Amy Buck/Aesthetic Magazine Toronto) President, Music Canada Graham Henderson at the Wayhome Festival press conference at The Gladstone Hotel in Toronto. (Photo: Amy Buck/Aesthetic Magazine Toronto) Executive Director, Republic Live Shannon McNevan at the Wayhome Festival press conference at The Gladstone Hotel in Toronto. (Photo: Amy Buck/Aesthetic Magazine Toronto) President, Music Canada Graham Henderson at the Wayhome Festival press conference at The Gladstone Hotel in Toronto. (Photo: Amy Buck/Aesthetic Magazine Toronto) Wayhome Festival press conference at The Gladstone Hotel in Toronto. (Photo: Amy Buck/Aesthetic Magazine Toronto) Executive Director, Republic Live Shannon McNevan at the Wayhome Festival press conference at The Gladstone Hotel in Toronto. (Photo: Amy Buck/Aesthetic Magazine Toronto) Executive Director, Republic Live Shannon McNevan at the Wayhome Festival press conference at The Gladstone Hotel in Toronto. (Photo: Amy Buck/Aesthetic Magazine Toronto)I first met Suket Dhir in January, in a Florentine palazzo where he was bathed in flash-bursts fired off by a phalanx of press photographers. We caught up again in June, on FaceTime, when he was 4,000 metres up a Himalayan mountain, stuck between a deadly heatwave and a paralysing monsoon. His victory in the International Woolmark prize this year means that he could be the first Indian designer to conquer the world of Western menswear – but the Indian weather means that getting his new woollen collection ready to be in the shops in September is something of a challenge.
What Westerners think of as Indian clothes are not really Indian, says Dhir. “Modern Indian menswear is itself a mix of different cultures – Oriental, British Imperial and Persian or Mughal. I had one round-necked jacket in the collection in Florence, what we call a bandhgala [the so-called Nehru jacket], and that is considered Indian. But really it isn’t: it comes from the uniforms of the British Army.” He cites his textile-merchant grandfather’s wardrobe of 1940s Savile Row suits as a key inspiration for his nostalgic aesthetic.
“I’ve designed a lot of loose pants, almost palazzos, inspired by my grandfather’s style: in the 1940s trousers were double-pleated and very flowing. These weren’t in any way Indian – they were tailored trousers in the European tradition. But as soon as you translate them by making them here in hand-embroidered linens, wool or cotton they become particularly Indian.” His clothes are made from natural fabrics that improve with wear and weather. This lends them their particular patina. “It is as close to couture as possible for us to do,” he says. “No one piece is like another.”
Despite competition from hotly tipped, better-known British and American labels, Dhir was the clear stand-out for the Woolmark prize. His collection won over a jury that included Eric Jennings, fashion director of Saks Fifth Avenue in New York, who said: “We saw the detail…and understood his passion. And we all just fell in love with the collection.” Haider Ackermann, an influential French designer, said, admiringly, that it featured techniques he’d never seen before. The colours were powerful – notably a rainbow om |
5 million to 10.5 million.
Third, limit the use of pre-trial detention. Nearly two-thirds of the nation’s prison population haven’t been convicted of a crime - they are awaiting trial. Many are arrested for low-risk offenses such as disturbing the peace or traffic violations, and they languish in jail because they can’t afford bail. Releasing these individuals would not jeopardize public safety and would reduce overcrowding and public defender case loads. Just this year, Kentucky terminated pre-trial detention for numerous drug offenses and mandated citations rather than arrests for certain misdemeanors.
Fourth, impose nonprison penalties on those arrested for technical parole and probation violations like missing a meeting or court appearance. This would dramatically ameliorate overcrowding and excessive case loads given that over a third of all prison admissions are for such types of violations. Texas is leading the charge here, and through such measures has significantly reduced its inmate population.
The spirit that animates the Sixth and Eighth Amendments is human dignity. A recognition that no matter the crime or harm, criminal defendants and prisoners retain a dignity that must be respected.
Forty years ago, a group of inmates claimed they were deprived of this dignity and, in what has since become a subject of fascination in American pop culture, rioted at Attica Correctional Facility in New York. The ensuing violence and its death toll serves as an ominous reminder that America must pursue criminal justice reform if it is to honor this dignity.
Arjun Sethi is an attorney.
[Editor's note: An earlier reference incorrectly referred to the time of the Attica uprising.]U.S. government to buy 101 Chevrolet Volts
May 25, 2011, 11:31am ET
by Andrew Ganz
The Obama administration is planning to purchase 101 Chevy Volt plug-in EVs.
As part of the Obama administration's plan to increase the number of alternatively-fueled vehicles in the government's fleet, the United States says it will purchase 101 Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrids.
The Volts, which can run for around 35 miles on an electric charge before a gas engine kicks in, will be part of a larger order of vehicles placed by the General Services Administration.
"The GSA made the right call in choosing the Volt to help lead its electric vehicle fleet initiative," GM spokesman Greg Martin told the Detroit Free Press. "The Volt's technology is leading the way for a new segment of vehicles and we're pleased to see the GSA leading the way toward a more gas-free fleet."
A more formal announcement is expected this afternoon, which could include detailed usage plans for the Volts. Before federal and regional incentives, the Volt retails for $41,000.
References
1.'U.S. to buy...' viewThe Pennsylvania Supreme Court [official website] ruled [opinion, PDF] Wednesday that indigent defendants may sue counties to ensure that public defenders’ offices are more adequately funded. The case presented the issue of: “whether a cause of action exists entitling a class of indigent criminal defendants to allege prospective, systemic violations of the right to counsel due to underfunding, and to seek and obtain an injunction forcing a county to provide adequate funding to a public defender’s office.” Justice David Wecht wrote the opinion and concluded that when:
the level of funding provided by a county to operate a public defender’s office has left that office incapable of complying with Gideon [opinion, PDF], creating the likelihood of a systematic, widespread constructive denial of counsel in contravention of the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution [injunctive relief may be granted].
The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania called the decision [press release] “critical to the ability of poor defendants to receive an effective legal defense.”
The right to counsel at trial is constitutionally codified in the Sixth amendment and the duty for states to provide counsel to those who could not afford it themselves was established through Supreme Court precedent. While there are certain situations in the civil sector that do not require representation [JURIST report] the right to counsel when a party may be imprisoned has long been held. In January the ACLU filed a class action lawsuit [JURIST report] against the New Orleans Public Defenders Office and the Louisiana Public Defender Board due to the lack of available public defenders for individuals with no access to an attorney. The ACLU claims that as a result of the lack of state funding for public defenders, individuals are forced to wait months in jail without counsel or accept bail and plea negotiations which can have irreparable effects on their case.DBD::mysql is the perl DBI driver for MySQL and the primary way Perl applications and scripts access MySQL and MariaDB databases. The source repository is at https://github.com/perl5-dbi/DBD-mysql.
A vulnerability was discovered that can lead to a buffer overflow, possibly triggered by user supplied data. This vulnerability is present in all releases at least back to versions 3.0 of the driver, which were released in 2005.
The CVE identifier for this vulnerability is CVE-2016-1246.
Version 4.037, including the fix for this vulnerability, is available on CPAN at https://metacpan.org/pod/DBD::mysql
Users of DBD::mysql are advised to patch their installations as soon as possible.
We have already made a pre-announcement for this security release at the distros security mailing list. People using DBD::mysql installed from their (linux) distributions can expect to receive an updated version soon.
Many thanks to Pali Rohár for discovering and fixing the vulnerability.
The DBD::mysql maintainers, Patrick Galbraith Michiel BeijenHere's the most important thing you need to know about MiniTest: It comes with Ruby. Well, from 1.9.1 upwards at least.
Nevertheless, it's the (mostly drop-in) replacement for the Test::Unit module with support for everything it could accomplish plus benchmarking, mocking, stubbing (you should learn about these terms right now!), and a RSpec-like syntax for expectations.
Let me say that again: everything I just mentioned comes bundled with Ruby so there is no need for you to be adding extra libs, plugins, packages, gems, etc to your project.
Core: minitest/spec
I'm gonna follow the scheme I used in my last post. I know this is probably a lazy choice on my end, but can you really blame me? One more thing: MiniTest has a lot of features but I'm intentionally focusing on MiniTest::Spec so I can provide a simple entrance door to this universe.
And so you can easily change your mindset from RSpec to MiniTest of course!
First of all, go ahead and create a Gemfile for your project...
source 'https://rubygems.org' gem'minitest' gem'sinatra' gem 'rack' gem 'rack-test' gem 'guard' gem 'guard-minitest' gem 'foreman'
...and get Bundler if you haven't yet so you can
$ bundle install
Like last time, part of the work will be done by the guard-minitest gem. Be sure to check their repo @Github for other available options and usage examples. For now, just run
$ guard init minitest
This time around though, there will be some editing required to your Guardfile. Open it in your favourite text editor, and uncomment the Minitest::Spec lines so it looks like this:
guard :minitest do # with Minitest::Unit watch(%r{^test/(.*)\/?test_(.*)\.rb$}) watch(%r{^lib/(.*/)?([^/]+)\.rb$}) { |m| "test/#{m[1]}test_#{m[2]}.rb" } watch(%r{^test/test_helper\.rb$}) { 'test' } # with Minitest::Spec watch(%r{^spec/(.*)_spec\.rb$}) watch(%r{^lib/(.+)\.rb$}) { |m| "spec/#{m[1]}_spec.rb" } watch(%r{^spec/spec_helper\.rb$}) {'spec' } (...) end
And comment change this line
watch(%r{^lib/(.+)\.rb$}) { |m| "spec/#{m[1]}_spec.rb" }
To look like this
watch(%r{^(.+)\.rb$}) { |m| "spec/#{m[1]}_spec.rb" }
That little change basically means that we'll be looking at the files in the root of our folder instead of inside a lib folder when we want to check for live changes in files, and says that for every file named X.rb, run spec/X_spec.rb.
Next, we have to get our app up and running, so I got a basic Sinatra file...up and runnning. For this simple exercise I've called it test.rb and placed it in the root folder of the project.
require'sinatra' get '/' do 'Hello, World!' end
Run along and create a spec folder. We're gonna create ourselves a simple spec_helper.rb inside it.
ENV['RACK_ENV'] = 'test' require 'rack/test' require_relative '../test.rb' include Rack::Test::Methods def app Sinatra::Application end
And we're also adding a basic test on a new file. Once again, for the newcomers, pay attention to the filename with _spec.rb since that's important for your Guardfile (and will be handy if you create your own Guard rules in the future!). You don't have to place your tests inside this folder, but keeping them separate from the rest of the code is the way to go about it.
So, lastly, your test_spec.rb should look like
require_relative'spec_helper.rb' describe "my example spec" do it "should successfully return a greeting" do get '/' last_response.body.must_include 'Hello, World!' end end
That will work for now. To travel the simple path of things, please use The Foreman Foreman and create a Procfile
web: bundle exec ruby test.rb guard: bundle exec guard -i
Go to your Terminal, change to your project directory and run
$ foreman start
Did you see it? Blazing fast testing with a brand new tool? Pat yourself on the back
(as always, for the rest of you...to the corner with debugger)
Optional: minitest/pride
I know we're all good friends and all, but don't you think that was just plain dull? I mean, we got the tests, we got the results, but there's no sense of joy or happiness...what else is missing?
Let me tell you what (from seattlerb)
minitest/pride shows pride in testing and adds coloring to your test
output. I guess it is an example of how to write IO pipes too. :P
And with that, add the following to spec_helper.rb
ENV['RACK_ENV'] = 'test' require'minitest/pride' # show your pride! require 'rack/test' require_relative '../test.rb' include Rack::Test::Methods def app Sinatra::Application end
And witness the power of...colors!
Extra: minitest/benchmark
One more tool I would like to talk about is benchmarking. Ruby itself has a Benchmark module, but who knows, maybe it too will be replaced! In any case, the fact is that you can also use MiniTest to do some benchmarking on your code. Why wouldn't you want to use the same tool?
On your spec_helper.rb, add minitest/benchmark
ENV['RACK_ENV'] = 'test' require'minitest/pride' require'minitest/benchmark' # let's do this! require 'rack/test' require_relative '../test.rb' include Rack::Test::Methods def app Sinatra::Application end
On your Guardfile edit this line
# OLD: watch(%r{^lib/(.+)\.rb$}) { |m| "spec/#{m[1]}_benchmark.rb" } watch(%r{^(.+)\.rb$}) { |m| "spec/#{m[1]}_benchmark.rb" }
And finally, add a test_benchmark.rb file inside your spec folder
require_relative'spec_helper.rb' describe "my example Benchmark" do bench_range { bench_exp 1, 10_000 } bench_performance_linear "welcome benchmark test", 0.9999 do |n| n.times do get '/' last_response.body.must_include 'Hello, World!' end end end
Of course this is a pointless test and should not be taken into consideration as some kind of superb piece of code in the highest chocolate pedestal of the Coders hall of...sorry, got lost there.
Back to the pedestal terminal, redo your foreman start command and voilá!
And if you took the time to add minitest/pride, in breathtaking & outrageous colors
When you feel you're ready to follow up on this article, or you just want more goodies on the same topic, Matt Sears | MiniTest Quick Reference seems like a good way to go.
With this setup you can easily start your BDD development without wasting too much time setting up, but you should really get a CI server as soon as your test suite starts growing through the roof and you find yourself with more tests than you can handle.
If, on the other hand, you just want a way to run your tests automatically on your customized Sublime Text/Atom, I find this to be an interesting alternative.
Github RepositoryCryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated yeast[1] and an obligate aerobe[2] that can live in both plants and animals. Its teleomorph is Filobasidiella neoformans, a filamentous fungus belonging to the class Tremellomycetes. It is often found in bird excrement. Cryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated fungal organism and it can cause disease in apparently immunocompetent, as well as immunocompromised, hosts.[3]
Classification [ edit ]
Cryptococcus neoformans has undergone numerous nomenclature revisions since its first description in 1894. For instance, it once contained two varieties (var.): C. neoformans var. neoformans and C. neoformans var. grubii. A third variety, C. neoformans var. gattii, was defined as a distinct species, Cryptococcus gattii. The most recent classification system divides organisms into seven species.[4] C. neoformans refers to C. neoformans var. grubii. A new species name, Cryptococcus deneoformans, is used for the former C. neoformans var. neoformans. C. gattii is divided into five species.
Characteristics [ edit ]
C. neoformans grows as a yeast (unicellular) and replicates by budding. It makes hyphae during mating, and eventually creates basidiospores at the end of the hyphae before producing spores. Under host-relevant conditions, including low glucose, serum, 5% carbon dioxide, and low iron, among others, the cells produce a characteristic polysaccharide capsule.[5] The recognition of C. neoformans in Gram-stained smears of purulent exudates may be hampered by the presence of the large gelatinous capsule which apparently prevents definitive staining of the yeast-like cells. In such stained preparations, it may appear either as round cells with Gram-positive granular inclusions impressed upon a pale lavender cytoplasmic background or as Gram-negative lipoid bodies.[6] When grown as a yeast, C. neoformans has a prominent capsule composed mostly of polysaccharides. Under the microscope, the India ink stain is used for easy visualization of the capsule in cerebral spinal fluid.[7] The particles of ink pigment do not enter the capsule that surrounds the spherical yeast cell, resulting in a zone of clearance or "halo" around the cells. This allows for quick and easy identification of C. neoformans. Unusual morphological forms are rarely seen.[8] For identification in tissue, mucicarmine stain provides specific staining of polysaccharide cell wall in C. neoformans. Cryptococcal antigen from cerebrospinal fluid is thought to be the best test for diagnosis of cryptococcal meningitis in terms of sensitivity, though it might be unreliable in HIV-positive patients.[9]
The first genome sequence for a strain of C. neoformans (var. neoformans; now C. deneoformans) was published in 2005.[10]
Studies suggest that colonies of C. neoformans and related fungi growing on the ruins of the melted down reactor of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant may be able to use the energy of radiation for "radiotrophic" growth.[11]
Pathology [ edit ]
Infection with C. neoformans is termed cryptococcosis. Most infections with C. neoformans occur in the lungs.[12] However, fungal meningitis and encephalitis, especially as a secondary infection for AIDS patients, are often caused by C. neoformans, making it a particularly dangerous fungus. Infections with this fungus are rare in those with fully functioning immune systems.[13] So, C. neoformans is sometimes referred to as an opportunistic fungus.[13] It is a facultative intracellular pathogen[14] that can utilize host phagocytes to spread within the body.[15][16] Cryptococcus neoformans was the first intracellular pathogen for which the non-lytic escape process termed vomocytosis was observed.[17][18] It has been speculated that this ability to manipulate host cells results from environmental selective pressure by amoebae, a hypothesis first proposed by Arturo Casadevall under the term "accidental virulence".[19]
In human infection, C. neoformans is spread by inhalation of aerosolized basidiospores, and can disseminate to the central nervous system, where it can cause meningoencephalitis.[20] In the lungs, C. neoformans cells are phagocytosed by alveolar macrophages.[21] Macrophages produce oxidative and nitrosative agents, creating a hostile environment, to kill invading pathogens.[22] However, some C. neoformans cells can survive intracellularly in macrophages.[21] Intracellular survival appears to be the basis for latency, disseminated disease, and resistance to eradication by antifungal agents. One mechanism by which C. neoformans survives the hostile intracellular environment of the macrophage involves upregulation of expression of genes involved in responses to oxidative stress.[21]
Traversal of the blood–brain barrier by C. neoformans plays a key role in meningitis pathogenesis.[23] However, precise mechanisms by which it passes the blood-brain barrier are still unknown; one recent study in rats suggested an important role of secreted serine proteases.[24] The metalloprotease Mpr1 has been demonstrated to be critical in blood-brain barrier penetration.[25]
Meiosis (sexual reproduction), another possible survival factor for intracellular C. neoformans
The vast majority of environmental and clinical isolates of C. neoformans are mating type alpha. Filaments of mating type alpha have haploid nuclei ordinarily, but these can undergo a process of diploidization (perhaps by endoduplication or stimulated nuclear fusion) to form diploid cells termed blastospores. The diploid nuclei of blastospores are able to undergo meiosis, including recombination, to form haploid basidiospores that can then be dispersed.[26] This process is referred to as monokaryotic fruiting. Required for this process is a gene designated dmc1, a conserved homologue of genes recA in bacteria, and rad51 in eukaryotes (see articles recA and rad51). Dmc1 mediates homologous chromosome pairing during meiosis and repair of double-strand breaks in DNA.[27] One benefit of meiosis in C. neoformans could be to promote DNA repair in the DNA-damaging environment caused by the oxidative and nitrosative agents produced in macrophages.[26] Thus, C. neoformans can undergo a meiotic process, monokaryotic fruiting, that may promote recombinational repair in the oxidative, DNA-damaging environment of the host macrophage, and this may contribute to its virulence.
Serious complications [ edit ]
Infection starts in lungs, disseminates via blood to meninges and then to other parts of the body. Capsule inhibits phagocytosis. Can cause a systemic infection, including fatal meningitis known as meningoencephalitis in normal, diabetic and immunocompromised hosts. The infection from C. neoformans in the brain can be fatal if untreated. CNS (central nervous system) infection may also be present as a brain abscess known as cryptococcomas, subdural effusion, dementia, isolated cranial nerve lesion, spinal cord lesion, and ischemic stroke. If cryptococcal meningitis occurs, mortality rate is between 10–30%.[28]
Treatment [ edit ]
C. neoformans seen in the lung of a patient with AIDS: The inner capsule of the organism stains red in this photomicrograph. seen in the lung of a patient with AIDS: The inner capsule of the organism stains red in this photomicrograph.
Cryptococcosis that does not affect the central nervous system can be treated with fluconazole alone.
Cryptococcal meningitis should be treated for two weeks with intravenous amphotericin B 0.7–1.0 mg/kg/day and oral flucytosine 100 mg/kg/day (or intravenous flucytosine 75 mg/kg/day if the patient is unable to swallow). This should then be followed by oral fluconazole 400–800 mg daily for ten weeks[29] and then 200 mg daily for at least one year and until the patient's CD4 count is above 200 cells/mcl.[30][31] Flucytosine is a generic, off-patent medicine. However, a market failure exists, with a two-week cost of flucytosine therapy being about $10,000. As a result, flucytosine is currently universally unavailable in low- and middle-income countries. In 1970, flucytosine was available in Africa.[32]
Intravenous ambisome 4 (mg/kg)/day may be used but is not superior; its main use is in patients who do not tolerate amphotericin B. The dose of 200 mg/kg/day for flucytosine is not more effective, is associated with more side effects and should not be used.
In Africa, oral fluconazole at a rate of 200 mg daily is often used. However, this does not result in cure, because it merely suppresses the fungus and does not kill it; viable fungus can continue to be grown from cerebrospinal fluid of patients not having taken fluconazole for many months. An increased dose of 400 mg daily does not improve outcomes,[33] but prospective studies from Uganda and Malawi reported that higher doses of 1200 mg per day have more fungicidal activity.[34] The outcomes with fluconazole monotherapy have 30% worse survival than amphotericin-based therapies, in a recent systematic review.[35]You’ll be hearing a lot from the lefty social media sphere about how former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates DESTROYED Texas Senator Ted Cruz in her appearance before the Senate Subcommittee today as they investigate Russian involvement in the last election. Let me go ahead and show that to you now, to get it out of the way. It was a good exchange, and she held her own; which is impressive given Cruz’s abilities as a hard-charging appellate attorney. Pay attention to what Cruz says at the end about suspecting partisanship, because that’s the general tenor of today’s hearings, at least on the Republican side.
Cruz, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, and Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa were particularly open in their assertion that Yates, in “warning” the White House back in January that now ex-National Security Advisor Michael Flynn has associations with Russian contacts that compromised his ability to do his job, may have had a partisan motive for her actions.
Yates was also grilled pretty heavily by GOP members about why she refused to enforce President Donald Trump’s travel ban, a move which led to her termination at the Department of Justice. Yates contends she found the ban unconstitutional and would have been violating her oath to enforce it. The very shrewd litigator, when questioned about the travel ban, turned into something of an activist, using expressions about “truth” and mentioning that she saw the ban as a religious test (hence the unconstitutional part) intended to discriminate against Muslims.
Cruz reminded her that the Executive Order issuing the travel ban was declared legal as it related to its constitutionality. Louisiana Senator John Kennedy even went so far as to ask Yates when she became a member of the Supreme Court, since deciding the constitutionality of orders was their purview alone.
For her part, Yates came across as a person of integrity and conviction. She was most believable when she was insisting that one of her primary reasons for taking her concerns about Flynn to the White House was that Vice President Mike Pence was being sent out with inaccurate information and was “unknowingly lying” to the American public. But she did leave a nagging feeling she must have been encouraged to “take a stand,” particularly as it relates to Flynn.
She was clear that she never requested Flynn be unmasked, but could never answer — partly due to the fact that she couldn’t answer questions related to an ongoing investigation – how Flynn came to be unmasked. Who ordered the unmasking and why was particularly interesting to Graham, and he made sure to mention at the close of the hearing that he would be seeking answers to those questions.
The insinuation is, of course, that Flynn’s associations were a witch hunt to harm the new administration, prompting Kennedy to wonder why Flynn was given “double secret” security clearance that allowed him to serve in the White House if his phone call with the Russian ambassador was known about during the transition period between the election and the inauguration.
So many questions. The Dems, for their part, kept mentioning a special committee and a special prosecutor to investigate the ties of the new administration to Russia. GOP members want further investigation as to how and why Flynn was unmasked — not to mention who in the intelligence community leaked his name to the Washington Post that allowed them to break the story.
Former head of the Department of National Intelligence James Clapper, who also testified today, had a third agenda for his appearance: he simply, he said, wants the electorate to be aware of how hard Russia is working to undermine the US democratic system.It’s always unnerving when an adult author effectively tells his reader, “Consider these children having sex,” but some books do a better job of justifying it than others (like Edmund White’s gay bildungsroman A Boy’s Own Story). Stephen King’s It, in my estimation, does not do a very good job of justifying a chapter-long scene in which Bev, the sole girl in the Losers’ Club, the group of 11-year-old kids the book is centered on, invites each of the six boys in her misfit clique to have sex with her. It has been described as a “gang bang” and a “full-on kids orgy” in incredulous blog post after incredulous blog post because, even 31 years after the publishing of the novel, it’s still completely bonkers that this ever made it into print.
Wikipedia describes the scene like this:
After the battle, the Losers get lost in the sewers until Beverly has sex with all the boys to bring unity back to the group.
The scene first surfaces as a repressed memory within Bev—she remembers during another sex scene with the adult Bill:
“All of you? I made love to all of you?” She saw shocked surprise on Bill’s face, the drop of his jaw... and sudden understanding. But it was not her revelation; even in her own shock she saw that. It was his own.
“We—”
“Bill? What is it?”
“That was y-y-your way to get us o-out,” he said, and now his eyes blazed so brightly they frightened her. “Beverly, duh-duh-don’t you uh-understand? That was y-y-your way to get us out! We all... but we were...” Suddenly he looked frightened, unsure.”
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And so, what King presents a few chapters later, in the book’s final stretch, is a depiction of pre-adolescent female sexuality as a functional device—as a means and not an end in itself. This utilitarian view of sexuality, despite operating in something as utterly wild as a group sex scene amongst kids, is ultra conservative in its reinforcement of the idea that female sexuality is meant to serve men, that sex for women operates for the greater good, like making babies or unifying a bunch of guys. And further, that platonic friendship amongst women in men is simply impossible (rereading this, I thought about the Nicki Minaj/Drake/Lil Wayne/Chris Brown song “Only,” in which she asserts that she has not fucked the men in her crew, but if she had, here’s how it would go).
These guys, by the way, do not interact in the scene, leaving some ambiguity as to the setup (is she having one-on-one sex with them or are they silently all watching this?) but ensuring there’s not a whiff of homoeroticism.
I don’t want to repeat King’s utter creepiness and describe this in too much detail, but there are some elements of the scene that deserve mentioning. Again, functioning in misogynist misunderstanding of female sexuality, for at least one of these encounters Bev “feels no physical pleasure, but there is a kind of mental ecstasy in it for her.” When she does feel “some pleasure, dim heat in her childish unmatured sex,” she thinks of birds and resolves that having sex “is what flying is like.” The penis size of the character of Ben is commented on (“is he too big, can she take that into herself?”) and she eventually has an orgasm with him.
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King is very deliberate in framing this as all Bev’s decision (“Did she have to talk each of them into it all over again? Yes, probably.”). This scene also, rather clumsily, is tied in to the book’s title:
And she feels the thing begin to happen—something of which the girls who whisper and giggle about sex in the girls’ room have no idea, at least as far as she knows; they only marvel at how gooshy sex must be, and now she realizes that for many of them sex must be some unrealized undefined monster; they refer to the act as It. Would you do It, do your sister and her boyfriend do It, do your mom and dad still do It, and how they never intend to do It; oh yes, you would think that the whole girls’ side of the fifth-grade class was made up of spinsters-to-be, and it is obvious to Beverly that none of them can suspect this... this conclusion, and she is only kept from screaming by her knowledge that the others will hear and think her badly hurt.
Doing it is...It.
When people write about this scene, as many have over the years, there is one King quote that’s cited again and again via a messageboard on StephenKing.com:
I wasn’t really thinking of the sexual aspect of it. The book dealt with childhood and adulthood —1958 and Grown Ups. The grown ups don’t remember their childhood. None of us remember what we did as children—we think we do, but we don’t remember it as it really happened. Intuitively, the Losers knew they had to be together again. The sexual act connected childhood and adulthood. It’s another version of the glass tunnel that connects the children’s library and the adult library. Times have changed since I wrote that scene and there is now more sensitivity to those issues.
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Yikes, what a non-explanation that is both disingenuous (evidence above ensures that he was thinking about the sexual aspect of it) and a copout (if there is more “sensitivity” to gratuitous depictions of child sex now, it only reflects past failure). And in an interview with Collider, the director of the 2017 version of It, Andy Muschietti, had this to say about not including the scene in his movie:
I think the whole story is a bit of a— approaches the theme of growing up, and the group sex episode in the book is a bit of a metaphor of the end of childhood and into adulthood. And I don’t think it was really needed in the movie, apart that it was very hard to allow us to shoot an orgy in the movie so, I didn’t think it was necessary because the story itself is a bit of a journey, and it illustrates that. And in the end, the replacement for it is the scene with the blood oath, where everyone sort of says goodbye. Spoiler. The blood oath scene is there and it’s the last time they see each other as a group. It’s unspoken. And they don’t know it, but it’s a bit of a foreboding that this is the last time, and being together was a bit of a necessity to beat the monster. Now that the monster recedes, they don’t need to be together. And also because their childhood is ending, and their adulthood is starting. And that’s the bittersweet moment of that sequence.
Plenty of readers have defended this scene—check out the StephenKing.com board for a lively debate on its merits. Yeah, no.Tom Glover (17)
Kyle Walker-Peters (18) Dominic Ball (19) Cameron Carter-Vickers (17) (c) Connor Ogilvie (19)
Filip Lesniak (19) Milos Veljkovic (19)
Emmanuel Sonupe (19) Ismail Azzaoui (17) Nathan Oduwa (19)
Shayon Harrison (18)
Subs:
Cy Goddard (18)
Luke Amos (18)
Kenny McEvoy (20)
Anton Walkes (18)
Unused subs:
Harry Voss (18)
Christian Maghoma (17)
It was a dry but cloudy afternoon at the Lamex – the home of Stevenage as well as Spurs’ Under-21 team (or ‘Development Squad’, as the club tends to refer to it).
Spurs’ side was made up mostly of the players that travelled to Ploufragan in France for the recent National Under-21 Tournament, in which we finished fourth (although only lost one match in normal time). As well as the players from that squad we fielded Australian goalkeeper Tom Glover, who was with the first team in Denver. Cameron Carter-Vickers was captain for the day.
Stevenage are now managed by an early hero of mine, Teddy Sheringham, and I was hoping that it would be clear that he is trying to develop an attractive style of football – more on that later.
Stevenage played something between a 4-5-1 and a 4-1-4-1 with a big number 9 (who I think was Brett Williams) up front and ex-Spurs youth players Dean Parrett (8) and Charlie Lee (10) in the centre of midfield behind him. 18-year old Dipo Akinyemi started wide on the left. Lee captained their side.
Spurs started in the typical 4-2-3-1, with two defensive midfielders sitting in front of a strong centre-back pairing. Shayon Harrison led the line, with Ismail Azzaoui in behind him. Nathan Oduwa – who has impressed in pre-season for the first team – played on the left.
As the players started to settle into a rhythm, Milos Veljkovic looked to go long over the top to Harrison, but just over-hit his pass. Cameron Carter-Vickers was confident enough early on to step and play the big Stevenage number 9 offside – leading by example. On 3 minutes, there was a wonderful switch of play from Veljkovic to Connor Ogilvie at left-back, although his cross was blocked.
Stevenage signalled their intentions to play physically when a nudge on Dominic Ball from the number 9 sent him sprawling into the hoardings – Ball had got ahead of him easily and didn’t complain at the unnecessary treatment he received.
The first opening of the game came when Kyle Walker-Peters showed some neat footwork to beat his man, played a pass to Azzaoui who found him again with a lovely return pass into the inside right channel. Walker-Peter’s cross went all the way across the box and Ogilvie fouled his man at the back post in trying to meet it.
With six minutes gone, Ogilvie cleared his second ball of the day straight over the stand and out of the ground!
A minute later it was 1-0 to Spurs. Oduwa made his first serious surge forward – he burst through three players and got a low shot away with his left foot on the angle which bounced up (either off a defender or the goalkeeper) and went in the far post.
Stevenage went immediately up the other end and their strong number 3 overlapped and got a cross in which Tom Glover claimed at the near post in commanding fashion.
Azzaoui took possession in his own half and tried to drop an ambitious diagonal ball over the top for Sonupe, but he put too much on it on this occasion.
Tenacious midfielder Dean Parrett was sticking close to Azzaoui, and frequently nicked the ball away from him – he was clearly targeted as a danger man (rightly). Veljkovic then nearly found the breaking Azzaoui with another nice pass but it was intercepted.
Veljkovic’s cross-field switch to Sonupe was well struck, but the winger failed to take it in his stride with his head and it ran out of play.
Harrison had our second effort on goal – he got a weak shot away after latching onto an Ogilvie pass, but it was never troubling Stevenage.
Stevenage were happy to let our centre-backs have possession but pressed as soon as they stepped into midfield or laid it into a midfielder. Dominic Ball strode out of defence, but was well-chased by the number 9 and was robbed just as he was about to make a pass.
Spurs won a corner as Sonupe laid off to Walker-Peters and tried to run in behind the full-back. The Stevenage player positioned himself well but a poor touch took the ball over the line. Azzaoui’s right foot corner was headed over at the back post by Carter-Vickers.
Veljkovic was adept at dropping into centre-back to allow Ball to push up, and on one occasion Ball did so and found Harrison who was |
have extensive whitepapers on both their platform and also their digital identity work and explain how and why they’re doing things.
They also offer a far-reaching development guide which makes learning how to program on Metaverse easier for new developers.
This eliminates the need to reverse engineer the platform in order to understand how it works which has been a problem with chinese platforms in the past.
5. Comparsion to other products
As mentioned above Metaverse includes customer identification and oracles.Those are two services that are offered by Ethereum tokens already.
Civic
https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/civic/
Market cap of: ~$110,000,000
Chainlink
https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/chainlink/
Market cap of: ~$135,000,000
Metaverse
https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/metaverse/
Market cap of: ~$80,000,000
If you believe in the team and the product Metaverse is building and trust that they’ll deliver a successful, platform Metaverse should be able to at least reach the market cap of those two products combined.
And in addition to that Metaverse has the benefit that you don’t have to use several services, you can just use the one. Plus it’s based in China which makes them being able to follow KYC-rules all the more important.
6. Why is it so cheap then?
Do you think Neo got hit hardest by the china FUD?
Well I suggest you having a look at Metaverse then.
Back then the only major exchange trading it was BTER, a chinese exchange that stopped their operation due to the chinese regulations.
It was traded at around $5 but quickly crashed as chinese investors cashed out.
There was no western hype around it at all at that point, so no one to snag up the cheap coins.
And then it got added to bitfinex and people noticed that it was a really good product backed by a good team that was and still is grossly undervalued.
That’s where the recent price jump came from and that’s why I think it will go a lot higher.
Metaverse was only traded on one big chinese exchange and managed to trade at $5 without any interest in it by the west.
Now it is traded around $3 with only the west trading.
What will happen to the price once the chinese ban is lifted?
The price will explode.
And even if the chinese can never trade cryptocurrencies again (highly improbable) there is huge interest in the services ETP offers all over the world.
7. Summary — Still a good buy?
Definitely! Metaverse is one of the most promising candidates to be a top 20 cryptocurrency and could easily steal a spot from the top 10 in the future.
That position would lead to a market cap of at least $350,000 in the short term but since most of us believe in a growing crypto market way higher than that in the long term.
And that position can be justified with hard data:
Metaverse takes the best features from Bitcoin, Ethereum and Bitshares and tries to combine them into something better.
-Additionally includes proof of identity and oracles. Those services are offered by tokens on the Ethereum platform and those tokens (Civic and Chainlink) trade higher than Metaverse itself.
-Additionally includes proof of identity and oracles. Those services are offered by tokens on the Ethereum platform and those tokens (Civic and Chainlink) trade higher than Metaverse itself. The CEO has been a member of the community for a long time and is able to not only lead the company in the business department but also on the technical side
Metaverse has a huge and very active team
They are very active on github with new commits almost daily
In the future it will support POS ( Proof of stakes ) which enables better energy management but on top of that the opportunity to stake your coins for interest (up to 20% for one year) which is an important criteria for a successful blockchain nowadays.
If the project reaches a place in the top 10 (currently monero with a market cap of 1,350,000,000) that would mean possible return of over 18 times your investment (at current value of $74,000,000)
And even if you’re conservative with a spot in the top 20 (currently Hshare with a market cap of $340,000,000) that would lead to an increase of more than 4 times your inital investment.
If you think cryptocurrencies will go up in general this will increase several times over.
8. Conclusion
I think metaverse is a great product and hugely undervalued, it has the team, the resources and the drive to challenge the top cryptocurrencies and the passion to do so.
9. Additional info, our social media and donation
If you appreciate our content and want to incentivize us to do more work like this check out the Bitcoin and Ethereum adresses down below. If you like this article please “clap” it.
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10. DISCLAIMER
The article references an opinion and is for information purposes only.
It is not intended to be investment advice. Seek a duly licensed professional for investment advice.Homeowners who live along the nation's coasts and river valleys are discovering that changes made to the National Flood Insurance Program are causing their insurance premiums to skyrocket at alarming rates.
Earlier this month, part of a new law, called the Biggert-Waters Insurance Reform Act of 2012, went into effect that phases out flood insurance subsidies on hundreds of thousands of older homes. The government has also been revising its flood zone maps and reassessing the level of flood risk for various areas.
As a result, millions of homeowners either have to buy flood insurance for the first time or pay a significantly higher premium on their existing policies.
Related: Top 10 markets to buy rental properties
George Kosimos, a Toms River, N.J., resident whose home was hit hard by Superstorm Sandy, was told his premium would increase from less than $1,000 a year to $8,000 or $9,000 over the course of next five years because his home is now considered to be in a higher risk area.
Each year, his premiums will jump by $1,600 or so until they reach the amount FEMA estimates to be his true value of coverage, he said. This year, Kosimos will owe $2,200.
Otto Harling, a semi-retired professor of nuclear science and engineering at MIT, has it even worse. He never had to pay for flood insurance on his Hingham, Mass., home before. But now his home is in a flood zone -- and it's in a high-risk area. In the next year, he is facing a $10,000 flood insurance bill.
Before FEMA's latest maps were drawn, only seven homes in Hingham were even considered to be in a flood zone, he said. Now, there are 40. And many of those homes are considered to be at a high risk of flooding, even though none of them were flooded in the 27 years since the old maps were drawn, he said.
Related: America's Best Places to Live
Robert Hunter, a director for the Consumer Federation of America and a former head of the NFIP during the 1970s, said the rate shock happening now could have been avoided if the maps had been updated regularly. Under his leadership, the maps were redrawn about every three years. The previous maps were 20 years old or more.
"The rates should have been going up gradually in 5% or 10% increases," he said. "People will be saying I wouldn't have bought [my home] or I wouldn't have built it if I had known."
All of these changes are meant to bolster the finances of the federal flood insurance program, which has been struggling under the weight of some $30 billion in debt after being hit hard by storms like Sandy and Hurricane Katrina.
Related: Colorado floods: Costly and often uninsured
But it is leaving homeowners in an expensive bind. When John Fullerton bought a cottage for $155,000 just blocks away from the Delaware Bay in New Jersey last year, he had been told that he would continue to pay the same flood insurance rate as the previous owner: about $900 a year.
But in March, he received word from his insurer that his premiums would reach $7,000 to $12,000 a year by 2018, with the increases kicking in next year. (He doesn't know the exact amount he'll have to pay yet because mapping for his area isn't complete).
Fullerton could pay off his mortgage, carry no flood insurance and hope a storm doesn't destroy the house. Or he could raise the cottage by several feet to reduce the flood risk and lower his premium, a move that would cost him close to $80,000. Or, he could walk away, lose his down payment and kill his credit.
Related: Selling your home? Here's what you need to know.
Such choices are impacting coastal communities. In Massachusetts, home buyers find out how much flood insurance will cost and they walk away, said Peter Ruffini, a local real estate broker and president of the Massachusetts Association of Realtors.
"We don't have hard numbers yet, but we have a lot of anecdotal information about lost deals," he said. "Our company has lost several."
"Deals are dying on the vine," agreed Kosimos, who is a realtor in New Jersey. "For every $5,000 a year your flood insurance goes up, you're losing $100,000 in property value."Star Wars 7 and its cast and crew have to work under a lot of pressure. Fans of the classic science-fiction property were largely disappointed by the long awaited prequel trilogy that began with the oft-maligned Episode I: The Phantom Menace in 1999. One of the most cited problems with the prequel trilogy is the over reliance on digital visuals that left the films feeling inauthentic and lacking focus on the most important aspects. In order to avoid this same mistake, Episode 7 director J.J. Abrams has made it clear that Star Wars is going back to basics. A few leaked set photos showed glimpses of actual set pieces being created with not a hint of green screen to be found.
Soon after the leaked photos began making their way around the web, Abrams officially released a video with two purposes. One was to introduce a contest to appear in Episode 7 supporting Unicef. The other unspoken purpose of the video was to prove to skeptical fans that Abrams had the best interest of the property in mind and truly understood it. He did this in a subtle and rather humorous fashion by appearing in front of a small section of what could only be a Tatooine marketplace set on the new film. Not only did the director appear on a real, physical outdoor set, but also he was joined by an alien creature that walked through the shot. The important thing about this creature was that it was in no way computer generated. It was created with practical effects, a masterfully realistic puppet with very natural movements. With that one short video, Abrams calmed the fears of a crowd of anxious fans. However, Star Wars 7’s return to the basics of the original Star Wars trilogy has a different set of fans worried.
This other group of critical fans is those that enjoy the Star Wars Expanded Universe (EU). The EU is any officially licensed Star Wars story outside of the main films, and now The Clone Wars and Rebels TV Shows, and has existed since soon after the release of the first film. It truly came into its own with the release of Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn Trilogy in the early 1990’s. Since then the EU has grown exponentially into hundreds of stories spanning books, comics, video games, and more. The abundance of authors and creators necessary to bring such a universe into existence has resulted in the fleshing out of nearly every possible aspect of the Star Wars universe, allowing fans to experience exactly what they specifically love about Star Wars.
The problem fans of the EU have with Episode 7 of the Star Wars movies going back to basics is that Abrams intends to return to the simplicity of the original trilogy. EU fans are a small group relative to all those who will see the new Star Wars movies, so in order to appeal to the majority whose fondest Star Wars memories are of the original trilogy, the EU is now officially regarded as more or less glorified fan-fiction. Everything released so far that is not a Star Wars film or The Clone Wars or Star Wars: Rebels will be released under the new “Star Wars Legends” banner. What this means is that until one of the new movies or TV shows confirms an event or character as canon nothing appearing in the EU can be considered to count towards the overarching story of Star Wars.
Therefore, by going back to basics with Star Wars 7, J.J. Abrams is doing his best to make a good film. What he also might be doing is getting rid of years and years of complicated and layered universe building loved and experienced by thousands. The EU will always exist, to be enjoyed by fans as stories, no matter what their canon status. However, if Abrams and those who come after him decide to take a new direction with the Star Wars saga and ignore the most well loved aspects of the EU, an entire generation of fans could be alienated. Many feel that without some of the established characters and themes of the EU the new trilogy would be wasting its potential. It will be a long wait until December 2015 for moviegoers and EU fans alike.
Opinion by Matt Isaacs
Sources:
Variety
Star Wars
LucasFilmPARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 27: (L-R) Actress Cate Blanchett and director Woody Allen attend the Paris premiere of Allen's latest movie 'Blue Jasmine' at UGC Cine Cite Bercy on August 27, 2013 in Paris, France. (Photo by Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images)
Woody Allen's "Blue Jasmine" won't screen in India theaters because Allen refused to allow the country's Ministry of Health to show an anti-smoking advertisement onscreen every time one of the film's characters lit up a cigarette. The decision to yank the film was made by Allen himself.
"Allen has the creative control as per the agreement. He wasn't comfortable with the disclaimer that we are required to run when some smoking scene is shown in films," Deepak Sharma, COO of PVR Pictures told DNA News. "He feels that when the scroll comes, attention goes to it rather than the scene."
Speaking to Reuters, a representative for Allen confirmed that the 77-year-old director was unhappy with the idea of anything being added to the final cut of "Blue Jasmine."
“Allen was adamant that he wanted the film to be shown as he had made it, without any additions to the print," the rep said. “Due to content in the film, it cannot be shown in India in its intended manner. Therefore, the film is not scheduled to play there."
"Blue Jasmine" stars Cate Blanchett, Sally Hawkins, Alec Baldwin, Andrew Dice Clay, Bobby Cannavale and Louis C.K. Allen's film has earned $49 million worldwide since its release in June.Africans caught in the Atlantic Slave Trade were taken to Cuba, where their presence made an indelible mark on the character of the political, economic and cultural fabric of the country.
Since the 1960s, in the early aftermath of the 1959 seizure of power by revolutionary forces led by Fidel Castro, Che Guevara and others, African independence and transformative struggles have constituted a major factor in Cuban foreign policy. President Castro noted in 1976 that socialist Cuba was populated by Latin-African people opposed to colonialism, racism and imperialism.
This historical tradition was reinforced at a recent conference held in Windhoek, Republic of Namibia, which brought together African leaders and Cuban government officials to renew ties among the geopolitical regions and to chart a way forward in the current period. The Fifth Continental African Conference of Solidarity with Cuba was convened June 6-8 and brought together over 200 delegates from 26 African states under the theme of “Intensifying Solidarity and Continuing the Legacy of Fidel and Che.”
The first of these conferences was held in South Africa in 1995, just one year after the racist-apartheid system’s demise brought President Nelson Mandela and the African National Congress to power. Subsequent gatherings took place in Ghana during 1997, Angola in 2010 and Ethiopia, the headquarters of the African Union, in 2012.
The year 2017 marks the 50th anniversary of the martyrdom of Che Guevara in Bolivia. He was in the South American country assisting revolutionary forces fighting against the neocolonial regime supported by the United States. The Cuban Revolution from its inception posed a challenge to U.S. imperialist dominance over the Caribbean, South America and other colonial and neocolonial territories around the world.
In November 2016, 90-year-old former President Fidel Castro died in Havana. His funeral was attended by many African leaders, including Namibian President Hage Geingob, who paid tribute to the revolutionary leader in an address to the mourners.
In a statement to this year’s Windhoek conference, Namibian Deputy Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah emphasized: “The holding of this conference is all the more timely because it is taking place when retrogressive forces are bent on reversing the gains made recently to normalize relations between Cuba and the United States.” Under the previous U.S. administration of President Barack Obama, the reestablishment of diplomatic relations with Cuba after a breach of over 50 years had raised expectations of a possible lifting of the economic blockade imposed by Washington in October 1960.
Without the abolition of the blockade, relations cannot be fully normalized, despite the exchange of diplomats and the reopening of embassies. The U.S. Congress would have to approve the liquidation of the blockade, and there are political elements in it who categorically oppose full economic and trade relations with Havana.
Nonetheless, the Fifth Continental African Conference supported the address by Namibian President Hage Geingob, who said, “We applaud the positive development in this respect and we commend the U.S. government and Cuba for their efforts towards normalizing of ties. However, there is still much ground left to cover to ensure the complete lifting of the blockade against Cuba.”
Geingob emphasized the urgency of the conference to develop a unified African strategy in regard to supporting Cuba. In addition, the delegates passed resolutions demanding the return to the Cuban people of Guantanamo Bay, which remains under U.S. control more than a century after the so-called Spanish-American War.
A co-founder of the ruling SWAPO (Southwest Africa People’s Organization) Party, Andimba Toivo ya Toivo, who died just days after the conference, noted: “Historically, Cuba assisted African countries in the fight against foreign domination. Through this patriotic support, Cuban people have shown us the meaning of solidarity, hence [we should show] our support for Cuba.”
In attendance as well from Cuba were Fernando González, president of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples, and Giraldo Mazola, Cuban Ambassador to Namibia.
Call for continuing solidarity
African leaders viewed the current situation involving the status of U.S.-Cuban relations as critical in light of the political character of the administration in Washington. President Donald Trump used his prerogative of reversing the reforms instituted by his predecessor on June 16.
The conference stressed as a mandate for future actions to “continue developing and strengthening the Cuba solidarity movement in each one of our countries, struggling for unity and truth. We demand that Cuba’s right to self-determination and sovereignty, as well as its right to decide the political system of its choice, be respected.” (Granma International, June 7)
Moreover, the struggle to maintain and enhance the independence and sovereignty of Cuba is linked with other countries in the region. In recognizing this reality, the conference expanded its scope to encompass other states which have also been under pressure from successive U.S. administrations.
The final declaration pledged support to “the causes of all sister countries struggling for a better world. In particular, we pledge our support to Puerto Rico in its struggle for self-determination, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and the people of Brazil, Bolivia and Argentina, and all peoples of the continent defending their sovereignty.”
Legacy of concrete assistance
In 1961, in the aftermath of the assassination of Congolese Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba, Cuban Minister of Economic Planning Che Guevara spoke out strongly in condemnation of the murderous act, carried out by the U.S., Belgium and other imperialist states utilizing local surrogates. Che toured Africa in 1965 in an effort to build solidarity and make preparations for Cuban internationalists to intervene in Congo in support of the revolutionary forces fighting for Lumumba’s ideals.
Although this mission was not successful, the experience taught profound lessons that laid the foundation for the deployment of Cuban military units in Angola in defense of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola, beginning in October 1975. Angolan President Agostino Neto requested Cuba’s support from President Fidel Castro in the face of an invasion by the South African military, the U.S. CIA and the U.S.-backed surrogate rebel groups UNITA and FNLA, which were designed to derail the genuine independence of the oil-rich former Portuguese colony.
Cuban internationalists spent another 13 years in Angola, where they assisted in defeating the South African forces in a series of battles around Cuito Cuanavale in 1988. After the South African military’s humiliating losses, negotiations began that resulted in the liberation of Namibia, the release of South African political prisoners in 1990 and by 1994 the transition to nonracial, democratic rule in what had been the citadel of apartheid settler-colonialism.
In recent years, Cuba has educated thousands of African students in universities in the Caribbean socialist state. These students are provided with free tuition and lodging.
During the Ebola pandemic of 2014, Cuba deployed hundreds of physicians and other health care workers to Liberia and Sierra Leone, two of the hardest hit West African states. This was instrumental in turning the tide of efforts to halt and eradicate the crisis. The U.S. was forced to recognize the role of Cuba in the battle against Ebola, which paved the way for the reopening of diplomatic relations.
On June 7, outside the conference deliberations in Windhoek, the delegates visited historic sites, including Heroes Acre and the Museum of Independence. The next African Conference in Solidarity with Cuba will convene in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.Hulu has acquired HBO Europe’s Romanian crime drama Umbre (pictured) for ad-supported VOD streaming.
Umbre is already available on Hulu and will bow on transactional VOD services including iTunes and Amazon June 1.
A press release by Synergetic Distribution, which holds the distribution rights to the series, did not specify how Umbre’s ad-supported streaming would fit into Hulu’s subscription-based model. Hulu normally makes its programming available via subscription, with one cheaper ($7.99 per month) option that includes advertisement, and one ad-free option ($11.99 per month).
Earlier this year, SVOD AmazonVideo made the first move to offer a series on an ad-supported platform rather than behind its subscription wall, when it acquired the latest season of The Fashion Fund, produced by CNE studios. Several months later, Amazon announced the launch of Amazon Video Direct, a free, ad-supported streaming service which some have compared to YouTube.
Hulu and Synergetic Distribution did not return requests for comment at press time.
The series follows Relu, a mild-mannered family man and taxi driver who lives a double life as a collector for a local mob boss, and investigates complex themes such as marriage, parenthood, and keeping secrets. It was picked up for a second season in January.Gjorge Ivanov, President of Macedonia, addresses the 69th United Nations General Assembly at the U.N. headquarters in New York September 26, 2014. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson
SKOPJE (Reuters) - President Gjorge Ivanov on Friday revoked pardons he had granted to 22 politicians implicated in a wire-tapping scandal that has thrown Macedonia into political turmoil.
The scandal dates back to February 2015, when the opposition accused then-Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and his counter-intelligence chief of wiretapping more than 20,000 people.
In an EU-brokered deal, Macedonia’s political parties agreed to hold an early election and that a special prosecutor should investigate the scandal that exposed tight government control over journalists, judges and the conduct of elections.
But Ivanov’s decision last month to pardon 56 officials prosecuted over their involvement in the scandal drew nationwide protests that led to the cancellation of an election set for June 5.
“I have decided to cancel the decision to pardon all politically exposed people, altogether 22 of them,” Ivanov told a news conference at which he did not take questions.
It was unclear whether the 22 people included Gruevski, leader of the ruling VMRO-DPMNER party, or Zoran Zaev, who heads the Social Democrats and is the most prominent opposition politician among those who were pardoned.
Ivanov’s decision seemed to have gone some way to meeting the demands of the international community and the opposition, although they had called for all the pardons to be revoked.
The Macedonian parliament is expected next week to begin proceedings for Ivanov’s impeachment signed by 50 MPs led by the Social Democrats.
Under international pressure, the EU-candidate country’s parliament last week passed legislation that enabled Ivanov to revoke his decision to pardon officials.TehForce Profile Joined July 2010 1072 Posts Last Edited: 2011-05-14 09:35:32 #1 ----IMPORTANT UPDATE----
Because of a stealth change in the latest patch (1.3.3) this will NOT longer work!!!!
Because of a stealth change in the latest patch (1.3.3) this will NOT longer work!!!! ----IMPORTANT UPDATE----
Original Post:
In specifics i am talking about the Point Defense Drone.
I am opening this thread because most players are unware of the PPD not only blocking Muta and Corrupter attacks, it also destroys Broodlings. It is not even mentioned in the Liquipedia!
The Broodlord
This mighty creature is the fear of every terran and indeed it is a powerful unit. It not only has a 20dmg attack with range 9.5, it also spawns Broodlings which can attack on their own. On the first attack a Broodlord spawns 2 Broodlings, then one after the other.
This is especially fearsome for a terrans with Siege Tanks because they will automatically target the Broodlings and so the terran will damage his own units. Also movement of units (e.g. Thor) gets slowed down. If the terran unsieges the zerg will attack with the rest of his units easily rolling over the terran army.
The Raven
Allthough Ravens are powerful spell casters they are used most of the time solely for detection purposes against burrowed banelings, some terran players even don't build them at all.
Point Defense Drone
The PDD is immobile and cannot attack, but will negate specific enemy projectiles near itself. Used against Broodlords it will block 20 Broodlings from spawning. The Broodlord still deals 20dmg but the units can walk freely and won't be focused by tanks, so the tanks can remain sieged.
Some Data:
1 PDD blocks 20 Broodlings.
1 PDD block Broodlings from 1 Broodlord ~ 1 Ingame Minute
2 PDDs block Broodlings from 6 Broodlords ~ 20 Ingame Seconds
4 PDDs block Broodlings from 6 Broodlords ~ 40 Ingame Seconds
4 PDDs block Broodlings from 10 Broodlords ~ 20 Ingame Seconds
How to use it:
Many highlevel Terrans are already incorporating the Raven into their play mainly because of the devastating Baneling bombs. So instead of getting 1 Raven for detection purposes i recommend building 2-3 Ravens. Each Raven can build 2 PDDs when they have full energy. Even if the zerg doesn't get any Broodlords the Raven still remains useful as harrasment unit (AutoTurret) and damage dealer (Seeker Missile).
This will most likely not revolutionize the whole ZvT Metagame, but on higher levels some battles can be turned into the Terrans favor, deciding whole games. Especially the Thor with his range 10 air attack can easily battle the Broodlords from the distance without taking too much damage.
Edit: Of course vikings are (and will still remain) the main answer to Broodlords. But the Raven (if built beforehand) can help you out immensely.
Tip: You should always throw down at least 2 PDDs because the first attack from a Broodlord will spawn 2 Broodlings
Original Post:This mighty creature is the fear of every terran and indeed it is a powerful unit. It not only has a 20dmg attack with range 9.5, it also spawns Broodlings which can attack on their own. On the first attack a Broodlord spawns 2 Broodlings, then one after the other.This is especially fearsome for a terrans with Siege Tanks because they will automatically target the Broodlings and so the terran will damage his own units. Also movement of units (e.g. Thor) gets slowed down. If the terran unsieges the zerg will attack with the rest of his units easily rolling over the terran army.Allthough Ravens are powerful spell casters they are used most of the time solely for detection purposes against burrowed banelings, some terran players even don't build them at all.The PDD is immobile and cannot attack, but will negate specific enemy projectiles near itself. Used against Broodlords it will block 20 Broodlings from spawning. The Broodlord still deals 20dmg but the units can walk freely and won't be focused by tanks, so the tanks can remain sieged.1 PDD blocks 20 Broodlings.1 PDD block Broodlings from 1 Broodlord ~ 1 Ingame Minute2 PDDs block Broodlings from 6 Broodlords ~ 20 Ingame Seconds4 PDDs block Broodlings from 10 Broodlords ~ 20 Ingame SecondsMany highlevel Terrans are already incorporating the Raven into their play mainly because of the devastating Baneling bombs. So instead of getting 1 Raven for detection purposes i recommend building 2-3 Ravens. Each Raven can build 2 PDDs when they have full energy. Even if the zerg doesn't get any Broodlords the Raven still remains useful as harrasment unit (AutoTurret) and damage dealer (Seeker Missile).This will most likely not revolutionize the whole ZvT Metagame, but on higher levels some battles can be turned into the Terrans favor, deciding whole games. Especially the Thor with his range 10 air attack can easily battle the Broodlords from the distance without taking too much damage.Edit: Of course vikings are (and will still remain) the main answer to Broodlords. But the Raven (if built beforehand) can help you out immensely.You should always throw down at least 2 PDDs because the first attack from a Broodlord will spawn 2 Broodlings NesTea <3Hello There,
I would like to share some common but very useful shortcut keys that we can use in our daily computing practices. Some of them are very well-known & common in use but rest are less-known and very useful shortcut keys that can save our time while computing.
F1–Display Help
Right Shift for eight seconds—Turn Filter Keys on and off
Ctrl+C (or Ctrl+Insert)–Copy the selected item
Left Alt+Left Shift+PrtScn (or PrtScn)–Turn High Contrast on or off
Ctrl+X –Cut the selected item
Left Alt+Left Shift+Num Lock
Turn Mouse Keys on or off
Ctrl+V (or Shift+Insert)
Paste the selected item
Shift five times
Turn Sticky Keys on or off
Ctrl+Z
Undo an action
Num Lock for five seconds
Turn Toggle Keys on or off
Ctrl+Y
Redo an action
Windows logo key +U
Open the Ease of Access Center
Delete (or Ctrl+D)
Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin
Windows logo key keyboard shortcut
Shift+Delete
Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first
Windows logo key
Open or close the Start menu.
F2
Rename the selected item
Windows logo key +Pause
Display the System Properties dialog box.
Ctrl+Right Arrow
Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word
Windows logo key +D
Display the desktop.
Ctrl+Left Arrow
Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word
Windows logo key +M
Minimize all windows.
Ctrl+Down Arrow
Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph
Windows logo key +Shift+M
Restore minimized windows to the desktop.
Ctrl+Up Arrow
Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph
Windows logo key +E
Open Computer.
Ctrl+Shift with an arrow key
Select a block of text
Windows logo key +F
Search for a file or folder.
Shift with any arrow key
Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document
Ctrl+Windows logo key +F
Search for computers (if you’re on a network).
Ctrl with any arrow key+Spacebar
Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop
Windows logo key +L
Lock your computer or switch users.
Ctrl+A
Select all items in a document or window
Windows logo key +R
Open the Run dialog box.
F3
Search for a file or folder
Windows logo key +T
Cycle through programs on the taskbar.
Alt+Enter
Display properties for the selected item
Windows logo key +number
Start the program pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the
number. If the program is already running, switch to that program.
Alt+F4
Close the active item, or exit the active program
Shift+Windows logo key +number
Start a new instance of the program pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number.
Alt+Spacebar
Open the shortcut menu for the active window
Ctrl+Windows logo key +number
Switch to the last active window of the program pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number.
Ctrl+F4
Close the active document (in programs that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)
Alt+Windows logo key +number
Open the Jump List for the program pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number.
Alt+Tab
Switch between open items
Windows logo key +Tab
Cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D.
Ctrl+Alt+Tab
Use the arrow keys to switch between open items
Ctrl+Windows logo key +Tab
Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D.
Ctrl+Mouse scroll wheel
Change the size of icons on the desktop
Ctrl+Windows logo key +B
Switch to the program that displayed a message in the notification area.
Windows logo key +Tab
Cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D
Windows logo key +Spacebar
Preview the desktop.
Ctrl+Windows logo key +Tab
Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D
Windows logo key +Up Arrow
Maximize the window.
Alt+Esc
Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened
Windows logo key +Left Arrow
Maximize the window to the left side of the screen.
F6
Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop
Windows logo key +Right Arrow
Maximize the window to the right side of the screen.
F4
Display the address bar list in Windows Explorer
Windows logo key +Down Arrow
Minimize the window.
Shift+F10
Display the shortcut menu for the selected item
Windows logo key +Home
Minimize all but the active window.
Ctrl+Esc
Open the Start menu
Windows logo key +Shift+Up Arrow
Stretch the window to the top and bottom of the screen.
Alt+underlined letter
Display the corresponding menu
Windows logo key +Shift+Left Arrow or Right Arrow
Move a window from one monitor to another.
Alt+underlined letter
Perform the menu command (or other underlined command)
Windows logo key +P
Choose a presentation display mode.
F10
Activate the menu bar in the active program
Windows logo key +G
Cycle through gadgets.
Right Arrow
Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu
Windows logo key +U
Open Ease of Access Center.
Left Arrow
Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu
Windows logo key +X
Open Windows Mobility Center.
F5 (or Ctrl+R)
Refresh the active window
Taskbar keyboard shortcuts
Alt+Up Arrow
View the folder one level up in Windows Explorer
Shift+Click on a taskbar button
Open a program or quickly open another instance of a program
Esc
Cancel the current task
Ctrl+Shift+Click on a taskbar button
Open a program as an administrator
Ctrl+Shift+Esc
Open Task Manager
Shift+Right-click on a taskbar button
Show the window menu for the program
Shift when you insert a CD
Prevent the CD from automatically playing
Shift+Right-click on a grouped taskbar button
Show the window menu for the group
Left Alt+Shift
Switch the input language when multiple input languages are enabled
Ctrl+Click on a grouped taskbar button
Cycle through the windows of the group
Ctrl+Shift
Switch the keyboard layout when multiple keyboard layouts are enabled
Right or Left Ctrl+Shift
Change the reading direction of text in right-to-left reading languages
Dialog box keyboard shortcuts
Ctrl+Tab
Move forward through tabs
Ctrl+Shift+Tab
Move back through tabs
Tab
Move forward through options |
ieving that inclusiveness of pluralism and freedom of diversity are fundamental for a tolerant and open society, Indonesia may represent a real strong alternative to the Wahhabi-Salafi ideology that from the Arab peninsula spreads around the world with ominous and nefarious consequences.
This is the battle of ideas that Indonesia can win and which the bombs of IS cannot stop.WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A federal judge on Tuesday harshly criticized the U.S. State Department over its handling of a 2007 shooting in Baghdad involving Blackwater Worldwide security guards and asked the agency’s watchdog to investigate problems that helped delay a related criminal case.
The prosecution of the former guards, who were charged with manslaughter in the killing of 14 unarmed civilians, has dragged on for years amid problems with evidence.
“If the Department of State and Diplomatic Security Service had tried deliberately to sabotage this prosecution, they could hardly have done a better job,” U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth, who is overseeing the criminal case against the former guards, said in an opinion dated March 26 but made public on Tuesday.
He asked the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, which is prosecuting the case, to ask the inspector general of the State Department to fully investigate the problems.
The issues stem from statements the guards were originally forced to give to State Department agents, which later made their prosecution more difficult.
A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office declined comment. A representative for the State Department had no immediate comment.
A spokesman for the State Department’s inspector general said U.S. Attorney Ron Machen referred the case to the agency’s office on Monday and “we are carefully considering it.”
The request comes as the former guards are expected to fight the charges at a June trial, seven years after the shooting occurred.
The shooting outraged Iraqis and strained ties between the United States and Iraq. Blackwater is now named Academi and is based in McLean, Virginia.
A grand jury indicted five Blackwater guards on manslaughter charges in 2008 over the shooting, which occurred as the guards escorted U.S. diplomats through the Iraqi capital.
The charges were thrown out in 2009 because of a dispute over whether evidence was tainted by statements the guards gave to Diplomatic Security Service agents under threat of losing their jobs.
Criminal authorities are unable to use such coerced statements in order to prosecute defendants, and must also prove their case was in no way tainted by those statements.
The case was reinstated in 2011, and prosecutors brought new charges against four of the guards last October.
“It is incredible the way these defendants were coerced into making statements to DSS agents,” Lamberth wrote. “Yet it appears there has been no investigation of these circumstances and no one has been held accountable. Nor is there any reason to think anyone learned a lesson from this fiasco or that any steps have been taken to avoid a repetition,” he said.
On Monday, the federal appeals court in Washington rejected the case against one of the guards. Jury selection in the case against the others is scheduled to begin on June 11.Can Dündar, held for his story alleging Turkey armed Islamist rebels in Syria, says EU is betraying its democratic values
The editor of Turkey’s most influential dissident newspaper has said in an interview from his prison cell that the country’s ongoing crackdown on journalists is the worst in its history and that he was imprisoned for doing his job.
Can Dündar, the editor-in-chief of Cumhuriyet, also said the EU was betraying its democratic values by seeking a rapprochement with the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in the hope that he would stem the flow of refugees into Europe while ignoring human rights violations.
“We always looked at the European Union as an anchor, a model to raise the standard of democracy in Turkey to universal levels, not as leverage to dictatorships,” he said. “Now, if the EU, in order to stop the influx of refugees by turning our lands into a big concentration camp, agrees to turn a blind eye while Erdoğan spurns democracy, human rights, freedom of press and rule of law, it means that the EU is discarding its founding principles in order to protect its short-term interests.”
Dündar was arrested in November along with his newspaper’s bureau chief in Ankara, Erdem Gül, and charged with espionage and divulging state secrets over a story published six months earlier which alleged that the Turkish intelligence service, MIT, was sending weapons to rebels fighting Bashar al-Assad in Syria under the guise of humanitarian aid.
I revealed the truth about President Erdogan and Syria. For that, he had me jailed | Can Dündar Read more
His arrest came just days after the Islamist Justice and Development Party (AKP), which Erdoğan founded and led before his election as president, secured a sweeping majority in parliamentary polls.
Turkey faces a growing threat from Islamic State, which has carried out a series of attacks in the country, and a simmering insurgency in Kurdish areas. It is also hosting more than 2 million Syrian refugees, tens of thousands of whom have attempted to flee to Europe by boat.
Fourteen journalists were in prison in Turkey in 2015, making it the fifth worst offender in the Committee to Protect Journalists’ media census. Erdoğan has also attacked foreign intellectuals and writers for criticising his government, saying they should stand with him against terrorism.
Chomsky hits back at Erdoğan, accusing him of double standards on terrorism Read more
The interview with Dündar was arranged through his lawyers, who provided him with the questions. He wrote his answers by hand in his cell in solitary confinement and the Guardian was provided with translations of his responses and scans of the Turkish originals.
Dündar was kept in isolation for 40 days, before being moved to a shared cell. While in solitary, he was only allowed an hour a week to receive visitors. He is not allowed a typewriter or computer, and spends most of his day reading memoirs of those who wrote while incarcerated.
Dündar said he and his lawyers had not been provided with an indictment outlining the formal charges against him, and that there was a confidentiality order on the case which prevented his lawyers from examining it.
“What case? That is the real problem,” he said. “We have been in prison for 45 days, under conditions fit for a serial killer, yet we still don’t know our charges.”
He does know the contents of the complaint Erdoğan filed and the court statement justifying his imprisonment. The complaint calls for two life sentences for alleged espionage and “divulging state secrets”.
He said: “Delaying the bill of indictment is a tactic frequently used by the Turkish judicial system in order to punish the detainee in advance.”
Dündar said the facts of the case indicated that he had been imprisoned for doing his job as a journalist, and that prosecutors had only asked him about his phone number, why he wrote the story and who leaked the information to him.
“The sole ‘proof’ they have is my story printed in the newspaper,” he said. “So basically I am being charged with espionage because I printed a news story … in the newspaper.”
Dündar said the increasing number of prosecutions against journalists in Turkey was an attempt to intimidate the country’s press.
“There is always a positive correlation between the increase of criminal activity of the government and the number of imprisoned journalists,” he said. “So is the case this time. As the number of dirty affairs, corruption, unlawful arms trades and extrajudicial killings go up, the journalists who write or that have the potential to write about these deeds become targets. Their imprisonment is an intimidation to the other journalists. Throw one in [jail] and silence 100.”
The campaign and pressure against him came directly from Erdoğan, he claimed.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Turkish journalists hold a banner reading ‘Journalism is not a crime’ during a demonstration in support of Dündar and Gul in January in Ankara. Photograph: Adem Altan/AFP/Getty Images
“Two days after the news story about the trucks carrying weapons to radical Islamist groups came out, the president said: ‘He will pay a heavy price for this. I won’t let him go unpunished.’ On the same day, journalists who are close to the president went on air and took it to the next level and said: ‘If this happened in the United States, the CIA would kill the person who wrote it and make it look like an accident.’ Some see my imprisonment as a blessing, considering all the other possibilities.
“All day long the Turkish courts handle the lawsuits which he filed against journalists who ‘insulted’ him. He takes every criticism as a personal insult. There isn’t a single journalist in Turkey who exposes a scandal surrounding the government and expects ‘to get away with it’.”
Dündar also said Erdoğan had grown increasingly authoritarian, citing his crackdown on pro-Kurdish political parties, his backing for the AKP in recent parliamentary elections despite his presumed neutrality as a president, and attempts to co-opt police forces and the judiciary.
“He consolidated absolute power by establishing a police force of epic proportions and came in total control of the judiciary system,” Dündar said.
He also criticised the rapprochement between Erdoğan and the EU, which is hoping that the Turkish leader will act to stem the flow of refugees fleeing to Europe by sea. In November, the EU agreed a €3bn aid package for Syrian refugees with Turkey, widely seen as an attempt to push Ankara to crack down on the influx of refugees into Europe via the Mediterranean.
“If the west, in a bid to shut off its doors to the people escaping the fire that it has partially fuelled, turns a blind eye to a fascist government; it will drown, along with the refugees, its own values and principles and those who believe in them,” he said.OK, lets make this easy. This is a clip-and-save blog post, designed to be shared and perhaps open discussion where necessary.
Please feel free to add your own suggestions.
1) We don’t need alone time because we don’t like you. We need alone time because we need alone time. Don’t take it personally.
2) We aren’t judging anyone when we sit quietly. We're just sitting quietly, probably enjoying watching extroverts in action.
3) If we say we’re having fun, we’re having fun, even though it might not look that way to you.
4) If we leave early, it’s not because we’re party poopers. We’re just pooped. Socializing takes a lot out of us.
5) If you want to hear what we have to say, give us time to say it. We don’t fight to be heard over other people. We just clam up.
6) We’re not lonely, we’re choosy. And we’re loyal to friends who don’t try to make us over into extroverts.
7) Anything but the telephone.
1) Extroverts don’t understand unless someone explains it.
2) Extroverts who try to get you to loosen up usually aren’t doing it to annoy you. They mean well.
3) Extroverts produce a lot of words but quantity does not preclude quality. There's often plenty of good stuff in there for those with the patience to listen.
4) Extroverts can teach us plenty about glad-handing and small talking. These are useful skills, whether or not you enjoy them.
5) Extroverts can’t read your mind and they’re not big on catching hints. Say what you want.
6) At parties, think of extroverted friends as a glider tow plane. They pull you in and get you started, but eventually you have to sail on your own.
7) Extroverts come in all different styles, just like introverts. Keep a lookout for extroverts with a quiet side, who make dandy friends.
---
My book, The Introvert's Way: Living a Quiet Life in a Noisy World, is available for pre-order on Amazon. It will be released December 4, just in time for party/festive/family-togetherness season. You know you need it.
Please join me on Facebook and visit my other blog, Better Living Through Pithy Quotes.19.04.2016, 21:19 by Mare
Today I started with realisation of some affordable weather sensors. First one is pluviometer or rain gauge. My idea is to attach some self draining container on the strain gauge. I salvaged one sensor from old kitchen scale (scrap from some other very interesting project).
First I drew my idea on paper:
The operation is simple: when rain falls into the bucket, the water level rises (A) and strain gauge measures weight of the water. Because the water bucket has limited volume and water will not evaporate quick enough, there is self-draining siphon which will drain the water when reached certain level (B). Since the diameter of the draining tube is known, the draining weight loss can be predicted and taken into the calculation during heavy raining.
First I have to find some proper pipes. There were some carbon fiber trekking sticks laying around. I took one section of the stick and voila – I got siphon tube. I wanted draining tube to match the “high tech” level of the siphon tube. I found one old fishing stick I was using for antenna pole in the past, but now it is completely destroyed except top end section with the smallest diameter.
To cover the siphon tube I turned the part with lathe from black PVC:
Next part was the lower flange. This part needs a hole for the draining pipe:
I put the slimmer draining pipe into this flange:
Now I was looking for proper bucket. We are here in wine growing region Dolenjska and the funnel looks like the most obvious solution. I found out the flange perfectly fit to the funnel. Next step was to measure the length of the draining pipe. I cut about 3 cm from the funnel edge:
After attaching the cover of the siphon tube I cut the larger pipe a bit longer than draining pipe:
And finally, the most important detail: four holes at the bottom of the siphon pipe. Water will fill the siphon through these holes:
I placed the complete siphon inside the funnel:
Next step will be holder for the strain gauge and readout circuit.
Here is one quick and shaky clip:
Stay tuned 🙂
And the best thing: I spent 1,02EUR so far for all materials.
Part Two: Strain gauge measurementsHere’s what’s up in the world of TV for Friday, March 20, and Saturday, March 21. All times are Eastern.
Top pick
Childrens Hospital (Adult Swim, 11:59 p.m., Friday): Those who can only take their absurdist, conceptual television satire in 11-minute chunks, rejoice! Rob Corddry’s sneaky-smart lunatic hospital comedy series begins its sixth season, as the title says, “Five Years Later,” with the doctors and staff of the worst hospital in the world picking things up further down the road. Don’t worry, though—all that time for reflection has decidedly not made the likes of Ken Marino, Megan Mullally, Malin Akerman, Erinn Hayes, Rob Huebel, Henry Winkler, Seth Morris, Lake Bell, or Corddry any saner. If anything, their time away has given them time to shore up their nonsense reserves, just for you! LaToya Ferguson scrubs in for this season’s reviews.
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Also noted
Bloodline (Netflix, 3 a.m., Friday): For your sweaty, binge-watching pleasure, Netflix unleashes the entire first season of this Florida-based mystery-drama from the creators of Damages. A great cast, including Kyle Chandler, Sissy Spacek, Sam Shepard, Ben Mendelsohn, and Linda Cardellini, play the wealthy Rayburn family who find themselves scrambling for cover when the return of black sheep brother Mendelsohn returns to town to stir up buried secrets. Joshua Alston is on hand for a TV Review of the first three episodes, and you can expect the first of Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya’s daily reviews this afternoon.
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House Of Cards (Netflix, 2 p.m., Friday): Scott Von Doviak continues to track the morally questionable adventures of Frank Underwood, President. They are morally questionable.
Glee (Fox, 8 p.m., Friday): Brandon Nowalk has bittersweet musical feelings about this series finale of a show whose initial promise has turned into a bad power ballad of a TV show. Basically, he’s dutifully reviewed a season-long version of “Beth,” so check out his final review and hum along, regretfully.
Grimm (NBC, 8 p.m., Friday): Well, commenters—you made enough noise about us dropping regular Grimm coverage last year that we here at the A.V. Club have completely caved and handed over the weekly reviews for the back half of this season to Portland, Oregon’s own Les Chappell. Sadly, that mean the end of our weekly What’s On Tonight Grimm monster of the week pictures (since Les will probably need all the best creature photos for his reviews). Oh, hell—just one more. We give you, from this week’s episode, werewolf with an axe!
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Regular coverage
12 Monkeys (Syfy, 9 p.m., Friday)
Elsewhere in TV Club
Not that we here at the A.V. Club know about such things (as far as our mom’s are concerned), but this week’s AVQ&A reveals all of the pop culture that your favorite A.V. Clubbers think best enjoyed when in an altered state of mind. Then one of the A.V. Club movie review brain trust, Mike D’Angelo, brings you this week’s Scenic Routes, where he examines how a pivotal scene from The Social Network made staring into a laptop screen improbably thrilling. The character’s not playing Flappy Bird or anything. Then stick with Mike for his Watch This about the little-seen Impromptu, starring a young Judy Davis as gender-defying writer George Sand. And, if you’ve got some music left in your soul, Joshua Alston brings us his mammoth 100 Episodes article examining how Glee became a thing—and then decidedly not a thing, just in time for Friday’s series finale.
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What else is on
March Madness (CBS, TBS, TNT, TruTV, all weekend): The college hoops tournament is here, with its brackets, and Cinderellas, and whatnot. Let John Oliver get you pumped up!
Hart Of Dixie (CW, 8 p.m., Friday): Annabeth has a dream where the founder of the town of Bluebell prophecies the end of the town of Bluebell. And also expresses second thoughts about naming the town Bluebell.
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2015 mtvU Woodie Awards (MTV, 9 p.m., Friday): An awards show based on college students’ favorite music. And college students are pretty on the ball, so.
Star Wars Rebels (Disney, 10 & 10:30 p.m., Friday): They’re wild rebels! Crunchy, fruity rebels! Pouring milk on them is like shooting off a gun!
Helix (Syfy, 10 p.m., Friday): The race for the Bleeding Tree intensifies as the CDC team seeks the perfect name for their concept album.
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Sex Box (WE, 10 p.m., Friday): SPOILERS: People have sex in that box.
Vice (HBO, 11 p.m., Friday): This week, the angriest news magazine show in town looks at shark overfishing and the militarization of America’s police departments. And then someone shoots a shark with a grenade launcher, just to piss Vice off even more.
The Jack & Triumph Show (Adult Swim, 11:30 p.m., Friday): Triumph becomes obsessed with the no-doubt rich and earthy scent of Goodfellas star Paul Sorvino’s pants.
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Good Witch (Hallmark, 8 p.m., Saturday): Catherine Bell’s Cassie Nightingale is, indeed, a good witch. So when her perhaps not-so-good witch cousin comes to town, her goodness is put into conflict with the forces of not-goodness.
Stalked By My Neighbor (Lifetime, 8 p.m., Saturday): In yet another programming choice suggesting that Lifetime is the natural home for Stalker, a young woman moves to the suburbs after a home invasion, only to see spooky figures stalking her in the dark, tree-lined, stalker-friendly suburbs.
Black Sails (Starz, 9 p.m., Saturday): War comes to the formerly idyllic, pirate-infested waters of the West Indies.
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The Musketeers (BBC America, 9 p.m., Saturday): The Queen is accused, the evil Rochefort is sending everyone to the chop, and only the Musketeers can stab enough people to make things turn out satisfactorily!
Premature (Showtime, 10:30 p.m., Saturday): In this ejaculate-based Groundhog Day, certain people are forced to type the phrase “ejaculate-based Groundhog Day.” At least Alan Tudyk’s in it, if you are really feeling this one.
In case you missed it
Dig: Since the numbers show that none of you really dig Dig, this will be our last weekly review of USA’s plodding archaeological, supernatural whatzit. Emily L. Stephens says a lukewarm goodbye, and then she’s off to play Dig Dug instead.New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and the league have a differing opinion on his latest fine.
Beckham is appealing the $24,309 penalty levied by the league for an unsportsmanlike conduct call against the Baltimore Ravens, according to a source. The fine was for taking off his helmet after exiting the end zone while celebrating his game-winning 66-yard touchdown. He was flagged on the play.
It was Beckham's fourth fine in six games this season, raising his total to $96,772. It's starting to get frustrating.
"They fine me for everything," Beckham said earlier this year. "They fine me for smiling."
In this case, the rule (Section 3, Article 1, Item h) states that it's unsportsmanlike conduct for: "removal of his helmet by a player in the field of play during a celebration or during a confrontation with a game official or any other player."
The sticking point here is "in the field of play." Beckham was out of the back of the end zone and ran directly to the sideline once his helmet was removed. He was not technically in the field of play.
Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was fined $24,309 for removing his helmet after a 66-yard touchdown catch against the Ravens on Oct. 16. Brad Penner/USA TODAY Sports
This is his argument with the league in hope of having the fine reduced or rescinded. Giants receiver Victor Cruz won his appeal on a celebration fine earlier this year.
Beckham's history may not help. In Week 1, he was involved in that group celebration with Cruz that cost him $12,154. In Week 2, he was docked $36,000 for a hit on New Orleans Saints safety Kenny Vaccaro. After Week 4, he was docked $24,309 for taunting Xavier Rhodes during a Monday Night Football game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Beckham leads the Giants with 40 receptions for 630 yards and three touchdowns this season. He was limited Sunday with a hip/abdominal injury in London against the Los Angeles Rams, but he still made the biggest offensive play of the game when he came down with a jump ball for a 22-yard gain in the fourth quarter of the 17-10 win. The Giants scored the winning touchdown several plays later.
Beckham spent Monday getting treatment and was "pretty sore."
He has time to heal up. The Giants are on their bye and don't play until Nov. 6, when they host the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium.JRuby-Prof is a new JRuby specific profiler by Daniel Lucraft. While there are many mature profilers for Java available, JRuby's mixed execution mode makes their output hard to read; some JRuby code is interpreted, some JRuby hot spots are JIT compiled to bytecode. With a Java profiler, JRuby's internal methods will show up in the profiles, hogging all the top spots in the profile output, when the user actually only wants to know how often which Ruby methods are invoked.
JRuby-prof uses JRuby's hooks to get information about events like method invocation, etc. Hooks are a more efficient way of implementing a profiler, at least compared to the simple method of set_trace_func, where a callback function is called before a line is executed.
JRuby-prof is available as a Gem:
jruby -S gem install jruby-prof
The source code for JRuby-prof is available at GitHub.
A new addition to JRuby is the JRuby::Synchronized module. Charles Nutter explains the idea behind JRuby::Synchronized on the jruby-user list:
After talking with MenTaLguY on IRC about adding some concurrent collections to JRuby, we came up with a new feature for people to try out:
require 'jruby/synchronized'
class MyClass include JRuby::Synchronized...
or
obj.extend JRuby::Synchronized
the effect of including or extending this new module is that all method calls against that class's object (or against that now-singleton object) will act like they're wrapped in a Java synchronized block. No two threads will be able to execute methods against those objects at the same time (on a per-object basis, obviously).
It's an experiment with providing concurrency tools for JRuby - what others would you like to see?Brad Johns, a Halifax-area councillor, has won a dubious prize from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation for using $25,000 in taxpayers' money to buy a six-metre talking Christmas tree.
Johns, who is the councillor for Middle and Upper Sackville, Beaver Bank, Lucasville, has won a Teddy — the prize the federation gives to public figures it feels are wasting taxpayers' money.
The money for the robotic tree, made by a California company, came out of a $94,000 discretionary fund councillors are given to buy things for their constituencies.
"I wanted something that was unique for Sackville," Johns said in December of the tree, which had moving eyes, eyebrows and mouth, with a voice that sounded like Johns's.
Aaron Wudrick, the federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, announced the awards at a ceremony in Ottawa on Wednesday. The award is a golden pig mascot — of Porky the Waster Hater.
Brad Johns was the municipal winner of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation's annual waste awards. (CBC)
Johns was the winner on the municipal level, while there were other winners among federal and provincial politicians.
"The residents of Middle and Upper Sackville must be already awash in public amenities," Wudrick said in a statement.
"How else could a politician possibly arrive at the conclusion that the purchase of a giant robotic Christmas tree would be at the top of his constituents' wish list?"
Johns was travelling outside the country when the announcement was made. He has defended the purchase in the past and said he hoped the tree would generate about twice its cost in extra donations to local food banks.
"There's many communities around the province … that become synonymous with something that they do," Johns said in December.
"Spryfield's got the Santa Claus Parade. You think of Windsor, you think of the pumpkin people. I thought, 'What better than to revive the concept of a talking tree?'"Right-Wing Christian Group Tries To Trick TV Viewers Into Donating To Antigay Cause
A funny thing is happening during commercial breaks in Australia — subscribers to regional satellite TV are being inundated with antigay propaganda wrapped in a neat little package dubbed “family values.”
Actually, the package isn’t so neat. Viewers are subjected to some of the most awkward moments of broadcasting we can recall seeing — four ads depict the inner monologues of a traditional nuclear family, calling on them to go “back to the table” for family dinners.
Related: Australian MP Improvises Moving Speech About Gay Uncle After Government Blocks Marriage Equality
It’s all part of a thinly-veiled effort for — who else? — Focus on the Family to raise funds for their cause.
In case you need reminding, FOTF is a U.S.-based Christian right group whose last released annual revenue in 2011 exceeded $95 million.
They spend their cash on a number of unsavory crusades, chief among them a hardline stance against gay marriage, civil unions and gay acceptance in general. The organization’s founder and sole leader from 1977-2003, James Dobson, has said: “Same-sex relationships undermine the future generation’s understanding of the fundamental principles of marriage, parenthood, and gender.”
In 2008 they were part of a coalition that sponsored California’s Prop 8, the ballot initiative to remove same-sex marriage.
Related: When James Dobson Leaves Focus on the Family, Where Will He Take His Hate?
The Southern Poverty Law Center, a civil rights and hate group monitoring organization, has described Focus on the Family as one of a “dozen major groups [which] help drive the religious right’s anti-gay crusade.”
The group supported John McCain’s 2008 presidential bid only after trophy-girl Sarah Palin joined the ticket. Prior to that election, it launched a television and mail campaign predicting terrorist attacks in four U.S. cities if Obama was elected, equating the future president to Hitler.
FOTF’s current Australian campaign takes a more subtle approach, where they are working to undermine national efforts to achieve marriage equality — a hot button issue currently hitting major speed bumps in Parliament.
Here’s one of the spots, in which a flustered mother finds the comfort she seeks at the dinner table:
And here’s another where her son finally feels heard at, yep, the dinner table. Oddly, nobody seems to ask him “How did you get that black eye? Are you alright?!”:
The ads, clumsy as they are, appear innocent enough. That is, until you head to the link displayed at the end — backtothetable.org.au.
There, you’ll find a dynamic background featuring the same family from the ads resting behind the “conversationalizer,” a rotating list of “fun chats for the dinner table.” Wholesome!
Scrolling down, the group’s mission statement is revealed in giant typeface — “Getting back to the table is a simple solution where families can talk, listen and learn; discovering unconditional love, support and understanding.”
And just below that feel-good message, a call to action:
But wait, where do these donations go? Assuming a viewer hasn’t peered past the campaign’s false intentions (and if they’ve made it to the donation screen, chances are they haven’t), there is no indication of where the money goes, save for a comparatively small logo at the end of the ads and a minuscule mention at the bottom corner of the page that Back to the Table is an “initiative of Focus on the Family.”
Related: Australian Rugby Star Takes A Mid-Game Stand Against Homophobia
Since regional Australian TV doesn’t receive too many direct advertisers, viewers are reporting seeing the ads at an alarming volume, to which we can only apologize to the people of Australia that our religious slime has oozed its way south.
Perhaps the best solution is to turn off the TV, sit your family down around the dinner table, and discuss a range of topics like religious extremism, how marriage equality lets love flourish, and if the kids are old enough, the diabolical effects of antigay propaganda.Posted on: October 30, 2014
[Update: Just 24 hours after we published this article, Sauter and Smith-Gobat returned to the Nose October 31 and deducted another 19 minutes off their record, bringing the fastest ascent of the route by an all-female team down to 4:43.—Ed.]
Libby Sauter and Mayan Smith-Gobat in El Cap Meadow on the evening of October 28. They had just deducted 37 minutes from their 2013 women's speed record on the Nose (VI 5.9 A2). Eleven days before, Sauter teamed up with Quinn Brett for a linkup of the Nose and Lurking Fear (VI 5.9 A2). [Photo] Samuel Crossley/Adidas Outdoor
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Someone hit "Fast-forward" on the El Capitan VHS this October. David Allfrey, Skiy Detray and Cheyne Lempe lopped six hours off the fastest recorded ascent of Zenyatta Mondatta (VI 5.7 A4), while Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold made the first sub-24-hour ascent of El Corazon (VI 5.13b). [Chris Van Leuven recorded the details in a flurry of phone interviews. Read his story in the October 17, 2014 NewsWire.—Ed.] A few days later, Quinn Brett and Libby Sauter picked up where Caldwell and Honnold left off, and climbed El Cap twice in less than 22 hours. Sauter then roped up with Mayan Smith-Gobat to break the women's speed record on the Nose, topping out after 5 hours and 2 minutes of simulclimbing and short-fixing.
Brett and Sauter, who shared a rope for the first time only days before, started their linkup with the Nose on the morning of October 17, then moved over to Lurking Fear. "We had originally planned to do Lurking Fear first with the desire to avoid the hike to the base...but Tom [Evans] reminded us that the hike just isn't that long and that we would be exponentially slower on the Nose if we did that second," Sauter told Alpinist. "Also, if we topped out the Fear first and were fatigued, it'd be easier to bail with the bigger objective still looming."
They climbed the Nose smoothly, passing three parties after a stuck rope stalled them for 20 minutes. At 8 hours, 25 minutes they topped out and descended the East Ledges to reach the base of Lurking Fear at 4:40 p.m. They split the route into two lead blocks; Sauter led Pitches 1-9 and Brett took over at the Pillar of Despair, she told climbing.com. At 21:17, they stood atop El Cap again, the first all-female team to have climbed it twice in a day.
Sauter leads past a team from Colorado on the Pancake Flake while Brett belays below. [Photo] Tom Evans/elcapreport.com
Then on October 28, Sauter returned to the Nose with Mayan Smith-Gobat, with whom she broke the route's female speed record in 2013. They planned the ascent as a practice run for a record attempt, but the duo reached the tree marking the Nose topout 37 minutes faster than their 2013 ascent. The women's record now hovers at 5 hours 2 minutes.
Once Brett, Sauter and Smith-Gobat were back on the Valley floor, we issued the El Cap hardwomen these few questions.
What speed climbing techniques did you use? In what ways is that style different from that of other Valley speed climbers?
Sauter: [On the Nose-Lurking Fear linkup] there were a few pitches were we simulclimbed through easier sections, but mainly the leader would short-fix while running the PDL, and the second would jug. The short-fixing with a PDL was used for about 95 percent of the climbing. As well, we back-cleaned a fair bit. On both the Nose and LF, we each only tagged and re-racked gear once per block (generally about 10 pitches/block). These are the standard Valley speed climbing techniques used by most any NIAD [Nose-in-a-day] aspirant, although we may take some of these techniques a little further than most. It is common to short-fix and self-belay with a GriGri but on the mellower and well-rehearsed pitches of the Nose/LF, that feels unnecessary for us.
Smith-Gobat: [During our speed ascent of the Nose] Libby and I simulclimbed the first half of the route, with her leading up to the top of the Boot. I stayed below the Boot at the pendulum point, did the great swing, then led off and did a mixture of simulclimbing and mostly short-fixing to the top of the Nose...the main difference between us and the guys who are climbing it in 2:30, is that they simulclimb more of the upper half of the route, where we are short-fixing more to keep it within the safety margin we are happy with.
Did any of you take falls?
Sauter: Quinn took an inverted daisy fall when a fixed piece popped on our practice lap up LF but during the actual run, things went smoothly.
Smith-Gobat: No, neither Libby or I took any falls. The style we are climbing in means that we are being very careful not to fall as there are not many places where we can, safely.
Sauter and Smith-Gobat pause below the tree marking the top of the Nose. [Photo] Samuel Crossley/Adidas Outdoor
Libby, what kind of planning goes into a major linkup like yours on the Nose and Lurking Fear?
Sauter: The amount of planning that goes into a linkup varies per person/team. For me and Quinn, this was a fairly impetuous decision. We had talked for years about trying to rope up together but didn't formulate these plans until late September 2014. Luckily for us, we have each spent countless seasons climbing in the Valley and getting accustomed the the Valley granite and scale. It makes the more last-minute plans possible as we have the ability to go out for long days on short notice.
On the more micro scale, the most important thing for me planning-wise is food and caloric intake. I'm way too good at not eating right and so the days leading into a big day, I have to really try and focus on eating enough/right...it's hard for me to have an appetite when I am trying that hard!
What compromises to your safety do you make during speed-driven ascents like this?
Sauter: I like to keep things as safe as possible. As Hans Florine has said regarding speed climbing the Nose, "Feeling/being safe helps me go faster." We would short-fix with lockers, but run a PDL. I put a 'biner on my top jug for traversing pitches but rarely tie back-up knots. I back-clean a ton but if I get scared or know a hard bit is coming up, I place something bomber. It's all about the compromises that I feel are acceptable on the risk/reward |
4 42 1 1 115 BISELLO Manuel
STELLA Lorenzo
DP GROUP
PEUGEOT 106 RALLY FN2 14'00.6
2'10.6
0.7 43 2 1 58 MENALDO Francesco
MENALDO Gianni
BIELLA MOTOR TEAM
RENAULT CLIO W. FN3 14'00.9
2'10.9
0.3 44 11 4 96 FEA Alberto
PITEO Marco
JOVISPORT
PEUGEOT 106 RALLY FA6 14'04.2
2'14.2
3.3 45 12 1 100 CANDIDI Simone
PASSERA Davide
GIESSECI
PEUGEOT 106 XSI FA5 14'04.8
2'14.8
0.6 46 13 3 22 SIGORINI Fulvio
MAGGIONI Francesco
MITSUBISHI LANCER EVO X N4 14'05.8
2'15.8
1.0 47 10 1 29 MARANGONI Michael
MARANGONI Thomas
DESTRA 4
RENAULT CLIO RS A7 14'06.2
2'16.2
0.4 48 13 5 93 PATTARO Davide
PASTORATO Silvia
RACING CLUB
PEUGEOT 106 RALLY FA6 14'12.5
2'22.5
6.3 49 14 10 48 GAMBEL Massimiliano
FAVARO Christian
HAP EXTREME RACING
RENAULT CLIO RS N3 14'13.1
2'23.1
0.6 50 3 2 74 FERRANDO Giovanni
LAVAGNO Chiara
RACING FOR GENOVA
RENAULT CLIO W. FN3 14'13.4
2'23.4
0.3 51 14 2 99 FAVARO Roberto
MORO Fabio
EQUIPE VITESSE
PEUGEOT 106 RALLY FA5 14'14.9
2'24.9
1.5 52 4 2 113 SARLI Gabriele
MARTELLINI Mirko
DP GROUP
PEUGEOT 106 RALLY FN2 14'20.7
2'30.7
5.8 53 15 1 111 MARTINOLI Gianfranco
BISETTI Gianni
SCUDERIA MONFERRATO
CITROEN SAXO N2 14'22.5
2'32.5
1.8 54 5 3 117 BEDENDI Giorgio
BAIMA Lucrezia
VALSUSA MOTOR TEAM
PEUGEOT 106 RALLY FN2 14'23.5
2'33.5
1.0 55 6 3 77 POZZO Gianni
SOMMI Graziano
OPEL ASTRA GSI FN3 14'24.7
2'34.7
1.2 56 7 4 70 MARCOLLI Alberto
D'AGOSTINO Pietro
RENAULT CLIO W. FN3 14'25.6
2'35.6
0.9 57 15 3 104 PASQUALI Marco
VINEIS Sara
BIELLA MOTOR TEAM
PEUGEOT 106 RALLY FA5 14'25.9
2'35.9
0.3 58 16 3 11 SALA Stefano
SCARDONI Stefano
BIELLA MOTOR TEAM
LANCIA DELTA FA8 14'27.9
2'37.9
2.0 59 11 2 30 VANZETTO Massimo
SERTORI Jastine
PEUGEOT 206 A7 14'29.9
2'39.9
2.0 60 16 11 51 ROLANDO Massimiliano
CIOCCA Gabriele
RENAULT CLIO RS N3 14'31.4
2'41.4
1.5 61 17 4 102 RIZZATO Stefano
ACCAROLI Marco
NOVARA CORSE 2000
PEUGEOT 106 RALLY FA5 14'31.8
2'41.8
0.4 62 12 1 97 TRAVAGLIA Simone
GALLOTTA Valentina
EQUIPE VITESSE
FIAT PANDA A5 14'32.5
2'42.5
0.7 63 8 5 71 MORA Igor
NARDINI Andrea
NEW CRAZY DRIVER CORSE
RENAULT CLIO W. FN3 14'34.9
2'44.9
2.4 64 13 3 28 CANNA Luca
VANELLI Marco
DESTRA 4
RENAULT CLIO RS A7 14'36.4
2'46.4
1.5 65 18 6 95 VIDALE Ilario
TEDESCO Loretta
BIELLA MOTOR TEAM
PEUGEOT 106 RALLY FA6 14'39.6
2'49.6
3.2 66 14 1 123 RECROSIO Gabriele
MOLLO Eleonora
BIELLA MOTOR TEAM
FIAT 600 S. A0 14'44.9
2'54.9
5.3 67 9 6 75 CASASSA CARLET Danilo
TOGLIATTI Sergio
RENAULT CLIO W. FN3 14'45.4
2'55.4
0.5 68 17 2 109 VINEIS Andrea
POLTRONIERI Damiano
CARS FOR FUN
SUZUKI SWIFT N2 14'45.8
2'55.8
0.4 69 19 5 103 ANDREOTTI Luca
CEREIA FUS Katia
SPEED FIRE RACING
PEUGEOT 106 RALLY FA5 14'46.3
2'56.3
0.5 70 10 7 59 PINZANO Giovanni
ZANETTI Matteo
BIELLA MOTOR TEAM
RENAULT CLIO W. FN3 14'46.5
2'56.5
0.2 71 20 6 40 MAROSO Ugo
GALLO Erica
BIELLA CORSE HISTORIC TEAM
FIAT RITMO 130 A. FA7 14'47.6
2'57.6
1.1 72 11 4 114 FLORIO Luca
BASILE Alessio
EQUIPE VITESSE
PEUGEOT 106 RALLY FN2 14'52.2
3'02.2
4.6 73 21 7 39 BOSETTI Giuseppe
MACCHI Elena
VALCUVIA CORSE
PEUGEOT 205 GTI FA7 14'53.4
3'03.4
1.2 74 12 5 120 TAVAZZA Alessandro
RIZZATO Claudio
DPD GROUP
PEUGEOT 106 RALLY FN2 15'05.8
3'15.8
12.4 12 8 73 BERTUCCI Rocco
BRUZZESE Stefano
HAP EXTREME RACING
RENAULT CLIO W. FN3 15'05.8
3'15.8
76 22 8 38 DE GRANDI Luca
GALLI Alberto
BIELLA MOTOR TEAM
RENAULT R5 GT TURBO FA7 15'18.8
3'28.8
13.0 77 23 6 105 AGOSTINI Renzo
RONCHI Daniele
DPD GROUP
PEUGEOT 106 RALLY FA5 15'22.1
3'32.1
3.3 78 24 7 108 MOTTA Luciano
DEBERNARDI Matteo
RB MOTORSPORT
PEUGEOT 106 XSI FA5 15'35.7
3'45.7
13.6 79 14 1 126 PERSINI Vito
CRISTOFOLI Veronica
BIELLA MOTOR TEAM
PEUGEOT 205 RALLY FN1 15'45.6
3'55.6
9.9 80 15 6 133 RAMANZIN Giuliano
BASSO Fabio
PEUGEOT 106 RALLY FN2 15'47.2
3'57.2
1.6 81 25 1 124 PILETTA Luca
ZANDONAI Luca
NEW CRAZY DRIVER CORSE
FIAT 500 FA0 15'47.7
3'57.7
0.5 82 26 8 98 FRANCINI Fabrizio
CAROLO Alessandro
GIESSECI
PEUGEOT 106 RALLY FA5 15'55.0
4'05.0
7.3 83 27 9 107 FUNICELLI Alex
MIGLIO Simone
NOVARA CORSE 2000
PEUGEOT 106 RALLY FA5 16'16.1
4'26.1
21.1 84 28 10 106 QUINTO Sandro
GALANTUCCI Andrea
BIELLA MOTOR TEAM
PEUGEOT 106 RALLY FA5 16'18.4
0'10 4'28.4
2.3 85 15 6 82 BLESSENT Stefano
BOSSUTO Andrea
ALL MOTORS
CITROEN SAXO A6 16'27.9
4'37.9
9.5 86 16 2 127 PASQUINA Davide
CIOCCA Massimo
ALL MOTORS
PEUGEOT 106 RALLY FN1 16'39.5
4'49.5
11.6 87 17 9 78 CATTANEO Luciano
COPPO Alessio Saul
NEW CRAZY DRIVER CORSE
VOLKSWAGEN GOLF FN3 16'43.3
4'53.3
3.8 88 6 3 24 VERONESE Maurilio
PASSONE Roberta
SPEED FIRE RACING
RENAULT NEW CLIO R3C 16'49.7
4'59.7
6.4 89 18 3 128 MIAZZO Simone
NEGRI Fabio
DPD GROUP
PEUGEOT 106 RALLY FN1 17'09.3
5'19.3
19.6 90 19 7 121 SETTINERI Fabio
GUIDA Antonio
PEUGEOT 106 S16 FN2 17'30.2
5'40.2
20.9 ABBANDONI 6 POZZO Giuseppe
CONTINI Alberto
EUROSPEED
CITROEN XSARA WRC RIT (PS1) - ROMANINA 10 ROCCHI Daniel
BILLI Giuseppe
BMW M3 E30 FA8 RIT (PS1) - ROMANINA 35 MARIANI Massimo
BERNARDI Giuseppe
PUBLISPORT RACING
OPEL ASTRA FA7 RIT (CO1A) - BIELLA - RIORDINO I 36 LAVINO ZONA Pierino
FORTO Alessandro
NEW CRAZY DRIVER CORSE
RENAULT CLIO W. FA7 RIT (PS2) - ROMANINA 44 PIZIO Mattia
RUBINELLI Monica
PENTATHLON AUTO SPORT
RENAULT CLIO RS N3 RIT (CO1A) - BIELLA - RIORDINO I 50 PALITTA Masina
MODINI Giada
BIELLA MOTOR TEAM
RENAULT CLIO RS N3 RIT (PS1) - ROMANINA 56 CROCE Luca
LAVINO ZONA Elisabeth
BIELLA MOTOR TEAM
RENAULT CLIO RS N3 RIT (PS1) - ROMANINA 57 CIARDI Marco
GALETTI Pamela
HAPPY RACER
RENAULT CLIO W. FN3 RIT (PS1) - ROMANINA 72 MASSANO Stefano
CASELLATO Giulia
PENTATHLON AUTO SPORT
RENAULT CLIO W. FN3 NP (CO0) - BIELLA - PARTENZA 76 ARIENTA Giancarlo
ZOANNI Erika
PENTATHLON AUTO SPORT
RENAULT R5 GT TURBO FN3 RIT (CO1A) - BIELLA - RIORDINO I 79 ALESSANDRO Saverio
CORSI Paolo
BIELLA MOTOR TEAM
OPEL CORSA KIT A6 RIT (PS2) - ROMANINA 85 CORSI Alberto
BOTTO Piero Eraldo
BIELLA MOTOR TEAM
PEUGEOT 206 A6 RIT (PS2) - ROMANINA 88 UGO Fabrizio
PICCARDO Paolo
NORDOVEST RACING
OPEL CORSA GSI A6 RIT (PS2) - ROMANINA 91 MARIGNAN Matteo
MAZZETTI Daniela
VARESE CORSE
PEUGEOT 106 RALLY FA6 RIT (PS1) - ROMANINA 101 CRESTANI Massimo
CANOVA Francesca
NEW CRAZY DRIVER CORSE
PEUGEOT 205 RALLY FA5 RIT (PS2) - ROMANINA 110 PELOSO Corrado
CARRUCCIU Paolo
NORDOVEST RACING
SUZUKI SWIFT N2 RIT (PS2) - ROMANINA 112 FONTANA Gianluca
BERTOLLI Elena
SCUDERIA MONFERRATO
CITROEN SAXO N2 RIT (PS1) - ROMANINA 116 LANDONI Andrea
CARBONERA Gabriele
RACING CLUB
PEUGEOT 106 RALLY FN2 RIT (PS1) - ROMANINA 118 CONTU' Elisabetta
VISCONTI Sara
BIELLA MOTOR TEAM
PEUGEOT 106 RALLY FN2 RIT (PS1) - ROMANINA 119 DEMATTEI Luca
ROSSI Mauro
SPEED FIRE RACING
PEUGEOT 106 RALLY FN2 RIT (PS1) - ROMANINA 122 DAMIANO Christian
BOTTEGA Simone
NEW CRAZY DRIVER CORSE
FIAT 600 S. A0 RIT (PS2) - ROMANINA 125 TERRANDO Paolo
POZZI Alessandro
FIAT 500 FA0 RIT (PS1) - ROMANINA 129 TORTORELLA Franco
GIACOBINO Pieraldo
BIELLA MOTOR TEAM
PEUGEOT 106 RALLY FN1 RIT (PS2) - ROMANINA
Gestione a cura della Federazione Italiana CronometristiPresident Trump will turn his focus back to North Korea during his final day at the United Nations.
Trump will have lunch Thursday with the leaders of South Korea and Japan, two of his strongest allies in pressuring Pyongyang to drop its pursuit of nuclear weapons.
The sit-down comes after the president threatened to annihilate North Korea if it escalates its nuclear threats.
Here’s what to watch for during Trump’s fourth and final day at the U.N. General Assembly.
Pressure on South Korea
Trump’s summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in is intended to rally the three nations around a plan to curb North Korea’s weapons program, U.S. officials say.
But finding unity may prove difficult; Moon and Abe do not see eye-to-eye on how to best confront their rogue neighbor.
Trump on Tuesday used an aggressive tone toward North Korea during his General Assembly address, threatening the U.S. would “totally destroy” the country. That rhetoric provided a boost for Abe, who has taken a similarly hard-line approach.
“Prioritizing diplomacy and emphasizing the importance of dialogue will not work with North Korea,” Abe wrote this week in The New York Times. “History shows that concerted pressure by the entire international community is essential.”
Those comments may have been directed at Moon, who campaigned on a promise to seek dialogue with North Korea over its nuclear ambitions.
Moon has backed international sanctions against North Korea, but he has also downplayed the possibility of taking military action, saying it could endanger millions of South Koreans.
There are signs Moon might be warming to Trump and Abe’s approach. After North Korea’s Sept. 3 nuclear test, the South Korean leader said it was not the right time to engage with Kim Jong Un’s government.
Moon offered muted praise of the president’s Tuesday speech.
“We view the speech as portraying a firm and specific stance on the key issues regarding keeping peace and safety that the international community and the United Nations are faced with,” his office said in a statement Wednesday.
The war in Afghanistan
Trump will meet with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani for the first time since announcing his strategy for the conflict there.
The sit-down comes one day after the Pentagon announced it is sending more than 3,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan to aid in the fight against terrorist groups.
Trump said their presence there would be determined by conditions on the ground, not “arbitrary” timelines.
Ghani supports Trump’s plan, telling the General Assembly the threat posed by groups like al-Qaeda and the Taliban remains grave.
"With President Trump's recent announcement of his strategy to counter terror and stabilize South Asia, Afghanistan's enduring partnership with the United States and the international community has been renewed and redirected," he said.
The meeting could provide a boost for Ghani, who was elected on a pledge to bring stability and security to the war-torn country. Afghan security forces have suffered heavy casualties in its fight against extremist groups.
"We welcome this strategy, which has now set us on a pathway to certainty," he said.
Possible tensions with Turkey
Trump’s final day is stacked with sit-downs with friendly leaders, but his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan could get testy.
Erdoğan, who has won Trump’s praise in the past, this week said the U.S. president apologized for a summertime incident in which the Turkish leader’s bodyguards fought with protesters on a Washington, D.C., street.
The White House quickly responded that Trump — who isn’t a fan of apologies — did no such thing.
Authorities in Washington have filed charges against several Turkish guards who were involved in the street fight.This artist's concept shows young, blue stars encircling a supermassive black hole at the core of a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way. The background stars are the typical older, redder population of stars that inhabit the cores of most galaxies (including our own). CfA astronomers caught two stars in the act of forming within a few light-years of the Milky Way's center. Their find demonstrates that stars can form at our galaxy's core despite the powerful gravitational tides generated by the black hole.
LONG BEACH, Calif.? Two embryonic stars discoveredjust a few light years away from the Milky Way?s center show that stars canform in the potentially destructive reach of the powerful black hole at ourgalaxy's center.
Astronomershave long known that young stars could be found near the centerof the galaxy, but they had no idea how the stars got there.
The regionwasn't thought to be conducive to starformation because of the powerful gravitational tides stirred up by the 4million solar-mass blackhole at the galaxy's center. Scientists had figured that the tides wouldrip apart any gas clouds that could act as stellar nurseries.
Analternative explanation, that the stars fell in toward the galaxy's centerafter forming elsewhere, was thought to be a rare event.
But the newdiscovery, presented here today at the 213th annual meeting of the AmericanAstronomical Society, shows that the stars did form in place.
?Weliterally caught these stars in the act of forming,? said Elizabeth Humphreysof the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Mass.
Because thegas and dust between Earth and the galactic center blocks visible light fromgetting out, astronomers use infrared and radio wavelengths to peer into theregion.
Humphreysand her colleagues (at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center and the Max PlanckInstitute for Radio Astronomy in Germany) used the Very Large Array of radiotelescopes to search for water masers? radio signals that signal proto-starsstill embedded in their birth cocoons.
The teamfound the proto-stars at seven light-years and 10 light-years from the galacticcenter (a light-year is the distance light will travel in a year, about 6 trillionmiles, or 10 trillion kilometers). Combined with one previously identifiedproto-star, the objects show that star formation is taking place near the MilkyWay's center.
The findingsuggests that the molecular gas at the center of the MilkyWay from which the stars form is denser than previously thought. The higherdensity gas makes it easier for the self-gravity of the condensing cloud toovercome the strong pull of the black hole and to collapse to form new stars.
Thediscovery also supports recent supercomputer simulations that showed starformation within a few light years of the Milky Way?s central black hole.
"Wedon?t understand the environment at the galactic center very well yet,"Humphreys said. "By combining observational studies like ours withtheoretical work, we hope to get a better handle on what's happening at ourgalaxy's core. Then, we can extrapolate to more distant galaxies."Top 5 LoL teams of 2017
NJW Blocked Unblock Follow Following Dec 22, 2017
As the year winds down, it’s important to evaluate of where LoL’s very best teams stand in relation to each other while our minds are still fresh, in order to paint a hopefully accurate illustration of history for posterity. This year is particularly interesting because of the variety of winners across LoL’s most difficult tournaments, and depending on your interpretation of both a team’s placing and which ones you value over others, this list could go many different ways. Before 2017 is out, let’s take stock of which teams were the best league of legends had to offer over the course of the last 12 months.
1. SKT T1
Top — Huni/Untara
Jungle — Peanut/Blank
Mid — Faker
ADC — Bang
Support — Wolf
Achievements:
2017 LCK Spring — 1st
2017 MSI — 1st
2017 LCK Summer — 2nd
2017 World Championship — 2nd
Though 2017 ended with their dynasty being toppled, Faker’s men stood as the best line-up in the world for most of the year. With the addition of a new top laner in western superstar Heo ‘Huni’ Seung-hoon and a new starting jungler in ex-Rox Tiger Han “Peanut” Wang-ho, the organization had taken a gamble on aggressive young talent to supplement their core, two-time world champion trio of Faker, Bang, and Wolf. For a while, the gamble payed off in spades.
SKT dominated LCK spring with a 16–2 regular season record and demolished an uncoordinated KT Rolster 3–0 in the finals of the toughest league in the world. Their tear continued when they went to the second biggest international tournament of the year, MSI, where they won again in dominating fashion, dropping only 3 games at the event. Their summer season was looking similarly strong, holding an 9–1 record halfway through the split before the squad went off to Rift Rivals, Riot’s newest international tournament. After dropping an important game to China’s Team WE in the relay B05 final, SKT returned to Korea in a slump, they lost 9 straight games making it their biggest losing streak ever since Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok joined the team in 2013. The LCK Spring champions were inundated with problems; their elite bot lane all of a sudden couldn’t generate pressure, they were forced to play sub top laner Park “Untara” Ui-jin for most of the season with Huni struggling to be on the same page as the team, and even Faker himself was taking too many early game risks and giving the enemy team early gold leads for free. Now for the first time SKT had to start the summer playoffs at the bottom of the gauntlet. Despite the fragile state of the team, they pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and were able to make a run to the finals, including a reverse sweep over summer powerhouse KT Rolster. At the world championship SKT’s problems were still present, yet they again were able to limp their way into the finals with narrow 3–2 wins in the bracket stage over Misfits Gaming and Royal Never Give Up, mostly due to Faker’s Herculean tournament performance.
Even if Faker’s heroics weren’t enough to stand up to Samsung Galaxy in the finals, 2017 was still the year of SKT. They were the best team in the world for the majority of season 7 and even in their slump they still made deep runs into the world’s hardest tournaments. SK Telecom T1 was the best team of 2017.
2. KT Rolster
Top — Smeb
Jungle — Score
Mid — Pawn
ADC — Deft
Support — Mata
Achievements:
2017 LCK Spring — 2nd
2017 LCK Summer — 3rd
2017 KeSPA Cup — 1st
Ambitions couldn’t have been higher for the KT organization in 2017, after their failure to make worlds in 2016 they got rid of 4 of their 5 players and set out to build a super-team around their franchise player Go “Score” Dong-bin, who’d been lauded as the best jungler in the world at the time. The goal was to defeat the world’s strongest team, SKT, and even though they failed miserably at that goal, their play versus the rest of the field of competition was spectacular.
KT was red hot as they approached the end of the first round robin of LCK Spring, holding a record of 7–1. That would end when they were narrowly defeated 2–1 by SKT twice in the same week, sending them into a slump which included an embarrassing 2–1 loss to 10th place team Kongdoo Monster. Regardless of their relatively poor second half of spring as well as numerous teamwork and shotcalling issues, the team was able to pick it up towards the end with a 3rd place regular season finish and a convincing 3–0 victory over Samsung Galaxy in the semifinals of playoffs, establishing themselves as the second best Korean team in their inaugural split. Their summer regular season was even more convincing, with top lane star Song “Smeb” Kyung-ho back in form and the team beginning to mesh reasonably well, they battled for first place all season and finished with the same 14–4 record as Longzhu Gaming and lost the 1st place tiebreaker due only to some extra game losses. Though in semifinals they lost 3–2 to SKT in a tragic reverse sweep, one could easily speculate that had they made finals, they would’ve beaten Longzhu and won LCK, as they had been one of the few teams to stand up to them in the regular season and it was a good matchup for them stylistically. Crushed by their playoff defeat, they rolled over and died in the regional gauntlet against SSG 3–0 and yet again missed out on worlds, however KT’s year would end with a small bright spot when they took their first tournament victory by winning the KeSPA Cup, Korea’s end of the year domestic tournament.
The super-team was not able to test their mettle at the world championship, but they were consistently a top 2 team in by far the strongest region in the world all year, making them LoL’s second best team of 2017.
3. Samsung Galaxy
Top — Cuvee
Jungle — Ambition/Haru
Mid — Crown
ADC — Ruler
Support — CoreJJ
Achievements:
2017 LCK Spring — 3rd
2017 LCK Summer — 4th
2017 LCK Regional Gauntlet — 1st
2017 World Championship — 1st
Besides the addition of young jungle talent Kang “Haru” Min-seung, SSG was one of the few teams to keep an unchanged roster going into season 7 and looked to continue investing in the squad that brought them to the season 6 world final.
In LCK spring they stood as the only team that could contend with the two Telecom giants in the standings. Led by star mid laner and split MVP Minho “Crown” Lee, the team was able to finish the regular split in second place with a 14–4 record. They faultered in playoffs, as the line-up tends to, ending the season as the 3rd place team in LoL’s best league. Summer season saw a dip in performance from Crown, but the rest of the team was firing on all cylinders. They were able to battle for supremacy with the other members of Korea’s “big four” teams in KT, LZ, and SKT, ending the split in third place with a 13–5 record. They were handily defeated 3–0 in playoffs by a rejuvenated SKT, but with the regional gauntlet around the corner they were about to go on a staggering run of dominance. Samsung’s first matchup in the worlds qualifier was the Afreeca Freecs, a team that can look better than SKT in one game then look like a North American team in the very next game. SSG started sub jungler Haru for the first 2 games and lost both of them, the team looked lost without the leadership of Kang “Ambition” Chan-yong and unable to set up baron properly, negating one of their biggest strengths. Ambition was brought in to much success as the team reverse swept AFS and continued their momentum by thrashing KT Rolster 3–0 in their final matchup. After a somewhat shaky group stage at worlds, their run of form continued and they plowed through LZ, WE, and SKT to win the world championship and stamped themselves as the best team in the world.
From the time Ambition came in versus AFS in the gauntlet to the end of worlds, SSG went 15–1 in B05 games which included 3–0 sweeps against the four best Korean teams, after them. SSG was by far the best team in the world in that period, but their inability to perform in LCK playoffs throughout the year weighs them down to being the 3rd best team of 2017.
4. Longzhu Gaming
Top — Khan
Jungle — Cuzz
Mid — Bdd
ADC — PraY
Support — Gorilla
Achievements:
2017 LCK Summer — 1st
2017 World Championship — 5th-8th
It’s seems impossible to imagine that the LCK Summer champions would ever land 4th on a list like this, but this year stands as a rare exception with how close the top four Korean teams were this year.
LZ immediately established themselves as a force to be reckoned with their new summer line-up based not only on the raw skill of their young solo lane talent, including joint MVP of the split Gwak “Bdd” Bo-seong, but also the knowledge of how to play the macro game from their veteran bot lane, Kim “PraY” Jong-in and Kang “GorillA” Beom-hyeon. The team fought for top position in the standings all split and finished ahead of everyone by the end, securing themselves a spot in the finals of their first split together. Longzhu’s finals performance was spectacular on all fronts, they dropped only one game versus SK Telecom and became one of the only two non-SKT teams in the LCK era to win a Korean title, the other of course being the ROX Tigers, a team PraY and Gorilla also played an integral role on. Their worlds run was looking promising after going 6–0 in the group stage, however they immediately ran into SSG in the bracket stage who would win 3–0 and go on to win the tournament. While drawing SSG in the bracket stage was bad luck, Longzhu themselves did under-perform relative to their usual level.
Gorilla’s team burned bright for one split and took home a Korean title, the most difficult achievement to earn in LoL, but the team’s absence in spring and inability to perform internationally levels them out at a respectable 4th place on this list.
5. Team WE
Top — 957
Jungle — Condi
Mid — Xiye
ADC — Mystic
Support — Ben/Zero
Achievements:
2017 LPL Spring — 1st
2017 MSI — 3rd-4th
2017 LPL Summer — 4th
2017 LPL Regional Gauntlet — 1st
2017 World Championship — 3rd-4th
While 2017 was Korea’s strongest year in a while, it’s still not at the level it was back in 2014 for example where their 5th best team at any given time was probably better than all non-Korean teams. So, for the final spot on this list one must look to the second best region of China and decide which one of their teams had the best season. I landed on Team WE.
The team had a fairly dominant spring, finishing first in their group in the regular season and easily dispensing of OMG and RNG in playoffs, dropping only 1 game between the two B05’s on their way to the organization’s first LPL title. The team looked poised to make a run to finals at MSI having placed 2nd in the group stage portion of the tournament and taking a game from SKT off the back of a stellar Lucian performance from mid laner Su “xiye” Han-Wei. Unfortunately, their lack of international experience showed in a 3–1 loss to Europe’s G2 Esports in the bracket stage. Summer season saw more parity among the top tier LPL teams and WE finished 2nd in their group, only placing slightly behind EDG due to more game losses. In playoffs, they narrowly lost 3–2 to RNG in the semifinals and would go on to lose the 3rd place match against IG, again 3–2. This particular LPL playoffs was odd in that the semifinals, finals, and 3rd place B05’s all went to 5 games, every team was clearly quite close in skill and one win against RNG could’ve meant 2nd place instead of 4th for WE. Fortunately for them, they got revenge with a win against IG in the regional gauntlet, once again 3–2, and WE qualified for worlds for the first time since 2012. Analysts speculated that despite WE coming into the world championship as the 3rd LPL seed, they were the best Chinese team attending the event. If you look at the team’s level of play throughout the tournament, the assessment doesn’t look all that unreasonable. They decisively won their group and were able to defeat North America’s best performing team Cloud 9 3–2 in the quarterfinals, and ultimately fell to the mighty Samsung Galaxy in the semifinals 3–1, making them the only team to take a game off the Korean squad in the bracket stage.
The only other non-Korean team most would nominate for 5th spot on this list would be Royal Never Give Up, who also made top 4 at the world championship. The reason I favour Team WE is because while they may be inferior in terms of individual skill (not by as much as people say), WE is undoubtedly a more versatile and adaptable team. In a game as ever-changing and stylistically diverse as LoL, I value the aforementioned traits of WE higher than the aggression and mechanical skill of RNG, so they edge out the title of 5th best team of 2017.The Obama administration’s “academic detailing” program — through which representatives from the federal government help doctors select prescription drugs for their patients — is coming under harsh behind-the-scenes criticism from corporate executives including the CEO of Pfizer, who is trying to have the project disbanded.
The academic detailing project, created by President Obama’s 2009 stimulus program, sends federal government consultants to doctors’ offices and pharmacies to provide “evidence-based research findings” that can be used to help doctors and pharmacists choose prescription drugs for their clients.
Academic detailing consultants visit doctors at approximately 1,300 primary care clinician sites and 200 hospitals and health systems in targeted areas around the country.
“Trained clinician consultants visit physicians, pharmacists, nurses, other clinicians, and health care system decisionmakers nationwide to share unbiased, noncommercial information about medications and other therapeutic options with the goal of improving patient care,” according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the Department of Health and Human Services agency responsible for overseeing the program.
Critics view the academic detailing project as a conflict-of-interest because it allows the federal government — which has an incentive under Obamacare to keep health care costs low — to guide doctors toward choosing cheaper generic drugs for their patients.
Pfizer CEO Ian Read strongly agreed with remarks calling the program a conflict of interest during the question-and-answer session at the annual Pfizer shareholder meeting in Short Hills, New Jersey Thursday.
Pfizer, which supported Obamacare in 2010, is now working behind-the-scenes to pressure Washington lawmakers to repeal the “academic detailing” program.
“We think it is a waste of public money, and certainly we disagree with the fact that the government-funded academic detailers are not bound by the same rules of detailing and |
15 years looking at robots "designed to take on intimate roles, that were once thought off-limits to machines—companions, friends, lovers."
While the concept of a robo-girlfriend may seem farfetched, there is the prediction that most of us—yes, you read that right—will be having sex with robots by the year 2050. And although sex robots are nowhere near mainstream, companies like True Companion and RealDoll have already developed strikingly realistic models (if you have any doubt about how realistic, look at the New York Times video). Some of these "companions" can engage in "conversation," and can even download different personalities.
SEE: Humans 2.0: How the robot revolution is going to change how we see, feel, and talk
This may seem like a fantasy for those who are less inclined (or able) to form real-life relationships. But it has raised serious concerns. Earlier this year, Richardson, along with Erik Billing of the University of Skövde in Sweden, formed the Campaign Against Sex Robots, whose mission is to raise awareness about how these robots "are potentially harmful and will contribute to inequalities in society."
How can the existence of a robot contribute to inequalities? Richardson believes that the asymmetrical balance of power between human/sexbot is a parallel to the real-world prostitute-john relationship. The robot, like a prostitute, becomes an object for purchase. Richardson said that in society today, "the objects are women and children, and the buyers are men. You don't have to be a feminist, you just have to look at empirical data to see there's a market in human bodies."
It's a reflection, she said, of what is already happening in society. "For that market to exist, those bodies must be presented in certain kinds of ways. And to present a body in a way that you can buy, you can penetrate, you can torture, is only possible if you don't see that other human as a full subject. If you truly value other human beings, it would be very difficult to buy sex off of them."
The argument can be made that yes, a sexbot is an object—so what's wrong with it? But by treating humanoid robots as objects designed purely to fulfill our own sexual needs, Richardson argues, we are also devaluing human relationships.
"I'm looking at what we need as human beings. How much we need other human beings. How we learn about being human from other human beings," she said. When the human element disappears, she said, and we are essentially telling people that they can have their needs gratified through a machine. "First of all, that's not possible," she said. "That, in itself, will change humanity."
While the focus of Richardson's campaign is sexbots, her broader concern is with any robots that replace relationships with humans, including companion robots for the elderly. "Could we live in a world where we're no longer interacting with each other? Where this machine is constructed to meet our needs, to give us what we want?" Richardson asked. "All the evidence is saying no."
Richardson is not alone in her concerns about the breakdown of intimacy in relationships. Sherry Turkle, MIT professor and author of Reclaiming Conversation, recently spoke to TechRepublic about how her research is showing a troubling development coming along with our increased attachment to our devices—a lack of empathy towards each other. Richardson also pointed out the lack of empathy as a natural outcome when we begin treating life-like robots as objects designed for our pleasure.
Not everyone shares these concerns, however. The Second International Congress on Love and Sex with Robots, which recently made headlines when it was banned in Malaysia, is an academic gathering partly intended to make more realistic sex robots. "We want to improve human happiness," said Adrian Cheok, co-founder of the conference. He said that for people who are "very shy, mentally or physically disabled, depressed or lonely or elderly," sex robots can be an option for them "whereas it may be difficult for them to have sex with humans."
Richardson sees these types of arguments as problematic. When it comes to the physically disabled person using a sex robot, she said, "it means that his needs are more important than recognizing the full subjectivity of another human being."
And while she doesn't believe Pearson's prediction that most of us will be having sex by 2050—"he was funded by a sex toy company," she said—she worries about the direction we're headed if we don't begin treating this work with serious ethical consideration and standards. "It's getting us ready for a new, different kind of sexual relationship where anything goes."
"We need to genuinely cultivate a sense of humanity," she said. "I'm trying to get people to really think about what sex means, what relationships mean in their lives, how technology can be presented as an alternative, and what the consequences of that are."
Also seeOn a July afternoon inside Famous Dave's BBQ restaurant in Fredericksburg, Va., David Turner decided to try again. Almost every day Turner, a 24-year-old bartender and shift supervisor, had nagged one of his co-workers, hostess and incoming Virginia Tech freshman Lauren Luttrell, about trying out for the Hokies football team. Turner had never played football, nor had he seen Luttrell kick, but as an avid Redskins and Hokies fan, he wanted his friend to try out for the team.
After kicking in high school, Lauren Luttrell has spent the past year training for Virginia Tech's tryouts. Courtesy of Ben Lawrynas
Standing close to 5-foot-10, Luttrell had played soccer since she was 4 years old. During her four years at Spotsylvania (Va.) High School, she was the soccer team's corner kicker and had scored goals from 45 and 50 feet. Two of her soccer coaches were also on the Spotslyvania football staff and, early in her senior year, convinced Luttrell to try out for a spot on the team.
On her first attempt, she shanked the football, sending it about 10 feet. But she taught herself by watching film and despite having to do a schedule juggling act (she also played on the women's volleyball team), Luttrell earned a kicking spot.
The team wasn't too good (a "rough year," head football coach Ben Lawrynas says), so scoring opportunities were few. Still, Luttrell made 11 extra points, and in one of the final regular-season games kicked a 31-yard field goal, handing the game ball afterward to her father, Robert.
Luttrell hadn't touched a football since the season's last game when finally, to silence Turner's repeated requests, she agreed to email the Virginia Tech athletic department.
"I figured they'd tell me no, that I couldn't try out, and then it would be settled," Luttrell says. Instead, she received a response from Virginia Tech associate director of athletics for football operations John Ballein, who asked her to stop by his Blacksburg office on the first day of classes.
Which is how Luttrell found herself standing on one of Virginia Tech's football practice fields this past Saturday on an overcast, 59-degree morning, waiting her turn to attempt field goals for Hokies head coach Frank Beamer and his staff -- for the second time.
According to the Women's Sports Foundation, more than 700 girls play high school football in the U.S. as kickers, quarterbacks, linebackers and ends. But it's a feat much rarer at the collegiate level.
In 1995, Kathy Klope was the first female to make the roster and suit up for a Division I football team. Klope was a four-year soccer player for the University of Louisville before deciding to try out as a football kicker in her final season of eligibility. Her only prior football experience had been kicking a 30-yard field goal in high school during a powder puff competition; however, the soccer team shared facilities with football and she'd befriended several of the coaches, who encouraged her to try out.
At 5-7, 160 pounds, Klope made the team as a kicker. During practice, she'd ask for tips from the teammate ahead of her on the depth chart, future NFL kicker David Akers. "I was just hoping to get a chance -- I thought I'd get an extra-point kick," Klope says. She never made it into a game but still calls the season one of the best athletic experiences she's ever had. "The intensity of the guys was so high and I enjoyed playing and practicing at that intensity and camaraderie level," Klope says, while pointing out that the range of sports offered to women as well as the attention paid to them has grown significantly since her collegiate years (thanks, in large part, to Title IX).
Since Klope, several women have kicked for collegiate football teams, mostly at the Division II or Division III levels. And there are athletes like former University of Colorado and University of New Mexico kicker Katie Hnida, a former high school football kicker who was the first woman to score in a Division I-A football game, while playing for New Mexico in 2003.
After coming forward about abuse she had received at Colorado, Katie Hnida went on to kick for New Mexico. Brian Bahr/Getty Images
Hnida's name became well-known in 2004 when, in a Sports Illustrated column by Rick Reilly, she revealed that she'd been verbally abused and sexually assaulted by several of her former Colorado football teammates. Still, she says she hopes to see more women playing college football. "My story is so overshadowed with everything that happened at CU but when you get down to it, I'm an athlete, and in New Mexico, I had a really, really great experience," Hnida says. She talks about how her New Mexico teammates respected her and treated her as an equal -- an experience so positive that she has played arena and semi-pro football for several subsequent years and, at age 30, still may try for another season.
In the spring of 1995, Heather Sue Mercer kicked in the Duke spring game. But after being eliminated from the team that fall, she sued the school in 1997, claiming that coaches cut her because of her gender, a Title IX violation. The Duke coaches argued that they cut Mercer because she lacked the size, speed and leg strength of the other kickers. Under Title IX legislation, schools are permitted to ban women from men's contact sports; however, if they allow women to try out, they must be granted equal consideration.
A federal jury awarded Mercer $2 million in punitive damages in October 2000, which Mercer -- who now co-owns a baking company in New York City -- vowed to donate toward establishing a college scholarship fund for female place-kickers. In November of 2002, a federal appeals court overturned the monetary damage award, but not the verdict.
Gender-fueled kicking controversies continued into the spring of 2003 when, because of Mercer's lawsuit, University of Minnesota coaches refused to let place-kicker Mary Nystrom try out for the football team, despite her older brother's tenure as one of the team's most successful kickers.
Several weeks ago, LSU soccer player Mo Isom made national headlines after trying out as a kicker for the Tigers. The 6-1, 190-pound former goalkeeper -- whose attempt drew attention from the "Today Show," CNN, and the "Ellen DeGeneres Show" -- says she decided in January 2011 to try out for the team after feeling "called by God to build my platform for His glory and really see what I'm capable of" (Isom is a devout Christian). The gregarious senior had become close with many members of the football team as well as the coaching staff, and says that the football team was very receptive to the idea, even offering to help her train. Her first few football kicks were essentially "line drives" before she learned how to add height and rotation to the ball. Now, Isom says she can score from the center of the 40- or 45-yard line and has kicked the ball between the uprights from as far as 51 yards.
Isom didn't make the team; LSU coach Les Miles said in a news conference afterward that four players were ahead of any of the potential kickers trying out. He also said that he worried about Isom handling the physicality of the SEC -- specifically tackling, which is sometimes required of kickers.
"It was interesting when he brought up that point because that was never evaluated in the tryouts, whether I can tackle or take a hit," Isom says. "But it makes perfect sense because of the principle -- there's specific skill and technique to a tackle so that you don't break your neck and it's very much a learned skill, male or female. I appreciate him saying that as opposed to taking something away from my kicking."
Isom says she plans to try out again in August and will continue working on her kicks throughout the summer, specifically her field goal and extra point kicks.
Virginia Tech has seen only one other woman try out for football. In August of 1997, Sasha Young, who had kicked for her team at Great Bridge High School in Chesapeake, Va., attempted to join the Hokies. She didn't make the team.
Luttrell met with Ballein on a Monday in late August, where he told her that if she wanted to try out for the team that Friday, she'd need to fill out various medical forms and waivers. When Luttrell went to the office to pick them up, the desk clerk asked her what sport.
"Football," she said.
"Football?" he asked.
Luttrell wore her football jersey to her coronation as homecoming queen in high school. Courtesy of Luttrell Family
"Yes, football," she said.
The clerk stared at her for a few seconds. "Well, OK then," he said, picking up the appropriate forms.
Luttrell hadn't practiced all summer, so she found a run-down local high school field and asked whether she could practice there. Her older brother, Ryan, a fifth-year senior at Tech, gave her an old football and often came to the field with her, retrieving her kicks. Luttrell had never kicked without a block and didn't realize they weren't used at the collegiate level. Her first attempt on the muddy field "was terrible -- it went maybe a foot off of the ground," Luttrell says. "I was so worried I'd make a fool out of myself."
She went back to her dorm room that afternoon and researched how to kick without a block, noting the different stance and approach. She returned the next day and, while she hadn't harnessed the distance or power that she wanted, her kicks were more accurate.
At Tech's fall tryouts, the kickers lined up in the center of Lane Stadium's 25-yard line. Each kicker had six chances. Luttrell missed one kick inches to the left, another hit the goal post and she made the other four. She says that the other kickers each missed at least two kicks, so she felt good about her performance. Coaches told the kickers to stop by Ballein's office the next day for the results.
When Luttrell returned to Ballein's office, she ran into Beamer, who gave her the news.
"I was impressed with her -- she was very accurate and you could tell she's kicked before," Beamer said of Luttrell's initial tryout. "You're getting ready for a season and we were pretty well set, so it's tough to give her a lot of attention. Kicking here is so competitive."
Luttrell was encouraged to try out for her high school football team by her soccer coaches. Courtesy of Luttrell Family
Beamer encouraged Luttrell to return for spring tryouts. She went back to Fredericksburg over winter break and began working with former Maryland and UConn kicker Dave DeArmas. DeArmas met Luttrell at a local field on a cold, windy December afternoon.
"After two kicks, you could hear the 'thump' come off of the ball -- she had that nice thud you're always looking for in a college kicker," DeArmas says. "Her rotation impressed me -- it was consistent throughout the entire process -- and the fact that she gets the ball up very quickly."
The two worked together several times over the next few weeks and DeArmas designed a workout program for Luttrell to follow when she returned to Blacksburg. He also coached her on the mental aspect of the kicking game.
Luttrell worked out once and sometimes twice a day through the winter while juggling academic responsibilities and a part-time job in one of the campus dining halls. Occasionally, fellow hopeful Hokies kickers joined her for practice on the track field. Because the field had no goalposts, the kickers placed two trash cans nine feet apart to set the width and a set of band director stairs in the middle to approximate the height.
Coaches set the kickers' spring tryout date for March 31. Luttrell woke up early that morning, moving through her stretching routine. When she arrived at the Hokies' practice field with her roommate and brother, close to 20 men stood ready to try out as kickers, punters and snappers.
Luttrell and nine men lined up for the first round of kicking spot auditions. They would kick through three rounds, with cuts made after each one.
In the first round, each player kicked from 25 yards out, dead center. Luttrell nailed all four kicks off the tee and advanced to the next round. The coaches cut three kickers, leaving seven remaining.
The kickers moved to the left and right sides from 35 yards out for the second round. Luttrell made all of the kicks but one from the left side, which fell just short of the goalpost. Before moving to the third round, Coach Beamer announced the players who would move on. Luttrell's number wasn't called out.
"I wasn't disappointed -- I thought to myself, 'I did really good today, I beat out three other guys,' so it was fun,'" Luttrell said. As she walked off the field, Beamer pulled her aside.
Frank Beamer and the Hokies staff offered support and advice to Luttrell throughout the process. Joel Auerbach/US Presswire
"She's really got good technique and her steps are very good," Beamer said. "I think her power, right now, and the explosiveness through the ball is what she'd have to develop more to have a chance to kick at the college level. That's what I told her. As far as her technique, I think it's very good. She did a good job."
Luttrell lingered to watch the rest of the tryouts (three kickers advanced to Monday's final round) and even attempted a few kickoffs. Before she left, Ballein gave her a big hug, telling her he was proud of her, calling her a role model for his own daughters.
The next day, Luttrell emailed Ballein to ask about her future prospects: If she worked on her kicking all summer, would she have a better chance at making the team in August? His response echoed Beamer's comments -- that while they would never tell an athlete, male or female, that he or she cannot do something, Luttrell has "a ways to go to reach the power needed to compete at the collegiate level."
Luttrell needed those words, she says, for a sense of closure.
But while one door may have closed, another opened. One of Luttrell's former high school coaches is on the coaching staff of a local arena football team, the Virginia Badgers. He told Luttrell she'd be welcome to try out for the Badgers, which she plans to do. "I'd be OK with getting paid to kick, that'd be fine," Luttrell says, laughing, before adding, "But it'd mean more to me to be kicking for Tech."
For now, she will focus on finishing the academic semester. And for the first time in a long time, she'll take a break from kicking on the local high school field each week.
"I didn't grow up thinking 'I want to be a college football kicker,' but that became a dream of mine once I saw that I actually could do it," Luttrell says. "I've never been one to give up on something that I've wanted. This will also teach me that sometimes your best just isn't good enough. And that's OK."
Anna Katherine Clemmons writes for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com.Hacking Sonos
How I replaced the Sonos app and created a better music experience.
Nathan Borror Blocked Unblock Follow Following Apr 21, 2014
In my spare time I’ve been writing an app that replaces the Sonos app used to control multiple speakers in one’s home. It’s been a little challenging so I thought I’d share how I got where I am. You can check out most of the code on Github. I’ll be pushing more stuff when it’s ready.
Finding an API
First off I needed to understand how the existing app was communicating with speakers. Sonos doesn’t really have an official API so I had to do some digging. Wireshark is the perfect tool.
A Wireshark session where I’m trying to figure out what data Sonos is sending to pair speakers with other speakers.
Wireshark lets you watch all the traffic on a network, allowing you to see what requests are being passed between the speakers and the app. This established a base understanding of what was needed to build a new app.Retreads and hot-shot offensive and defensive coordinators will be all the rage in 2017 NFL head coaching searches.
That means a well of potentially successful candidates may go untapped yet again.
In a league where the cliché “all three phases” is part of the coach-speak lexicon, special-teams coordinators are given scant consideration compared to their offensive and defensive brethren. Not a single special teams coach received even an interview in 2016 for the eight head coaching vacancies that opened despite the fact Super Bowl-winning head coaches like Bill Belichick, John Harbaugh and Bill Cowher spent significant time in those ranks.
MORE: Candidates for Bills | Rams | Jags
Denver’s Joe DeCamillis is among the special-teams coordinators who hope that changes in January.
Regarded as one of the best at his craft, the 51-year-old DeCamillis interviewed in 2013 for the Chicago Bears vacancy that went to a former offensive coordinator in Marc Trestman, who was fired two years later. DeCamillis believes that not only could he flourish as a head coach, but other top special-teams coordinators, as well, based upon the teaching skills and communication needed in connecting with both offensive and defensive players to field quality coverage, return and kicking units.
DeCamillis recently made his case in a video interview with Sporting News.A Russian court has jailed three women for performing a twerking dance in front of a World War Two memorial.
The court in Novorossiysk gave two of the dancers 10 days in jail each, a third 15 days and two others received fines on charges of petty hooliganism.
Prosecutors had said their "erotic and sexual twerk dance" was disrespectful to historic memory and unacceptable.
Earlier this month, Russian officials closed a dance school after a similar dance video emerged on the internet.
The latest incident involves six dancers - one of them a minor who was not convicted - who had posted a video on YouTube.
"This incident of disrespect for the memory of war history is unacceptable and any attempts to desecrate sites of military glory will be stopped immediately," prosecutors said.
Image copyright other Image caption The Orenburg dance school video has been a huge YouTube hit
The sentences come as Russia prepares to mark the 70th anniversary of the World War Two victory.
They also follow the incident early in April when a video clip from the Orenburg dance school on YouTube was viewed millions of times.
The video clip, entitled Winnie the Pooh and the Bees, showed a group of teenage girls dancing on stage in striped leotards, long socks and mini-skirts,
They perform hip-thrusting moves characteristic of twerking.
A committee is investigating whether the performance amounts to negligence or even "debauched action", which is punishable by a range of sanctions from community service to three years behind bars.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given clearance to market and sell the powered lower-limb exoskeleton created by a team of Vanderbilt engineers and commercialized by the Parker Hannifin Corporation for both clinical and personal use in the United States.
"I'm really glad," said H. Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering Michael Goldfarb who developed the exoskeleton with a team of engineers and students in his Center for Intelligent Mechatronics. "It is particularly gratifying because it is the first thing that has come out of my lab that has become a product that people can purchase, which hopefully will make a significant improvement in their quality of life."
Indego®, which allows people paralyzed below the waist to stand up and walk, is the result of an intensive, 10-year effort. The initial development was funded by a grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. In 2012 Parker, a global leader in motion and control technologies, purchased an exclusive license to market the design and has worked closely with Goldfarb's group to develop a commercial version of the medical device.
"Parker has done an excellent job in running their leg of the relay race, bringing the exoskeleton to market in just three years," said Goldfarb.
Until recently "wearable robots" like Indego were the stuff of science fiction. In the last 15 years, however, advances in robotics, microelectronics, battery and electric motor technologies have made it practical to develop them to aid people with stroke and spinal cord injuries. The device acts like an external skeleton. It straps in tightly around the torso. Rigid supports are strapped to the legs and extend from the hip to the knee and from the knee to the foot. The hip and knee joints are driven by computer-controlled electric motors powered by advanced batteries. Patients use the powered apparatus with walkers or forearm crutches to maintain their balance.
"You can think of our exoskeleton as a Segway with legs. If the person wearing it leans forward, he moves forward. If he leans back and holds that position for a few seconds, he sits down. When he is sitting down, if he leans forward and holds that position for a few seconds, then he stands up," Goldfarb said.
Indego is the second exoskeleton to receive FDA certification for U.S. use. The first was a device produced by Rewalk Robotics Ltd. However, Indego's clearance came after completion of the largest exoskeleton clinical trail conducted in the United States. According to the Parker news release, "Over the course of more than 1,200 individual sessions, study participants were able to use Indego to safely walk on a variety of indoor and outdoor surfaces and settings with no serious adverse events."
One of Goldfarb's design goals was to give users the maximum amount of personal freedom possible. One of his requirements, for example, was to allow the user to put the exoskeleton on and take it off while sitting in a wheelchair. As a result, the Indego is considerably lighter and less bulky than the other exoskeletons under development. Indego also has two features that are specifically designed to aid in rehabilitation:
• The amount of robotic assistance adjusts automatically for users who have some muscle control in their legs. This allows them to use their own muscles while walking. When a user is totally paralyzed, the device does all the work. The other designs provide full power all of the time.
• It is the only wearable robot that incorporates a proven rehabilitation technology called functional electrical stimulation. FES applies small electrical pulses to paralyzed muscles, causing them to contract and relax. FES can improve strength in the legs of people with incomplete paraplegia. For complete paraplegics, FES can improve circulation, change bone density and reduce muscle atrophy.
The innovative nature of the Indego design led Popular Mechanics to name Goldfarb one of its "Ten Innovators Who Changed The World" in 2013.
Beginning this summer, Goldfarb will head a four-year U.S. Department of Defense-funded study of the tangible economic and rehabilitation benefits of exoskeletons for people with spinal cord injuries. This will be performed at three medical centers: James Haley Veteran's Hospital in Tampa (the first VA center in the country to use Indego), the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and the Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
People who use wheelchairs regularly can develop serious problems with their urinary, respiratory, cardiovascular and digestive systems, as well as getting osteoporosis, pressure sores, blood clots and other afflictions associated with lack of mobility. The risk for developing these conditions can be reduced considerably by regularly standing, moving and exercising their lower limbs. The study, which will involve 24 participants, is designed to determine whether regular use of the Indego will also reduce these conditions. Indego has been available in Europe since November, when it received the CE Mark, the European Union's equivalent of FDA approval. The initial price is $80,000.
The next step is getting the device approved for health insurance reimbursement. This involves getting the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to approve a "rate code" for the exoskeleton: a numeric code that identifies the characteristics of patients who Medicare/Medicaid will reimburse for purchasing a given piece of medical equipment. Typically, the government will reimburse 80 percent of the cost of approved medical devices. In most cases private health insurance providers adopt the CMS code.And you thought your landlords were terrible...
San Francisco couple Kip and Nicole Macy were sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison and labeled the "landlords from hell" for waging what could only be described as a campaign of terror.
"The actions of these defendants are so outlandish and brazen that it sounds like the plot line of a horror movie," said San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón in a statement announcing the couple's sentencing on Wednesday.
The Macys, both in their 30s, pleaded guilty to felony counts of residential burglary, stalking and attempted grand theft stemming from their efforts to evict tenants from an apartment building on Clementina Street in San Francisco's South of Market district.
According to court documents, the saga all started in 2005 when the Macys purchased a residential apartment building that still had five tenants living it--five tenants the couple wanted gone.
By August of the following year, the couple and one of the tenants were engaged in litigation against each other. Mrs. Macy created a fraudulent email account and, pretending to be the tenant, sent an email to the tenant's lawyer saying his services were no longer needed. She later sent another email threatening to kidnap and dismember the lawyer's children in an effort to make the tenant look unstable.
The next month, the couple cut holes in the floor of one of the building's units with a power saw while the occupant was at home. Mrs. Macy reportedly cut through a beam--the very beam identified by a Department of Building Inspection official when she inquired which beam would need to be cut in order to deem the building unsafe--in an effort to force all the tenants to move out.
The following year, Mr. Macy threatened the building manager with a semi-automatic weapon, changed the locks on all the apartments without warning, stole items (including $1,800) from one of their tenants' apartments, mailed death threats, kicked one of their tenants in the ribs, drenched one of their victims clothes, bedding and electronics in ammonia, falsely reported a robbery at one of the apartments, cut off all utilities and once ordered the apartment windows to be boarded up from the outside (also while the occupant was at home).
The Macys were arrested in April of 2008, posted a combined total of half a million dollars bail and then fled the country.
In a personal blog that appears to belong to Mr. Macy, the fugitive explained the reasoning behind running away in the form of an open letter to San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi.
"Lacking the deep pockets to provide a balanced viewpoint and accountability in the court we had little choice but to leave after having watched the judges break the law one too many times," he wrote.
They were apprehended in Italy last year and brought back to the United States for trial. This time their bail was set at $2 million each.
"This case shows you cannot flee this country and avoid the consequences of your actions," said Gascón. "These defendants will be held fully accountable for their crimes."Signup to receive a daily roundup of the top LGBT+ news stories from around the world
The image delighted LGBT sports fans across the globe.
Spanish Olympic figure skater Javier Raya came out publicly as gay with in a cute picture of him kissing his boyfriend.
The 25-year-old pro athlete shared the photo on his Instagram, delighting fans worldwide.
“Many of you know, others can imagine by the pictures and others will be surprised, but I have to say that right now I feel like the luckiest person in the world! Thank you @nicholsondrew.”
Raya competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and placed 25th.
He is the second Spanish Olympic athlete to have come out recently.
Last month, water polo star Víctor Gutiérrez came out before heading to the Rio Olympics.
“My family knows I’m gay, my friends too. And I’m living in such a positive way with my sexuality that I felt a responsibility to share it with others,” Gutiérrez said.
“There have been more than 70 homophobic attacks in Madrid so far this year,” he added.
“It is a reality that we live in. And there are almost no athletes who are out of the closet. But in my experience, people have changed.”
Meanwhile, Spain’s first openly gay referee quit football, insisting he “cannot take any more”.
Jesús Tomillero took the decision after he was subjected to a torrent of abuse following his decision to give a penalty during a match between Portuense and San Fernando Isleño.OpenGL in Qt 5.1 – Part 2
This article continues our series on what is new in Qt 5.1 with respect to OpenGL. The first installment can be found here.
Vertex Array Objects
Qt has QOpenGLBuffer (and before that QGLBuffer) to help manage various types of OpenGL buffer objects such as per-vertex attribute data and element index buffers. OpenGL also has a simple related container type call Vertex Array Objects (VAOs) to help with managing sets of vertex buffer objects.
KDAB has added code to Qt 5.1 that encapsulates VAOs with the QOpenGLVertexArrayObject class. Binding an instance of this class causes OpenGL to “remember” any vertex specification state that you then set up. We can later restore this vertex specification state very quickly by simply re-binding the VAO itself. This allows us to very rapidly switch between vertex states for “objects” that we wish to draw in our rendering function:
void Scene::initialize() { // Assumes we have a current QOpenGLContext and that // m_shaderProgram is a QOpenGLShaderProgram // Create VAO for first object to render m_vao1 = new QOpenGLVertexArrayObject( this ); m_vao1->create(); m_vao1->bind(); // Setup VBOs and IBO (use QOpenGLBuffer to buffer data, // specify format, usage hint etc). These will be // remembered by the currently bound VAO m_positionBuffer.create(); m_positionBuffer.setUsagePattern( QOpenGLBuffer::StreamDraw ); m_positionBuffer.bind(); m_positionBuffer.allocate( positionData, vertexCount * 3 * sizeof( float ) ); m_shaderProgram.enableAttributeArray( "vertexPosition" ); m_shaderProgram.setAttributeBuffer( "vertexPosition", GL_FLOAT, 0, 3 ); m_colorBuffer.create(); m_colorBuffer.setUsagePattern( QOpenGLBuffer::StaticDraw ); m_colorBuffer.bind(); m_colorBuffer.allocate( colorData, vertexCount * 3 * sizeof( float ) ); m_shaderProgram.enableAttributeArray( "vertexColor" ); m_shaderProgram.setAttributeBuffer( "vertexColor", GL_FLOAT, 0, 3 ); // Repeat for buffers of normals, texture coordinates, // tangents,...... // Create VAO for second object to render m_vao2 = new QOpenGLVertexArrayObject( this ); m_vao2->create(); m_vao2->bind(); // Setup VBOs and IBO for next object... // Rinse and repeat for other objects m_skyBoxVAO = new QOpenGLVertexArrayObject( this );... } void Scene::render() { // Clear buffers m_funcs->glClear( GL_COLOR_BUFFER_BIT | GL_DEPTH_BUFFER_BIT ); // Bind shader program, textures for first set of objects m_phongShaderProgram->bind();... // Switch to the vertex data for first object and draw it m_vao1->bind(); m_funcs->glDrawElements(...); // Switch to the vertex data for second object and draw it m_vao2->bind(); m_funcs->glDrawElements(...); // Maybe change shader program, textures etc // and draw other objects m_skyboxShaderProgram->bind();... m_skyboxVAO->bind(); m_funcs->glDrawElements(...);... }
VAOs were introduced with OpenGL 3 but are required for OpenGL 3.1 and for OpenGL >=3.2 with the Core profile. In addition, VAOs are available via the GL_ARB_vertex_array_object or GL_OES_vertex_array_object extensions on OpenGL 2 and OpenGL ES 2 respectively. The QOpenGLVertexArrayObject will use the core feature if available or fall-back to the appropriate extension if available.
The use of VAOs can greatly simplify your rendering code and make it faster due to the OpenGL driver having to potentially do less sanity checking than if doing more buffer operations.
Read Part 3…Full disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.?
My friend Maneesh Sethi spent five years travel hacking his way around the world, learning Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and German along the way. Now Maneesh has launched the Pavlok, a wearable device that uses electric shock to help you change your habits. It’s a device I see so much potential for that I was even an early investor in it!
Today, I’ve invited one of Maneesh’s team, Michael, to share a unique language hack based on the science of learning.
Here’s Michael…
Very few language hacks are developed in a laboratory.
Yet there is one hack so powerful that it took a whole team of scientists to uncover…
They had fancy equipment, an institutional budget and decades of experience between them. And it turns out you can replicate their results at home.
All you need to get started is some flash cards, your two fingers and the step-by-step |
955 ft). See also Australian Universities' Expedition (section 2, page 4).
Citations
BibliographyWith the imminent release of Windows Server 2016, due to be launched some time in September with its new per-core licensing, Microsoft is making a concerted effort to win over VMware users and get them to switch to Hyper-V.
Accordingly, the company is running a time-limited promotion: switch from VMware to Hyper-V and the company will give you "free" licenses to Windows Server Datacenter. The catch is that you'll need to buy a Software Assurance subscription, too, so it's not really free. But it should save some of the costs of migrating.
To help persuade companies to switch, Microsoft has offered a TCO calculator to show off the big savings (Microsoft hopes) that can be had from making the switch.
The company is offering a similar promotion for companies that are willing to switch from Oracle to SQL Server 2016; "free" licenses with purchase of Software Assurance.
That Microsoft is gunning for VMware customers is no big surprise; VMware is the market leader here, with Hyper-V a relative latecomer to the scene. VMware is still a leader in Gartner's magic quadrants, but Hyper-V is moving up and to the right, signaling to CTOs and other executives that Hyper-V is an increasingly capable platform. With new platform-level features in Windows Server 2016, such as Storage Spaces Direct (a new system for creating clustered, resilient storage volumes across both SSDs and spinning disks) and Shielded Virtual Machines (that offer some protection to a VM even if the host is compromised), Microsoft is trying to push Hyper-V's capabilities further to make it scale better and be easier to manage.
But this is a more aggressive push than we've seen in the past. Large companies have always been able to negotiate pricing discounts, but this is rather different; as a blanket offering, it takes out negotiation and discounts. Hyper-V's market share has been steadily encroaching on VMware's for a number of years; this promotion should help further close that gap, perhaps even putting Hyper-V on a path to overtaking the dominant incumbent.Tonight on The Project between burger talk and Hanson, Jesse Mulligan addressed a savage monologue to the Prime Minister of New Zealand. Here it is, transcribed for your eyes.
I saw something on Twitter from the Prime Minister. I know what you’re thinking – historically, Bill English’s Twitter account has not been a very reliable source. But I happen to know Bill English said this one, because he was quoting himself from a speech he made at this weekend’s party conference:
I immediately thought ‘well there’s something not right about that’, and not just because it sounds like a slogan for Domino’s pizza. What made me really think about it was when someone put Bill English’s tweet next to a tweet from Jackie Clark.
Jackie’s been on our show before. She helps out homeless people and she helps out women escaping violent relationships. Her tweet was asking if anyone in Auckland could help out with sleeping bags for three people she knows who are going to be sleeping behind a church tonight. So I know for a fact the government isn’t delivering for those three people – Antoinette, Ray and Joseph.
And I’m sort of confident that most of those 4000 New Zealanders living on the street would say that they don’t think that the government is delivering for them either. Then I remembered a graph I’d seen in The Economist that said we’re now the worst country in the OECD for housing affordability. I thought, ‘if I was looking for my first home right now, and I found out that I would literally be better off in any other country in the Western world, I reckon I’d be a bit sceptical about whether the National government was delivering for me, too’.
And how about the parents of teenagers who have killed themselves this year? How would they feel reading that tweet? You don’t need me to tell you that New Zealand has one of the worst youth suicide rates in the world. And by the way, in case you think I’m taking sides here, let me just mention the Labour party’s massive Facebook blunder last week, where they tried to link the suicide rate to rising immigration. Anyway, that’s a rant for another time.
Let’s get back to that tweet. Respectfully, I would say to the Prime Minister tonight: if you want to stand up at your party conference and talk about your successes, then talk about economic growth, talk about the surplus, talk about the number of tourists who want to come here and the number of migrants who want to stay here. Talk about unemployment being low and exports being high, how our Sauvignon Blanc is the best in the world and how Peter Burling is an absolute legend.
But don’t say this government is delivering for all New Zealanders, when what you mean is that it’s delivering for all New Zealanders except the poor, the homeless, the first home buyers, the people suffering depression and mental illness and the one hundred young New Zealanders who take their lives each year.
But of course, that’s a bit long for a tweet.
The Project airs on Three, 7pm every weeknight
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This content, like all television coverage we do at The Spinoff, is brought to you thanks to the excellent folk at Lightbox. Do us and yourself a favour by clicking here to start a FREE 30 day trial of this truly wonderful service.House Speaker Paul Ryan (above) said Zack Roday has been "an integral part of Team Ryan for nearly two years." | John Shinkle/POLITICO Republican AGs hire Ryan operative for 2018 buildup
The organization dedicated to electing Republican attorneys general is expanding in preparation for a huge slate of 2018 elections for the influential state positions.
Zack Roday, who has been the press secretary and spokesman for House Speaker Paul Ryan’s political operation, will become the Republican Attorneys General Association's first-ever communications director. The group is looking to protect and even grow the GOP’s foothold in the offices, which play a key consumer protection role and have the ability to derail presidential policy in court — and have often been stepping stones for future senators and governors.
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There will be 31 state attorney general elections around the country over the next year. Republicans currently hold a majority of the prosecutor roles, and RAGA will take an even bigger role in the next year's campaigns by attacking sitting Democratic attorneys general for the first time, after years of informal agreement between the parties to work only in open-seat races.
The first clash comes next month in Virginia, where Democratic Attorney General Mark Herring is running for a second term. RAGA has transferred $1.15 million to the campaign of Herring’s Republican opponent, John Adams, accounting for nearly half of Adams’ reported fundraising.
Roday will help Republican attorney general candidates set strategy and campaign messages in the 2017 and 2018 elections, when the Democratic Attorneys General Association is also expected to go after GOP incumbents for the first time.
“This is another way for us to take the organization’s sophistication to another level,” said RAGA Executive Director Scott Will. “We have the Virginia attorney general race we’re heavily invested in, but beyond that, it’s just a really massive election cycle. It’s critical for every office but particularly attorney general — so many states have races and we’ve seen steady growth in the number of Republican AGs nationally.”
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“Zack has been an integral part of Team Ryan for nearly two years. He helped me win re-election in Wisconsin and helped House Republicans defend the majority in 2016,” Ryan said in a statement. “The Republican Attorneys General Association is getting a talented and dedicated operative.”
State attorneys general form a key part of both parties’ political benches — “AG” stands not only for attorney general but for “almost governor,” the old joke goes. There are plenty of aspiring senators, too: Already this year, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey has announced a Senate run and Missouri’s Josh Hawley has formed an exploratory committee. Michigan’s Bill Schuette, South Dakota’s Marty Jackley and Ohio’s Mike DeWine are all running for governor — with Nevada’s Adam Laxalt expected to jump into the governor’s race in his state on Monday.
Among Democrats, Maine’s Janet Mills is running for governor, while Minnesota’s Lori Swanson is considering it. And several Democratic attorneys general have earned unusually high national profiles this year while fighting President Donald Trump’s administration in court, as did Republicans fighting former President Barack Obama in years past.
Both parties even see electing attorneys general now as a piece of long-term strategy that will become important during the next round of congressional redistricting, after the 2020 census. Some states will have to defend their new maps against court challenges.
The Democratic Attorneys General Association is also aiming to grow its footprint across the country in next year’s elections, with a budget of $10 million to $15 million. The Democratic group raised just under $3 million in the first half of 2017, while RAGA, which has traditionally been better-funded, brought in over $7.3 million.
“RAGA is a great organization with a big bench of talented AGs and candidates, so I’m excited to get to work,” Roday said.When Henry Voight designed the United States’ first copper coin in 1793, critics slammed the design.
“The American cents…do not answer our expectations,” wrote one journalist. “The chain on the reverse is a bad omen for liberty, and Liberty herself appears to be in a fright.”
The public joined in the penny pile-on. One critique: Lady Liberty’s casual locks signified madness or savagery. Another: the penny’s chain motif—intended to represent the interconnectedness of the founding colonies—reminded many Americans of the bonds of slavery.
The “chain cent” may have been unpopular in its own day, but last week, a single specimen sold for $2.3 million at a Florida auction, the latest in a series of high-profile coin sales that reflect all-time highs for the market. Coin World estimates that the 2014 market for coin sales was worth around $5 billion and listed 12 sales of more than $1 million. That included the $4.5 million purchase of a 1787 Brasher Doubloon and a Liberty Head nickel from 1913 that went for nearly $3.3 million.
These sales represent a new trend in the coin-collecting world. “15 years ago, a million-dollar coin was basically unheard of,” says Vicken Yegparian, who specializes in colonial and Confederate coins for Stack’s Bowers Galleries, told CNN Money. “Now a million-dollar coin is not commonplace, but not as big a deal as it was.”
Yegparian says that new collectors are one force driving the price of old coins to new highs—there's growing interest in coin collecting in emerging markets. And there are few big sales coming later this year: Sotheby’s and Stack’s Bowers will be selling off a stack of numismatic rarities, including “The King of American Coins,” an 1804 silver dollar so prized that the last specimen for sale garnered over $3.8 million.U.S., Russia Agree To Syrian Cease-Fire
Enlarge this image toggle caption Evan Vucci/AP Evan Vucci/AP
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has confirmed that the United States and Russia have agreed to a cease-fire in southwestern Syria.
Tillerson — speaking to the press following a much-anticipated 2 1/2 hour meeting between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin — said the agreement was set to take effect on Sunday. Jordan and Israel are also part of the deal, the Associated Press reports, quoting an unnamed U.S. official.
The secretary of state told reporters that although Washington and Moscow have had conflicting views on Syria in the past, that Russia has "an interest in seeing the Mideast nation become a stable place."
According to the AP, the deal is separate from "de-escalation zones" that were part of an agreement among Russia, Turkey and Iran earlier this year that did not include the United States.
The AP writes: "Earlier in the week, Syria's military had said it was halting combat operations in the south of Syria for four days, in advance of a new round of Russia-sponsored talks in Astana [Kazakhstan]. That move covered [the] southern provinces of Daraa, Quneitra and Sweida. Syria's government briefly extended that unilateral cease-fire, which is now set to expire Saturday - a day before the U.S. and Russian deal would take effect."
Tillerson added that Washington "sees no long-term role" for the family of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
The latest cease-fire would be the fifth such attempt among various combatants since last year.
-- A cease-fire that went into effect in February 2016 involved the United States and Russia. A month later, Putin announced that Russia was pulling out of the deal amid a major Moscow-backed push by Syrian-government forces to retake territory captured by the Islamic State.
-- In September, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and then-U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry announced a similar truce, but it quickly disintegrated.
-- On Dec. 28, Turkey and Russia agreed to a cease-fire. It immediately began to unravel despite commitments to honor it as late as March of this year.
-- In May, Russia, Iran and Turkey signed an agreement in Astana to create "de-escalation" zones, which have enjoyed some limited success. But many groups, including Syrian Kurdish forces, have declined to respect the agreement.
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the conflict has killed nearly a half-million people and displaced millions more.Transcript for Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton Share Stage in Iowa
We'll switch gears to the race for the white house. Your choice, your vote and the unexpected twist for Hillary Clinton. Many people thought her run for the democratic nomination would be a cakewalk but there she was in Iowa overnight sharing the stage for the first time with Bernie sanders, the socialist senator from Vermont who is generating surprisingly robust crowds and excitement and Devin Dwyer is on the story from the white house. Reporter: Things starting to get interesting for democrats. Bernie sanders, Hillary Clinton, the other democratic candidates, as you said, on the stage together in Iowa side by side for the first time. They didn't go after each other by name but it's clear this nomination race is heating up. For democrats, it's finally a face-off. This country belongs to all of us. We are ready to win this election. Reporter: Overnight Hillary Clinton sharing the stage in Iowa for the first time with Bernie sanders, the socialist from Vermont who's been drawing huge crowds. We need a mass movement from coast to coast. I'm running for you. Reporter: Clinton the front runner meeting real competition in Iowa for the first time. Standing shoulder to shoulder with former governors martin O'Malley. Lincoln cave if I and former senator Jim Webb. Die-hard democrats are excited to size up their options. Hillary popular but 70% of democrats in the latest ap poll see her favorably, down 11 points since April. Thank you so much, Iowa. Reporter: The Clinton campaign announcing Friday it's buying its first TV ad time. Every day Americans need a champion. Reporter: Spending more than $7 million in the early primary states including nearly $4 million in Iowa. Bernie sanders hasn't announced a single major ad buy. There is nothing we cannot accomplish. Reporter: Today republicans are attending another Iowa cattle call too. 10 of the 15 candidates in the gop race con virgining on a summit with religious conservatives. Donald Trump who is on the cover of "The new Yorker" making a belly flop splash is near the front of the pack saying he expects to win Iowa. Now, Wisconsin governor Scott walker and former Florida governor Jeb bush also near the front of the pack there in Iowa. Almost all the 2016 candidates will be swarming the state this weekend. Those critical Iowa caucuses just about six months away, Dan and Paula. Full employment act for political reporters across the country. It's going to be a great race. Devin, thank you.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.The sun is the biggest source of renewable energy on the planet. Solar power doesn't use fossil fuels, and is a non-renewable energy source. As the price of fossil fuels and other non-renewable energy sources skyrocket, consumers are being forced to think about other sources of energy. This is why, over the years, Solar Energy has found its way into our homes, offices, gardens and streets; while protecting the planet and helping us to save a fortune on our electricity bills.
Furthermore, the recent innovations in Solid State Lighting technology have made it possible for the mass adoption of high-efficacy energy efficient LED luminaires in conventional lighting applications. When equipped with solar power, LED street lighting offers a unique solution to reduction in electricity bills for city councils and Solar LED street lighting applications comprise of 3 phases: energy collection (solar panels), energy storage and energy conversion. Solar Panels form the core element of the design which collects and converts solar energy into electric energy which is then stored into the Energy Storage devices (e.g. high energy density batteries) during the day. During the night, power is fed into the LED arrays from the batteries through a DC/DC converter circuitry (or DC/AC if power is to be fed back into the energy grid). The entire operation from charging to monitoring the entire system is controlled by an MCU that supports a higher number of I/O pins to receive external control signals.Today, we ran a story on Rutgers' uniforms and Mike Kuzniak, the man who played a part in designing them and their upkeep. Instead of sitting on some extra notes and details, they will find a home here instead.
-- It seems everyone has a different opinion on their favorite uniform. Leonte Carroo and Brandon Coleman like the all-black uniforms. Gary Nova likes the all-white ones and so does Kuzniak.
"It's just a real clean look," he said.
And Kyle Flood likes them all.
"My favorite program is the one we're wearing this Saturday," he said. "And if you ask me the question in a couple weeks I'll say the same thing. Whichever one we're wearing, that's my favorite."
-- Rutgers is the first to use a chrome helmet on a weekly basis. Oregon had used one in a bowl game. Hydro Graphics Inc. (HGI), the company that made the helmet, had never made one for a full season before and there was some mystery how it would last for 13 games.
-- On the topic of gloves that come together to form a school's logo, like this one, Kuzniak says "We don't have that for Rutgers yet. We're working on that." It's a Nike decision.
-- The decision on which uniform and helmet to wear involves several people. Obviously, Flood has a say in the matter. He also talks to Kuzniak and Director of Football Ops, Will Gilkison. The decision can come a few weeks before the game or, for blackout games, it can be made a year in advance to allow the program to plan for it and market it.
-- Flood on the changes he made to the uniform and what he wanted it to reflect: "Being a Rutgers football player is a very special opportunity and it's a very special part in the lives of our players and our coaches and I wanted the uniforms to reflect that. And I wanted the players to know how special it is to put that uniform on on Saturdays, whatever version it is – whether it's the scarlet, the white or the black. Putting FAMILY on the inside of it, I think that was just one more way to let them know that 'Hey, when I put that jersey on, it's really about more than just me, it's about our whole program."
-- Why does Kuzniak love his job? Because nothing beats standing on the sideline for a game as it gets tense. "There's not too many jobs that can make your heart from going normal to racing in a couple of minutes," he says.
-- Kuzniak on how many designs weren't used: "There were so many different jerseys and helmets and colors, I couldn't even tell you. It was a lot."
-- Rutgers has four different helmets and at least 200 of each.
-- The American flag helmet has a special place in Kuzniak's heart. As a former Marine, getting a chance to design that helmet, along with Gilkison, for a game against Army at Yankee Stadium on Veteran's Day weekend was special.
And so was the chrome helmet with the stars and stripes plume across the top.
"I'm a Marine so anytime we can do something like that, I love it," he said. "Once we got the chrome helmet, doing the Star-Spangled Banner stripe across the top was cool. I told my sticker guy what I was looking for and he came back with that. It was awesome. To me it's the nicest American flag helmet out there."
-- Flood had nothing but praise for Kuzniak.
"He cares about this program and he cares about our players on a personal level. And those are the kinds of people that you want in those roles. Because as the equipment manager he's going to touch the lives of our players every day.
Flood also added: "He is everything you would think a Marine to be. He is very meticulous. He is very orderly – uniform, so to speak. He does a great job making sure the players have everything."
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE UNIFORM AND HELMET?We've seen the preliminaries and now we have a fair idea who's good and who's not. So the time has come to rate the contenders and in this case I mean winning contenders only. We haven't bothered with the bunch of guy who could probably get a respectable top 5-10 in the right circumstances but only the ones that under some set of circumstances. Granted when we reach the bottom category, named for the man who has come to symbolize the extreme case of winning Flanders by pure dumb luck (and grinta), we are talking about pretty remote chances. But chances none the less.
Lion of Flanders Class
Peter Sagan
The worst thing about trying to predict performances from erratic and unpredictable riders is that they are erratic and unpredictable. When it comes to Peter Sagan who has been a top top rider for years now you would think we'd have a reasonable idea of what to expect for a race like Flanders but there is just no way of knowing who shows up on Sunday. Will it be the stone cold killer who was invisible until he needed not to be on the Kemmelberg and then finished with surgical precision in Gent-Wevelgem or will it be Uncle Fluffy from E3 who was flamboyant and impressive until he suddenly collapsed like a house of cards? My guess from early in the season has been that it will be the former but I just don't know.
Could it be that the team support that we rarely see much off is the deciding factor? If they save him energy and he has the sense to use them he is sharp in the finale, if they fall through and he decides to freelance his way through the race he pays for it in the end of a long race?
Fabian Cancellara
In Cancellara's case we know that he can win both with and without much support. Except for an ill timed mechanical his prep has been perfect even without a win under his belt. Wevelgem is a race he is never going to be a favorite to win and still he was up there in contention, beaten in the end by a better sprinter. Any way you look at it that bodes well for the Ronde. Except of course you think history will repeat itself exactly and he ends up sprinting against a fresh Peter Sagan but I have a feeling we all know that a frisky Fabian might find a way to avoid that kind of situation too on a course that favors him a lot more. The old geezer has one last shot at this, does anyone really think he isn't going to to take it?
Iron Briek Class
Greg van Avermaet
First off in the "I was puking from all ends but hopefully I'm better now"-club is old Greg, the most improved rider of the year. At least he was until he had to sit out E3 with illness. If fit he suddenly has the power to stay with the best and a sprint to match Sagan. Most importantly though he seems to be a more confident GVA who is still an aggressive attacking rider but one who has the patience to go on the attack later and at more dangerous stages in the races. His gamble in Nokere Koerse really deserved a better fate but it showed the new and improved BMC captain. Last year he was a "likely podium but never a winner" to me, this year he is quite obviously a likely winner.
Alexander Kristoff
Member number two of the recovering sicko club i last years winner and quite the opposite of GVA he really hasn't been looking improved from last year. Granted that would have been near impossible given how he raced last spring but still his record so far has been less than convincing. It's not that anyone doubts he is fast or strong but the deal with Kristoff has always been a fine balance of if he gets over the hills. A prime edition like we saw last year is almost unshakable but so far it more looks like we're seeing a Kristoff at 2013-14 powerlevels and that guy is going to struggle to win on Sunday, maybe he'll have more luck in Paris-Roubaix frankly. If he has a good prep-week and comes good by this weekend though the competition will have to work furiously to avoid a repeat performance from 2015.
Sep Vanmarcke
It looks like we're seeing a somewhat changed Sep this year. It's still a powerful rider but he looks a more waiting and perhaps a less confident rider? Or maybe less confident is the wrong wording "less eager to show his power" is perhaps a better description. Sep has so far been waiting much more for the races to come to him than before when he was boorishly committed to hammering the opposition into submission sooner rather than later, usually ending in some untimely flat or incident before anything came of all his spent energy.
This years Sep looks perhaps a level below the very best power wise so far but he is very much there or thereabouts. If all the pieces fall in place for him he could be the winner, especially since he has a better than expected sprint if he comes to Oudenaarde reasonably fresh.
Michal Kwiatkowski
You win E3 as convincingly as Kwiat did, you go on the list it's as simple as that.Granted winning E3 is no guarantee for a result a week later but the ease he sat with the best combined with the power of his attack and the short work he made of Sagan points to a guy who found the perfect shape at just the right time. The new Sky recruit hasn't really impressed anywhere this year until he lined up in Harelbeke and suddenly everything clicked and we were seeing the old World Champ back to his best. And that guy is fully capable of winning De Ronde.
Keizer Rik Class
Ian Stannard
I know we're supposed to be feeling the love for Stannard but I just don't really get that golden vibe. The guy is strong, a bit of a low profile version of Sep Vanmarcke without the weight of a nations expectations on his shoulders, but I just can't see to many likely scenarios where he can win Flanders on this course. He is too high profile to be allowed to sneak off in some group that gets to much of a leash and if he gets in a group that manages to ride off on pure power I just don't see he ever gets to pull off a repeat performance of his latest Omloop win. Add in a little illness in the last few days and you have another "better luck in Roubaix"-guy.
Geraint Thomas
You're going to make me write about this bum again aren't you? Well I'm not doing it. He could win. He won't, because he's a dummy. And that's all I have to say about that. Tour de France?.............psssshhh
Niki Terpstra
Niki the Workhorse seems to be the theme this season and if that continues this is a waste of writing. But there has to come a point where either Etixx luck or their gameplan changes. If it does and Niki is released to do what he has done so well for years then of course he is a threat. In fact, starting to throw Terpstra into the action earlier before they are forced into using him as a defensive workhorse may just be the ticket to dig themselves out of the hole they're in. He's done a lot of work for nought but he has still looked strong at critical points in the races. If he saved a little and allowed to play an offensive role they may get more value out of him.
Tom Boonen
Here's another dilemma. Clearly Boonen isn't in bad shape, he is right up there at the important points in the races. Problem is he isn't matching the 3-4 best up the bergs at the decisive moments and that automatically puts him out of contention in Flanders. On the old course I wouldn't have dismissed him because there was alway a good chance race-smarts might overcome pure watts but we don't really see that happening now. Terpstra and Kristoff sliding of the front last year was as close as we've come to a tactical victory in Oudenaarde and even that was a case of the strongest riders getting away and staying away. My guess is we see Boonen make a valiant and ultimately fruitless attempt on Koppenberg or Taaienberg and the big boys fly past him when they decide to go full gas last time on the Kwaremont.
Zdenek Stybar
The international sign for "get your ass in gear" in cycling is when Patrick Lefevere goes in the press and says "he has to think about if he really has what it takes to be the captain right now". For Stybar it has been a disappointing trajectory from world beater in the making by Strade Bianche to the guy who comes up ever so short when the shit hits the fan in the Flanders races. His biggest objectives are still ahead of course but it will take a heck of an improvement to make him a winner because this guy isn't getting anything for free from the other bigs. And now he is feeling the heat that comes with carrying the weight of expectations on this team too. It could either set him on fire or burn him up.
Peter van Petegem Class
Tiesj Benoot
Is it Ok for me to squeal with enthusiastic anticipation now? Or should I wait until Saturday night? Oh the hell with it, he's going to with the whole damn thing isn't he?
Jurgen Roelandts
How someone goes from so impressive on Taaienberg to just disappearing on the Paterberg in E3 I do not know but for Roelandts it was a worrying sign. The Taaienberg / Sanremo Roelandts was looking like a very hot candidate for Flanders but if that backproblem that he talked of after the race wasn't a very temporary thing then Lotto will be severely diminished. Jens Debusschere has had to give up Flanders and Roubaix due to injuries to his vertebrae from his crash last weekend and if Roelandts isn't 100% then they are left with "just" Tiesj Benoot. A fresh Roelandts on the same kind of day he was at in Sanremo would be a sight to see though on Sunday. He may be one of the few capable of really throwing a spanner in the works for guys like Cancellara.
Luke Rowe
You remember Luke Rowe right? He's the one on Sky actually riding classics, and doing it well, when the rest of the gang is sitting on Teide leafing through their Miguel Indurain biographies and sucking in their guts in front of the mirror and wondering if they could pull off that sweet sideburns-look that Sir Bradley Wiggins always looked so cool in? All of that will probably matter nought once the race is on and the team royalty demand service and plenty of water bottles until they unexpectedly fall over on some straight, wide road 60 km from the finish. Ah well, better luck in Roubaix.
Lars Boom
In our continuing effort to overrate Lars Boom I here present him in a higher category of favorites than any kind of rational thought would merit. But he has been stealthily solid so far and I'd hate to break with a fine tradition. Anyways we can talk about Boom for real next week when there's a race he has a realistic chance to actually win.
Jacky Durand Class
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Eddy Boss is basically just a younger version of Tom Boonen in this write-up. Strong but just not quite strong enough to go with the best when it matters most. Otherwise he has been racing a tremendous string of races with very few wrong moves. To win though it's going to take as brave a gamble as he took coming off the Poggio in Sanremo. And he needs to be able to finish it off this time too.
Jasper Stuyven
This is the guy who has been looking at videos of Stijn Devolder winning RvV ever since the day after his Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, because that is the only way he wins this race. Except in his case it will likely have to be covering an early move, not striking out on his own, I'm pretty sure King Fabian will have none of that. Also they took the Eikenmolen out of the course years ago.
Filippo Pozzato
Token mention.
Edward Theuns
Pretty much the same story as for Stuyven except Stuyven has been looking better so far this year. In a group at the end though you'd probably want to have your money on Theuns.
Stijn Vandenbergh
I wish Stijn was higher on the list but in seriousness it is more of a courtesy listing him at this point. I honestly don't know if his qualities have been a bit wasted on Etixx or if he has gotten more mileage out of a limited skillset than he would have on other teams? It may be a little of both. At this point he has really worked up to a big win but i am getting increasingly skeptical if it will ever happen. On Sunday it would have t be as part of some bigger tactical play by Etixx and I don't know if they have it in them at this point.Low-emissivity glass used in modern homes and apartments could become an impediment to delivering 5G connectivity to users indoors, Light Reading hears.
US carriers are currently testing "millimeter wave" radios for use in fixed and mobile 5G services. Light Reading has now been told that the 28GHz radios have trouble penetrating low-emissivity (low-e) glass, which is designed to insulate the home while cutting UV rays from the sun.
Low-e glass works by using an extremely thin metal-oxide coating on the window. Other window designs also use gas fillings and reflective coatings for better energy efficiency.
Multiple people have confirmed to Light Reading that low-e glass nearly completely blocks mmWave 5G signals. The lower-band cellular signals used today -- from 800MHz to 2.5GHz in the US -- are much better at penetrating common building materials, albeit by no means perfect.
In the US, AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) and Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) are already conducting field tests with 28GHz radios. Both carriers are aiming to deploy commercial fixed wireless, likely in 2018, with initial mobile 5G services to follow in 2019-2020.
Fixed wireless services had been expected to use a 5G radio -- delivering around 1-Gbit/s downloads -- self-installed by the user, via a unit that sits in the window of the domicile. This approach would reduce costs for the carrier versus cable -- as it means they don't have to run fiber to the home -- as long as the signal can get into the home.
Some trials have apparently boosted the mmWave signal to try and improve test performance, but the FCC has strict limits written into radio test licenses. NYU Wireless, meanwhile, is working on more tests and research into beam steering and being able to look for other reflective paths if the line-of-sight path is blocked.
The simplest solution, however, would be to mount the 5G antenna outside the house, run power to that box and then use a WiFi router to distribute the connectivity indoors.
This would get ambitious as a self-install project for users, particularly as they would need to get the best line-of-sight signal while clambering around the roof of their home, assuming they even have access to the roof. This then starts to cut into 5G's cost advantage over a fiber deployment, one of its selling points for both carrier -- and presumably -- the end user.
We've asked AT&T, Verizon and a 5G startup, Phazr, for comment on the e-glass issue. We'll update the story if they come back with new details.
— Dan Jones, Mobile Editor, Light ReadingA Maricopa County Superior Court judge has dismissed more than 1,000 lawsuits filed by the controversial group Advocates for Individuals with Disabilities.
The unexpected decision was delivered by Judge David Talamante from the bench at a hearing on Friday.
FULL COVERAGE: Cash for Compliance?
It caps a months-long legal battle between Advocates for Individuals with Disabilities (AID) and the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, which intervened in all of AID’s open cases because of an ABC15 investigation.
“Arizona is not going to tolerate serial litigators who try to shake down small hardworking businesses by exploiting the disability community,” said Attorney General Mark Brnovich in a prepared statement. “Today’s ruling is a victory for the rule of law.”
AID’s lead attorney, Peter Strojnik, declined to answer several questions after the hearing. He called a reporter “a liar” and said he doesn’t talk to “fake news outlets.”
ABC15 has been investigating AID for months.
Last year, the station exposed AID had sued 1,700 businesses and initially demanded |
have sued the city to have the requirement ended, but have so far been unsuccessful in court.
A Satmar faction announced during the mayoral election that de Blasio had promised to remove the requirement in exchange for their votes – a claim de Blasio later said was false, even though it was made in English on a public address system in front of hundreds of hasidim by a leader of that Satmar faction who was standing only five feet from de Blasio when he made it.Stanford researchers have rigged an old DeLorean to drive itself—and drift.
At this point, the DeLorean can do “fairly perfect” drifts in circles around a cone, says Jon Goh, a PhD student who’s led the project.
The longterm goal of the research is to make a car that can handle all kinds of extreme situations, even if that means drifting to avoid an obstacle, or recovering after hitting black ice.
The team is part of Stanford's car-focused Revs Center.
The researchers started working on this project in May 2013, when they bought a decent condition DeLorean for $22,000 from a guy in Sausalito who was using it as a daily driver.
In a nod to Back to the Future, they called their DeLorean MARTY: the Multiple Actuator Research Test bed for Yaw control.
The team had to make lots of upgrades to the 1980s car.
They installed their own power steering motor, steer by wire system, and steering rack, allowing the wheels more freedom to turn.
They upgraded the suspension with coil springs
And they added a roll cage for safety and to add structural rigidity. Helmets are still a good idea.
They partnered with Renovo to use the Silicon Valley electric car startup’s drivetrain platform: Each rear wheel gets a dedicated motor, so power can be sent exactly where it’s needed.
Bridgestone is a project sponsor, so Stanford doesn’t have to dip into its endowment to pay for all the tires the car destroys.
The DeLorean’s equipped with a GPS system to measure its position and inertial sensors to detect movement, but not radar or LIDaR sensors.
So far, the car hasn't crashed, the team says. It’s tested on a skid pad, where it’s hard to cause damage.
The car's software builds on Stanford’s voluminous research into autonomous driving.
The team found inspiration in rally drivers, who commonly sacrifice stability for controllability.
Most human drivers don’t know how to do that, but there’s no reason self-driving cars shouldn’t be able to make the same tradeoff if it’s the best way to get out of a dangerous spot.Football Association chairman Greg Dyke has insisted: "Sepp Blatter has to go as FIFA president."
Dyke's comments came after FIFA endured the darkest day in its scandal-strewn history as US investigators blew the lid on "rampant, systemic, and deep-rooted" corruption.
Dyke told Press Association Sport: "Blatter has put out a statement saying now is the time to start rebuilding the trust in FIFA. There is no way of rebuilding trust in FIFA while Sepp Blatter is still there.
"Sepp Blatter has to go. He either has to go through a resignation, or he has to be out-voted or we have to find a third way.
"I think the time has come where the damage this has done to FIFA is so great that it can't be rebuilt while Blatter is there so UEFA has got to try to force him out."
Football's world governing body was plunged into crisis after a wave of arrests of football officials including two FIFA vice presidents in Zurich on Wednesday on bribery, fraud and money laundering charges following an FBI investigation.
The U.S. Department of Justice indictment of 18 people said bribes totalling more than $150 million (£98 million) had been paid for television rights, sponsorship deals and World Cup votes. The crisis led UEFA to call for Friday's FIFA presidential election to be postponed and the European body questioned whether its 53 voting associations should even attend the Congress.
In a separate development, the Swiss attorney general also opened criminal proceedings over the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, seized documents and electronic data from FIFA's headquarters and will question 10 current FIFA executive committee members who voted on that tournament.
UEFA's statement has intensified the pressure on Blatter, but the world governing body has said the election will take place as planned.
The arrests began at 6 a.m. as Swiss police swooped on the five-star hotel used by FIFA executives and arrested seven officials including Jeffrey Webb, a FIFA vice president from the Cayman Islands who holds a British passport. Another FIFA vice president, Eugenio Figueredo from Uruguay, was also arrested and Swiss officials said six of the seven are contesting extradition proceedings to the United States to answer indictments.
U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch said: "The indictment alleges corruption that is rampant, systemic, and deep-rooted both abroad and in the US.
"It spans at least two generations of soccer officials who, as alleged, abused their positions of trust to acquire millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks."
FBI director James Comey added: "As charged in the indictment, the defendants fostered a culture of corruption and greed that created an uneven playing field for the biggest sport in the world. Undisclosed and illegal payments, kickbacks, and bribes became a way of doing business at FIFA."
The indictments implicate South Africa in paying $10 million to disgraced former FIFA vice president Jack Warner from Trinidad for votes to host the 2010 World Cup -- with the money being channelled through a FIFA bank account authorised by an unnamed high-ranking FIFA official.
It also alleges corruption and bribery extended to the 2011 FIFA presidential election, and to agreements regarding sponsorship of the Brazilian national team by a major U.S. sportswear company. Nike has sponsored Brazil since 1996 and said it opposes bribery and is cooperating with the authorities.
A warrant was issued for Warner's arrest in Trinidad and he is facing an extradition hearing to the United States. His two sons have pleaded guilty to corruption charges, while Chuck Blazer, who is believed to have provided much of the evidence to the FBI, has admitted 10 charges.
Warner later handed himself into authorities in Trinidad and was released on 2.5 million U.S. dollars bail pending an extradition hearing, according to a statement from Trinidad's attorney general.
UEFA said the events were "a disaster for FIFA" and called for a change of leadership. A statement added: "These events show, once again, that corruption is deeply rooted in FIFA's culture.
"The upcoming FIFA Congress risks turning into a farce and therefore the European associations will have to consider carefully if they should even attend this Congress and caution a system, which, if it is not stopped, will ultimately kill football.
"The members of the UEFA executive committee are convinced that there is a strong need for a change to the leadership of this FIFA and strongly believe that the FIFA Congress should be postponed, with new FIFA presidential elections to be organised within the next six months."
However, the Asian Football Confederation later issued a statement opposing any delay in the election.
FIFA reacted by provisionally suspending the 11 football officials among the 14 people indicted. Blatter issued a statement saying: "This is a difficult time for football, the fans and for FIFA as an organisation. We understand the disappointment that many have expressed and I know the events of today will impact the way in which many people view us.
"As unfortunate as these events are, it should be clear that we welcome the actions and the investigations by the U.S. and Swiss authorities and believe that it will help to reinforce measures that FIFA has already taken to root out any wrongdoing in football."Russian aircraft nearly confronted Israeli and Jordanian planes at the Syrian border, Jordanian King Abdullah II said in a debriefing to top member of the US Congress in January, news site Middle East Eye (MEE) reported on Friday.
Abdullah reportedly told the Americans that the Russians "were shocked and understood they cannot mess with us" upon encountering Jordanian and Israeli F-16 fighters.
The king also purportedly said that the incident led to attempts to tighten coordination. Jordan and Russian exchanged communications, while Abdullah met the head of Mossad, reported MEE. "We discussed an idea on how to keep the Russians in their place," the king reportedly told Congress members.
Abdullah allegedly stated that Jordan spoke "on behalf of Israel" in discussions with Russia.
According to MEE, the king also said he had warned the Russians that “one bullet across the agreed border in the south, all gloves are off.”
MEE further reported that Jordan sent special forces to participate in a covert action in Syria and that Abdullah had emphasized the importance of increasing coordination with Russia.
The news site on Friday reported a number of statements allegedly given by King Abdullah to the US in January, including that UK and Jordanian special forces were covertly fighting the Islamic State in Libya; that Iran exports weapons to unnamed African countries; that Turkey is sending terrorists to Europe as a matter of policy; and that UK and Jordanian special forces have been secretly working to battle militant groups in Somalia, particularly al Shabab.Last year was a good year for LG, both in terms of devices launched as well as sales figures. The LG G4, a leather-clad improvement over the LG G3 was of course the main attraction for LG last year. Not only was the Quad HD display much, much better-looking and the software toned down even further, but the camera was excellent in pretty much every way, including full-manual controls. LG seemed to think so as well, and they made the V10 pretty much around the G4's camera, while adding in even more modes and much better video-recording features. We reviewed the LG V10 last Fall and found it to be a pretty decent smartphone, especially if you want a phone that does it all with a touch of ruggedness about it.
Devices launch and sometimes they launch with bugs and little quirks, most of the time these are fixed close to release, and indeed this was the case with the V10. Some bugs keep on coming back or just refuse to go away, and so Verizon is sending customers on their network with a V10 a bug fix update this week to quash some left over nasties. There's not too much to write home about here, but if you're a user of QRemote to keep your devices controlled from your phone, you'll be happy to hear this no longer crashes when used from the notification tray. The contacts app has also seen some fixes as has dual window mode. The new software version is VS99011B and for a look at everything it has to offer, users can take a look at the shot below as well as the source link for instructions straight from Verizon.
Device updates are never all that much fun, but if you were experience a bug like one of the above, then Verizon has come along and fixed these for you, at long last. Those interested in LG's new offerings can take a look at our hands-on with the new K-Series of smartphones here, and for more CES 2016 new keep on coming back for hands-on and more.Tony and Grammy Award winner Patti LuPone reportedly grabbed a smartphone out of the hands of a woman who was texting during LuPone's performance of Shows for Days at the New York City-based Lincoln Center on Wednesday night.
According to several audience members, during the production's second act, LuPone delivered her exit line, and as she left the stage she took the phone from the offending texter, who was sitting near the stage right exit, two rows back. It's unclear if the phone was returned.
”Without breaking character, Patti LuPone snatched a rude woman's phone and walked offstage at Shows for Days tonight,” Arts and Entertainment writer Diane Snyder tweeted. Another audience member (@CatsPolitics on Twitter) replied, “Our whole row lost their minds. Best onstage reaction to cell phone idiocy I've ever seen. Viva La LuPone.”
LuPone has a reputation for bristling at technology brought into the theater and notably stopped a performance of Gypsy in 2008 in the middle of her song when she caught an audience member taking photos without permission, according to Playbill.
This morning, LuPone issued a statement railing against the texter's rude behavior:
We work hard on stage to create a world that is being totally destroyed by a few, rude, self-absorbed and inconsiderate audience members who are controlled by their phones. They cannot put them down. When a phone goes off or when a LED screen can be seen in the dark it ruins the experience for everyone else—the majority of the audience at that performance and the actors on stage. I am so defeated by this issue that I seriously question whether I want to work on stage anymore. Now I’m putting battle gear on over my costume to marshall the audience as well as perform.
The incident is the second this month to draw attention to rude cellphone behavior in theater settings. Last week, a man crawled onto a Broadway stage before a performance of a play called Hand to God and tried to plug his dying phone into a prop wall outlet (that, obviously, had no power). The man was escorted off the stage but was allowed to stay and keep his (probably dead) phone.…ahead of its release tomorrow.
1. It will ship with major realism flaws. Having spent a couple of days with the latest build of this painfully overdue Operation Star sequel, I’m now in a position to say with certainty that the Ukrainian devs have made no effort whatsoever to model incidental lubrication. Route a Tiger tank through a field of sunflowers and the Panzerkampfwagen VI will be squeaking just as loudly when it exits the field as when it enters it. Poor show, Graviteam. Poor show.
2. The choice of setting may leave you slightly disappointed. Graviteam’s Eastern Front obsession is completely natural, and guarantees realistic maps, authentic soldier expletives, and authoritative orders of battle but does risk alienating wargamers a little weary of rolling hills, thatched dachas, and endless T-34s. Watching Lend Lease tanks like the Stuart, Valentine and Matilda doing their thing I can’t help wishing the third/fourth instalment in this realism-heavy real-time* wargame series was subtitled Gazala or Kasserine Pass.
*Orders can be issued while paused. The strat layer is turnbased
And looking on as waves of Soviet infantry surge towards my trenchlines, I can’t help picturing Graviteam Tactics: Gaza-Beersheba.
3. Anticipate a little confusion in your first week. Tuition and documentation really aren’t Graviteam’s forte, and the reworked GUI is arguably just as elaborate/idiosyncratic as the old one. While newcomers should, with the help of a malnourished manual and a handful of tutorials, be able to grasp the basics of moving and fighting within an hour or two, elements of the campaign system and new tactical complexities like comms and command points could confound for days if not weeks. After around sixteen hours of campaigning I’m still a bit baffled by the artillery plotting system, the mechanics of reinforcing depleted platoons between battles, and the best way of using my little teams of battlefield telephone engineers. Roll on the launch and the inevitable flurry of ‘How do I…’ forum threads.
4. GT’s physics remain amazing. Graviteam started out making AFV sims, and that respect for mass and momentum has seeped into their wargames with mesmerising results. Tank deaths in Mius Front frequently warrant a few turns of the mousewheel. For every two or three landships that perish demurely, there’s usually one that hams it up outrageously, trundling on out of control after its crew have baled or died at their posts. Some haemorrhage blazing fuel during these terminal rambles. Some burn merrily after coming to rest, shaking their surroundings with secondary explosions long after the battle has moved on. A few even fake their own deaths, sitting quiet as tombs until the crews that abandoned them in panic summon up the courage to return.
Direct a heavyweight up a steep slope, or across a frail bridge or yawning anti-tank ditch, and the wonderful physics can change the whole course of a scrap. After a lazily plotted advance over difficult terrain, it’s not uncommon to find that you’ve got a missing AFV. Retracing the route you eventually locate the absentee writhing in a steep-sided gully or nose down in a trench. Sometimes a reverse order, direction change, or deft nudge from another vehicle will save the day. On other occasions, no amount of industry and ingenuity will rectify the situation.
5. GT’s ballistics still impress too. It’s impossible to hurry on to the next engagement in a campaign without first taking advantage of the ‘tour battlefield’ option. After a battle the multicoloured impact labels that fur the hulks of vehicles and guns like extraterrestrial hyphae, tell dramatic stories of survival, luck and loss. Ah, so it was an unspotted 45mm AT gun that eventually slew my last halftrack and it was my immobilised StuG not my Tiger that finally nailed that troublesome KV-1.
6. Very, very, few wargames offer a superior campaign experience. Dwarfing its friendly custom battle builder and random scrap generator (both of which utilize portions of the same seamless 140 square kilometre tract of Donets Basin terrain) the way a King Tiger dwarfs a Kettenrad, Mius Front’s campaign mode offers two sizeable summer 1943 operations each completely dynamic and playable as either the Germans or Soviets. Where other wargame studios rely on the skill of their scenario smiths to generate excitement and challenge, Graviteam rely wholly on an AI intent on seizing/holding strat-map Victory Locations and maintaining a viable front line.
Manoeuvres on the strat map generate complex tactical battles of delicious unpredictability and variety. Counter-attacks arrive from unexpected directions; villages change hands multiple times during the course of an op; the urge to push forward is constantly checked by the impulse to rest, protect flanks, and prevent pocketing. I adore Graviteam’s approach to campaigning even if I don’t currently fully understand all the new subtleties they’ve introduced in this instalment.
7. AI assaults feel more organised now. Yes, you’ll still see the CPU mounting frontal infantry attacks across open ground when an oblique forest-shrouded route might be more sensible but chances are he’ll be attempting to screen his push with lashings of smoke and support it with heavy weapons. He also seems less willing to send armour into areas where armour is vulnerable – trench networks, contested village interiors and the like.
Last night I waited for a logical counter-attack that never came and watched a few soldiers flee in a silly direction, but in the jaw-dropping maelstrom of a large-scale Mius Front engagement, behavioural oddities like these are very easy to overlook.
8. At times Graviteam Tactics: Mius Front will leave you speechless. There will be moments – I guarantee it – when the fury of battle will cause you to abandon high-altitude order issuing for a spell and WASD-wander the corpse- and hulk-strewn killing fields gawping at the unfolding human dramas all around. Other wargames recreate the patterns and tactical challenges of WW2 engagements superbly, but GT Mius Front also captures something of the spectacle, emotion, and madness of combat.
One of my most recent scraps involved an assault on a German-held hill necklaced by AT ditches and infantry trenches. The assault began in tracer-stitched darkness (night battles are optional but deactivate them and you miss out on some memorable clashes) and ended an unforgettable hour later in the pale light of early dawn. Drifts of blood-badged khaki corpses marked the avenues of my multi-pronged advance. A string of knocked-out KV-1s and Stuarts chronicled the struggle I’d had neutralising a pair of cunningly sited and carefully dug-in StuGs. I had my hill but my sense of triumph was mingled with trepidation (withstanding subsequent counterattacks would be tricky) and tinged with guilt.
* * * * *
This way to The FoxerClimate change is likely to drive migration from environmentally stressed areas. However quantifying short and long-term movements across large areas is challenging due to difficulties in the collection of highly spatially and temporally resolved human mobility data. In this study we use two datasets of individual mobility trajectories from six million de-identified mobile phone users in Bangladesh over three months and two years respectively. Using data collected during Cyclone Mahasen, which struck Bangladesh in May 2013, we show first how analyses based on mobile network data can describe important short-term features (hours–weeks) of human mobility during and after extreme weather events, which are extremely hard to quantify using standard survey based research. We then demonstrate how mobile data for the first time allow us to study the relationship between fundamental parameters of migration patterns on a national scale. We concurrently quantify incidence, direction, duration and seasonality of migration episodes in Bangladesh. While we show that changes in the incidence of migration episodes are highly correlated with changes in the duration of migration episodes, the correlation between in- and out-migration between areas is unexpectedly weak. The methodological framework described here provides an important addition to current methods in studies of human migration and climate change.The last time Tina Jackson and her husband Mike put a house up for sale, Saskatoon’s real estate market was “going crazy.”
Their home was viewed 12 times in the first three days before selling for above the asking price on the fourth day. Eight years later, the couple is now learning what it’s like to sell a house in a buyer’s market.
“Nothing. Nobody’s come to look at it … Nobody’s called. I’m not really sure (why),” Tina Jackson said of the two-storey, three-bedroom Westview house, which she and her husband bought in 2008 for $350,000 and listed for $399,000 on Feb. 1.
Jackson said she and her husband are selling because they want to move to Martensville until their children finish school, at which point they’ll start looking for an acreage. They want to move this summer, but that possibility looks less likely every day.
“I know some people that are listing their houses under market value just to sell it, and they’re going to lose money,” Jackson said, adding that while she and her husband have already slashed their asking price by $10,000, they haven’t considered selling at a loss or boosting the property’s appeal with expensive improvements.
“Hanging tight for right now,” she said. “I’m sure we’ll have to consider another price drop at some point, but (we’re) not ready for that quite yet.”
The Jacksons are not the only people in Saskatoon struggling to sell their homes.
The city’s sales-to-listings ratio, an industry benchmark that measures the balance between supply and demand, fell to 30.9 per cent last month, meaning there was roughly one sale for every three new listings, according to data from the Saskatoon Region Association of Realtors (SRAR).
“A 40 per cent or less sales-to-listings ratio means that you’re in a buyer’s market … We’re at 31 per cent right now, so we’re firm into a buyer’s market,” said SRAR CEO Jason Yochim.
That means prospective buyers, who tend to be well-informed, have more options, more time, and more room to negotiate. The cost of housing in Saskatoon has already started falling, with the composite home price index slipping three per cent to $301,600 — its lowest point in three years — last month, Yochim said.
“It’s always price,” he said. “In any market, strong or weak, people need to buy and people need to sell, so if homes are sitting longer, it’s because they’re not sensitive to where that price is — they’re trying to get a little bit more and it’s pushing them above what the (buyer) feels that the home is worth.”
Norm Fisher, a veteran real estate agent and owner-broker at Royal Lepage Vidorra, said that, with a few exceptions, the market is favouring buyers. He added that while the city’s shift from a seller’s to a buyer’s market can be attributed to the provincial economy, which has been battered by falling commodity prices, the situation is far from dire.
“I think it’s going to be another challenging year for sellers overall,” Fisher said. “(But) I don’t expect sales to drop out. I think we’re going to follow a very typical cycle through the year, where we’ll see sales increase each month through the spring — and we’ll probably be fairly close to last year’s numbers in terms of unit sales.”
amacpherson@postmedia.com
twitter.com/macphersonaArt by Diogenes Neves, Edgar Tadeo, and John Rauch
Name : Douglas Ramsey
: Douglas Ramsey Code Names : Cypher
: Cypher First Appearance: New Mutants #13 (Mar ’84)
New Mutants #13 (Mar ’84) Powers : Understands all language
: Understands all language Teams Affiliation: New Mutants, X-Factor
About
The intrinsic nature of superhero comic books requires action. It is great character development when the Avengers sit around the dining room table and talk about their feelings, but that needs to be balanced by punching. The implications for mutants are such that their abilities need to have some use in combat situations, even if logic would dictate that not all mutations would assist in beating people up. This inherent narrative need can be subverted to great effect if handled well as Grant Morrison did with Beak in New X-Men. However, when a character is effectively worthless for half of an issue, it builds resentment and the X-Men have no greater example of that than Doug Ramsey, the New Mutant known as Cypher.
Doug could have gone his whole life without knowing he was a mutant. Sure it might have been strange that he could understand all the conversations happening in the kitchen of his favorite fajita place, but it wouldn’t have outted him as a mutant. Through mutual hobbies, he met Kitty Pryde and the two became fast friends. Kitty was excellent at designing hardware and Doug excelled with multiple software languages. Professor Xavier discovered that the boy’s intuition was really a mutant ability but decided to keep quiet, not everyone was cut out for the life of a mutant.
Art by Sal Buscema, Tom Mandrake, and Glynis Wein
Over at the Massachusetts Academy, Emma Frost had different ideas for the Ramsey boy. Emma invited Doug to visit the academy and he brought his good friend Kitty in tow. Pryde was distrustful of Ms. Frost’s offer, Frost was the first evil mutant she encountered after all, but went along to help her friend. Emma used the opportunity to capture Kitty and the other New Mutants who had come to rescue their friend. They were able to escape, but not before the White Queen wiped Doug’s mind of all memory of the event.
He could have live in ignorance of his abilities, if not for the appearance of a being from outer space who would change Doug’s life forever. During a slumber party at Xavier’s, the alien Technarch, Warlock, crashed into the grounds of the school and the New Mutants quickly worked to hid the body. Unfortunately, Warlock awoke and became infecting objects with the Transmode virus to consume them. The New Mutants couldn’t reason with Warlock and decided to cut the pretense with Doug. They sent Cannonball to tell him he was a mutant, that his best friend was also a mutant, that the school up in the hills was actually a mutant training ground, that they were superheroes in training, that aliens were real, and that he was the only one who could deal with it. He did not take it well.
Art by Bill Sienkiewicz and Glynis Wein
Doug refused to believe all of this until he came to Xavier’s and was able to meet Warlock face to face. The alien explained his culture and history and Doug sympathized with him, they would become fast friends. Doug soon enrolled at Xavier’s School and took the codename Cypher, but it was a difficult transition for him. His passive powers made him a liability and he didn’t have the physical prowess to keep up with his teammates. His abilities were useful in many situations, but when things resorted to violence he felt worthless. Warlock tried to help him by allowing Doug to wear him like power armor but it did little to help his feelings of inadequacy. There was the risk of infection by the Transmode Virus but Cypher didn’t care, he just wanted to feel useful.
Art by Art Adams, Bob Wiacek, and Glynis Wein
Eventually, the New Mutants ran across a creature named Bird Boy, a large avian beast who only spoke in squawks. Encouraged by Wolfsbane, whom Doug had been courting, he helped the New Mutants interact with Bird Boy and Doug was encouraged by his ability to help his friends. His work with Bird Boy went so well that the creature was able to explain his origin to the New Mutants and rallied them to go after his cruel creator, the Ani-Mator. As often happens a fight broke out on their mission, Doug saw the Ani-Mator pull a gun on the distracted Wolfsbane. He jumped into action and pushed Rhane out of the way, only to get chastised for putting himself in danger. She didn’t even realize Cypher lying there bleeding out from the bullet he took for her. Cypher’s great liability turned tragically fatal.
Art by Bret Blevins, Terry Austin, Glynis Oliver
In preparation for the Necrosha event, Selene resurrected Cypher with an altered personality. She intended to use him to settle an old score, by killing his former New Mutants teammate Magma. His powers got an upgrade, allowing him to become an expert in hand-to-hand combat by reading body language and willfully reprograming the Transmode virus, allowing him to keep its’ ill effects at bay. To him, everything was language The New Mutants were shocked to see their long lost friend but were eventually able to overcome Selene’s control with the power of friendship. That team, their love for him, all of them, they were his language.
Art by Diogenes Neves, John Rauch
After coming back, Cypher seemed colder than he had been. In a battle with Cameron Hodge during Second Coming, Doug convinced Warlock to kill Hodge and his men, forcing his friend to cross a line he promised never to cross. Doug also joined X-Force during the event on a suicide mission to stop Nimrod’s Sentinel invasion. Doug was forced to face these inner demons when the New Mutants faced a tyrannical version of him from an alternate dimension known as True/Friend. The New Mutants were able to overcome True/Friend but the glimpse into the future left a deep impact on Doug.
Art by Felix Ruiz and Val Staples
The New Mutants soon disbanded and Doug felt lost. He feared what he could become and it had driven him to the point of suicide. Coincidently, Serval Industries corporate superhero team, X-Factor, needed help dealing with a situation involving Warlock and turned to the best man for the job. Cypher and Warlock would end up joining X-Factor, and Warlock developed a crush on his teammate, the living Danger Room called Danger. Danger was eager to understand sexuality but Warlock was too shy to make a real move. Danger turned to Cypher to help her understand and Doug showed her how to speak the language of love. Warlock was understandably upset when he found out about their tryst but in the end, he forgave Doug. After all, his self/soulfriend was just about the only person who really understood him.
Art by Carmine DiGiandomenico, and Lee Loughridge
Must Read
I’m just going to come out and say it. I don’t really like anything Doug has been in since his resurrection. I thought Zeb Wells reintroduction of the character was just plain bad and his expansion of Doug’s powers with wordplay regarding language was groan inducing. The DnA New Mutants was a real step down in quality from the rest of the stuff Wells was doing and Doug just wasn’t an engaging villain. I also thought All-New X-Factor was pretty mediocre and Doug’s role in the book never felt important. That really just leaves me to recommend the Claremont New Mutants yet again so why not just read #21, Slumber Party. It introduces Cypher and Warlock and their friendship is just the absolute best thing about Cypher. It is on Marvel Unlimited and was collected about 15 different ways since it works as the coda to Demon Bear.
Art by Bill Sienkiewicz
Ranking
Pam from the TV show Archer once called Cypher “the gayest X-Man”, and the use of gay as an insult aside, it is a high-profile pop culture example of the public perception of the character. When you have a guy with knives in his hand right down the hall, being able to read Latin just isn’t all that interesting. There has been a ton of great character work with Cypher but writers have to struggle to make him interesting, often at the expense of other, more inherently interesting, characters. Louise Simonson said that she killed him because fans hated the character and that she never saw a positive reception to Cypher until after he was dead. He has accrued enough goodwill through being in seminal stories that I want to see him in things more than, say, Northstar but everyone above that works a lot better in superhero comics. That’s why Cypher ranks as the new number 32 in the Xavier Files.
Cypher was requested by Kalean on Patreon. Thanks for the request. If you want to cut to the front of the line like Kalean, we have a Patreon if you want to support it and get a line cutting reward for just a $1 pledge. We just hit our first goal and are now working toward the $25 dollar goal where I review X-Books every week in some form, maybe even interpretative dance.
Click here if you want to see the full ranked list, with links to every entry in the Xavier Files so far.
If you liked what you read be sure to follow Xavier Files on twitter, tumblr, Facebook!
Next week we have some fun in Murderworld with Arcade! See you then!
Liked it? Take a second to support Zachary Jenkins on Patreon!The following blog post, unless otherwise noted, was written by a member of Gamasutras community.
The thoughts and opinions expressed are those of the writer and not Gamasutra or its parent company.
Hi! I’m Chris King, and I recently released a game called 20XX. 20XX is a Mega Man X-inspired co-op roguelite, combining classic action platforming with random level generation and permanent death.
20XX’s final visuals. We iterated a lot.
In this postmortem, I’ll go over the inflection points in our story, then talk a little more generally about what we’ve learned over the past four years.
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CONTENTS [TBLC]
Jump to the part of this post you care about by CTRL-F-ing between the bracketed text. For example, if you’d like to skip right to the lessons, CTRL-F for “[LRND]”.
Quick Facts [QKFC]
Timeline Detail [TMLN]
Lessons Learned [LRND]
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20XX Quick Facts [QKFC]
20XX is built in a custom C++ engine. I built 20XX’s engine from scratch to build my resume, assuming I’d shoot for a job at a big developer once the game was finished. I started with one of those “here’s how you render a triangle!” tutorials, and built 20XX from there. We probably should have just used Unity.
Only 2 people worked on 20XX full-time over its four years in development, but 16 individuals created game content of some kind. “How big is your team?”
Production timeline summary: Day One: July 1, 2013 Steam Early Access launch on November 25, 2014 (512 days into development) 1.0 launch (left Early Access) on August 16, 2017 (1507 days into development)
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TIMELINE DETAIL [TMLN]
June, 2013: Development begins on 20XX.
I build a super-basic 20XX prototype, and use reddit (/r/gamedevclassifieds, /r/forhire) to find the game’s artist, Zach Urtes. We sign a contract for a “six month project,” complete with ridiculous overscoping and features we’ll never be able to implement. He creates the first Rollster model (seen below with the rest of my prototype art).
The first “prototype” picture we saved. Note the “ix” health bar - Nina was actually “model 9”/”Nine” at the beginning of development, but we had to change that when Mighty No. 9 became a thing. That purple column is a ladder, which we ditched from the final product. Ladders are terrible.
August 31, 2013: Keiji Inafune, the “father of Mega Man,” launches the Mighty No. 9 Kickstarter.
I spend the better part of a week obsessively checking their Kickstarter and the surrounding hype wave and generally feeling beat-up. I spend a lot of time (inadvertently - I thought I was just sulking) researching MN9’s value proposition, and I realize two things.
ONE: The incredible show of support for MN9’s campaign proves that there’s an unmet market need for that old-school Mega Man feel.
The incredible show of support for MN9’s campaign proves that there’s an unmet market need for that old-school Mega Man feel. TWO: We’re both wearing our inspirations on our sleeve, but we’re very, very different games. I knew that trying to “make a Mega Man game” in the same vein as the classics was foolish, so I made some big design changes to stand out. Given my love of roguelikes and desire for strong replayability, we gave 20XX random level generation and permanent death. Given my love of scope creep and unreasonable features, we designed the game with local & online multiplayer in mind. These were both big selling points that MN9 didn’t have.
We almost stop working on 20XX entirely. Instead, I choose to believe that the world is wide enough for both 20XX and Mighty No. 9, and carry on.
January 1, 2014: Zach’s original contract goes past its “six month” expected period. (20XX releases 1,323 days later.)
We decide we’re going to show |
other venues across MLS. The league is very reluctant to allow teams to relocate, but based on these factors, we support PSV’s efforts to explore options outside of Columbus, including Austin, provided they find a suitable stadium location."
So it looks like the league is just going to cave and let Precourt do what he wants. This is just completely ridiculous. Precourt oversaw poor marketing, poor TV contract, and a lack of spending (on players, facilities, etc). Not to mention the worst MLS kits in history. And he gets what he seems to have always wanted: a move to Austin, while blaming it on the fans for not showing up. OH yeah, he has already registered the MLS2ATX domain names. He doesn't want a new stadium in Columbus, seems VERY likely that he bought the team in 2014 with the intention of moving it to Austin, despite paying lip service to fans for years that they were overreacting everytime they questioned whether he would move the team.
Check out more at the massivereport.com:
https://www.massivereport.com/2017/10/17/16490844/transcript-crew-sc-columbus-relocation-anthony-precourt-press-conference-austin-texas-soccer-mls
In the meantime I hope TA has something good planned for this. I know our game against Vancouver is a big deal this weekend, but I personally think this trumps the game and traditional end of the regular season traditions. We need to all stand in solidarity with the Crew and their fans (even the ones who threw beers at our players). They don't deserve this.The campus of the University of Virginia, in Charlottesville, Va., on Friday March 20, 2015. (Photo by J. Lawler Duggan/For The Washington Post)
The home-state price of entry at the University of Virginia will rise 11 percent next fall — one of the highest college tuition-and-fee increases in the nation — under a plan approved Tuesday that also aims to slash the debt burden for students in need.
The university’s governing Board of Visitors voted overwhelmingly for a plan that was kept under wraps until its members met in afternoon session in Charlottesville.
The action means that annual tuition and fees for Virginians who enter their public flagship university as freshmen in the next school year will total $14,468, up from the current charge of $12,998. That doesn’t include room and board.
For current undergraduate students, however, the increase will be lower: 3.6 percent. That is more in line with other increases at U-Va. in recent years.
John Griffin, a board member who spearheaded the plan, said it will help U-Va. raise funds to set new caps on the amount of money it expects students in need to borrow over four years.
Previously, certain Virginia students from low-income families were expected to borrow up to $14,000 to finance their education. Now that total will be lowered to $4,000. Other students from middle-income families, who had a debt ceiling of $28,000, will now have a cap of $18,000.
Greg Lewis, 21, a senior at the university active in a group called U-Va. Students United, said the group had heard from two members of the governing board that there were behind-the-scenes discussions about a large tuition increase, and he had heard it could have been as high as 13 percent.
Lewis said he had heard the plan was to raise revenue for financial aid and other purposes — a model some describe as “high tuition/high aid.” Lewis, who is from Chesapeake, Va., said he is skeptical. “I’m really concerned about the corporatization and privatization of higher education,” he said.
In 2013, the College of William and Mary approved a new pricing policy that lifted tuition and fees 14 percent for entering Virginia students. At the same time, William and Mary guaranteed that the entering students would face no further tuition increases for the duration of their four years of study. William and Mary officials described their plan as a way to make the the public college in Williamsburg more affordable for many middle-income Virginia families.Entry from March 27, 2005
Full Cleveland (clothing term)
The "full Cleveland" is a dress suit that's very 1970s. The tacky term is sometimes applied to the city itself.Any male outfit that includes both a white patent leather (or plastic) belt, and matching white shoes.by CongressmanBillybob Jan 7, 2005Coined as a fashion term, the Full Cleveland is a leisure suit (preferably powder blue) accessorized by a white patent leather (or plastic) belt and matching shoes. It's commonly found at senior center dances. While this blog is about the Full Cleveland, it isn't about fashion. It's about whether the glass is half full or half empty in Cleveland. It's about Cleveland reaching its full potential. Hope you enjoy the discussion.11 August 1977, San Mateo (CA), pg. 47:Judes Witcover, the Washington Post political correspondent, describes something called the "full Cleveland" in "Marathon," his book on the 1976 presidential campaign. The full Cleveland was the informal uniform worn by a labor delegation from Ohio -- baby blue polyester leisure suit, white open collar shirt, white belt, white socks and white patent leather shoes.16 March 1981, San Francisco, Herb Caen column, pg. 25, col. 1:SARTORIAL STUFF: It occurred to me a few days ago that I may have been guilty of overkill in my long and sometimes vicious campaign against polyester leisure suits and shiny white shoes. (...) Since I am feeling a slight nostalgia for the leisure suit, I was delighted to learn from George Barbour that this article of clothing is making a strong comeback up in Portland. There, a courageous chap named David Bantz has organized the National Institute for the Preservation of Leisure Suits, or, in Loose Latin, _appareli obnoxious polyestri_. (...)Bantz and friends launched the NIPLS with an inaugural ball at which everyone wore the true polyester and dined on Velveeta, canned luncheon meats and packaged cupcakes. Bantz himself was the cynosure of all eyes in purple and green leisure suit, flowered shirt open far enough to reveal a rather grimy crewneck T-shirt, white patent leather belt and shoes, fake gold chains, and, around his neck, plastic puka shells. This look is known, says Bentz, as "The Full Cleveland."23 March 1981, San Francisco, Herb Caen column, pg. 19, col. 1:Also, I may have been remiss in crediting a Portland chap with the term, "The Full Cleveland," to describe a really awful polyester leisure suit plus white patent leather belt and shoes. This phrase, insists Editor David Burgin of the Penins. Times-Trib., was invented by his man Chris Reidy, who wrote last year that "Full Clevelands come in a wonderful rainbow of pastels. Off-brand lime, Ramada orange, neon plum." Who wears them? "Filling station owners from Dayton, guys who make second trips to the salad bar, a man who takes rumba lessons at Arthur Murray's"...Several ex-Clevelanders now living here want to know why that city has become a synonym for tacky. Didn't it hire Dick Honigsto as Police Chief? Doesn't it have a river so polluted it was declared a fire hazard? Well?30 March 1981, San Francisco, Herb Caen column, pg. 21, col. 1:WHADDYAKNOW: A lot of ex-Clevelanders live in the Bay Area. Many of them are sore because I made light of their home town in writing about "The Full CLeveland"--polyester leisure suits with white patent leather belt and shoes (plus, I am told, a necktie that starts out to be a four-in hand but stops short of the knot, thus flowing straight down). The best of the heated responses came from June Marik of Walnut Creek, who writes:"True, Cleveland may be one of the last breeding grounds of a species close to extinction -- the wild North American Polyester -- but it possesses a quality not easily found in terminally chic San Francisco..."Donald Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee, said Sunday that “people have to get more,” after spending time on the campaign trail striking down the possibility of a minimum wage hike.
“I am looking at it, and I haven’t decided in terms of numbers. But I think people have to get more,” Trump said on ABC News’ “This Week.”
Trump has said that the wages were too high in the country, notably at a debate in November. Trump told ABC host George that it was a different opinion than previously expressed.
“Sure, it’s a change. I’m allowed to change,” he said. “But my real minimum wage is going to be — I’m going to bring companies back into this country, and they’re going to make a lot more than the $15 even.”
Trump acknowledged on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that he wanted to just have the states decide.
“And I don’t know how people make it on $7.25 an hour. Now, with that being said, I would like to see an increase of some magnitude,” Trump said. “But I’d rather leave it to the states. Let the states decide.”
This post has been updated.Reddit, like all social media websites, is serendipitous. Few know what type of photograph, video or news bit is going to explode, and what's going to fizzle. And often times, content creators aren't the ones who...
When Eickholt analyzed Flickr's link referral page to make sense of his newfound prominence, Reddit.com topped the list. What is Reddit, you ask? "This website talks about current events and stuff like that, I guess," said Eickholt. "I have no idea. I've never really been to those websites before."
It wasn't until after he received my e-mail, requesting an interview a few days after the photo's popularity had run its course, that the 28-year-old amateur photographer from Alberta, Canada, checked his Flickr account to find his new audience. Eickholt says more than a hundred people added him to their lists of favorite Flickr users, meaning they'll be notified every time he posts a new photo. Before this week, he had two.
A photo of mountain goats scaling a cliff, featured on Roger Eickholt's Flickr page, was all the rage on Monday. It was plastered on social media sites and around the blogosphere, driving more than 200,000 people to view it.
... submit their own links -- they don't discover that their photos had struck gold until later. "It just seems so random," Eickholt said. "You never know what's going to take off like that."
Eickholt doesn't even consider this among his best pictures. "It's interesting, I suppose," he said. "But it's not photographically that great, you know. It's not technically great."
Still, it attracted the attention of U.K. photographic press agency Rex Features. Although he won't be receiving a paycheck, Eickholt is excited about the opportunity to see his photo and name published in magazines and newspapers.
Social media websites have a way of catching photographers off guard. On Digg, the social media créme de la créme, about 16% of all front-page items in the last 30 days were images. That's nearly a photo every hour.
Andreas Junus and Irawandhani Kamarga, art directors for a creative agency based in Indonesia, hit it big on Digg last week. For their picture, called Real Life Photoshop, they recreated the interface of the professional image-editing software in their studio. The project was done as a favor for their friend's software company, which planned to use it to promote Photoshop CS4.
They placed the photo on Kamarga's Flickr page to show their work to friends. But Digg and Reddit users took notice. It's now the seventh most-popular image of the last seven days on Digg, and it was featured on countless blogs, including Gizmodo and Wired. "We never intended it to go viral really," they wrote in an e-mail. "It was for print and poster."
Richard Peters' Spring Lamb photo (above left) also hit Digg this week and racked up a whopping 120,000 hits to the Flickr page in the first two days after it was featured. The self-taught photographer, who now shoots occasionally for a 24-hour news channel in the U.K., says the year-old image is by far his most popular. It appeared in a U.K. newspaper's "viral e-mail of the week" section and won the BBC's Countryfile 2007 competition.
Peters, 30, was delighted with the photo's recent resurgence. "I kind of forgot all about it," he said in an e-mail. "It was fun to keep track of all the comments being made, and some of them really made me laugh, especially the ones that were negative for the sake of being negative."
Lakshal "Lucky" Perera abhors Digg for that very reason. The 27-year-old from Wollongong, Australia, had his image, C is for Cookie, make the Digg home page earlier this week -- also without his prior knowledge. For the picture, he shot himself, wearing a swimming cap, in his bathtub, and used Photoshop to duplicate hundreds of homemade cookies and render his body blue and hairy.
While he appreciates the attention paid to his disturbing recreation of a Sesame Street character, the staunch Reddit supporter cringed when browsing the Digg discourse.
"Digg is like YouTube," Perera said in an e-mail. "There's some great content on there, but the experience is ruined for me by the inane and stupid commentary that so many users get involved in."
Here is a sampling of a couple of the most-liked comments on that post: "OM NOM NOM NOM," wrote one user. "COOKIE MONSTER!!!" added another. What's not intellectual about that?
But the fact of the matter is that websites such as Digg are providing a gateway for photographers to be seen by hundreds of thousands of people. Where else can you find that kind of audience for a snapshot of a mountain goat?
-- Mark Milian
Top photo: Mountain Goats. Credit: Roger Eickholt.
Middle photo: Spring Lamb. Credit: Richard Peters.
Bottom photo: C is for Cookie. Credit: Lakshal Parera.By EconMatters
What a difference a year has made! About this time last year, the dollar seemed on the brink of disaster amid the debt ceiling debate at U.S. Congress. U.S. CDS spiked 430% in three months, and S&P downgraded the U.S. sovereign debt credit rating for the first time in history. At the time, Euro crisis looked could be contained, and China's growth story was largely intact to still fuel the world GDP. So it was of little surprise that the dollar collapse was ranked as the top global risk last year (See Table Below) by consultancy Oxford Analytica that could put the world into a tailspin.
Now, one year later, while conflicts within and with the Middle East region are still among the top global risks, the paradigm has definitively shifted to China and Europe (See Table and Chart Below). Among the top 10 global risks this year, we see 'Sharp Slowdown in China' as the most clear and present danger to the world.
Further Reading - 20 Warnings Signs of a Global Doomsday (2011)
Data Source: Oxford Analytica, July 1, 2012
Graphic Source: Oxford Analytica, July 1, 2012
With the simultaneous slowdown in U.S. and Europe, China has become a major market for business and corporations to rely on for revenue and growth. However, economic data coming out of China has gone from bad to worse as Europe's crisis seriously hurt China's heavy export-reliant economy. Chinese manufacturing indexes slipped to 48.4 in June, a seven-month lows, as overseas orders dropped (See Chart Below), while Chinese Yuan also had its biggest quarterly decline in 7 years.
This current economic downshift in China has generated a long rippling effect on many countries and corporations around the world. For example, China is a key growth market for Nike, and the company's shares suffered their biggest decline since December 2008 last Friday as profits declined due to slow demand in China.
With China's consumer price index rising only 3% YoY in May, the slowest in 17 months, some believe Beijing may launch another stimulus program to stabilize growth. But since China has bad inflation problem, and honestly, the country probably has run out of things to build after its massive 4-trillion-yuan stimulus package post 2008 financial crisis, small and incremental easing measures are most likely in the next 3 to 5 years. The main concern for China is the lack of data and transparency as to the health of its regional banks, and local governments. So assuming no major blowup, China most likely would still go through a cool-down period, which also means a few lean years ahead for the rest of the world.
Within the past year or so, Euro crisis has evolved into a full-blown sovereign debt crisis that could potentially cause yet another global banking and economic chaos. In contrast, since the U.S. is the first wave of the 2008 financial crisis, America is largely on the mend, albeit at a snail's pace. However, with stubbornly high unemployment rate and low job creation dragging down consumer sentiment and spending, 'U.S. Deflationary Trap' as emerged as the No. 9 global risk. But for now, we see a cycle of slow or no growth as a more likely scenario for the U.S., rather than a prolonged 'deflation trap'.
Investor's funds flow out of Europe and risky assets seeking the safety of U.S. Treasury has propped up the Dollar, while keeping the U.S. borrowing cost low, despite Fed's two rounds of quantitative easing and national debt topping the $15-trillion mark. Nevertheless, the latest CBO report estimates that the U.S. public debt could reach 200% GDP in 25 years if current tax and spending policies are extended. By comparison, the essentially bankrupt Greece debt load is forecast to just top 160% this year. And don't forget, the debt ceiling debate could take place again this year. That suggests it could be just a matter of time that dollar demise would top the global risk chart again.
© EconMatters All Rights Reserved | Facebook | Twitter | Post Alert | KindleSomewhere in the United States right now, an entrepreneur is having trouble getting a small-business loan for expansion. The reason? The bank is committed to keeping a large portion of its money in government debt instead.
After the financial crisis, the government, in the form of the Federal Reserve, the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, imposed liquidity requirements that force American banks with assets over $50 billion to hold huge amounts of government debt as liquid assets.
Those assets represent $4.3 trillion in government debt, or about one-quarter of all American banking assets. They include $1.75 trillion in bank deposits (called excess reserves) held at the Fed, $1.5 trillion in mortgage-backed securities guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (called government-sponsored-enterprise debt) and $560 billion in United States Treasuries.
American banks are truly awash in government debt at five times pre-crisis levels. If President Trump wants to follow through on his promise to increase lending to small businesses, he should start by scaling back these requirements.The WWII epic hits theaters next July.
According to Indie Revolver, Christopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk” will open two days early on 35mm and 70mm. The World War II drama is slated for release on July 21, 2017, but Nolan — whose devotion to actual film stock is well known — is said to be planning an early release exclusively in theaters that still project celluloid.
READ MORE: ‘Dunkirk’: Christopher Nolan Earning Massive $20 Million Pay Day For World War II Epic
If true, the move would mirror the initial release of “Interstellar,” which was likewise made available early to exhibitors willing and able to show movies on the now-rarefied format. Though a boon to similarly celluloid-obsessed moviegoers, this decision was met with resistance by theaters that have gone fully digital. “I am not committed to film out of nostalgia,” Nolan explained to CinemaCon back in 2014. “I am in favor of any kind of technical innovation but it needs to exceed what has gone before, and so far nothing has exceeded anything that’s come before.”
READ MORE: ‘Dunkirk’ Teaser Trailer: Christopher Nolan’s Tense WWII Film Shows Soldiers Bracing For Impact
Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Kenneth Branagh, Mark Rylance and James D’arcy star in “Dunkirk,” which Nolan also wrote.
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The exclusive Mainstreet Research poll for Postmedia suggests Harper and the Tories received a sharp boost in popularity as a result of the enhanced universal childcare benefit.
Among decided voters, the Conservatives lead with 38 per cent support, followed by the NDP at 27 per cent and the Liberals at 25 per cent. The Green party is at six per cent (the Bloc Québécois is at four per cent). One in five voters (20 per cent) remains undecided.
Factoring in undecided voters, 30 per cent said they would vote for the Conservatives if a federal election were held today, with the NDP at 22 per cent and Liberals at 20 per cent. Five per cent of respondents said they would support the Green party and three per cent the Bloc.
The Mainstreet telephone poll, using what’s known as interactive voice response (IVR), was conducted July 20-21 through a mixture of land lines and cellphones, and reached 5,147 respondents.
Polling began the same day the lump-sum cheques for the Conservative government’s enhanced childcare benefit started landing in mailboxes and bank accounts across Canada.
“It has had a bit of a sunshine effect and given an immediate bump (for the Conservatives),” said Quito Maggi, president of Mainstreet Research.
Close to four in 10 eligible parents (38 per cent) who have been very closely following the arrival of the UCCB cheques said they would vote Conservative, but that number slips to one in four (25 per cent) among those people who indicated they did not follow the cheques at all.
While the Tories were well ahead in voter intention, Mainstreet’s “momentum tracker” — which factors in vote strength, second-choice preferences and undecided leaners — suggests the race is much tighter, with the Conservatives only a few points ahead of the NDP and Liberals, who are tied for second.
When those factors are tossed into the mix, the Conservatives lead with 34 per cent support, closely followed by the NDP and Liberals at 30 per cent.
“If you look at the Conservative number, there’s very little room for growth. This could almost be called a peak,” Maggi said. “Both the NDP and Liberals have significant room for growth.”
The polling data show that more than half of NDP supporters would make the Liberals their second choice, and vice-versa, he noted.
Meanwhile, the poll shows Conservatives hold a commanding lead in Ontario among decided voters, with 45 per cent support; the Liberals are in second with 28 per cent; the NDP is at 21 per cent and Green party is at six per cent.
Among all voters in Ontario (including undecided), the Conservatives are at 35 per cent, Liberals 21 per cent, NDP at 16 per cent and Greens at five per cent. Nearly one in four voters in Ontario (23 per cent) is undecided, meaning crucial votes remain up for grabs in the province.
In Quebec, the New Democrats lead with the support of 36 per cent of decided voters, with the Conservatives and Liberals tied at 22 per cent of decided voters, the Bloc Québécois at 17 per cent and Greens at two per cent.
In British Columbia, the NDP has a commanding lead among decided voters, with 43 per cent support, the Conservatives in second at 28 per cent, Liberals at 21 per cent and Greens at nine per cent.
The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.37 percentage points, 19 times out of 20 on a national scale. The regional margins of error range from about 2.55 percentage points in Ontario up to 4.8 percentage points in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and the Atlantic Provinces.
Ottawa Citizen"People will continue to censor this community and Trump supporters alike, but keep doing what you do, all of you," one member wrote.
In the same post-AMA thread, moderators of /r/The_Donald bragged that they banned more than 2,000 accounts during the Q&A session. At odds with the accusations flung at Reddit administrators over similar assumed silencing tactics, news of the in-forum bans was met with more than 200 replies of acclaim.
"For the record we banned 2,200 shills during Mr. Trump's AMA," a moderator wrote. "Sorry brigaders [sic], you weren't dealing with amateurs, our mods are battle-hardened shill-slayers."
Moderators deleted any comments from accounts created in the past month and banned any users that they felt asked hostile questions. Before the AMA kicked off, moderators shared a message reminding participants that /r/The_Donald was not part of Trump's campaign and they intended to protect their community. The message continued as follows:
"Yes, we will ban troublemakers. Yes, we will remove trolling comments. Yes, we mean it when we say we'll throw anyone over our walls who fails to behave themselves."
One Redditor said he asked why Trump refused to share his tax returns and was immediately banned.
I asked @realDonaldTrump on his AMA why he wont share his tax returns...
I got immediately banned. pic.twitter.com/LhmDKNvFzj — Patrick (@Thegetawayplan9) July 27, 2016
Plenty of comments did get past the moderators' banhammer, though Trump left more questions unanswered than answered. Twelve is a fairly low number of responses compared with most Reddit AMAs, which are traditionally hosted in the /r/IAmA forum.
One of the 12 questions Trump did answer was, "Are you getting tired of winning?"
Trump responded, "I am never tired of winning, and as your president I will win for you, the American people. I'm with you!"COSTA MESA – A village frozen in time – before the war, before communism, before a mass exodus from Vietnam.
A village re-created amid the modern suburbia of Costa Mesa – as a celebration of the past, of home and of tradition.
The annual Tet Festival, which kicked off Friday evening at the OC Fair & Event Center, is a three-day celebration of the Lunar New Year, which begins Saturday and is a time for those in the Little Saigon community to remember the past and look forward with hope at the year to come. Some 50,000 people are expected to attend the festival during its three-day run.
The festival, organized by the Union of Vietnamese Student Associations, blends history with the contemporary: There are Asian-fusion food trucks and performers singing modern pop music and a beauty pageant. But there is also the Cultural Village, expanded from past years, that aims to transport visitors to the Vietnamese countryside.
“You walk in the gate and you see Vietnam,” said Peter Le, 43, a Boston resident who brought his wife and 4-year-old twins to Orange County to reconnect with family and visit the festival. “The whole country is right here.”
As the sun set Friday, Le’s children, Michael and Michelle, both dressed in the traditional ao dai gowns – Michael in yellow, Michelle in red – scampered around the village. They ducked into a miniature country home. Ran to a well. And skipped around bushels of hay and sticks of bamboo.
“You don’t see this anywhere else,” Le said, looking around at canoes used for fishing, vats of rice to be carried on shoulders and a white rickshaw. Le, who was born in Vietnam and came to the United States in his 20s, paused.
Then, he added: “Not even in Vietnam anymore.”
As Little Saigon welcomes the Year of Rooster over the next two days, the festival’s schedule will be diverse, with a dance competition, a youth night and a pho-eating contest.
But the Cultural Village – with a traditional spring wedding and an ancestral procession among the planned activities – will likely be the main draw, for both young and old.
“We don’t usually hear Vietnamese music at parties,” said Mary Nguyen, 23, shortly after taking a photo with two friends in front of paper lanterns. “It’s nice to feel Vietnamese and not just American.”
Emphasizing their homeland’s history and culture, has taken on greater importance among the Vietnamese diaspora in Orange County as the years since the fall of Saigon, in April 1975, pile up.
On the pagoda-style gate leading to the Cultural Village, a short poem – written in Vietnamese – calls on those who enter the village to remember Southeast Asian nation:
The country is still asking, the poem translates to.
The fatherland is still waiting.
“We left the country and we’re hoping to one day go back,” said Luong Tran, a retired hobbyist poet. “We don’t want the younger generation to forget.”
Contact the writer: 714-796-6979 or chaire@scng.comThe Federal Court has declared that a number of terms in Europcar Australia’s 2013 standard rental agreement to be unfair, and therefore void, in proceedings brought by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Europcar was also ordered to pay a penalty of $100,000 for making false or misleading representations about consumers’ liability in the event of vehicle damage.
The Court found that various terms in Europcar’s standard rental agreement were unfair because they held consumers liable for vehicle loss or damage regardless of whether the consumer was at fault. Other terms were also found to be unfair because consumers were liable for vehicle loss or damage when they breached the rental agreement, no matter how trivial the breach or whether it had any connection to the loss or damage caused.
The Court also found that, from December 2013 to July 2014, Europcar made false or misleading representations on its website that consumers’ liability for vehicle accident damage would be limited to a “Damage Liability Fee” of $3650, or less if the consumer purchased Europcar’s “extra cover” products. In fact, under Europcar’s standard rental agreement, consumers’ liability was not limited to these amounts in cases of overhead, underbody or water damage, even when “extra cover” products were purchased.
“This decision is an important one, as it makes it clear to car rental companies that they cannot simply rely on contractual terms to hold consumers liable for any and all damage that may occur during a rental period, regardless of the circumstances. Terms in standard form rental agreements must be fair,” ACCC Deputy Chair Dr Michael Schaper said.
Europcar has amended its standard rental agreement to remove the unfair terms. The misleading statements have also been removed from Europcar’s website.
In resolving these proceedings, Europcar agreed to facts and joint submissions to be put to the Court and consented to orders for corrective advertising and costs.
This case follows a number of other proceedings brought by the ACCC seeking declarations that terms in standard consumer contracts are unfair contract terms, including against Chrisco and ByteCard.
This outcome is also part of a wider ACCC review of the vehicle rental industry in Australia. As part of this review, the ACCC has been investigating various consumer issues, including misleading vehicle rental pricing and charging, and unfair contract terms.
Recently, Hertz Australia provided a court enforceable undertaking following an ACCC investigation into Hertz’s rental vehicle damage charging processes. The ACCC is continuing its vehicle rental review with broad engagement with the industry to address industry practices that raise consumer protection issues.
Background
The Australian Consumer Law provides that a court may determine that a term of a standard form consumer contract is unfair and therefore void, meaning that the contract is treated as if the term never existed. A term is considered unfair if:
it would cause significant imbalance in the parties’ rights and obligations under the contract;
it is not reasonably necessary to protect the legitimate interests of the party who would be advantaged by the term; and
it would cause detriment (whether financial or otherwise) to a party if it were to be applied or relied upon.
If a term is declared void, the remainder of the contract continues to bind the parties to the extent that it can operate without the unfair term.
From 12 November 2016, the unfair contract term law will also apply to unfair terms in standard form contracts with small business. For further information, visit Unfair contract terms.India’s application ecosystem is thriving, thanks to rising smartphone penetration and lower data tariffs, and is expected to bring more revenues and new employment opportunities. The results of a recent study, developed and commissioned by CA Technologies and carried out by research consulting firm TRPC indicated India as a leading accelerator in application economy potential.
The study notes that across Asia Pacific, applications are contributing heavily to technology adoption and businesses are increasingly embracing digital transformation. This also means that the pace of innovation must match the pace of disruption, and forward-looking, pro-active strategies for managing risks and capitalizing on opportunities must be put in place to succeed and thrive in the application economy.
As a result countries with major growth potential such as India, Thailand and Indonesia may need more focused attention putting forth an agenda for developing business-conducive application economy conditions, in the current scenario.
“Regardless of whether they are in the Disruptors, Challengers or Mainstream group, markets will still need to focus on creating conditions for businesses to thrive in the application economy. They can do so by continuing to do well in their key success characteristics while mitigating current and potential weaknesses,” said Lim May-Ann, managing director, TRPC.
India leading position is due to the three main pillars that are critical for a vibrant application economy, states the study. These include:
Government Use and Support of Technology and Innovation: To develop sound technology policies and promote innovation, governments themselves should understand and use software applications
Internet and Mobile Infrastructure: Without the necessary infrastructure and enabled access to technology, an application economy cannot fully develop. Basic connectivity and network backbones must be in place, along with an environment which supports business growth and transformation
Business Agility: The ability to move nimbly and quickly in driving – and capturing – market disruption. For this to be possible, countries need to have an environment conducive for entrepreneurship and new forms of commerce to happen
The country’s ever-growing smartphone users, growth in mobile broadband, a rise in usage of social networks and large youth demographic, contributed to its current application economy. If this trend continues, India has the potential to leapfrog and become a leader in the application economy.
In another recent study, conducted by market researcher App Annie, by 2020, the app economy could double in size to $101 billion and the growth will be driven by increasing usage of apps and by greater smartphone adoption around the globe. The report from App Annie is aimed at giving brands, agencies, investors, and app developers predictive insights into global opportunities for the next five years.
While gaming generated 85 percent of the app market revenue in 2015, or $34.8 billion globally. That is expected to grow to $41.5 billion in 2016 and $74.6 billion in 2020, the study said. But other categories will also accelerate.
In contrast to a few years back, when games or media companies dominated apps, app publishers now come from every industry. They hail from banking, retail, airlines, and government agencies. Supported by venture capital and hedge funds, the app industry is generating - and will continue to generate - a lot of market value and actual revenue in the coming years, it said.Hinterland: Navigating Early Access with The Long Dark "It's our job to not be waylaid by all the feedback. Because that's what we do. We're game developers"
Matthew Handrahan Editor-in-Chief Wednesday 3rd June 2015 Share this article Share
Companies in this article Hinterland
Accessibility and abundance are watchwords of the contemporary games industry. Rough skills and scant resources are no longer insurmountable barriers for anyone with the desire to make a game. In 2015, there is an engine, a storefront and a funding platform for almost every set of circumstances. One need only look at the App Store's brimming inventory, or Google Play, or, increasingly, Steam. There's no shortage of interested parties, and so there's a surfeit of games.
This means diversity and choice, of course, but there is an unmistakable aura of chaos to these digital platforms. When I looked ahead to the future suggested by Braid and Castle Crashers and World of Goo, it was independent, idiosyncratic and boundlessly creative, a response to the many tastes and predilections that the commercial games industry simply couldn't address. That future came to pass, but it's now difficult to see in anything more than glimpses, through the gaps and breaks in an endless onrush of new products.
"You need to be open to feedback, but also very firm in your vision and stubborn to some degree"
Difficult, that is, but not impossible. The Long Dark, for example: the passion project of a small, highly experienced team of developers who earned their stripes at big studios like Relic, Volition and Riot Games, made possible by money, feedback and support secured through Kickstarter and Early Access. Hinterland's debut project is a demonstration of both the commercial and creative opportunities afforded to digital game developers. It is what I hoped for when those first indie blockbusters hit.
For Hinterland's core team, The Long Dark represents both a new way of working and a new way of thinking. In his time as a console developer, Raphael van Lierop, Hinterland's founder, was accustomed to making games, "in the dark." Big decisions were made and big money was spent in isolation from the audience. In that context, the smartest bets are the safest bets, and decisions against originality and expression become a practical necessity.
Van Lierop's last AAA job prior to forming Hinterland was as game director on Relic |
micro-clouds and harvesting the water from them. We don’t touch the water; we just use what has been evaporated from the heat. In fact, we can use any source of residual heat to activate our process. Almost all industrial processes emit heat that is normally released to the atmosphere. We can use that heat for treating water.”
The modules, made mostly out of recyclable materials, are easily assembled near the end site, using locally available sources of water. The quantity and array can be changed as needed.
“In each place, water characteristics and client’s needs are different. TSD’s technology is particularly suitable for meeting these requirements,” says Emmerich.
Headed by CEO Gil Toren, the company estimates that its technology cuts desalination energy costs by more than 90%, and significantly reduces construction, operations and maintenance costs.
“The cost of water in small to medium desalination and water treatment plants that are using current technologies is perniciously high,” says Emmerich. “Our advantage is that, given that each module is basically a small plant, you can use one or even thousands while the cost of producing freshwater remains significantly lower than any existing alternative.”
Founded in 2014 with seed money from angel investors, TSD is based in Tel Aviv and is in the midst of a Series A fundraising round. “We are in contact with potential strategic partners and investors around the world,” says Emmerich, whose past activities include co-creating the Silicon Wadi documentary series on Israeli startups.
For more information, click here.UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - African states failed on Monday to halt the work of the first U.N. independent investigator appointed to help protect gay and transgender people worldwide from violence and discrimination.
The 47-member U.N. Human Rights Council, based in Geneva, created the position in June and in September appointed Vitit Muntarbhorn of Thailand, who has a three-year mandate to investigate abuses against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people.
In an unusual move, African states put forward a draft resolution in the 193-member U.N. General Assembly third committee, which deals with human rights, calling for consultations on the legality of the creation of the mandate. They said the work of the investigator should be suspended.
However, Latin American countries, supported by Western nations, successfully proposed an amendment that gutted the African group draft resolution. The amendment was adopted in the third committee on Monday with 84 votes in favor, 77 against and 17 abstentions.
The amended draft resolution, which makes no change to the work of the gay rights investigator, was then adopted by the third committee with 94 votes in favor, three against and 80 abstentions.
Russia and Egypt, speaking on behalf of the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, said they would not recognize the mandate of the gay rights investigator and would not cooperate with Muntarbhorn. Britain urged all countries to cooperate with the investigator.
Being gay is a crime in at least 73 countries, the U.N. has said. The issue of gay rights consistently sparks heated debate at the United Nations.
In 2014, U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon said the U.N. would recognize all same-sex marriages of its staff, allowing them to receive U.N. benefits. Russia unsuccessfully tried to overturn it last year, with Saudi Arabia, China, Iran, India, Egypt, Pakistan, and Syria among 43 states that supported Moscow.
In February the African Group, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the 25-member “Group of Friends of the Family,” led by Egypt, Belarus and Qatar, protested the launch of six U.N. stamps promoting LGBT equality.
Then a group of 51 Muslim states blocked 11 gay and transgender organizations from officially attending a high-level U.N. meeting in June on ending AIDS, sparking a protest by the United States, Canada and the European Union.
(Corrects to Latin American countries proposed amendment instead of Western countries, paragraph 4.)Outback town swelters through week of 45C
Updated
Residents in the outback town of Oodnadatta are preparing for their seventh consecutive day above 45 degrees Celsius.
The temperature at the town in South Australia's far north is forecast to reach 47C today after reaching 46C on Saturday and 47C on Sunday and Monday.
It will be the 10th day in a row above 40C.
The last time the town experienced a maximum below 35C was December 10.
The Bureau of Meteorology says the town has already set a new local record, eclipsing two previous runs of five days in a row above 45C.
Lynnie Plate from Oodnadatta's Pink Roadhouse says residents are struggling to stay cool.
"The bitumen is melting, our freezer is not coping. I had to throw out half a dozen cartons of ice cream yesterday," she said.
"Nothing is coping really. The petrol pumps won't pump unleaded after midday. They vaporise so we've got to wait for a cool change if there is such a thing.
"We've had hot days, we've had 45-plus here most definitely but not for this length of time and not with it being 45.7 degrees at five o'clock in the evening."
Tomorrow will be a reprieve of sorts, with the temperature heading for 42C before soaring to 46C again on Friday.
The run of days above 45C is still well short of the national record.
In 1973, the mercury touched 45C for 13 days in a row at Marree, about 400 kilometres south-east of Oodnadatta.
Bourke and Cobar both had eight days above 45C in the 1930s.
Oodnadatta has received 1.4 millimetres of rain since the start of December.
Buzz off
Hot conditions in other parts of the state are thought responsible for a drop in mosquito numbers.
A recent count in the Riverland found only a few mosquitoes at trap sites.
University of South Australia mosquito researcher Stephen Fricker estimates numbers are down by about 20 per cent on the summer average.
He says the population will continue to fall as more of the insects are affected by the dry and hot conditions.
"They tend to try and I suppose rest in cool spots when the weather gets hot," he said.
"By the nature of the weather we've been having, it should drop down the numbers of adults by some degree because it's just so dry out in the open. It should knock down quite a few of them."
Topics: weather, oodnadatta-5734, sa, adelaide-5000, port-pirie-5540
First postedCLOSE Jimmy the cat, is reunited with family after two and half years missing. Amy Newman/Northjersey.com
Owner saw photo of missing cat on West Milford shelter's lost cat Facebook page
After being lost for 2 1/2 years, Jimmy the cat was reunited with his owners, the Zelitsky family of Wanaque last week. Jimmy has been a member of the family since he was six weeks old. (Photo: Amy Newman/NorthJersey.com)
WANAQUE — Jimmy, a 13-year-old brown tabby cat, went missing about 2½ years ago. Last week, after a tearful reunion, he was back together with his human family.
Jimmy was brought to the West Milford Animal Shelter Society after he was found 10 miles from home in the High Crest section of West Milford. The reunion was made possible after Jimmy's family saw his picture posted on the shelter's lost cat page.
Jimmy went missing on Sept. 13, 2014, said his owner, Susan Zelitsky.
Because he liked sneaking into parked cars through open windows, his family thinks he accidentally hitched a ride out of town.
On the night Jimmy went missing, Zelitsky said her husband let him go outside. When she called for him to come back in, he was not to be found.
It wasn't unusual for Jimmy to spend time outside. He sat on the front porch with Susan Zelitsky and her husband, Bob, and visited the neighbor across the street for treats. He would join them on walks with their dog, and even went to the bathroom outside, Zelitsky said.
"He would go to the front door like a dog when he had to go to the bathroom, but he would always come back and meow at the door to come in," she said.
On that fateful night, Zelitsky called for the beloved pet around midnight, but he never came back. There was still no sign of Jimmy the next day, so the family searched the neighborhood, without any luck. They hung missing cat posters and reached out to police departments and shelters. There was no sign of him, Zelitsky said, adding, "We were devastated."
Zelitsky said she never really gave up searching in the months that followed, and she would sometimes call out for Jimmy when she walked the dog.
"Not only me, but my kids and husband, too," she said. "If I saw a cat that looked the same, I would wonder."
Taylor, 26, Paige, 23, and Susan Zelitsky give love to Jimmy, the family pet for years, on Tuesday, after his return to their Wanaque home. (Photo: Amy Newman/NorthJersey.com)
Jimmy was found in the High Crest section of West Milford and taken in after the March blizzard, according to the shelter's Real Cats at West Milford Animal Shelter Facebook page.
A post was placed on the Lost West Milford Pets Facebook page shortly after Jimmy was brought to the shelter. It received nearly 27,000 views and 600 shares. About five days later, there was a comment from Zelitsky under the post, followed by a flurry of private messages about the cat, with photographs. The reunion happened the next day.
"One of my Facebook friends had shared a post from WMASS with a picture, and I looked at it and thought how much he looked like Jimmy," Zelitsky recounted.
She went to the shelter first thing in the morning with her neighbor Dayna Devine, who originally gave her the cat. She brought along a pillowcase and dog toy that Jimmy had used for years, to see if they would provoke a reaction.
"When they opened the crate door, I said, 'Jimmy is that you, bud?' and he walked over and head-butted me and smooshed his nose into the dog's toy," she said. "I immediately started to sob. He started to rub up against us, and when I was rubbing his belly he nipped me, which he always did. He put his head in Dayna's hands and he started to purr loudly."
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She compared photographs and his markings.
Paige Zelitsky, 23, snuggles with Jimmy. The family found Jimmy two weeks ago after he was lost for more than two years. Jimmy has been a member of the family for fifteen years. (Photo: Amy Newman/NorthJersey.com)
"I was convinced it was my boy," she said. "I called my husband and he came to the shelter. When he saw Bob, he did the same head-butt."
The cat is home now and doing fine. Zelitsky said he was in pretty good shape considering he was out and about for so long.
"When it was OK to let him roam the house, he walked around like he owned the place," Zelitsky said. While Jimmy was lost, the family brought two new kittens into their home.
"The new kitties, who are 2, welcomed him, and everyone is one big happy family," she said.
She said her two daughters were skeptical at first, and it took some convincing for them to realize it was indeed Jimmy returned from the wild.
"My younger daughter came home from work and he was laying on my bed, and she said, 'Who the heck is that?' " Zelitsky said. "I said go close, and he immediately rolled over for belly rubs, and she cried and cried. My older daughter was a bit skeptical and worried how the kitties would react, but after a few days of Jimmy being up to his old habits, she was all in."
Zelitsky said the cat was very familiar with the layout, and he's been doing many things that he had done in the past, like sleeping on her husband's chest and his favorite dining room chair.
"If it wasn't for the wonderful people at WMASS, we would have never had this happy reunion," she said.
Social media definitely help reunite families with their lost pets, but a 2.5 2½-year separation like this is unusual, said one of the shelter volunteers.
Another cat went home this week as a result of the Lost West Milford Pets page, she said.
"The reality is they are out there. They have just separated themselves," she said. "We try to get them back to the family, because we know that there is a family out there whose heart isn't whole."
The volunteer said they also track animals with microchips and use trail cams for assistance in locating them. One pet was tracked through three different states after it is believed to have hopped into a landscaping truck.
Jimmy did not have a microchip, Zelitsky said.
Visit westmilfordanimalshelter.org for information.
Email: Agnish@northjersey.com
Read or Share this story: https://njersy.co/2oB2WYTThis post will serve as a simple end-to-end example of how to use your own tensorflow-model to do inference in your go-application. You will need to train your own model with tensorflow in order to make it work properly.
If you are doing inference in java (or any other language) the blogpost will still be useful since the principles are the same for languages with bindings to tensorflow.
TLDR;
Name your tensors and operations in the tensorflow graph before exporting the model. Use the same names to address input and inference-operations when you want to use the model in go(or any other language). Be careful to match the dimensions of your input and output when using the model.
Motivation
The tensorflow library is written in c++, but python is the most used language to use it. But since I am a go-developer I want to be able to use my tensorflow models in-process to do inference. This way I can use inference as a part of my program or expose it as a rest-service if needed and hopefully save some milliseconds over python when doing inference.
Pre reqs
To execute the code in this example you will need to
have tensorflow installed
have some version of go installed(I currently use 1.8)
some familiarity with tensorflows compute-graph if you run into problems
Install go-bindings
To get started with go, you need to install the go-bindings:
TF_TYPE="cpu" # Change to "gpu" for GPU support TARGET_DIRECTORY='/usr/local' curl -L \ "https://storage.googleapis.com/tensorflow/libtensorflow/libtensorflow-${TF_TYPE}-$(go env GOOS)-x86_64-1.1.0.tar.gz" | sudo tar -C $TARGET_DIRECTORY -xz sudo ldconfig go get github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/tensorflow/go go test github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/tensorflow/go
(if any of the above fails, find out why on https://www.tensorflow.org/install/install_go )
Name your tensors and operations before training
To be able to address specific parts of your tensorflow-graph during inference, you need to give names to the tensors and operations that you are interested in. In this case, it is the input-tensor and the inference-step I want to address.
Here I have named my input-tensor “imageinput” and the inference-step for “infer”
# the input-tensor x = tf.placeholder(tf.float32, [None, 784], name="imageinput") # the infer operation infer = tf.argmax(y,1, name="infer")
If you are interested in the result of other tensors or operations, be sure to name them as well. For instance, you will probably be interested in the accuracy of each inference, so go ahead and give the accuracy-operation a proper name.
Save your model with a tag
You need to build a save-builder with a tag before saving your trained model. This is to fetch the correct graph when reading the graph from go.
builder = tf.saved_model.builder.SavedModelBuilder("export2") builder.add_meta_graph_and_variables(sess,["serve"]) builder.save()
For the complete python-code for this example, have a look at the code on github.
Using the model in go
Import the tensorflow bindings as tf
import ( "fmt" tf "github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/tensorflow/go" )
Now, load the model with the tensorflow binding function tf.LoadSavedModel(…). Use the same tag-name as you specified when saving the model:
func main() { model, err := tf.LoadSavedModel("mnistmodel", []string{"serve"}, nil) if err!= nil { fmt.Printf("Error loading saved model: %s
", err.Error()) return } defer model.Session.Close()
The input in the example code is just dummy-input with a blank matrix. Be sure to match the dimensions of the input you defined in your trained model. In this case I will define a 2-d matrix of type float32 with dimensions 1x784 since the mnist-images are 784 pixels.
tensor, terr := dummyInputTensor(28 * 28) // replace this with your own data if terr!= nil { fmt.Printf("Error creating input tensor: %s
", terr.Error()) return }
Now, this is the most important part: executing the tensorflow graph and getting the results. In order to use the graph, we need to address the input-tensor and the operation to instruct tensorflow where to put our input and what operations in the graph we want to execute. In this case, i have named my input inputimage and my inference-operation infer. If everything works fine, the result(s) is returned to the result variable.
result, runErr := model.Session.Run( map[tf.Output]*tf.Tensor{ model.Graph.Operation("imageinput").Output(0): tensor, }, []tf.Output{ model.Graph.Operation("infer").Output(0), }, nil, ) if runErr!= nil { fmt.Printf("Error running the session with input, err: %s
", runErr.Error()) return }
Again, the dimension of the result is the same as defined in your tensorflow model, so you might want to tweak this part.
The result in the infer-operation is a matrix with 1 value:
fmt.Printf("Most likely number in input is %v
", result[0].Value()) }
Example code
The code for both training and inference can be found in its completeness on github at https://github.com/nilsmagnus/tensorflow-with-go
Similar blogposts
I have not found any documentation or end-to-end example of what I have described here, but there is a nice post about working with golang and tensorflow in general here: https://pgaleone.eu/tensorflow/go/2017/05/29/understanding-tensorflow-using-go/?utm_source=golangweekly&utm_medium=emailA 3,500-pound great white shark has returned to the Carolina coastline. A ping from a satellite tag on the 16-foot-long shark (like the one pictured above) showed Mary Lee was just off the coast in Murrells Inlet on Friday morning.Since being tagged last September, researchers say Mary Lee has traveled more than 13,285 miles along the east coast. The data show Mary Lee has been as far east as Bermuda and as far south as Jacksonville, Fla.Mary Lee headed north in January. Shark researcher Chris Fischer says scientists know little about great whites and they are not quite sure why Mary Lee headed north so quickly.Fischer is the founder of OCEARCH, a nonprofit dedicated to studying great whites and other large marine species.
A 3,500-pound great white shark has returned to the Carolina coastline.
A ping from a satellite tag on the 16-foot-long shark (like the one pictured above) showed Mary Lee was just off the coast in Murrells Inlet on Friday morning.
Advertisement
Since being tagged last September, researchers say Mary Lee has traveled more than 13,285 miles along the east coast. The data show Mary Lee has been as far east as Bermuda and as far south as Jacksonville, Fla.
Mary Lee headed north in January. Shark researcher Chris Fischer says scientists know little about great whites and they are not quite sure why Mary Lee headed north so quickly.
Fischer is the founder of OCEARCH, a nonprofit dedicated to studying great whites and other large marine species.
AlertMeTwenty Questions
Peter Singer
Princeton University and Melbourne University
In the first of this new series for the journal, Peter Singer responds to questions from the editors and Theron Pummer.
History and Others
Compared to most other moral theories, utilitarianism is a fairly simple view that doesn’t rely on any particularly complex or elaborate argument. Yet despite being around for a couple of centuries, utilitarianism is only endorsed by a tiny minority, and even this minority arguably fails to fully live up to what utilitarianism requires. At the same time, utilitarianism is rejected by many highly intelligent and sophisticated people who appear to have carefully reflected on its core claims and the arguments in its favour, including various attempts to debunk or discount opposing intuitions. Do these points affect how confident you are about your commitment to utilitarianism? Do you think you will be happy if your version of utilitarianism persuades everyone and no one is left to defend an alternative ethical theory, say in 100 years? Or does the prospect somehow frighten you?
When you say “utilitarianism is only endorsed by a tiny minority” do you mean a tiny minority of the population as a whole, or a tiny minority of philosophers? If you mean the former, then that is true of any theory—Kantianism, Contractualism, Natural Law Ethics, you name it… most people don’t think about ethical theories very much, let alone endorse them. If you mean the latter, then I don’t think it’s true—utilitarianism may be endorsed only by a minority of philosophers, but it’s a sizable minority, and larger in some countries than others. And I don’t think any ethical theory commands the support of a majority of philosophers.
Why do many intelligent and sophisticated people reject utilitarianism? Some people give more weight to their intuitions than I do—and less weight to arguments for debunking intuitions. Does that reduce my confidence in utilitarianism? Yes, to some extent, but I still remain reasonably confident that it is the most defensible view of ethics. I don’t know if everyone will accept utilitarianism in 100 years, but I don’t find the prospect frightening. It would only be frightening if people misapplied it, and I do not assume that they will.
Who do you think has been the most serious critic of your work? Is there any particular line of criticism to which you think you have been unable to respond?
There is no single critic to whom I would give that label. Different critics have focused on different aspects of my work. The most devastating criticism I ever received came from Derek Parfit. It was directed at my attempt to defend a solution to Parfit’s population problem that did not lead to his famous Repugnant Conclusion. He convinced me that my proposal was indefensible. (See Michael Bayles (ed.), Ethics and Population (Schenkman, Cambridge, 1976). On the other hand, I’m still not sure what the right answer to Parfit’s population problem is, although I lean towards the Total View, which means I have to swallow the Repugnant Conclusion.
Parfit has also influenced my views on metaethics. For many years I was Humean about practical reason, holding that reason must start from a desire; and I was a non-cognitivist about ethical judgments, holding a view similar to that of R.M.Hare’s universal prescriptivism. But I had long felt that Hare’s reliance on the meanings of the moral terms was too thin a basis for the views I wanted to defend. Parfit’s arguments in On What Matters against Hume’s view of practical reason helped to persuade me that there are objective normative reasons.
On animals, I’ve yet to see a plausible defense of speciesism, despite the efforts of Bernard Williams and, more recently, Shelly Kagan. So I regard the case against speciesism as settled. On the other hand, I take seriously critics like Tatjana Visak, who argues, in Killing Happy Animals, that I am too permissive regarding the killing of animals who live happy lives and will, if killed, be replaced by other animals who will live equally happy lives.
There have been many critics of my views about euthanasia for severely disabled infants. I had some good discussions with the late Harriet McBryde Johnson, who was not a philosopher but a lawyer who had a rich and full life despite being born with a very disabling condition. As long as she was alive, when I wrote anything on that topic, I wrote with her potentially critical response in mind.
As far as normative ethical theory is concerned, I don’t find criticisms of utilitarianism persuasive, but there remains the question of the kind of utilitarianism that is most defensible. When Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek and I began work on The Point of View of the Universe I still considered myself a preference utilitarian, although I already had doubts about it. But de Lazari-Radek’s criticism of preference utilitarianism (which drew on her understanding of Sidgwick on this question) and her response to Nozick’s experience machine example, was the final push that led me to abandon preference utilitarianism in favour of hedonistic utilitarianism.
Who do you think was the greatest moral philosopher of the twentieth century, and why?
Can I rephrase that to “the greatest moral philosopher of the past 100 years”? Then I think the answer is Derek Parfit. I might give the same answer to the question as you originally formulated it, but On What Matters, which I think removes any doubt about him being the greatest moral philosopher since Sidgwick, appeared in the 21st century. I should add that I have had the benefit of reading, not only Volumes One and Two of that work, but the forthcoming Volume Three (on metaethics) and several draft chapters, on consequentialism, which I expect will be part of a future Volume Four, and these works reinforce my opinion.
Theory
Do you still think that the best argument for utilitarianism is based on the principle of equality understood as equal consideration of interests?
There’s more to the argument than that. In The Point of View of the Universe we start with Sidgwick’s argument for utilitarianism. His principle of universal benevolence is equivalent to the principle of equal consideration of interests, so defending that principle is an important step in the argument, but it is not enough. Sidgwick himself remained deeply troubled by his inability to demonstrate that egoism is irrational. That led him to speak of a “dualism of practical reason”—two opposing viewpoints, utilitarianism and egoism, seemed both to be rational. We use an evolutionary debunking argument to reject egoism, leaving utilitarianism as the sole survivor.
Do you think it matters, for any practical decision I might face, whether moral judgements can be ‘objectively’ true?
I do. You could just say “these are my normative views, and I’m going to treat them as if they were true, without thinking about whether moral judgments really can be objectively true.” If you do that, then in practice your decisions will be the same whether or not moral judgments can be objectively true. But given that I think morality is highly demanding, it becomes easier to say that, since morality is so highly demanding, and there is nothing irrational about not doing what morality demands, I’m not going to bother doing what I know to be right. If there are objective reasons for doing what morality demands, it’s more troubling to go against them.
Many people object to you by noting utilitarianism implies that sometimes one should perform a morally repugnant act (e.g. torture a child) in order to promote the good. But this same trap (more or less) would “work” on pretty much all contemporary moral philosophers, as there are very few absolutists nowadays. What’s your take on this?
There are still absolutists. Some are proponents of the “new natural law” tradition, which has its roots in Catholic moral theology, even though it is presented as a secular position. Others are Kantians, many of them outside English-speaking philosophy. In Germany, for example, you would find wide support for the idea that we should not torture a child, even if (as in Dostoevsky’s example in The Brothers Karamazov) that would produce peace on earth forever. To me it seems obvious that if by torturing one child you could prevent a vast number of children (and adults) suffering as much or more than the child you have to torture, it would be wrong not to torture that child. Our intuitions tell us that to torture a child is always wrong, and because cases in which torturing a child would be right are so extraordinarily improbable, it is good that we have such intuitions. Hare’s two-level view of moral thinking explains this point well.
Have your views about the role of moral intuitions in ethics changed over the years? You were once famous for rejecting any such role, but in more recent work you defend utilitarianism itself by appeal to (a kind of) intuition, and many arguments supporting utilitarianism appeal to intuitions about the moral irrelevance of e.g. mere distance. And it seems that if we want to fully flesh out a utilitarian theory, there is no way of avoiding appeal to intuitions, including to intuitions about particular cases. For how else could we settle on a specific theory of well-being or address questions about, for example, population ethics or the non-identity problem?
I haven’t changed my views about our everyday moral intuitions. In fact my readiness to reject them has, if anything, increased. It is a mistake to judge normative theories by the extent to which they match our everyday moral judgments. I used to argue against many of our intuitions (for example, the intuition that the killing of a newborn infant is just as wrong as the killing of an older person who wants to go on living) on the grounds that they were based on religious beliefs and specific to Western culture. That’s still my view, but during the past twenty years we have learned a lot more from work in moral psychology by Josh Greene and others. We now know that many of our moral intuitions have an evolved biological basis. So even when moral intuitions are universally held, that doesn’t show them to be a reliable guide to what we ought to do—a point that Sharon Street has made convincingly.
On the other hand, in The Point of View of the Universe, de Lazari-Radek and I follow Sidgwick in arguing that there are some moral truths, or axioms, that we can see, on reflection, to be self-evident. Sidgwick calls these intuitions, and we follow him in that terminology. Perhaps we would have been wiser to use a different term. We are talking about careful, reflective judgments that, we argue, are based on reason, whereas our everyday moral intuitions tend to have an emotional basis. This fits with the fact that it is hard to see how Sidgwick’s principle of universal benevolence could be selected for by evolution, except in so far as it came as part of a larger, advantageous package. We suggest that that package is the capacity to reason.
Well-being, Value of Life and Moral status
It appears that you now accept a hedonistic rather than preference-based account of human well-being. What implications does this have for your views on the wrongness of killing persons? Do you think all pleasures are equal? Bentham said the pleasure of playing pushpin (pinball) was the same value as the pleasure of reading poetry, but Mill explicitly divided pleasures into higher and lower pleasures. What is your view? For example, is the pleasure some derive from watching pornography (assuming no actors are harmed, such as cartoon pornography) the same as the pleasure of watching a beautiful sunset or having achieved one’s life work?
I am currently inclined to accept happiness or pleasure as the ultimate good, rather than preference satisfaction. This eliminates the direct significance of the distinction between persons—defined as self-conscious beings who are aware of their existence over time—and sentient beings who are not persons, but a related distinction may still have indirect weight, because beings who can know that others like them are being killed will then fear that they too may be killed, whereas beings not capable of such knowledge will not.
If your question about whether I think that all pleasures are equal is asking whether I accept something like Mill’s distinction between higher and lower pleasures, then the answer is that I do not. In that sense I think that all pleasures are equal. But your account of Bentham’s view on the pushpin versus poetry issue needs to be more precisely stated. Pleasures differ, as Bentham pointed out, in intensity, duration, certainty or uncertainty, propinquity or remoteness, fecundity, and purity. What Bentham said is that “quantity of pleasure being equal, pushpin is as good as poetry.” Bentham could have defended a taste for poetry on the grounds that, whereas one tires of mere games, the pleasures of a true appreciation of poetry have no limit; thus the quantities of pleasure obtained by poetry are likely to be greater than those obtained by pushpin, and we are right to encourage people to acquire a taste for poetry. The same seems likely to be true for many other examples. Pornography, for instance, is likely to pall and so bring decreasing amounts of pleasure over time, whereas setting oneself the goal of achieving something truly worthwhile seems likely to be increasingly rewarding over time.
Practice
Frances Kamm once said (in an interview with Alex Voorhoeve) that utilitarians who believe in very demanding duties to aid and that not aiding is the same as harming, but nevertheless don’t live up to these demands, don’t really believe their own arguments. She points out that justifying this by claiming that one is weak willed doesn’t make sense: it would be very odd to say that one is weak if one saw a drowning child and did nothing. She concludes that ‘either something is wrong with that theory, or there is something wrong with its proponents’. What do you think about this argument? Why haven’t you given a kidney to someone who needs it now? You have two and you only need one. They have none that are working – it would make a huge difference to their life at very little cost to you.
The view that I take in Practical Ethics and some other writings is not that not aiding is the same as harming in all respects. Especially from the perspective of our attitude to the agent, there are some differences, but the differences are nowhere near as significant as our ordinary moral judgments.
I’m not sure that the cost to me of donating a kidney would be “very little” but I agree that it would harm me much less than it would benefit someone who is on dialysis. I also agree that for that reason my failure to donate a kidney is not ethically defensible. But I don’t agree with Frances that this case is parallel to the drowning child case—that is, the case I described in which the rescuer runs no risk at all of serious harm. Donating a kidney does involve a small risk of serious complications. Zell Kravinsky suggests that the risk is 1 in 4000. I don’t think I’m weak-willed, but I do give greater weight to my own interests, and to those of my family and others close to me, than I should. Most people do that, in fact they do it to a greater extent than I do (because they do not give as much money to good causes as I do). That fact makes me feel less bad about my failure to give a kidney than I otherwise would. But I know that I am not doing what I ought to do.
You said in an interview with Andrew Denton that if you and your wife had a child with Down syndrome, you would adopt the baby out. Could you explain the ethics of this and isn’t it a selfish decision? Could you elaborate on your views about disability, in particular why you think a life with disability is of less value and what you think the implications of that are?
I was assuming that there are other couples who are unable to have their own child, and who would be happy to adopt a child with Down syndrome. If that is the situation, I don’t see why it is selfish to enable a couple to have a child they want to have, and for my wife and myself to conceive another child, who would be very unlikely to have Down syndrome, and so would give us the child we want to have. For me, the knowledge that my child would not be likely to develop into a person whom I could treat as an equal, in every sense of the word, who would never be able to have children of his or her own, who I could not expect to grow up to be a fully independent adult, and with whom I could expect to have conversations about only a limited range of topics would greatly reduce my joy in raising my child and watching him or her develop.
“Disability” is a very broad term, and I would not say that, in general, “a life with disability” is of less value than one without disability. Much will depend on the nature of the disability. But let’s turn the question around, and ask why someone would deny that the life of a profoundly intellectually disabled human being is of less value than the life of a normal human being. Most people think that the life of a dog or a pig is of less value than the life of a normal human being. On what basis, then, could they hold that the life of a profoundly intellectually disabled human being with intellectual capacities inferior to those of a dog or a pig is of equal value to the life of a normal human being? This sounds like speciesism to me, and as I said earlier, I have yet to see a plausible defence of speciesism. After looking for more than forty years, I doubt that there is one.
Controversy
You have written and commented on topics that have attracted considerable negative attention (eg bestiality, infanticide), and potentially distract |
then publicly slapped Corbyn down, insisting Labour would vote to trigger Article 50: “The people have spoken and we will respect their decision”. A humiliation for the leader.
On Monday, Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer confirmed the Corbyn interview was wrong and Labour would not vote against: “No. We will not frustrate the process by simply voting down Article 50”. Then Corbyn himself was forced to tweet a clarification of his own interview:
There must be transparency and accountability on Brexit terms. We won’t block Article 50 but will fight for a Brexit that works for Britain — Jeremy Corbyn MP (@jeremycorbyn) November 6, 2016
Sorted? Nope. Labour’s by-election candidate in Richmond Park, Christian Wolmar, then said that he would defy his party’s position on Article 50: “I think personally I would vote against it”. That Labour’s inability to produce a coherent position on Brexit hasn’t made bigger news is testament to how irrelevant the party has become…Modest Mouse has 6 full-length studio albums.
The first one came out in 1996.
If you flip the two 9’s, you get 1666.
Do you see it now? 666. 666 is the number of the Illuminati.
But wait.
The sixth song on the album is called “Beach Side Property”.
Because the Illuminati is rich enough to own Beach Side Property.
But WAIT.
“Beach Side Property” is roughly 6 minutes and 59 seconds long.
That’s almost 7 minutes.
7 minutes is 420 seconds.
420 is also the marijuana number.
Marijuana plants have 7 leaves,
like 7 minutes.
Think that doesn’t tell us much? think again.
7 - 1 is 6.
This gives us one 6.
the 4 and 2 in 420 gives us another 6.
Almost done…but where will we find the final 6?
Modest Mouse has 6 EPs. That is the final 6 we need.
The first EP has a “3″ in the title,
as in three 6′s. As in, 6,6, and 6.
As in,
THEREFORE, MODEST MOUSE IS
How could we have missed it?The Nation editor Katrina Vanden Heuvel on Sunday said that Republicans were succeeding at using “weapons of mass distraction” to obstruct President Barack Obama’s second term agenda.
During an ABC News panel discussion about the a number of scandals that Republicans are using to attack the Obama administration, Washington Post columnist George Will asserted that IRS scrutiny of tea party groups was like Watergate because “it’s the use of the federal machinery to punish enemies of the administration.”
“Watergate? Seriously, George?” Vanden Heuvel replied. “I mean, Watergate was a scandal unique in its depths of criminality. You had a president at the heart of the White House directing the subversion of the FBI and other institutions, including the IRS… And the key scandal — which you will disagree with — is that we had after Citizens United a flood of money coming in, and you had groups which were clearly political and partisan trying to use this 501(c)4 [tax-exempt] categorization to escape political scrutiny.”
Vanden Heuvel went on to point out that the Republican Party was trying to substitute the so-called scandal at the IRS, attacks in Benghazi and the Justice Department’s seizure of Associate Press phone records for a real political agenda.
“The Republican Party is unified by its determination to obstruct President Obama,” she explained. “It’s doing a good job. I mean, one of the terrible things this past week was to see again how it’s obstructing the confirmation of appointees needed to run a functional government.”
“However, I would say the president, his administration is floundering because they haven’t — they’ve allowed weapons of mass distraction to dominate because they haven’t found their core agenda for the second term. What is it? Is it immigration reform, which might well have a better chance of passing because of this distraction in Washington?”
“Where’s the job creation? Where’s the action on guns? These are focuses of an administration in its second term that knows what it wants to do.”
Watch this video from ABC’s This Week, broadcast May 19, 2013.Given the fact of human evolution, here is a good question for Christmas: if we last shared a common ancestor with the chimps about 5-6 million years ago, and humans have been gradually emerging through a series of hominid intermediates ever since, then why did Jesus die? The connection of thought here might not be immediately apparent. But behind the question lies about 1,600 years or more of church history.
Augustine, Bishop of Hippo (354–430), whose influence, both brilliant and perverse, continues to the present day, is an informative place to start. Augustine believed that the Adam and Eve of the Genesis text were the progenitors of all humankind. When they disobeyed God and were cast out of the Garden of Eden, their sin was then inherited by all succeeding generations: the doctrine of "original sin". Their disobedience became known as the "Fall" (a word not used in the Bible) and Augustine's doctrine of original sin was soon ratified by successive church councils, the Council of Carthage (418) declaring that human mortality was a consequence of the Fall. The focus of Christ's death on the cross – the Atonement – then became Christ's sacrifice for the sin of Adam, whose disobedience had led to the consequent physical death of all humanity.
If the Augustinian account is correct, then there is clear incompatibility with evolution, in which anatomically modern humans first start appearing in Africa about 200,000 years ago through a process involving countless deaths over thousands of generations.
So do we then just shrug our shoulders and say "well so much the worse for theology – science wins in the end"? Surprisingly, perhaps, the Bible suggests otherwise. The tradition of interpreting the early chapters of Genesis figuratively – as a theological essay, not as science – goes back to two great thinkers from Alexandria: the first-century Jewish philosopher Philo, and the third-century church father Origen. In 248 Origen wrote that Genesis references to Adam are "not so much of one particular individual as of the whole human race". Figurative understandings of the Genesis text have been part of mainstream theology ever since.
The first mention of Adam in the Bible is clearly referring to humankind (Genesis 1:26-27) and the definite article in front of Adam in chapters 2 and 3 – "the man" – suggests a representative man, because in Hebrew the definite article is not used for personal names, with Eve being the representative woman.
The Genesis narrative tells the story of humankind going their way rather than God's way. On the day that Adam and Eve sin, they do not drop dead but proceed to have a big family, albeit now alienated from friendship with God, causing spiritual death. Nowhere does the Bible teach that physical death originates with the sin of Adam, nor that sin is inherited from Adam, as Augustine maintained. But the New Testament does teach that humankind stays true to type – all people sin by their own free will – and Christ dies for the sins of all. Christ is the second Adam who opens up the way back to friendship with God through his sacrifice for sin on the cross. The result is the "at-one-ment" that the first Adam – Everyman – is unable to accomplish by his own efforts.
Evolution's gift is a complex brain that endows humanity with free will, enabling personal moral responsibilities towards our neighbour and towards God. We are not puppets. God's gift at Christmas is forgiveness and new life through Christ for those who realise how far we've fallen from using that free will responsibly.You may come across use cases where you would need to perform some long running tasks on separate threads. You may have to request these tasks to finish doing their work, maybe even before the tasks are completely done, so that the threads they would be running on can be stopped. A few situations in which you may have to finish tasks early and stop threads are:
While servicing a web request you may distribute the processing to multiple threads and some or all of the tasks fail to finish the processing within specified request processing time, or
While shutting down an application that may use more than one thread to do some work, which may not have completed.
In this article I will try to answer the following questions:
How to request a task, running on a separate thread, to finish early?
How to make a task responsive to such a finish request?
Let’s try to answer the two questions by implementing an use case.
Example Use Case
The following are the requirements of the use case:
Make a task that prints 0 through 9 on console. After printing a number the task should wait 1 sec before printing the next number. The task runs on a separate thread, other than main application thread. After starting the task the main application should wait for 3 sec and then shutdown. On shutdown the application should request the running task to finish. Before shutting down completely the application should, at the max, wait for 1 sec for the task to finish. The task should respond to the finish request by stopping immediately.
As per the requirements mentioned in the use case the task will take minimum 9 seconds to complete. Therefore after 3 seconds the main application will have to request the task to finish and if implemented correctly the task will not be able to print all the ten numbers from 0 through 9.
In this article, I will be focusing on the implementations of requirement 5 and requirement 7.
An Implementation of the Use Case Using Thread
The inline comment against a line of code mentions the use case requirement that has been met by the line.
public static void main(String[] args) throws InterruptedException { Thread taskThread = new Thread(taskThatFinishesEarlyOnInterruption()); taskThread.start(); // requirement 3 Thread.sleep(3_000); // requirement 4 taskThread.interrupt(); // requirement 5 taskThread.join(1_000); // requirement 6 } private static Runnable taskThatFinishesEarlyOnInterruption() { return () -> { for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) { System.out.print(i); // requirement 1 try { Thread.sleep(1_000); // requirement 2 } catch (InterruptedException e) { break; // requirement 7 } } }; }
Understanding the Implementation of Requirement 5
In the implementation of requirement 5, the main thread calls the taskThread ’s interrupt() method. In Java, one thread cannot stop the other thread. A thread can only request the other thread to stop. The request is made in the form of an interruption. Calling the interrupt() method on an instance of a Thread sets the interrupt status state as true on the instance.
Use interruption to request a task, running on a separate thread, to finish.
Understanding the Implementation of Requirement 7
In the implementation of requirement 7, InterruptedException is being handled by breaking out of the loop and thus finishing the task early.
Question arises that why did Thread.sleep() throw an InterruptedException? As soon as the taskThread was interrupted by the main thread, the Thread.sleep(1_000) responded to the interruption by throwing the exception. In fact almost all blocking methods respond to interruption by throwing InterruptedException.The decision of what to do in the case of interruption is left to the implementing code, which in this example is breaking out of the for loop as per the requirement in the use case.
Note: Calls to sleep() and join() methods in main() method are blocking and may also throw InterruptedException upon interruption. Handling of the exception here has been omitted for brevity.
Handle interruption request, which in most cases is done by handling InterruptedException, in the task to make it responsive to a finish request.
An Implementation of the Use Case Using the Executor
The same use case can be implemented using Executor framework provided by Java and can be found under the java.util.concurrent package. Usage of the Executor framework is preferred over Threads as it provides separation of task execution from the thread management. In the implementation below the task is submitted to ExecutorService, a sub-interface of Executor, using the submit() method. The service runs the task on the thread it holds. The service’s shutdownNow() method interrupts the currently running task and awaitTermination() method waits for the service to shutdown.
public static void main(String[] args) throws InterruptedException { ExecutorService executor = Executors.newSingleThreadExecutor(); executor.submit(taskThatFinishesEarlyOnInterruption()); // requirement 3 Thread.sleep(3_000); // requirement 4 executor.shutdownNow(); // requirement 5 executor.awaitTermination(1, TimeUnit.SECONDS); // requirement 6 } // implementation of taskThatFinishesEarlyOnInterruption() remains the same
When using the Executor framework, you can interrupt a specific task without shutting down the ExecutorService. On submitting a task to the service an instance of Future<?> is returned by the service. You may call the cancel() method on that instance to interrupt the task. In situations when you service a web request by running parallel tasks, this method of cancelling tasks and not shutting down the service helps in re-using the service across multiple requests. In such situations you may want to shutdown the service only on shutdown of your web application. Calling the cancel() with true causes the task to be interrupted.
Future<?> submittedTask = executor.submit(someTask());... submittedTask.cancel(true) // if conditions to cancel the task have been met
The Executor framework is a complete asynchronous task execution framework. If you have not explored it yet, I request to you to read about it. It will be a great addition to your development toolbox.
InterruptedException and Interruption Status
Before I finish, I wanted to emphasize on an important detail about what happens to a thread’s interruption status when a blocking code responds to interruption by throwing InterruptedException. I had left out the detail till now to avoid confusion.
Before a blocking code throws an InterruptedException, it marks the interruption status as false. Thus, when handling of the InterruptedException is done, you should also preserve the interruption status by calling Thread.currentThread().interrupt().
Let’s see how this information applies to the example below. In the task that is submitted to the ExecutorService, the printNumbers() method is called twice. When the task is interrupted by a call to shutdownNow(), the first call to the method finishes early and then the execution reaches the second call. The interruption is called by the main thread only once. The interruption is communicated to the second execution of the printNumber() method by the call to Thread.currentThread().interrupt() during the first execution. Hence the second execution also finishes early just after printing the first number. Not preserving the interruption status would have caused the second execution of the method to run fully for 9 seconds.
public static void main(String[] args) throws InterruptedException { ExecutorService executor = Executors.newSingleThreadExecutor(); Future<?> future = executor.submit(() -> { printNumbers(); // first call printNumbers(); // second call }); Thread.sleep(3_000); executor.shutdownNow(); // will interrupt the task executor.awaitTermination(3, TimeUnit.SECONDS); } private static void printNumbers() { for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) { System.out.print(i); try { Thread.sleep(1_000); } catch (InterruptedException e) { Thread.currentThread().interrupt(); // preserve interruption status break; } } }
Summary
The answers to the two questions that I had set out to answer are:OPEN, EXPANSIVE LEVELS. Most of our maps will come directly or be heavily inspired from real world locations through Geographic Information Systems (GIS) satellite data, where authenticity and total tactical freedom to roam will always be part of the game.
MASSIVE 100 PLAYER SERVERS. 50 on 50, in countless squad combinations, all vying for control over an expansive battlefield. SCALABILITY. Squad can be enjoyed on a much smaller scale with more concentrated fighting areas and tighter player counts, but still offers the freedom, tactical maneuverability and opportunities for team-play that are the hallmarks of the game.
KIT ROLE SYSTEM, be it a machine gunner, sniper, grenadier, APC-crewman, helicopter pilot, squad-leadership, construction engineer, medic, forward observer or even a plain old rifleman, every role has a part to play in the battle. This clear division of responsibilities greatly helps the experience as no one soldier can possibly do the job of an entire army. Personal progression is not measured by how shiny your weapon is, but how flexible you are in mastering all the different battlefield professions.
PLAYER-DRIVEN SPAWN-POINT AND BASE-BUILDING, which makes the front-lines of every match a unique experience. Players who prefer to construct rather than destruct have the capability to build fortifications and strong points for the team, and often play as important if not greater role than the ones doing the shooting.
LOGISTICS AND RESUPPLY SYSTEM, realised through your team's network of player-placed Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) and Rally Points (RPs) to support your front-lines. Whether its ensuring a clear path between your main base and your forward bases, or risking the gauntlet and delivering supplies by helicopter or truck, a supply system controls what weapons are available at your Forward Operating Bases, and even how much you can fortify your spawn points. Defending friendly and eliminating enemy Supply Lines, FOBs and RPs become just as important as putting troops into the Objective Zones on the map.
COMBINED ARMS WARFARE. Join a tank crew, be an unstoppable force in a CAS helicopter with your co-pilot or even run logistics and build fortifications, there are many ways to make your mark on the battlefield. From grunts to motorcycles to APCs to attack helicopters and everything in between, we offer gameplay systems that make multilayered teamwork enjoyable and rewarding without the need to join private communities.
REAL WORLD CURRENT TIME PERIOD FACTIONS, including regular and irregular forces. Meaning the inclusion of realistic tactics, weapons, accouterments, load-outs, vehicles, sounds and sights of war using highly accurate modelling accrued from our military advisors as well as years of experimentation and experience in the modding scene.
BALLISTICS AND SIGHTS. Server side, simulated Newtonian physics with our custom physics engine code. From small arms to grenade launchers, mounted machine guns to dumb-fire rockets, we aim to have working sights that significantly up the level of immersion when it comes to firing your weapon.
SIMULATED DAMAGE MODELS. Server side damage system where being shot means you're not going to be sprinting until treated by a medic, and a direct shot to your wheels means you're not going to be moving around until field repairs have been made.
INTEGRATED POSITIONAL VOIP COMMUNICATION, no need for third party programs, we're using the most effective codecs in-game. Speaking to other squad leaders across the map, or even the man next to you couldn't be easier.
ALL THE TOOLS NEEDED FOR INTRA-SQUAD AND INTER-SQUAD COMMUNICATION built into the game. In the last ten years, the industry has moved away from providing proper command and communication features available out of the box. Squad will fix this.
TRUE FIRST PERSON CHARACTERS. (aka ‘body awareness’) character models, there won’t be walking gunheads here. Your first person movements will be the exact same as seen by other players in third person. There are no rigged 1P arms for your on screen infantry character, the entire character body is modeled and viewable at all times.
A MEDICAL SYSTEM REFINED through 10 years of gameplay history. A revival system balanced to make medics and casualty evacuation an extremely critical part of the game, and with features like dragging coming to Squad, saving your buddy in the midst of battle is an experience like no other.
ASSAULT AND SECURE, an objective zone based game mode that promotes a defined 'front-line' style of combat. The objectives also are regenerated every round, so no two sessions will ever play the same. We plan to have many more game modes to come!
ADMINS SPECTATOR MODES AND OVERVIEW PANELS to allow administration teams the tools required to own, operate, and oversee their servers.
REFINED MACHINIMA/FILMING TOOLS designed by film enthusiasts for ease of use, to allow for high quality machinima or gameplay videos.
SUPPORT FOR MODDERS AND MISSION DESIGNERS FROM DAY ONE of retail release. The Squad developers are paying it forward and will provide reference and frameworks for hobbyist modders and mission creators, and paid commissions for qualified mod teams.
SUPPORT FOR TEAM TOURNAMENTS AND LADDERS. Both large scale 50v50 matches for public and clan ladders, and 5v5 and 8v8 on specifically designed smaller maps, allowing tournaments that can take full advantage of the Unreal Engine 4 framework, animations, weapons and ballistics systems to challenge the competitive FPS standard for the last several years.
Below is a rough timeline of our development plan. Although very difficult to give specific dates we would like to be releasing our STEAM EARLY ACCESS in Q4 2015.
We anticipate the "Full Project" Could take an additional 12 - 24 months after that point. The reality is we plan to take the project as far as is viable and continue to add to the product for as long as the demand is there.
Below are our Kickstarter Tiers and a FAQ to help everyone in choosing the level the fits with their desire to support the project.
If you have an idea or proposal that goes above and beyond these tiers please let us know and we will seriously consider it. We may reveal some higher level tiers if demand is there.
Feel free to contact us at support@joinsquad.com!
We are very privileged to have a very large community of over 3,300 forum members, 8,300 Youtube subscribers and we were successfully Greenlit with an amazing 41,213 yes votes for a 95% approval rating!
Squad also enjoys very strong clan and community backing and just to show a little bit of appreciation back to them here is the growing list of our friends in the community.
Tactical Gamer - tacticalgamer.com
Drakelings - bluedrake42.com
PR Teamwork Alliance - prteamwork.com
CIA - ciagaming.org
DevilDogGamer - devildoggamer.com
OD-S - od-sierra.org
Squad Brasil - joinsquadbrasil.com.br
Big D - bigdgaming.net
The Art of War - taw.net
New - newcommunity.eu
Comunidade Gamer http://www.comunidadegamer.com.br
7Cav http://www.7thcavalry.us
3DAC - 3dac.co
Consortium Horizon - consortium-horizon.com
aVarice Gaming - avagaming.com.au
Mappers United - mappersunited.com
Italian Warfare and Esercito Italiano - http://www.clan-ei.com
Project Awesome - reddit.com/r/ProjectAwesome
Divsul Brasil - divsul.com
Team SFS - www.teamsfsmilsim.com
Joinsquad russia - joinsquad.ru
BR Devils - www.brdevils.com.br
and we are looking for more clans to join us!
We have been featured in a number of gameplay videos and would love for you to have a look at our fully functional Pre-Alpha which has been in private testing for several months.
Below are some articles which have featured Squad.
PCgamer
http://www.pcgamer.com/squad-is-a-team-fps-from-the-makers-of-battlefield-2-mod-project-reality/
Gamespot
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-modders-working-on-new-50v50-fps-calle/1100-6426469/
Kotaku
http://steamed.kotaku.com/a-hardcore-shooter-from-the-makers-of-one-of-battlefiel-1695993653
PCgamesn
http://www.pcgamesn.com/squad-is-a-100-player-fps-from-the-team-behind-battlefield-2-s-project-reality-mod
Games.cz
http://games.tiscali.cz/oznameni/tvurci-modu-project-reality-predstavili-svou-vlastni-online-strilecku-squad-249665
Rockpapershotgun
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/04/15/squad-tactical-fps-project-reality/
Gamewatcher
http://www.gamewatcher.com/news/2015-07-04-battlefield-2-project-reality-mod-team-reunites-for-multiplayer-shooter-squad
Unreal Engine 4 is a complete suite of game development tools made by game developers, for game developers. From 2D mobile games to console blockbusters, Unreal Engine 4 gives you everything you need to start, ship, grow and stand out from the crowd. Revolutionary new workflow features and a deep tool-set empower developers to quickly iterate on ideas and see immediate results, while complete C++ source code access brings the experience to a whole new level.
To get all the latest info about Squad's development, feel free to visit our website and subscribe to our various social media pages:
Official Site: http://joinsquad.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoinSquad
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoinSquad
YouTube: https://youtube.com/JoinSquad
Press: http://press.joinsquad.comMy first comic commission for who wrote the script for it and paid me to illustrate. This was fun to work on as it is my first comic that uses my new style besides a few Tumblr ask blog comics here and there. I love how that cute Derpy in panel 3 turned out! So thanks to VickiFox for paying me to do this and for the hilarious idea of it to begin with!MLP © HasbroFiM © Lauren FaustArt © MeScript and comic idea © * VickiFox EDIT: Wow, thanks for the feature EqD! www.equestriadaily.com/2013/07... So that explains the explosion of favorites/watch messages I came home to!To everyone commenting, thanks and I'm glad you like it! Also, yes, the ponies look like 'fillies' here but that is just my uber-cute style. :3 And no, this is not a Rarity/Twilight shipping comic, where did you ever get the idea it was?! O___oScorpion Medium fiend, lawful neutral Armor Class 17
17 Hit Points 150
150 Speed 30ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 18 (+4) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 8 (-1) Skills Acrobatics +9, Athletics +9, Intimidation +4, Perception +7, Stealth +9
Acrobatics +9, Athletics +9, Intimidation +4, Perception +7, Stealth +9 Condition Immunities sleep, fear
sleep, fear Damage Immunities fire
fire Senses darkvision 60ft, passive Perception 17
darkvision 60ft, passive Perception 17 Languages Common, Infernal
Common, Infernal Challenge 10 (5900 XP) Kombat Rage. For every 30 hit points Scorpion loses, he gains a point of Rage. Rage points may be spent as a bonus action to double the damage of any of his actions.
Actions
Multiattack. Scorpion can make up to four weapon or unarmed attacks a turn.
Ninjato. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5ft, one target. Hit 10 (2d6)+4 slashing damage.
Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack +9 to hit, reach 5ft, one target. Hit 5 bludgeoning damage. On each subsequent hit during Scorpion's turn, he may add an additional 4 fire damage to each unarmed strike (Ex: 2nd hit = +4 dmg, 3rd = +8, etc). If Scorpion hits a single opponent with four unarmed strikes in a turn, he may knock them 5ft away and prone.
Spear. Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 15ft., one target. Hit 7 (1d6)+4 piercing damage. Scorpion throws his kunai at a target he can see. If he hits the target, he may pull it into the spot adjacent to him along the path of the attack and has advantage on his next attack roll against the target during his turn.
Hellfire Punch. Disappearing in a flash of flame, Scorpion can teleport to a space within 20ft of him and may make an unarmed strike against an adjacent enemy with an additional 4 fire damage on a hit. May only be used once per turn.
Leg Takedown. Scorpion dives forward and trips his opponent with a leg scissor takedown. He makes a grapple check against an opponent within 10ft of them and moves into the space next to them. If he succeeds, the target takes 4 damage and is knocked prone. May only be used once per turn.
Fireball. Scorpion hurls a ball of Hellfire at his opponent. +6 to hit, reach 120ft, one target. Hit 3d10 fire damage. May only be used once per turn.
Demonfire (3/day). Scorpion summons the fires of Hell underneath an opponent. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw with a DC of 14. It takes 8d6 fire damage on a failed save, and half as much on a successful one. May only be used once per turn.
Fatality. Melee Weapon Attack +8 to hit, reach 5ft, one target. Hit 6d12 slashing damage and 6d12 fire damage. If a creature near Scorpion has 1 hit point or lower, Scorpion may use all four of his attacks to deliver a final devastating series of blows.
ReactionsWhen Google introduced Google Drive in April 24, 2012, they promised Linux support “coming soon.” That was nearly five years ago. Google still hasn’t released an official version of Google Drive for Linux, but there are other tools to fill the gap.
There’s also the Google Drive website, which will work in any modern browser. Google officially recommends using the website on Linux, but if you want something on the desktop, here are your options.
On Ubuntu 16.04 LTS
The GNOME project added Google Drive support to version 3.18 of the GNOME desktop environment. However, Ubuntu’s Unity desktop includes Nautilus 3.14, which is part of GNOME 3.14. It’ll take a bit of extra work to get the Google Drive integration on Ubuntu 16.04 LTS.
To get this feature on Ubuntu, you’ll need to install the GNOME Control Center and GNOME Online Accounts packages. To do so, open a Terminal window and run the following command:
sudo apt install gnome-control-center gnome-online-accounts
Provide your password and type “y” to install the software when prompted.
After you do, open the Dash and search for “GNOME Control Center”. Launch the “Settings” application that appears.
Click the “Online Accounts” option in the GNOME Control Center window.
Click the “Add Account” button, select “Google”, and sign into your Google account. Give the GNOME desktop access to your account when prompted. Ensure that the “Files” option is enabled here.
Open the File Manger and you’ll see your Google account’s email address as an option under “Computer” in the sidebar. Click it to view your Google Drive files.
These files are not synced offline to your desktop. However, you can browse files, open them, and save them. Your system will automatically upload the modified copy. Any files you add or delete are instantly synchronized back to your Google account, too.
To enable thumbnail previews, click Edit > Preferences > Preview, click the “Show Thumbnail” box, and select “Always”.
On GNOME Desktops
On a Linux distribution that includes GNOME 3.18 or later, you can do this without any additional software. Just open the GNOME Control Center (or “Settings”) application, click “Online Accounts”, and add your Google account. It will appear in the File Manager application.
Just like on Ubuntu, your files won’t actually “sync” to your desktop, which means you won’t get an entirely offline copy. It’s just a convenient way to manage, open, and modify files without using your web browser. You can seamlessly open and modify files and the changes will immediately be uploaded to your Google Drive account online.
overGrive: A $5 Google Drive Client
There was previously an open-source command-line tool named Grive and a graphical counterpart named Grive Tools. However, Grive has been abandoned and is no longer functional due to changes in the Google Drive API.
Instead of updating the old open-souce application, the developers created a new application named overGrive and are selling it for $5. However, there is a 14 day free trial.
overGrive is designed to be a Google Drive client for Linux. It runs in your notification area and automatically syncs offline copies of your files, just like the Google Drive tool on Windows and macOS. Just download the installer for your Linux distro and you’ll be off and running.
InSync: A $30 Google Drive Client
InSync is a commercial Google Drive application that runs on Linux, Windows, and macOS. This application is also paid software and will cost you $30 after a 15 day free trial. It does have a few extra features the official Google Drive client doesn’t offer on Windows and macOS, including support for multiple Google accounts.
InSync and OverGrive work similarly, but InSync has been around for longer and is by a more established company. Both offer free trials, so you can try them out.
The $30 fee may be a tough pill to swallow when you could just switch to another service like Dropbox, which offers an official Linux client for free. But the tool may be worth the price if you need it.
drive: A Command-line Tool by a Google Drive Developer
If you’re more of a Terminal geek, drive is a small command line program that runs on both Linux and macOS. It’s open-source and written in Google’s “Go” programming language. This program was originally written by Burcu Dogan, aka rakyll, a Google employee who has worked for Google Drive’s platform team. It’s even copyrighted by Google.
This tool isn’t for most people, but it does provide a well-supported way to interact with a Google Drive file system from the terminal.
The project’s page lists all the reasons why Dogan believes a background-syncing Google Drive client—the kind of official client available for Windows and Mac—is “stupid” and “not worth to implement.” To be clear, this developer does say that she doesn’t speak for Google as a whole. But this client was designed a little differently than the official client for Windows and macOS as a result.
For these philosophical reasons, “drive” doesn’t sit in the background and sync files back and forth. It’s a command you run when you need to push a file to your Google Drive account, or to pull a file from it to your local computer. The “drive push” command pushes a file to Google Drive, and the “drive pull” command pulls a file from Google Drive. The developer notes situations where this could be especially useful—if you store a virtual machine in your Google Drive, you might want to immediately sync a tiny text file rather than syncing the large virtual machine file first.
Consult the official project page for the latest installation instructions and command sage details.Last Updated ago. Click "Updates" above to see the latest.
Lythe and listin, gentilmen! This project revolves around the popular ballads of Robin Hood, and presents a trysting (meeting) tree where Robin and his Merry Men can gather.
This model features a large three story tree-fort that splits in half for increased playability (see the second picture), yet also locks into place for better stability. Each level has several features:
A storage and concealment area on the first level, with several Robin Hood-like features—peek holes, bags of loot, weapons, food and drink, and a treasure chest A guard post fortified with sharpened logs on the second level A top level that serves as a lookout point
The Merry Men can move about the tree by ladders and vines. The ladders can be lowered to allow access to the second level or raised to prevent intruders. In the locked raised position, the ladders, along with the vines, allow Merry Men to scale to the third level. Finally, the set includes three archery targets, four archery wands, a pack horse carrying gems and coins, and six minifigures.
The minifigures include (from left to right in the eighth picture): Robin Hood, George a Greene, Bettris, Much the Miller's Son, and Sir Guy of Gisbourne.
You can also see these pictures in better quality through Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/104046995@N05/sets/72157655403252558
Feel free to add any suggestions or questions in the comments if I missed anything.
This is the first of four planned projects revolving around Robin Hood. The other projects are:
Little John's Lair
Marian's Prison Rescue
Will Scarlet's Outpost
I feel that this would be a great Lego Ideas set since it compliments the Forestmen and Dark Forest lines, while including a rich back story, many different features, and the benefit of updated Lego pieces.
Feel free to share and support if you like this project and would love to see it as a set!The only place in town Trump supporters and Trump protesters could be found doing something together on inauguration day is "waiting in line for marijuana," says Adam Eidinger, co-founder of DCMJ, the pro-cannabis advocacy group that was key in making pot legal in the nation's capital.
Eidinger and his colleagues spent the day handing out thousands of free joints to anyone in D.C. who wanted one. It's a way of "welcoming Donald Trump to Washington," he says, "and letting him know we've legalized here and we don't want our rights taken away."
UPDATE (Jan 21, 2017): Eidinger says that 9,000 free joints were given away, thanks to last-minute donations.
Produced by Todd Krainin and Josh Swain. Camera by Swain, Mark McDaniel, and Todd Krainin, who also edited.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
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Subscribe to our podcast at iTunes.Bree Mood, 27, who left the Church of Scientology just four months ago, sat down with DailyMailTV to describe her 20 years as a Scientologist. Bree revealed she joined Scientology with her brother when she was seven years old after her mother married a man who was a member of the church. She had worked for the organization since |
7519 W. Waters Ave. and 7935 Flower Ave.
All firearms must be unloaded when turned in. Ammunition, BB guns, pellet guns and paint ball guns will also be accepted, but can't be exchanged for cash.
Every firearm collected Saturday will be destroyed.Thameem Fatheema Sharmila died “after being tied to a chair, poured oil and set on fire by her abusive husband.”
Another victim among millions, abused by a Muslim man who thinks it is his right to marry a child, own her as property, misuse her at will — even kill her — and be protected by his religion:
The Prophet wrote the (marriage contract) with ‘Aisha while she was six years old and consummated his marriage with her while she was nine years old and she remained with him for nine years (i.e. till his death) (Bukhari Volume 7, Book 62, Number 88).
As the article states below: “Sharmila was both a victim of her husband but also a victim of the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) and the Constitution,” under which she has no rights.
The crisis of abuse of girls and women in the name of Islam continues globally, while Western apologists and Islamic supremacists scream “Islamophobia” whenever such issues are highlighted. Unfortunately, silence only enables the human rights violations of Islamic supremacists to proliferate.
And now the silent tragedy of child marriage has made its way to the West. Germany has found 1500 cases of child marriage among Muslim migrants; but the new EU-sponsored propaganda children’s video (sponsored by the European Commission) that shows a fairy godmother bringing migrants to Europe on a flying carpet doesn’t include scenes of their being accompanied by child brides.
“Tortured Sri Lankan Muslim Child Marriage Victim Dies, Police Soft-Pedals Capture Of Murderous Husband”, Columbo Telegraph (thanks to The Religion of Peace), May 21, 2017:Congressional Republicans on Wednesday unveiled the framework for their long-awaited tax-reform plan, which simplifies the tax system and cuts rates for businesses – while attempting to boost household incomes by nearly doubling the standard IRS deduction used by most Americans.
“This has been a long time coming,” House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said at a Capitol Hill press conference where he also pointed out that Washington has not enacted major tax reform in roughly 30 years.
“Instead of a source of pride, our tax code has become a constant source of frustration. It’s too big. It’s too complicated. It’s too expensive. Today, we are taking the next step to liberate America from our broken tax code.”
The framework plan calls for increasing the standard deduction to $12,000 for individuals and $24,000 for families, which essentially doubles the amount of personal income that is tax-free.
Congressional Republicans describe the change as creating a larger “zero tax bracket.”
READ THE GOP TAX FRAMEWORK
The stakes are high, after Republicans a day earlier scrapped their latest effort to repeal and replace ObamaCare. Now, the legislative focus will shift to tax reform, which Trump has been eager to tackle since taking office.
The broad-stroke plan was hammered out for months by a half-dozen congressional Republicans and Trump administration officials known as the Big Six.
Ryan spoke Wednesday after congressional Republicans returned from a day trip to nearby Fort McNair, in Maryland, to discuss the proposal, ahead of President Trump’s afternoon speech in Indianapolis about the plan.
He was joined by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and about a half-dozen other House and Senate Republicans, including Texas Rep. Kevin Brady, chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee.
McConnell, of Kentucky, praised Ryan for leading the effort and said the new plan is about “getting America going and growing again.”
The plan also collapses the number of personal tax brackets from seven to three. By simplifying the system, most Americans would be able to file their taxes on a postcard-sized document, a concept Treasure Secretary Steve Mnuchin touted this past spring.
Deductions for mortgage interest and charitable giving would remain, but the plan seeks to end most other itemized deductions that can reduce how much affluent families pay.
The plan also calls for incentives to bring offshore investments back into the country, which Trump said Tuesday would bring at least $2.5 trillion in overseas investment back.
However, any attempt at a bipartisan reform appeared to unravel with minutes of the congressional Republicans announcing the plan.
"It's clear from this plan that when it comes to tax reform, Republicans will always put the wealthy first,” said Massachusetts Rep. Richard Neal, the top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee. “After more than a year of work …. this tax plan would give big tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans.”
Meanwhile, a battle is brewing among Republicans over a move to eliminate the deduction for state and local taxes, which is especially valuable to people in high-tax states such as New York, New Jersey and California. The plan retains existing tax benefits for college and retirement savings such as 401(k) contribution plans.
“As I've said from day one, eliminating the federal deduction for state and local taxes will unfairly burden the over 3 million hardworking taxpayers in New York who claim the deduction,” New York GOP Rep. Claudia Tenney said.
The individual tax rates would be 12 percent, 25 percent and 35 percent -- and the plan recommends a surcharge for the very wealthy. But it does not set the income levels at which the rates would apply, so it's unclear just how much of a tax change there might be for a typical family.
The plan would seek to help families by calling for an increased child tax credit and opening it to families with higher incomes. The credit currently is $1,000 per child. Also proposed is a new tax credit of $500 to help pay for the care of the elderly and the sick who are claimed as dependents by the taxpayer.
The estate tax -- which is paid by those with multimillion-inheritances -- would be eliminated, a boon for wealthy individuals who inherit businesses, investments and real estate.
Corporations, meanwhile, would see their top tax rate cut from 35 percent to 20 percent.
New benefits would be given to firms in which the profits double as the owners' personal income. They would pay at a 25 percent rate, down from 39.6 percent. This creates a possible loophole for rich investors, lawyers, doctors and others, but administration officials say they will design measures to prevent any abuses.
The plan would also impose a new, one-tax, lower tax on corporate profits stashed overseas, and create a new tax structure for overseas business operations of U.S. companies.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.Is your system management tool robust enough?
As your organization grows, so does your workload—and the IT resources required to manage it. There is no "one-size-fits-all" system management solution, but a centralized, open source tool such as Foreman can help you manage your company's IT assets by provisioning, maintaining, and updating hosts throughout the complete lifecycle.
Foreman becomes even more powerful when integrated with other open source projects and plugins, and I will discuss these in more detail below. To get started, however, let's consider key functions of an effective system management tool.
system_management_features.jpg An effective systems management tool should address all of these key areas.
is for deploying instances or virtual machines on bare-metal, on-premises, or a cloud provider's data center.
Content management refers to publishing, promoting, and managing various versions of repositories and packages in the CDN and systems across the life cycle (i.e., development, testing, QA, and production).
Patch/errata management includes bug fixes and advisory or enhancement packages. An effective systems management tool should identify applicable errata regularly and patch registered systems promptly.
Subscription or license management enables the purchase, renewal, and extension of subscriptions through a systems management portal. This information should be updated frequently in the user account for each system.
Health monitoring and reporting enables real-time system checkups. This should include updates, errata, compliance, workload, and system performance metrics for registered hosts and running services.
Remote execution is for running arbitrary commands on hosts or groups of hosts to perform similar activities remotely. These commands can be customized; for example, to provision templates or partition tables.
Identity and policy lets you create different users and roles and manage various permission policies. This function should also support Kerberos and LDAP integration and authentication.
Alerts and notification audits administrator and user activities. This tool should instantly detect what changes are made in each node, when they are made, and where potential risk may exist.
Automation applies to repetitive tasks. A top systems management tool should help identify and automate these processes.
Foreman and open source plugins
Foreman's basic functions include host provisioning, discovery of unknown nodes, and upgrading instances on bare-metal, hyper-visor, and cloud data centers. Plugins can greatly enhance these capabilities.
Smart Proxy, also known as Foreman Proxy, is an extended subsystem that performs operations through instructions from Foreman. It can be hosted on a physical, on-premises, or third-party cloud or on a hypervisor. In a large distributed organization, placing a Smart Proxy near instances reduces network latency.
foreman_with_distributed_system.jpg Foreman with plugins at work in a distributed system.
Here are some open source projects that integrate with Foreman:
Katello is a repository and subscription-management plugin. It downloads content from upstream repositories and manages local yum, puppet repos, and content versions in different life-cycle environments. Katello comprises two important services:
Candlepin runs within Katello, managing subscriptions and licenses for all registered systems.
runs within Katello, managing subscriptions and licenses for all registered systems. Pulp handles repositories and packages. It supports RPMs, errata, kickstart trees, metadata, etc. You can sync remote content such as EPEL locally, and upload custom content into a pulp repository.
OpenScap manages security compliance and vulnerability on managed hosts. It uses the Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) to assess, measure, and enforce security policies. Foreman then lets you create, upload, and assign them to hosts or host groups. A client running the SCAP scan script can upload the report to Foreman Proxy, and administrators can use it for assessment.
Remote Execution enables Foreman to simultaneously execute random commands on multiple hosts. Variables in these commands can take hosts' facts, class parameters, or host parameters specified by users while triggering the execution.
The Ansible plugin allows you to import hosts along with facts every time you run the playbook or an Ansible module. In short, it automates processes and defines a list of roles that can be enforced on managed hosts.
Docker automates the deployment of applications within Linux containers. In Foreman, containers are deployed only on compute resources of the Docker provider type, enabling rapid application deployment and simplifying testing and maintenance.
Part of the Foreman installer, Puppet helps to configure puppet environments on hosts. The Puppet master, running on the Foreman server, is configured under Apache and Passenger by default. Puppet integration is optional with the 3.0 release.
Hammer is a CLI tool that provides command-line options equivalent to most web UI functions.
Foreman installation
You are only four steps away from your first Foreman installation. Let's perform a quick installation, log into GUI, and start playing with Foreman.
For the initial setup, you must first open four mandatory ports and enable the Puppet, EPEL, and Foreman repositories. The following installation steps were performed on CentOS 7; however, other platforms that support Foreman installation include Fedora, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Ubuntu, Oracle Linux, etc.
Step 1: Open the necessary ports in the firewall.
Port Protocol Required for 69 UDP TFTP Server 80 TCP HTTP access to Foreman web UI, provisioning templates using Apache + Passenger 443 TCP HTTPS access to Foreman web UI, provisioning templates using Apache + Passenger 8140 TCP Puppet Master
# firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port="69/udp"
# firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port="80/tcp"
# firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port="443/tcp"
# firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port="8140/tcp"
# firewall-cmd --reload
Step 2: Download Puppet, EPEL, and Foreman RPMs.
# yum -y install https://yum.puppetlabs.com/puppetlabs-release-el-7.noarch.rpm
# yum -y install http://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/epel-release-latest-7.noarch.rpm
# yum -y install https://yum.theforeman.org/releases/1.15/el7/x86_64/foreman-release.rpm
Step 3: Install and execute the Foreman installer RPM.
To list all the options available during installation, use Foreman installer Help. Use -v to enable verbose installation and -i for user interactive mode. In this example, I will proceed with non-interactive default options.
# yum -y install foreman-installer
# foreman-installer --help
# foreman-installer
foreman-installer_code.png Successful installation of the Foreman tool using installer.
Step 4: After installation, the installer with give you Foreman URL details, a default login user admin, and an auto-generated random password. Launch the Foreman https: URL on your browser and log in.
foreman_login_screen.jpg Login screen to Foreman GUI. Sign in here after installation to change your password.
Once you successfully log into Foreman GUI, you can change your password through the My Account settings in Dashboard. For more details, visit the Foreman website and GitHub.
Foreman is a powerful sysadmin tool that can be both fun and challenging to work with. Let us know what you think of it. Also, please share your thoughts on any other open source projects you find useful.10 screenwriting insights I wish I’d had 25 years ago
Over the last quarter century I’ve stumbled and lurched my way to some understanding of the screenwriter’s craft. As our AFTRS Graduate Certificate of Screenwriting students begin their journey, I thought I’d share the 10 things I wish I’d know when I started out.
1. Why people go to the movies
If you’re making films to be viewed by the cinema-going public, it would seem pretty obvious that you should seek to understand why people go the movies, wouldn’t it? Not to me. I scratched around for about 6 years and had already written several very poor drafts of my first screenplay without ever contemplating this fundamental question. Fortunately, the inspirational UCLA English Professor, Lynn Batten, forced me to address the question – well, not so much about movies but about stories and myths in general. Why do humans need cracking yarns? Joseph Campbell’s The Power of Myth supplied the answer.
“What people are seeking is the feeling of being alive. They want to feel the rapture of being alive”.
They want to be moved, guys. They want to identify with a character who’s struggling, as they are, with the exquisitely frustrating dilemma of life, and who, in facing their greatest fear, draws on their higher self. In my darkest hour in LA, this epiphany transformed my writing.
Learn more about why people go to the movies
2. It’s not about the plot
Most writers starting out think story is plot and when you ask them to tell you about their film they’ll go, “Well, this happens, and that happens, and then this other things happens, and oh, and I forgot to tell you, there’s this three-legged dog who can talk … “
However, once you understand that people want to be moved, you should realise that the main game in story is not plot. It’s not the outer goal that ultimately triggers our emotions but the inner journey. That’s not to say that the outer goal doesn’t matter. It does. It’s what gets the punters into the cinema in the first place. But if the hero pursues the outer goal with no inner change, no matter how spectacular your climax, no matter how many bodies or cars or interplanetary spaceships you lay to waste in that final 20 pages and no matter how eloquent that 3-legged dog is, we won’t be moved one jot. Plot matters but only because it’s what drives the inner transformation. Plot isn’t the end. It’s just the means.
3. The only screenwriting book you’ll ever need
Blake Snyder bills his book, Save The Cat, as “the last book on screenwriting you’ll ever need”. This is categorically NOT the book to which I refer. Save The Cat has some useful things to say about concept but I’m not sure that it encourages writers to create films with soul.
McKee is treated like a screenwriting God. His expensive lectures are sold out and his book Story is only marginally less popular than the Bible. Unfortunately, what he says about screenwriting simply doesn’t resonate for me. By all means, check it out but the emotional journey isn’t emphasised sufficiently for my liking.
If you are to only buy one book about screenwriting, please, please, let it be Chris Vogler’s The Writer’s Journey.
Vogler, a Hollywood story analyst who’s consulted on films like Lion King, takes the Hero’s Journey of mythology guru, Joseph Campbell, and makes it both accessible to the average person and relevant specifically to the movies. It categorically changed my life.
There are 3 reasons why I love the Hero’s Journey and consider it the most useful story paradigm for screenwriters.
i) It was not invented. It was merely identified. Joseph Campbell read stories from all over the world, across all time, and found that every culture was telling the same story over and over and over again. The monomyth. The hero’s journey is not the get-rich-quick gimmick of some San Fernando Valley shyster. It’s the timeless storytelling blueprint of all humankind.
ii) The inner journey is intrinsic. I said the inner journey is what it’s all about and if you subscribe to the Hero’s Journey you can’t not have your character go on an inner journey. The Hero’s Journey doesn’t so much describe plot elements as identity stages in the transformation of your character. Become a Campbell/Vogler devotee, and your focus will shift automatically from plot to emotion. And that, my friends, is where it’s at.
iii) It works. It’s worked for the great films – even if the writers weren’t aware they were following its conventions. It’s worked for George Lucas – who consulted Campbell on the early Star Wars films. It’s worked for George Miller. George is a huge Campbell fan and it’s no coincidence that he’s been Australia’s most successful filmmaker on the international stage. It’s worked for millions of storytellers for thousands of years so there’s a good chance it might just work for you.
If you haven’t got this book, buy it. If you haven’t read it, pick it up and see how it applies to the films you love. And if you want to spend a day exploring this amazing gift, come to my Introduction to Screenwriting course. The Hero’s Journey is the foundation to everything I teach.
Update: You might be interested in these 2 more recent articles about the Hero’s Journey:
Where I disagree with the Hero’s Journey – on character arc
A new character-driven Hero’s Journey
4. The 27-word concept test
One of the most useful courses I did in LA was not a screenwriting class but a script reader’s class with seasoned story analyst, Peter Exline (who, incidentally, was one of the inspirations for The Dude in The Big Lebowski). In that course, I learnt 2 incredibly valuable lessons and one was the 27 word concept test.
Some people say that a logline – the description of the film’s concept – can be 2 or 3 sentences. Exline placed a much tighter constraint on the logline. He said it should be just one sentence of 27 words.
Film demands simple ideas. Complex plots but simple ideas. If you can’t express your idea in a single sentence of 27 words, you’re going to struggle on two grounds:
i) You probably won’t be able to tell your story in 110 pages
ii) The marketing department will have the devil’s own job in trying to market your film.
The 27-word concept test interrogates the dramatic engine of your film and is just about the most valuable tool in the screenwriter’s toolkit. Use it early. And use it often.
Learn more about the 27-word film concept test
5. The 4 basic questions of storytelling
The other piece of gold I picked up in Peter Exline’s class was that there are 4 basic questions a screenwriter should be able to answer about their story:
Who is the hero? What do they want? What’s stopping them from getting it? What’s at stake?
This might seem obvious to you but it was a revelation to me and I can tell you that 90% screenplays fail these basic tests. It’s not clear whose story it is, the goal isn’t distinguished in a way that will allow us to know when they’ve crossed the finish line, the forces of antagonism aren’t great enough or it doesn’t matter enough to the character so why should we care?
These elements shouldn’t just be obvious in your overall story but in each scene. Who wants what in this scene and why? Who is stopping them trying to get it and how do they thwart our hero?
Without these elements, you don’t have conflict. No conflict, no drama. No drama, no chance of screenwriting glory.
Learn more about the 4 basic questions of storytelling
6. The secret to character is contradiction
In our first class of Dramatic Storytelling in the Grad Cert last week, we watched the opening scene of The Godfather and I asked my writers, why do we find the Don engaging and one of the first things someone said was, “The cat”. Spot on. The mafia boss is stroking a cat.
Now, antagonists in James Bond and Austin Powers films have given cat-stroking a bad rap, but what was the intention of the writer here with this touch of domesticity? To provide a counterpoint to the expectations of the stereotype. It’s a contradiction and it’s the key to great characterisation.
Think about Indiana Jones. Dashing, brave, handsome, fearless. Well, not quite. He’s not too keen on snakes. Contradiction.
Tony Soprano. Brutal, murderous, brothel-keeping, drug running mafioso? Yes. But in episode 1 his character crisis is triggered because a family of ducks no longer comes to his backyard swimming pool. Contradiction.
And this is not just something that applies to heroes. Think about Anton Sugar (Javier Bardem) in No Country for Old Men. What makes him one of the great antagonists? Not just that he blows people away with that weird gas cylinder weapon. It’s that, when he fears that the guy in the remote truck stop might compromise him, he gives the poor sap a sporting chance. He flips a coin. Heads you win, tails you get a cross city tunnel through your cerebral cortex. He also intrigues us because he has an unbreakable ethical code. He said he is going to kill the guy’s wife so kill her he must. He’s a psychopath but he’s a highly principled psychopath.
Here are some others:
Hannibal Lecter – Cultured cannibal
Harry Burns in When Harry Met Sally – Romantic pessimist
Sally Allbright in When Harry Met Sally – Pragmatic optimist
Ronny Cammareri (Nic Cage) in Moonstruck – Opera-loving baker
Shrek – Sentimental ogre
The key to characterisation is credibly building these sorts of opposites into your characters. It stops them being clichés and helps the audience warm to them because no matter how great they are, they’re flawed like us, and no matter how bad they are, they have redeeming qualities, like we do on a good day.
7. Don’t keep your idea a secret
Australian screenwriters are very secretive about their film concepts. What’s your film about? I can’t tell you that!!! Go to LA and try to STOP someone telling you their idea. Not just writers in your UCLA Extension class, but the guy at the sandwich shop or the barmaid at Hooters. They constantly pitch their ideas and this is something I would encourage you to do too.
The danger with keeping your idea to yourself “until it’s finished” is that your idea, with all due respect, might be crap. If you’re a writer just starting out, they generally are. It’s just the way it is. Mine was crap and I wasted years of my life drafting and redrafting it because I didn’t bounce it off anyone.
The other reason you should verbally tell your story to people in the early stages is because you can tell as the words are coming out of your mouth whether it’s working or not. You don’t need their glazed reaction to know you’ve got yourself a stinker or to hear their “so what happens next“ to know you’re on a winner. You just know through some hard-wired storytelling instinct.
This is one place where I absolutely agree with Blake Snyder. Bounce your idea off people as soon as you can. If it’s not working, try to reshape it. If they still say, “Yeah, it’s … nice” then trash it and find a fresh vehicle to transport your genius to the world.
Read more about Why writers should take the oral before the written
8. Why sometimes the best way to write is not to write
The worst mistake a writer can make is to not write – to sit down at your desk only when you feel “inspired”. You need to create a regimen and stick to it. If you can only manage 30 mins a day, OK, but make sure you put in that half hour no matter what. There should be no excuse. Work. Kids. Alien invasion. If you have the conviction, you’ll find the time. My routine at the moment is to get up at 5.30am, which doesn’t sound too appealing but your body quickly adjusts and I now automatically wake up at that time. Just ask my wife.
But the next mistake you can make is to think you will only solve that problem at the Act 2 Turning Point by continuing to wrestle with it on the page. You’re exhausted and cranky but you are not going to give in ‘til you’ve found the answer. Bad move.
Do you do cryptic crosswords? I love them. But one of the amazing things I’ve found is that something I might struggle with when I look at it on Friday morning is bleedingly bloody obvious at Friday lunchtime. Why? Because my subconscious has had time to work on it. It’s the same with your screenplay.
Your mind is an amazing bit of gear but you’ve got to start learning how to get the most out of it. And that’s not by pounding it into submission. You need to become aware of the moment when it’s ceased to be productive and back off. Go for a swim or walk the dog. Go play the piano, guitar, or, in my case, plastic recorder. Do yoga or meditate. I’m amazed at the number of times the solution will come to me when I’m not looking for the solution. I’ll be running around the park and I’ll suddenly find myself seeing the answer and come out of the trance with no recollection of how many laps I’ve done.
Your brain is a gift. And sometimes it does its best work when it seems not to be working at all.
9. Get a day job. But not just any day job.
Even if you are the greatest writer in the world, it’s going to take you time to develop your craft and – here’s the problem – no-one is going to pay you to learn your trade. There were very few screenwriting apprenticeships available down at Centrelink the last time I looked. So before you can face the challenges of screenwriting in general and your current film in particular, you need to answer a more fundamental question: how am I going to support myself while I learn my craft?
I’ve tried every possible approach. For a long time I took incredibly poorly paid jobs that offered great time flexibility (hostel manager in NY, pizza cook in Ireland, housekeeper to a countess in London). On the plus side, you get a lot of writing done but on the down side, you make enormous personal and social sacrifices. You tell yourself that it’s only until I finish this next draft and then all of a sudden you’re 43, single with no assets, no super and about $20k in debt.
The other approach is to try to write while holding down a real job. On the plus side, you don’t hide when the landlord knocks and you can afford a loaf of bread without having to search for gold coloured coins down the back of the sofa. On the down side, the responsibilities and stress mean your writing is too often sidelined and years go by without you making any meaningful progress.
The best option I’ve found after years of trial and error is well-paid freelance work. Copywriting for instance. If you’re good – and you won’t be without practice – you can make $100/hr and sometimes $1000 a day so that you don’t need to work 5 days to earn a decent crust. If you have some skill that allows you to earn a lot of money in a short time on a flexible basis, you can create the window you need in your life to develop your craft. If not, you will be faced with a choice: do I want lifestyle or do I really desperately want to be a writer? That’s a question only you can answer.
10. Choose a producer like you’d choose a spouse
When you’ve finally written your screenplay and you find a producer who says that they love it and they want to option it, your response is, “Where do I sign?”, right? Wrong. Oh, so, very wrong.
The writer-producer relationship is like a marriage. Only more important. It’s probably going to take your producer 3 years to get your film up and possibly a whole lot longer. Producer Vincent Sheehan just got funding approval for a film he started on 8 years ago. That is a long time, particularly when people are poking and prodding around inside something very near and dear to you. If you choose the wrong producer, the development process will drive you absolutely insane and your baby will end up mutilated or murdered. I myself have been through this nightmare scenario and it almost made me quit the game.
Choose a producer who knows one end of a story from the other and who obeys the first commandment of the writer-producer collaborative process – that it’s the producer’s job to identity what’s not working and the writer’s job to fix it. It’s amazing the number of producers who will tell you, “Well, I’m not a writer but … “ and then proceed to dictate (literally) what they expect to see in the next draft. That’s a recipe for a bad relationship and a tragic script outcome.
The pitfalls where producers are concerned don’t stop there. They might be wonderful collaborators but that same sensitivity might make them lousy at getting your project read by the people that matter. Producing, ultimately, is selling. Of course, on the flip side, great salesman throughout history haven’t generally been renowned for their ethics.
Am I scaring you? Good. Make the wrong choice here and all your talent and hard work could end up counting for nought.
So don’t hook up with the first producer who asks you out. Research the market and find answers to these questions:
What have they made?
Do you like what they’ve made?
Did it tell a good story?
Have they made a film that’s done business internationally?
Do writers like to work with them creatively?
Do they have a habit of screwing writers contractually?
Play hard to get. Of course, in order to play hard to get, you have to have produced a screenplay that gleams. But when you have laboured and sweated to produce that rare entity, don’t give it to just any clown. Take some time and confer it on someone who’s going to give your screenplay its best chance to delight and move the world. Sign in haste. Repent at leisure.
Conclusion
So that’s it. That’s not all I’ve learned. I hope. But these are the 10 things that would have made the greatest difference to my career trajectory if someone had told me them all those years ago. I hope that by getting the tips now, you can fast-track your path to screenwriting fulfilment.
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What should happen at the midpointRepublican Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina gives the party line on the virtues of letting the Big Three go bankrupt to MSNBC's Norah O'Donnell:
Sanford: We have examples before where businesses have gone into Chapter 11 and have come out stronger as a result. If you look at United Airlines back in 2002, it went into Chapter 11 and yet people got on planes every day and, quote, risked their lives if they took a United flight. And it worked out -- United is still up and going. If you look just recently, Circuit City filed Chapter 11, people are still going in during the holiday season and shopping for cameras and videos and all the other things that one shops for. Circ -- I mean, Chapter 11 is simply a way to reorganize a business, and to make decisions that you oftentimes cannot make without those bankruptcy law protections. So what I would humbly suggest to the Big Three is, given the fact that certain things are clearly not in order with regard to their finances, use that tool as opposed to taxpayers, which is the easier course for them, but the much harder course for the rest of us as taxpayers, as the bailout mechanism.
Notice anything missing? What Sanford conveniently neglects to tell the MSNBC audience is what some of those "decisions you cannot make without those bankruptcy law protections" include, to wit:
-- The company can tear up any existing union contract it likes. Say goodbye, UAW.
-- It can wipe out all its existing pension plans.
Sanford touts the United Airlines example, but neglects to mention that one of the really pernicious effects of that bankruptcy was how it utterly destroyed the company's pension system. There was a huge human toll paid, with 9/11 widows among the victims.
There will be a similarly monstrous human toll paid if we follow Sanford's plan. But then, for Republicans like him, that's a negligible cost to begin with.Attempts to sabotage and prevent the upcoming referendum in Catalonia carry echoes of Spain's Francoist past, argues Chris Bambery
On Sunday the Spanish interior ministry announced that the paramilitary Guardia Civil had seized more than a million posters and pamphlets urging people to vote Yes to Catalan independence, in a raid on a warehouse near Barcelona.
It was the latest in a sustained campaign by the Spanish state to stop or sabotage a referendum on independence to be held in 1 October, as agreed by the autonomous Parliament of Catalonia. Spain's Constitutional Court has ruled the ballot illegal on the basis it defies the nation's constitution which decrees that Spain is indivisible.
Since that ruling by the Constitutional Court, a body which has consistently given verdicts outlawing legislation passed by the Catalan Parliament, and which seven years ago struck down several sections of a new Statute of Autonomy designed to increase the powers of that Parliament (including striking out the description of Catalonia as a “nation,” which was removed to an introduction which has no legal status), the right wing Popular Party government of Mariano Rajoy has unleashed the powers of the state:
*The Spanish Public Prosecutor has ordered the Catalan Police to seize all ballot papers for the referendum.
* The Director of the TV3 Catalan language TV station has been threatened with criminal charges if it broadcasts information on the referendum.
* Spain is to prosecute more than 700 Catalan mayors for permitting preparations for voting to proceed.
* A Catalan language newspaper editor was arrested and charged with assisting the referendum process after the Guardia Civil raided his office.
* The Catalan referendum website has been taken down by the Spanish state.
* Spanish postal staff have been warned not to distribute referendum material.
* Spain has threatened to cut off electricity to Catalan referendum polling stations.
* A public meeting discussing Catalan independence to be held in Madrid has been banned.
The Spanish King, Felipe V, and the Prime Minister, Rajoy, have called on Catalans not to vote in the referendum.
As I write we await the outcome of the Rajoy Government’s threat to take over Catalonia’s finances, which would end funding for the referendum.
In the final two weeks before the referendum is due to happen further action is likely from Madrid. It all acts as a reminder of how much the ruling Popular Party is rooted in the politics of the Franco dictatorship which ruled Spain from the end of the Spanish Civil War in 1939 until the dictator’s death in 1975. While it is not fascist itself it is dominated by the grand children of loyal Francoists and shares the dictatorship’s belief that Spain must remain united at all costs. That is a Spain dominated by the main region, Castile, centred on Madrid.
The Spanish state itself suffers from a democratic deficit which takes the form of institutionalised corruption, rooted in the years of Franco’s regime, human rights abuses, including torture, rooted in the long running conflict in the Basque Country (where the Rajoy Government refuses to conclude a peace process with ETA, the nationalist guerrilla group, even though it has declared a permanent cease fire and disarmed) and a refusal to deal with the legacy of the Spanish Civil War, and in so doing recognise the suffering of the losing, Republican side.
Catalans point to the huge infrastructure projects lavished on Madrid and the failure to invest in Catalonia, which pays the biggest proportion of any region in taxes to the Spanish government. They can also point to the fact there has been no Catalan prime minister of Spain, except under the brief First Republic of the 1870s overthrown by a military coup.
The scars of Franco’s rule are still felt there, too, a time when the use of Catalan in public was banned along with Catalan Christian names, Catalan books and newspapers.
Yet until relatively recently support for independence was a minority sport.
What helped change that was the decision of the Constitutional Court in 2010 to strike out crucial sections of the new Catalan Statute of Autonomy provoked a huge demonstration of one million people in Barcelona, under the slogan “We are a nation – We decide.” It was followed by a series of local referendums which voted in favour of independence. This all coincided with the imposition of severe austerity measures following the 2008 |
illiance” and “flair,” reports the Telegraph.
“We want to use language that is transparent,” Dr. Lucy Delap, a British history lecturer, said. “We’re rewriting our first two years of our History degree to create a wider set of paper choices, to make assessment criteria clearer, and to really try and root out the unhelpful and very vague talk of ‘genius,’ of ‘brilliance,’ of ‘flair’ which carries assumptions of gender inequality and also of class and ethnicity.”
Delap explained that since terms like “brilliance,” “genius,” and “flair” have too often been used to describe men, tutors should not use them anymore. Women may have difficulty thinking that they are “brilliant” because the word has historically been associated with men, Delap claimed.
“Some of those words, in particular genius, have a very long intellectual history where it has long been associated with qualities culturally assumed to be male,” Delap said. “Some women are fine with that, but others might find it hard to see themselves in those categories.”
Oxford University’s History department recently revamped its final exam policy after a study showed that men are more likely to get a first class degree in history than women. One of the department’s five final exams will be a take home exam in order to boost female performance. (RELATED: Oxford Plans To Let Students Take Exam At Home To Help Women Do Better)
Some have criticized accused Oxford of playing into the stereotype that women are the weaker sex.
“I think it is extremely well intentioned and I applaud them for taking the matter seriously. But it is so insulting,” historian Amanda Foreman said. “You are saying that the girls can’t take the stress of sitting in the exam room, which does raise one’s anxiety levels. I don’t think girls are inherently weaker than boys and can’t take it. Women are not the weaker sex.”
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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.The American Vegetarian Party was a United States political party formed on July 28, 1947. The party held conventions and nominated candidates for President and Vice-President in several national elections, although they never seriously pursued ballot access or official recognition as a political party by election officials.
Historical Vegetarian Party presidential tickets [ edit ]
1948 [ edit ]
John Maxwell (Vegetarian Party presidential nominee) - Maxwell was born in England, and thus determined to be ineligible.
Daniel J. Murphy (1948 Vegetarian Party vice-presidential nominee)
1952 [ edit ]
Daniel J. Murphy (Vegetarian Party presidential nominee)
Symon Gould (1952 Vegetarian Party vice-presidential nominee)
1956 [ edit ]
1960 [ edit ]
Symon Gould (1960 Vegetarian Party presidential nominee)
Christopher Gian-Cursio (1960 Vegetarian Party vice-presidential nominee)
1964 [ edit ]
Symon Gould (nominated as 1964 Vegetarian Party candidate for presidential; however, Gould died in 1963)
Abram Wolfson (1964 Vegetarian Party vice-presidential nominee)
Modern efforts to revitalize the Vegetarian Party [ edit ]
The "Vegetarian Summerfest 2004" (the 30th annual conference of the North American Vegetarian Society) in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, held July 21–24, 2004, brought longtime peace activist and Green Party member Bob Auerbach to initiate efforts at organizing a new national political party under the name "Vegetarian Party." This effort continued at Summerfest for several years. However, unlike the American Vegetarian Party in the 1960s, which tended to be supportive of United States military action, the 2004 organizers of the new Vegetarian Party were opposed to war and supported nonviolence.
In 2002 and 2004, Auerbach ran as the Green Party Congressional nominee from Maryland's 5th district, and in the November 6, 2012, general election, Auerbach is again on the ballot as the Green nomineee for Congress in the 5th district.
Auerbach and others who sought to organize the Vegetarian Party in 2004 had not intended it to act as an electoral rival of the U.S. Green Party. One contemplated scenario was that the U.S. Vegetarian Party might work as part of a coalition within the Green Party and/or other third party organizations in order to support candidates in local and state elections. No current statistical evidence supports the notion that the U.S. Green Party might serve as an organizing mechanism for vegetarians or vegans in the United States.
Political parties in the United States are formally organized under state election laws, so it is unclear how active a new Vegetarian Party, organized as a national-level membership organization, could be electorally. Nevertheless, recurring discussion among vegetarians of running a presidential ticket mentions such candidates as Dennis Kucinich, who has committed himself to the U.S. Democratic Party.William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night is a play in which we watch several characters develop throughout the show. One character in particular, however, does not at first glance appear to undergo any serious character development. Sir Toby Belch appears to be a drunken mess throughout Twelfth Night. I believe however, that Shakespeare subtly hinted at a major change in Sir Toby’s character that takes place after his last scene on stage. I believe that Sir Toby switches to the lifestyle of a sober man after his last appearance on stage. This evident through both the developing relationship between Maria and Toby and the moment at which alcohol is seen by Toby as the cause of several problems in his life.
Throughout the play Toby is seen as a drunk and an oaf. This appearance seems to conceal the fact that Feste gives a very revealing statement to Maria concerning Toby. At first glance, this comment appears to be nothing more than the response of the quick wit that Feste often utilizes. He states that “Apt, in good faith, very apt. Well, go thy way. If Sir Toby/ would leave drinking thou wert as witty a piece of Eve’s flesh/ as any in Illyria” (Twelfth Night, 1.5.23-5). This text is far more crucial than the audience is at first led to believe. First off, it has a double meaning. The first is that a sober Toby is just as witty as Maria. When looking at this, it may seem that Feste is claiming this as an insult against Maria’s engagement in banter. But this meaning also implies that Feste at one point knew a side of Toby the audience never sees, a Toby that does not drink. If this is true then it only strengthens the likelihood that Toby can go sober after his last scene on stage.
The second implication of Feste’s comment is even more critical to my theory. Feste hints that a sober Toby would be a good match for Maria, romantically. Of course, towards the end of the play Fabian states that “Maria writ/ the letter, at Sir Toby’s great importance,/ in recompense whereof he hath married her” (5.1.351-2). The fact that Feste’s prediction comes true leads me to two conclusions. The first is that his statement was more than just a passing quote in a conversation of witty banter and should be treated as such. The second conclusion draws on the first; because this quote is more than just witty banter, the idea of an abstemious Toby should be taken seriously. I believe that Feste specifically mentioning sobriety as a prerequisite to the relationship is very telling of the relationship that Maria and Toby will have off the stage.
Building upon this information, we now have a new angle in which to view the interactions between Toby and Maria. For example, going back to the first time they appear on stage together Maria says to Toby “ay, but you must confine yourself within the modest/ limits of order” (1.3.6-7) and “that quaffing and drinking will undo you” (1.3.11). These specific quotes and their relation to my thesis rely upon how the actors deliver these lines. If Maria’s voice inflection in this scene is one of compassion and caring rather than one of anger and spite, the audience will have a much different understanding of Maria and Toby’s relationship. Without a performance present, one would think the reader is free to make these types of decisions by themselves. It appears to me, however, that imbedded stage directions dictate actions of the former nature. One example of this comes from the second act where Toby states “She’s a beagle true bred, and one that adores me. What/ o’ that?” (2.3.158-9). This suggests two things. The first is that Toby is not only a drunk, but a delusional drunk who believes things that are not so. The second is that Maria, whether purposefully or unable to conceal it, is showing signs of affection to Toby. Given the ending of the play, this leads me conclude that the latter possibility is the most likely scenario. And if Maria is displaying signs of affection, how would these signs manifest? I believe it is through the way in which she takes care of and looks after Toby.
This specific analysis of relationship between Toby and Maria is important to my main thesis for several reasons. If Maria and Toby are more intimate and caring in their interactions, more validity is given to Feste’s statement on the two. By this I mean that if Maria acts warmly towards Toby, as the text suggests, Feste cannot be accused of deceiving her or the audience. It is this stacking of credibility that further qualifies his idea that it would be a sober Toby who would court her. Further, Toby’s feelings towards Maria appear to mirror hers when he states “I could marry that wench for this device” (2.5.158). This is the second time that the possibility of marriage between the two is brought up and at least the third time that a relationship is hinted at between them. The point of this is that these statements cannot just be overlooked as comedic value. Each of these statements seems to qualify each other and therefore qualify Feste’s original statement.
It is not just this relationship that points towards a sober Toby. In fact, his last time on stage provides critical evidence that he is done with alcoholism. Toby, looking for medical help, requests a surgeon only to find out that the surgeon has passed out from drinking. In what looks like nothing more than a moment of irony Toby states “then he’s a rogue, and a passy-measures pavan. I hate/ a drunken rogue” (5.1.193-4). However, when looked at deeper, this appears to be a true statement and one of self-loathing. This self loathing is further shown just a couple lines later when Toby states “will you help—an ass-head, and a coxcomb, and a knave; a thin faced knave, a gull” (5.1.198-9)? These lines might at first seem to be nothing more than the drunken mumblings of a concussed man designed to create a comedic sense of irony. However, given the circumstances, it appears that it is also a moment of serious character development. As this is the close of the play, different story lines have to be tied up. Therefore, it makes sense that Toby would learn some lesson and that his hatred of drunken rogues has more to do with his development than it does with the audience’s reaction.
The reason I feel this is the critical moment of Toby’s character development is because it’s the one point in the play where all his current problems are the result of alcohol. The surgeon was missing and unable to provide care to Toby’s wounds because he was drunk. The reason Toby was wounded in the first place was because of a drunken brawl. To takes things further, Andrew states that “here comes Sir/ Toby, halting. You shall hear more; but if he had not been/ in drink he would have tickled you othergates than he did” (5.1.185-87). While this quote does not necessarily imply that a sober Toby would have won the fight, it does imply that the drinking is the scapegoat for the loss. Therefore, in the final scene, Toby now has three problems that he has attributed to alcohol. This coupled with the Toby’s self loathing statements before his final exit off the stage shows some character development, at the very least a reassessment on the value of drinking. Now when re-examining this scene with my theory in mind, is it really a surprise that Toby immediately marries Maria. It appears to me that this trinity of alcohol related problems is what finally drove Toby to marry Maria and complete Feste’s statement. Although Fabian states that Toby married Maria because she wrote the letter of Malvolio’s demise he also incorrectly states that “most freely I confess myself and Toby/ set this device against Malvolio here” (5.1.348-9) making Fabian unreliable. Therefore, given the past statements and actions of Maria, Toby, and Feste I believe that it is Toby’s development that caused the wedding. At most, the Malvolio incident was just a result of Toby and Maria’s relationship, not the cause of it.
All of these points work together in a way that solidifies my main argument. Toby states that Maria is rather fond of him, which is confirmed by their marriage in the end. The fact that this is confirmed means that Maria acts in a flirtatious way that is obvious to Toby, and thus the audience. These flirtatious attitudes, along with Maria’s insistence that Toby stop drinking, qualify Feste’s prediction that it would be a sober Toby that marries Maria. Toby, after having going through bad experiences with alcohol, swears his hatred of drunks in a self-loathing manner. Immediately after experiencing this self growth he marries Maria. Therefore I believe that my thesis holds and that Sir Toby is a sober man after his last scene on stage.
Works Cited
Shakespeare, William. The Norton Shakespeare: Essential Plays, The Sonnets, Second Edition eds. Stephen Greenblatt, Walter Cohen, Jean E. Howard, & Katherine Eisaman Maus. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2009.
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The Cincinnati Enquirer has endorsed Republican presidential candidates for nearly 100 years, but today they endorsed Hillary Clinton for president.
The Enquirer’s editorial board wrote:
The Enquirer has supported Republicans for president for almost a century – a tradition this editorial board doesn’t take lightly. But this is not a traditional race, and these are not traditional times. Our country needs calm, thoughtful leadership to deal with the challenges we face at home and abroad. We need a leader who will bring out the best in all Americans, not the worst.
That’s why there is only one choice when we elect a president in November: Hillary Clinton.
….
Trump is a clear and present danger to our country. He has no history of governance that should engender any confidence from voters. Trump has no foreign policy experience, and the fact that he doesn’t recognize it – instead insisting that “I know more about ISIS than the generals do” – is even more troubling. His wild threats to blow Iranian ships out of the water if they make rude gestures at U.S. ships is just the type of reckless, cowboy diplomacy Americans should fear from a Trump presidency.
The Enquirer clearly framed the choice in this election as between a person whose statements suggest that his presidency would be a danger to the welfare of the country or a very qualified and competent public servant who is almost certain to do a good job, but who at a minimum will keep the country safe and moving forward.
When a newspaper that has endorsed Republicans for almost a century draws the line at Trump, the Republican Party has nominated someone who is totally unelectable.
If you’re ready to read more from the unbossed and unbought Politicus team, sign up for our newsletter here! Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human:Pick of the Month: Dark YouTube Theme
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If you’d like to nominate an add-on for featuring, please send it to amo-featured [at] mozilla [dot] org for the board’s consideration. We welcome you to submit your own add-on!University of Utah physicists developed small devices that turn heat into sound and then into electricity. The technology holds promise for changing waste heat into electricity, harnessing solar energy and cooling computers and radars.
"We are converting waste heat to electricity in an efficient, simple way by using sound," says Orest Symko, a University of Utah physics professor who leads the effort. "It is a new source of renewable energy from waste heat."
Five of Symko's doctoral students recently devised methods to improve the efficiency of acoustic heat-engine devices to turn heat into electricity. They will present their findings on Friday, June 8 during the annual meeting of the Acoustical Society of America at the Hilton Salt Lake City Center hotel.
Symko plans to test the devices within a year to produce electricity from waste heat at a military radar facility and at the university's hot-water-generating plant.
The research is funded by the U.S. Army, which is interested in "taking care of waste heat from radar, and also producing a portable source of electrical energy which you can use in the battlefield to run electronics" he says.
Symko expects the devices could be used within two years as an alternative to photovoltaic cells for converting sunlight into electricity. The heat engines also could be used to cool laptop and other computers that generate more heat as their electronics grow more complex. And Symko foresees using the devices to generate electricity from heat that now is released from nuclear power plant cooling towers.
How to Get Power from Heat and Sound
Symko's work on converting heat into electricity via sound stems from his ongoing research to develop tiny thermoacoustic refrigerators for cooling electronics.
In 2005, he began a five-year heat-sound-electricity conversion research project named Thermal Acoustic Piezo Energy Conversion (TAPEC). Symko works with collaborators at Washington State University and the University of Mississippi.
The project has received $2 million in funding during the past two years, and Symko hopes it will grow as small heat-sound-electricity devices shrink further so they can be incorporated in micromachines (known as microelectromechanical systems, or MEMS) for use in cooling computers and other electronic devices such as amplifiers.
Using sound to convert heat into electricity has two key steps. Symko and colleagues developed various new heat engines (technically called "thermoacoustic prime movers") to accomplish the first step: convert heat into sound.
Then they convert the sound into electricity using existing technology: "piezoelectric" devices that are squeezed in response to pressure, including sound waves, and change that pressure into electrical current. "Piezo" means pressure or squeezing.
Most of the heat-to-electricity acoustic devices built in Symko's laboratory are housed in cylinder-shaped "resonators" that fit in the palm of your hand. Each cylinder, or resonator, contains a "stack" of material with a large surface area -- such as metal or plastic plates, or fibers made of glass, cotton or steel wool -- placed between a cold heat exchanger and a hot heat exchanger.
When heat is applied -- with matches, a blowtorch or a heating element -- the heat builds to a threshold. Then the hot, moving air produces sound at a single frequency, similar to air blown into a flute.
"You have heat, which is so disorderly and chaotic, and all of a sudden you have sound coming out at one frequency," Symko says.
Then the sound waves squeeze the piezoelectric device, producing an electrical voltage. Symko says it's similar to what happens if you hit a nerve in your elbow, producing a painful electrical nerve impulse.
Longer resonator cylinders produce lower tones, while shorter tubes produce higher-pitched tones.
Devices that convert heat to sound and then to electricity lack moving parts, so such devices will require little maintenance and last a long time. They do not need to be built as precisely as, say, pistons in an engine, which loses efficiency as the pistons wear.
Symko says the devices won't create noise pollution. First, as smaller devices are developed, they will convert heat to ultrasonic frequencies people cannot hear. Second, sound volume goes down as it is converted to electricity. Finally, "it's easy to contain the noise by putting a sound absorber around the device," he says.
Studies Improve Efficiency of Acoustic Conversion of Heat to Electricity
Here are summaries of the studies by Symko's doctoral students:
-- Student Bonnie McLaughlin showed it was possible to double the efficiency of converting heat into sound by optimizing the geometry and insulation of the acoustic resonator and by injecting heat directly into the hot heat exchanger.
She built cylindrical devices 1.5 inches long and a half-inch wide, and worked to improve how much heat was converted to sound rather than escaping. As little as a 90-degree Fahrenheit temperature difference between hot and cold heat exchangers produced sound. Some devices produced sound at 135 decibels -- as loud as a jackhammer.
-- Student Nick Webb showed that by pressurizing the air in a similar-sized resonator, it was able to produce more sound, and thus more electricity.
He also showed that by increasing air pressure, a smaller temperature difference between heat exchangers is needed for heat to begin converting into sound. That makes it practical to use the acoustic devices to cool laptop computers and other electronics that emit relatively small amounts of waste heat, Symko says.
-- Numerous heat-to-sound-to-electricity devices will be needed to harness solar power or to cool large, industrial sources of waste heat. Student Brenna Gillman learned how to get the devices -- mounted together to form an array -- to work together.
For an array to efficiently convert heat to sound and electricity, its individual devices must be "coupled" to produce the same frequency of sound and vibrate in sync.
Gillman used various metals to build supports to hold five of the devices at once. She found the devices could be synchronized if a support was made of a less dense metal such as aluminum and, more important, if the ratio of the support's weight to the array's total weight fell within a specific range. The devices could be synchronized even better if they were "coupled" when their sound waves interacted in an air cavity in the support.
-- Student Ivan Rodriguez used a different approach in building an acoustic device to convert heat to electricity. Instead of a cylinder, he built a resonator from a quarter-inch-diameter hollow steel tube bent to form a ring about 1.3 inches across.
In cylinder-shaped resonators, sound waves bounce against the ends of the cylinder. But when heat is applied to Rodriguez's ring-shaped resonator, sound waves keep circling through the device with nothing to reflect them.
Symko says the ring-shaped device is twice as efficient as cylindrical devices in converting heat into sound and electricity. That is because the pressure and speed of air in the ring-shaped device are always in sync, unlike in cylinder-shaped devices.
-- Student Myra Flitcroft designed a cylinder-shaped heat engine one-third the size of the other devices. It is less than half as wide as a penny, producing a much higher pitch than the other resonators. When heated, the device generated sound at 120 decibels -- the level produced by a siren or a rock concert.
"It's an extremely small thermoacoustic device -- one of the smallest built -- and it opens the way for producing them in an array," Symko says.The UK once had a deserved reputation for pragmatic and stable politics. That will not survive the spectacular mess it is making of Brexit.
Remember what has happened. In an unnecessary referendum, a small majority chose an option they could not understand, because it had not been worked out. Thereupon, a new prime minister, with no knowledge of the complexities, adopted the hardest possible interpretation of the outcome. She triggered the exit process in March 2017, before shaping a detailed negotiating position. Some 70 days later, in an unnecessary election, she lost both her majority and her authority.
The Conservative party is so split over Brexit as to be no longer a coherent party of government. It is, as a result, questionable whether the compromises needed over money owed to the EU, rights of EU residents and the role of the European Court of Justice, could win approval in parliament. The Labour party will offer no relief: it wants another general election and is now about as split over Brexit as the Tories.
Meanwhile, Michel Barnier, the EU’s negotiator, patiently explains, as if to inattentive children, that “the clock is ticking”. In late March 2019, the UK will exit the EU. If businesses are to make sensible plans, they will need to know what is going to happen no later than a year from now. If the deal is to be ratified, it must be sealed by autumn 2018.
Moreover, as the EU has insisted, “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed”. Mr Barnier also argues that the UK must recognise that an exit deal will demand a substantial payment. This was in response to Boris Johnson, Britain’s foreign secretary, who remarked in parliament: “I think that the sums that I have seen... seem to me to be extortionate and I think ‘go whistle’ is an entirely appropriate expression.” If the UK sticks to this, there will certainly be no deal, be it a good one or a bad one.
Related article Watchdog says UK’s Brexit could collapse like ‘chocolate orange’; Audit office warns of ‘horror show’ if new customs IT system not ready by 2019
The UK government has failed to prepare the ground for any of the necessary compromises. It could probably not do so, in any case, because a significant number of Brexiters fail to understand the weakness of the UK’s hand: damage to access to the EU market would, for example, be far worse for the UK than vice versa, because the EU’s economy is some five times bigger than Britain’s.
Worse, many Brexiters seem prepared for a “no deal”. But the UK would then, in the view of its most important economic partners, have defaulted on its legal obligations. The EU is a creature of law. Members would view such a violation of UK obligations as heinous.
Anybody who thinks EU members would then co-operate over vital British interests, such as the flow of goods or aviation, is dreaming. Amyas Morse, head of the National Audit Office, has noted that the UK may be unable to process a vastly increased number of customs declarations after Brexit. But this underplays the risks. What will happen to the procedures on the other side?
The UK government is stuck between a rock and a hard place. It will find it almost impossible to agree and implement a sensible deal on the divorce, the nature of the longer-term trading arrangement and the transition in the time available. But it would be even more impossible to fail to do so. Who knows which will win? My guess is that “no deal” is now the more likely.
Sooner or later, markets will realise this, too. That could be destabilising for sterling and cause another spike in inflation. That would create a painful dilemma for the Bank of England. Jeremy Corbyn’s arrival as prime minister could also become more credible. How, after all this tomfoolery, could the Conservatives continue to claim the mantle of sober competence?
What would happen then? Many Remainers still hope that, as the economy becomes still worse, the polls showing a continued rough balance between Brexiters and Remainers, will break for the latter, so causing a big shift of opinion in parliament. I see no constitutional objection to a referendum on the terms of Brexit (or the absence of such terms). Referendums are merely a (dangerous) political tool. But politically another referendum would be dynamite, further aggravating the deep splits over the European issue.
The UK has become so ludicrous because the issue of the EU is so deeply felt by a significant part of the body politic. The Brexiters are the Jacobins of UK politics. Their ideological intensity has devastated the Conservative party and reduced British politics to its present shambles. There is, as a result, neither a comfortable exit from Brexit nor a plausible way of managing it smoothly.
Whom the gods wish to destroy they first make mad. So it now is over Brexit.
martin.wolf@ft.com
Letters in response to this column:
Costs of ‘no deal’ will become more apparent / From Malcolm Barr, London, UK
Just relax and let Davis get on with the job / From Stephen McKeever, Belfast, N Ireland
Negotiating machine with a history of compromising / From Robin Cooke-Hurle, London, UK
Copyright The Financial Times Limited. All rights reserved. Please don't copy articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web.I am completely floored by my Santa, in fact I think he may actually BE Santa, as in the real deal.
Let's just start off with the fact that Santa gifted me a year of reddit gold - how awesome is that?
And then I came home from work today to find a freakin' huge box waiting for me - I kid you not, it was enormous! And packed full of wonderful goodies for the whole household.
I got a whole bunch of kitty toys and a big jar of cat nip. Let me tell you the cats have been going bananas (photo evidence further down).
So, since I was getting a package from the US, Santa asked if there was anything in particular I wanted, and I said some snacks might be nice, and that I liked sweet and salty. And Santa is NOT messing around! I have never seen such an assortment of snacks in my life - and so perfectly tailored to my taste. I am gonna get soooo fat! :-p
But wait, there's more! A while ago somebody posted a Ciaté nail polish advent calendar to RedditLaqueristas, and I thought it was so cute and amazing, but unfortunately not available in my country. So what do you think Santa does? He goes out and gets me one! I swear I literally squealed with joy when getting that out of the box.
So, once again: Santa, you are completely awesome, you went waaay above and beyond, you made my day, my week, in fact maybe even my year!! :-DThe elevator door opened. We hadn't hit the ground floor yet, and another person entered. But other people on the floor who were standing by the elevator could tell that something was amiss with one of the passengers. Something was amiss with me.
"Oh wow, is that the Google gadget?" a woman exclaimed as she moved her hand between the doors, halting their closure.
"Yes, it is," I confirm, instinctively touching my right hand to the side of the device resting on my head. She comes into the elevator — even though she originally had no intention of leaving the floor — and asks questions excitedly, wondering if I'm filming video as she's talking (I'm not) and if I like it (I do). Others in the elevator seem more irritated than curious.
The device, of course, is Google Glass, and I've just left the official "fitting" for the device
The device, of course, is Google Glass, and I've just left the official "fitting" for the device at New York City's Chelsea Market, across the street from Google's New York headquarters. The fitting was on the 8th floor, and before I even got to ground level I was already getting more attention than your average celebrity gets in public, especially a play-it-cool place like NYC.
"You know, there are dozens of these in the building," I tell the woman.
She ignores my comment and continues to pepper me with questions. "What are you seeing right now? Can you get calls on it? How much does it cost?"
Once we hit the ground floor, two men roll their eyes as they exit the elevator. The woman continues to ask questions that I try my best to answer, her eyes filled with excitement. She politely asks if she can take a picture of me wearing Glass, and I oblige. Others in the lobby see what she's doing and also ask for pictures. Some just take them.
Out on the street, the effect is magnified, but that's partly because Mashable video editor Evan Engel and I stop to film a video with my thoughts on the fitting (Google didn't let us shoot video at the event, but photos were allowed), and partly because we're in a touristy area of Manhattan.
"Are those Google Glasses?"
"Are they comfortable?"
"How did you get them?"
The answer to the first two questions is yes, and here's the answer to the third:
First, you had to sign up for Glass at Google I/O 2012 in order to get the current Explorer Edition. Google sent me an email last week saying I could schedule a fitting where I could pick up my unit and learn how to use it. One phone call and online registration later (which requires a Google+ account), and I had my appointment set up.
Behind Glass
Google turned the 8th Floor of Chelsea Market into a kind of high-tech (and high-end) optician, with multiple stations where various people were learning how to use Glass. "Fitting" is really a misnomer — there wasn't much at all in the way of adjusting how Glass fits on your face. It's pretty much all tutorial.
More after the gallery...
Google Glass Fitting
A gentleman named Soji showed me how to set up and use Glass. He was an excellent guide, first making Evan and me comfortable by offering us drinks and smiling a lot. He was wearing Glass, too.
Soji took us to a mirror that had five Glass units hanging near it, each a different color. After considering the blue for a minute, I eventually settled on "cotton" — the white one. (Hey, it goes with anything.) The units hanging by the mirror were just for show. Once I picked a color, another Googler went to the back to get a brand new unit, sealed in the box.
If any product packaging qualifies as "high end," it's the one for Glass
If any product packaging qualifies as "high end," it's the one for Glass. It's light yellow with subtle black lettering, and doesn't have any of the typical folds or tiny plastic bags for individual parts found in most gadget packages today. It feels suited more to a pair of expensive shoes than a piece of consumer electronics.
If you hold the lid the right way, the weight of the lower part of the box will slowly cause it to fall away, revealing a thin piece of onion-skin paper that completely covers the inside. It's adhered to the sides, an you peel it away to reveal Glass, held in a customized piece of yellow cardboard. Beneath that are the USB plug and charging cable, the latter of which is flat, allowing it to be perfectly coiled in a ring. "Chic" is kind of an understatement.
Real Pane
After opening the box, I took out Glass and began the setup, with Soji's help. When I first made the appointment, I needed to let them know my Google account, and Soji showed me how to find my Glass page — I just typed in google.com/myglass into a Chromebook Pixel they had at the station, and it was ready with a QR code for me to pair the unit.
Once paired to my Google account, Glass was ready for action
Once paired to my Google account, Glass was ready for action. The MyGlass page came alive with boxes for Device Info, Wi-Fi networks and apps (among other things). Soji asked me what kind of phone I wanted to use with Glass, and I produced the HTC One loaner we reviewed last month. It's a temporary home, of course, but better than my personal iPhone since there isn't yet a MyGlass app for iOS.
There is an app for Android, of course, so once I had Glass paired with the phone, I could control the device's settings right from the phone. It was easy to set up Wi-Fi networks so Glass didn't have to rely on the phone's connection at the Mashable offices or at my home. I also turned on all the "official" apps, which at this point amount to Google+, Google Now, Gmail, The New York Times and Path.
Soji walked me through taking pictures, recording videos, performing Google searches, getting directions, changing settings — basically the whole Glass experience. He showed me how to adjust the prism so I could see it best, and he cautioned me about the two activities that drain the battery most: active navigation and recording extended videos.
As we were wrapping up, Soji encouraged us to do whatever we wanted with Glass. He emphasized what Google has publicly said — that Glass Explorers should feel free to "hack" the device at will in pursuit of creating great apps for this new wearable-tech experience. We told him we'd do our best.
The Future, Refracted
In all, the fitting was great. The Google guys were very accommodating, even though we were clearly from a media company looking to document Glass as much as possible. Our guide prepped us well for the experience of operating Glass.
What they couldn't prepare us for was the experience of wearing Glass, at least in public. Google Glass looks a lot less dorky than it could have, but it still stands out — and everyone wants to know what that contraption is on your face. And if they already know, it's even more likely they'll say something.
Almost all the people who have stopped me in |
final deal, while former SNP leader Alex Salmond said MPs should have a genuine choice without the "Sword of Damocles" hanging over them.
Labour's Chuka Umunna said the choice facing MPs was "unacceptable", ex-Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg described it as a "symbolic handout" while Green Party leader Caroline Lucas said MPs were being "duped".
'Jihadis' comparison
But Labour's font bench claimed the move as a "significant victory" in response to its repeated demands for a "meaningful" vote at the end of the two-year negotiation process.
The party withdrew its proposed amendment before Mr Leslie's was defeated.
Conservatives Mr Clarke, Bob Neill, Andrew Tyrie, Claire Perry, Anna Soubry, Antoinette Sandbach and Heidi Allen, defied their party whip.
Ms Perry told MPs the tone of the debate "sometimes borders on the hysterical", before adding: "I feel like sometimes I am sitting along with colleagues who are like jihadis in their support for a hard Brexit."
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Conservative MP Claire Perry said the tone of the debate 'borders on the hysterical'
Teasing her colleagues, she said: "No Brexit is hard enough - 'begone you evil Europeans, we never want you to darken our doors again'. People say: 'Steady on, Claire', but I am afraid I heard speeches last week exactly making that point."
On the Labour benches, Frank Field, Ronnie Campbell, Kate Hoey, Kelvin Hopkins, Graham Stringer and Gisela Stuart voted with the government.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who backed the Remain side in last year's EU referendum, has ordered his MPs to support the government's bill, whether his party's amendments are accepted or not, in the third reading vote expected on Wednesday.
Mr Corbyn argues that it would be undemocratic to ignore the will of the people, as expressed in last June's EU referendum.
Shadow business secretary Clive Lewis has vowed to oppose the bill unless Labour amendments are passed in the Commons.
Frontbench members of parties are generally expected to resign from their post if they ignore a three-line whip.The Table Top
I started out by cutting down the 2×6 pieces for the top (5) and the two seats (4) to 36″. This is where you can get extra credit points for using a router to round over the edges of these pieces, then hit them with a sander. It’s not necessary, but these are the surfaces where your arms will rest and your seat will.. well, sit.
Next up, cut down 2 pieces of the 2×2 to around 26″. I say around 26″, because you need to lay out the pieces for the table top and figure out how much space you want between them. You’ll need at least a little gap, but some people might want up to a 1/2″. So, lay them out, measure the entire width and then cut your 2×2 pieces about 4″ shorter. These two pieces of 2×2 also need opposing angles cut on the ends. The angle is really personal preference, but I went with 30°.
Now you’re ready to lay your top pieces face down and attach the 2×2’s. After aligning the edges of the top pieces, make a mark on each piece at 3″ in from the edge. This will be your reference line to keep your 2×2 straight. Also, make a mark for the center (width) of the middle 2×6, and a mark at the center (length) of your 2×2’s. Start by using those center marks to line up the middle 2×6 and the 2×2. Get the two pieces completely perpendicular, then attach them with 2 screws.
Once the middle is attached, you can work out on each side. I used carpenter pencils as my spacer (they’re about 1/4″). Set the pencils on each side of the 2×2, then set the next 2×6. Line up the outside edges of the 2×6, attach with 2 screws and repeat for each piece. Flip the table top around and repeat the steps for the other 2×2.
The Legs
You’re ready to cut and attach the legs. Each leg is a 2×6 with matching 30° angles cut on each end. I cut the angle on one end, then measured down 34 5/8″ and made the matching cut at that point. Repeat for all 4 legs, and be sure not to cut one of them 2 inches short, like I did. It’s frustrating and a waste of wood 🙂
I decided to set the inner most point of each leg at the inner most edge of the second board from each side (what a confusing sentence). But you can move them based on how much room you want between the front of the seat and the edge of the table top. To attach them, set the base of the leg in place, along side the 2×2 rail. Then “toe nail” (start it at an angle) a screw into the tip of the leg, and run it into the table top. This will be enough for it to stay in place while you run screws in connecting the leg and the 2×2. I would suggest at least 2 from each side.
Seat Supports
Even though the legs are attached, they’re not fully braced, so be careful not to flex them or put weight on them “sideways” yet. You can set the table on it’s side, using some of your 2×6 scrap to prop up the loose ends of the legs. Next you’ll need to cut the seat supports from 2×6. They’re 54 1/2″ in length, with opposing 30° angles on each end. Keep in mind, that they are 54 1/2″ at their WIDEST point.
With the table on it’s side, and supported, you can lay the support across two legs so that the bottom of the support is 11 1/2″ from the bottom of the legs (ground). You’ll need to make sure that the support is centered as well. I did this by trial and error, measuring the overhang on each end, and moving the support back and forth until both overhangs were the same. If I remember correctly, it was about 9 1/2″. Once it’s centered, and leveled (equally distanced from the bottom of each leg) attach the support with at least 4 screws on each leg. Now flip the table over and repeat for the other side.
Bracing
Are you getting excited? it’s starting to look like a table! You’re ready to brace the legs and to do this, you’ll need to a section of 2×6 to about 24″ with opposing 45° cuts on each end. Once you’ve got this piece, you’ll need to cut it in half, long ways. This is more easily done with a table saw, but it’s possible with a circular saw if that’s all you’ve got available. Flip your table over on it’s top and set both pieces in place between the table top and one leg support. Once you have them setting flush, use two screws on each connection point to attach. The legs should be rock solid now (even though they’re still going to get a few more screws)
Seats
One last step, adding the seats. You’ve already cut, routed and sanded these, so flip your table over (it should be getting a bit heavy by now). Set the first 2×6 across the supports and up against the legs. Use the same trial and error approach as earlier to get the seat piece centered (around 5 7/8″ overhang on each side) and screw it into the support with two screws per side. Next, use the same spacer method that you used on the table top. Use the spacer to get the second seat piece in place. You’ll notice that the second seat piece hangs over on three sides. After centering it, you’ll need to use the “toe nail” method on the outer screw to attach it to the support. I also had some 3″ screws and used them here since there was plenty of wood depth to go down into.
Repeat these steps for the other side of the table and one last step! Flip the table over and run a couple screws through the table top, down into the top of the legs, just to make sure they’re good and strong. YOU’RE DONE! That wasn’t that tough, huh?
This project cost me under $60 and only took about 3 1/2 hours! Here are some free plans so you can get to building your own! The only real difference between this and a full size picnic table is the width, so you could easily make it seat 4 or 6 without much change. Let me know your comments and ideas in the comments, and if you end up building one, PLEASE send me a picture of it!!
Here’s a time-lapse of my build! (Had some technical issues, but, it is what it is.)Image copyright AP Image caption Iraqi government forces repelled an Islamic State assault on Haditha, officials said on Tuesday
Islamic State (IS) has lost 40% of the territory it once controlled in Iraq, a spokesman for the US-led coalition battling the jihadist group says.
Col Steve Warren told reporters that IS was "on the defensive", and had "not gained one inch in Iraq since May".
It had also been driven out of 20% of its territory in Syria, he added.
Despite the losses, IS has continued to launch counter-offensives - including several near the western Iraqi city of Haditha in the past 48 hours.
Col Warren said coalition air strikes had helped Iraqi government forces repel an assault on Monday by about 200 militants, and that more than 100 had been killed.
He did not give a figure for casualties on the government side, but a Sunni tribal commander told AFP news agency that they had lost more than 25 fighters.
See where IS have made territorial gains and losses, Jan-Dec 2015 December 2015 January 2015
Haditha Mayor Mabrouk Hamid said the IS counter-offensive had involved more than 40 armoured vehicles, some of them filled with explosives.
Col Warren said IS had shifted its focus to Haditha, situated near a key dam in the north of Anbar province, after losing control of the provincial capital Ramadi the government last week.
The coalition spokesman also denied claims by IS that it had captured the towns of Barwana and Sakran, near Haditha. He insisted it had not gained any territory in Iraq since May, when Ramadi was overrun in an embarrassing defeat for the army.
Image copyright AP Image caption The US-led coalition denied that IS militants had captured two towns near Haditha
In June 2014, IS seized large parts of northern and western Iraq, and proclaimed the creation of a caliphate stretching across the border with Syria.
Iraqi government and Kurdish Peshmerga forces - supported by Iranian-backed Shia militiamen, Sunni tribesmen and coalition air strikes - have since regained more than 20,000 sq km (about 8.000 sq miles), according to the coalition.
IS militants have also been driven out of the city of Tikrit in the past year, but they continue to control Mosul, the largest city in the north.
In Syria, the jihadists have been losing ground to President Bashar al-Assad's forces, rebel groups, and Kurdish militia fighters. But they have also been able to capture new territory of strategic value, including the ancient city of Palmyra.If you are not super rich or a criminal corporation, you do not matter to the Republican party. That explains their response upon hearing that their financial policy will kill 70,000 children. They changed the subject.
Yesterday, the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs held a budget hearing on the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the primary agency in the government responsible for dispensing humanitarian aid and assisting global development efforts.
As Foreign Policy’s Josh Rogin notes, one moment of the hearing provided a particularly startling fact about H.R. 1, the House Republicans’ bill for continuing appropriations to fund the government. USAID administrator Rajiv Shah explained to Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA) that the agency was committed to its mission of battling global poverty, but that H.R. 1 would severely gut its ability to battle easily preventable deaths among children — and even lead to the deaths of as many as 70,000 kids globally. Dent, apparently unmoved by Shah’s testimony, immediately asked to change the subject…
…Watch it:
H.R. 1 includes a $120 million funding cut to USAID’s annual budget, which amounts to a 9 percent cutback… [emphasis added]For those too young to remember, Ms. Hill was the reluctant witness in the explosive Thomas hearings, the young African-American lawyer in the aqua suit, grilled in excruciatingly graphic detail by an all-white, all-male Senate Judiciary Committee. The hearings transformed the country, sparking a searing conversation about sexual harassment, as well as Ms. Hill, who was vilified as a liar by conservatives but ultimately embraced, as the film shows, by a new generation of young women.
Directed by the Academy Award winner Freida Mock, the documentary — which does not reveal Ms. Hill’s current views on Justice Thomas — chronicles her plunge, and the nation’s, into a volatile stew of sex, race and politics. For the professor, the film is a chance to show the public (and on a deeply personal level, her large extended family) that she has survived, thrived and, as she says, “moved on.”
Yet like Anita the person, “Anita” the movie is bound to unleash raw feelings in Washington. Some conservative Republicans still revile Ms. Hill. Some Democrats — including Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., who “did a terrible job” running the hearings, in Ms. Hill’s view — would probably like to forget her.
A spokeswoman for Mr. Biden said the vice president “continues to wish nothing but the best for Anita Hill.” Justice Thomas, who supervised Ms. Hill at two federal agencies and has categorically denied her accusations, declined to comment. (In his 2007 autobiography, he referred to Ms. Hill as “my most traitorous adversary.”) But his backers, who include some devoted female former clerks, are not shy about speaking out.
“I honestly think she’s just making it up,” said Carrie Severino, a former Thomas clerk and chief counsel of the Judicial Crisis Network, an advocacy group. “I think she’s built her career on that story. She is using that and using him as a way of boosting her own career, and that’s really shameful.”It only takes $34,000 per person to be amid the richest 1% of people in the world.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The United States holds a disproportionate amount of the world's rich people.
It only takes $34,000 a year, after taxes, to be among the richest 1% in the world. That's for each person living under the same roof, including children. (So a family of four, for example, needs to make $136,000.)
So where do these lucky rich people live? As of 2005 -- the most recent data available -- about half of them, or 29 million lived in the United States, according to calculations by World Bank economist Branko Milanovic in his book The Haves and the Have-Nots.
Another four million live in Germany. The rest are mainly scattered throughout Europe, Latin America and a few Asian countries. Statistically speaking, none live in Africa, China or India despite those being some of the most populous areas of the world.
The numbers put into perspective the idea of a rapidly growing global middle class.
Sure, China and India are seeing their economies grow quickly, and along with that growth, large portions of their populations are also becoming richer. But remember, the emerging world is starting from a very low base to begin with, so its middle class is just that -- still emerging, says Milanovic.
"It doesn't seem right to define as middle class, people who would be on food stamps in the United States," Milanovic said.
The true global middle class, falls far short of owning a home, having a car in a driveway, saving for retirement and sending their kids to college. In fact, people at the world's true middle -- as defined by median income -- live on just $1,225 a year. (And, yes, Milanovic's numbers are adjusted to account for different costs of living across the globe.)
In the grand scheme of things, even the poorest 5% of Americans are better off financially than two thirds of the entire world.Comes after Michael Fallon said communities were 'under
He said the'resources aren't there', which is 'a big issue for government'
Mr Wilshaw said schools needed help to deal with foreign-language children
Schools are struggling to cope with an influx of migrant pupils, the head of Ofsted said yesterday.
Sir Michael Wilshaw warned that schools needed more help to deal with growing numbers of foreign- language children. He said it was now a 'big issue'.
‘When they’re faced with an influx of children from other countries, they need the resources and capacity to deal with it and if those resources aren’t there, that’s a big issue for government,’ he said. ‘We’ll be producing reports on this quite soon.’
Scroll down for video
Sir Michael Wilshaw, Chief Inspector of Schools, said schools needed the resources to cope with an influx of immigration
The comments from the chief inspector of schools highlight a critical shortage of places at primaries – at which one in five pupils now speak English as a second language
And Sir Michael’s remarks echo concerns about the impact of migration on our creaking public services.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said some towns were being ‘swamped’ by European migrants with communities ‘under siege’. He later retracted the comments.
It has also emerged that asylum applications have soared 70 per cent in a year and officials have lost track of 50,000 illegals while failing to kick out another 175,000.
Sir Michael’s interview on LBC Radio came after David Cameron told the Commons that schools and hospitals were under pressure from immigration.
During heated exchanges with Labour’s Ed Miliband, the Prime Minister said the British people ‘just want this issue sorted’.
Business minister Nick Boles (left) said Britain would not be able to 'entirely' control European migration as long as it stayed in the EU - while Michael Fallon (right) said some parts of the country were'swamped'
Archbishop of Canterbury the Most Reverend Justin Welby today warned against using inflammatory language around immigration
ROMANI SPEAKING SCHOOL HELP WANTED An UK recruitment agency has started advertising for people who speak Slovak and Romani to work as school assistants in Yorkshire. Hundreds of Slovak Roma moved to Sheffield and neighbouring areas after border controls were dropped in 2004. The salary offered for the Romani language speaking assistant is £50 to £70 a day. The recruitment agency Vision for Education said to Slovak TV JOJ: “Yes, we are looking for assistants who speak Slovak and Romani.” The assistants would work at schools in the towns of Worksop and Chesterfield, in South Yorkshire, where large communities of Slovak Romas live.
‘The pressure on our health service, on our education service, on our schools and communities – they want it addressed, and they know in this party we will address it,’ he said.
Mr Miliband demanded that Mr Cameron apologise for breaking his pre-election promises to cut levels of immigration to the tens of thousands. But Mr Cameron replied: ‘Let me just say this: we inherited from Labour a complete and utter shambles.’
The Prime Minister wants to renegotiate with Brussels to get back control over borders and reduce migrant numbers. But German chancellor Angela Merkel says the EU will not agree to tamper with rules on freedom of movement.
According to official figures, the number of schoolchildren speaking English as a second language has soared by a third in five years – to nearly one in five.
Earlier this year the number of pupils who speak another language in the home exceeded 1.1million for the first time.
In some parts of London, children with English as a second language now make up as much as three-quarters of the school roll. The figure is around half in places including Slough, Luton and Leicester.
This term more than half of local councils across the country laid on extra ‘bulge’ reception classes as part of emergency measures to tackle a growing influx of reception-aged children.
A report commissioned by the Government has said that high levels of immigration have put huge pressures on public services.
The Migration Advisory Committee said it had caused the ‘composition of many local area populations to alter rapidly’ and such rapid change could lead to friction.
National Insurance numbers (NINOs) have been handed out to more than 420,000 people from the EU, up from 285,000 in the year before the coalition was formed
Spain, Romania, Greece and Italy have seen the biggest increases in NINOs in the last six years, according to official government figures
A Government spokesman said: ‘As part of our plan for education we are making every effort to ensure local authorities have the resources and flexibility to provide the school places needed by their communities.
‘We are giving councils £5billion to spend on new school places over this parliament — double the amount allocated by the previous government over an equivalent period – and a further £2.35billion to create the places needed by September 2017.
'This has already led to the creation of more than 260,000 new places.
‘School funding is allocated based on pupil need, whether that is special educational needs or where English is not a pupil’s first language.
'Should a school grow in a single year, local authorities can and do top up their funding to reflect that.’
Former Labour Cabinet minister Liam Byrne said his party had a ‘moral responsibility’ to speak out on immigration.
He told Total Politics magazine: ‘I got into all kinds of bother when I became the first Labour immigration minister, saying: “You know what, immigration does have an impact on public services, so should we just be honest about that and actually create a funding system that fixes it?”.
'So let’s just tell it how it is and propose some solutions.’
New sham marriage farce: Iman accused of conducting 580 bogus ceremonies walks free... as second case in a week collapses
An imam accused of conducting nearly 600 sham marriages between Muslim men and European brides has walked free from court in the second case to have been catastrophically bungled by Home Office officials in a week.
A judge ordered charges against Mohammed Mattar to be dropped after paperwork blunders meant that the case was not ready on time.
Details of the fiasco emerged yesterday, only days after ministers were left red-faced over the collapse of Britain’s biggest sham marriage case against a vicar amid allegations of serious misconduct by border officials.
Dropped: A trial of an imam accused of conducting almost 600 sham marriages has collapsed. Mohammed Mattar - pictured left at an earlier court hearing and right at his home - had denied the charge
The collapse of two such high-profile cases in a short period of time raised new questions about the management of Britain’s immigration system.
And it will revive calls for ministers to spend more on managing the nation’s borders.
It follows the publication yesterday of a damning report by a group of MPs about growing asylum backlogs, ‘lost’ illegal immigrants and the write-off of some £1billion of taxpayers’ money on failed IT projects.
A series of damaging revelations prompted the leaders of both major parties to each demand the other apologise for their handling of the immigration system.
At Prime Minister’s Questions Ed Miliband accused David Cameron of making the system worse, while the PM hit back over the ‘shambles’ he inherited from Labour.
The latest case involved Mr Mattar, 63, of the Dar Al Dawa Islamic Centre in Westbourne Grove, West London.
Charges were also dropped against Reverend Nathan Ntege, 54, accused of overseeing a ‘matrimonial conveyor belt’ of European brides
He was accused of marrying Muslim men to women with EU passports so they could remain in the UK.
The imam was said to have conducted a staggering 580 sham ceremonies between 2008 and 2012. He was also charged with concealing criminal property between the same dates via money transfers to the value of £1,887,262, contrary to the Proceeds of Crime Act. This charge was dropped in April.
Yesterday, his Malaysian wife Azizah Abdul Hamad, 57, revealed how police had searched their home two years ago, but denied her husband carried out the marriages or was an imam. The couple, who married in the UK in 1991, have six children.
A massive investigation was launched this year, taking months to carry out and costing tens of thousands of pounds.
But the Home Office failed to hand over its paperwork in time. As a result the Crown Prosecution Service missed legal deadlines to hand over prosecution material to Mr Mattar’s lawyers in time for the trial – which was due to begin at Isleworth Crown Court on October 13.
It applied for an extension at a pre-trial hearing on September 18, but when the court refused, the CPS said it had ‘no choice’ but to offer no evidence.
Bookshop: The imam helped run the former Dar Al Dawa Islamic centre in Bayswater, London (above)
Bungle: A trial was due to start two weeks ago at Isleworth Crown Court, but it will no longer take place
Yesterday prosecutors made clear Home Office blunders were to blame. A CPS spokesman said: ‘In early 2014 we identified a large amount of potentially relevant material and we advised the Home Office investigation team to obtain and look into the material for the purpose of disclosure.
‘In August it became apparent that this work had not been completed and therefore we would not be able to fully discharge disclosure obligations in the case before the trial. We therefore applied for an adjournment. This was refused by the court and we had no option but to offer no evidence.’
A Home Office spokesman said there were ‘lessons to be learned’ to prevent something similar happening again.
They took some things away, I don't know what it was, they said it was to do with sham marriages but Mohammed never talked about it. They came to the bookshop as well, but I can't remember when Mr Mattar's wife Azizah, 57
He added: ‘The decision not to take this matter to trial is disappointing, particularly after such a long investigation.’ It follows the collapse of the £1million trial of a vicar suspected of running Britain’s biggest sham marriage racket, due to ‘serious misconduct’ by Border Agency staff.
Last week charges were dropped against Reverend Nathan Ntege, 54, who was accused of overseeing a ‘matrimonial conveyor belt’ of Eastern European brides.
The Uganda-born clergyman walked free after Judge Nic Madge accused two Border Agency officials of perjury and perverting the course of justice.
They have both been suspended and may face criminal charges themselves.
Yesterday’s Public Accounts Committee report found the backlog of applications for asylum had grown by 70 per cent in a year, despite reforms designed to end the now-defunct Border Agency’s appalling record of failure.
At PMQs, Mr Miliband said: ‘Can you explain why the number of asylum applicants awaiting a decision has risen by 70 per cent in the last year?’
Mr Cameron said: ‘Let me just say this: we inherited from Labour a complete and utter shambles – a department that wasn’t fit for purpose, computer programmes that wouldn’t work and an immigration system that was a complete mess.’
Home Office in dock as immigration fiascos mount: Theresa May under fire for 'unbelievable' failures over sham marriages
Home Secretary Theresa May has come under fire for ‘unbelievable’ failures over sham marriages.
Labour’s immigration spokesman David Hanson criticised the Home Office’s inability to get on top of the problem and accused ministers of mismanaging the situation.
His comments came following the collapse of a trial of an imam accused of conducting 580 sham marriages, after the Home Office failed to hand over paperwork in time.
Mr Hanson called on Mrs May to ‘make clear what steps she will be taking to ensure this doesn’t happen again’.
He added: ‘Sham marriages undermine public trust in our immigration system and can present a serious threat to our borders.
Theresa May (left) has been criticised by the Labour's immigration spokesman David Hanson (right) after the collapse of a sham marriage trial
‘So it’s unbelievable that officials on Theresa May’s watch can’t be bothered to do the paperwork on time to prosecute someone who might be responsible for sham marriages on an almost industrial scale.
'It’s a clear sign of the mismanagement by ministers that vital work to ensure someone engaging in defrauding the country with sham marriages wasn’t done in time and means no further action can be taken.
'I share the public’s anger at such poor management by ministers and think the Home Secretary needs to make clear what steps she’ll be taking to ensure this doesn’t happen again.’
Mohammed Mattar, 62, was due to stand trial at Isleworth Crown Court after he was said to have presided over bogus weddings at his Islamic bookshop in west London.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) dropped the charges after government investigators missed deadlines to hand over vital information.
MPs warned earlier this year in a report that bogus marriages are increasing at an ‘alarming rate’, with as many as 10,000 a year feared to be carried out.
They called it an ‘industry of deceit’.
In July, the Home Affairs Select Committee questioned whether the Government knew the ‘scale of the problem’ and called for better training for registrars to spot sham marriages.
Registrars told the committee they were left presiding over what they knew to be a ‘charade’, and were powerless to stop it.
A TV documentary also showed the ease with which migrants could marry to get a British passport.
An undercover journalist exposed the scale of the problem by meeting her Indian ‘fiance’, Ali, through a self-styled bogus marriage ‘fixer’ online – and agreeing to marry him for £5,000.
He and reporter Harriet Morter were allowed to wed even though Ali forgot his bride’s name and claimed he could not remember the borough where she lived. It was called off at the last minute.
The number of suspicious marriages reported had rocketed in the early years of the last Labour government, but plummeted in 2005 when non-EU nations were required to apply to the Home Office to marry.
But the numbers reported have crept up since then from 934 in 2010 to 2,135 last year.
This year John Vine, the independent chief inspector of borders and immigration, told the select committee the ‘widespread abuse of the system was ‘one of the biggest potential threats to immigration control’ and claimed there were no proper checks.
In the Channel 5 programme, screened last night, Mark Rimmer, the superintendent registrar at Brent Council said the number of sham marriages was ‘absolutely enormous’.
Politically correct teenage spin doctors under attack from Tory backbenchers after forcing ministers to retract 'truthful' comments on immigration
Tory backbenchers have accused ‘teenage spin doctors’ in Downing Street of pressurising ministers to retract ‘truthful’ comments on immigration.
It comes after Defence Secretary Michael Fallon was apparently slapped down for remarks he made on immigration during a TV interview.
He said some communities felt ‘swamped’ and ‘under siege’ by European migrants. But hours after making the comments on Sunday he retracted them – seemingly following an intervention from Number 10.
And on Tuesday, skills minister Nick Boles suggested that Britain would never have full control over its borders so long as we are a member of the EU.
Defence secretary Michael Fallon (left) and skills minister Nick Boles (right) both retracted outspoken comments they made about immigration - something which has been criticised by Tory backbenchers
He also told Total Politics that Britons need to get used to the fact that there will be a ‘very large amount of immigration every year’.
Later he also sent out a retraction, saying he did not believe the UK cannot seek to change the way immigration works within the Union.
Downing Street sources insisted that the ministers had decided themselves to issue their own clarifications, but some Conservative backbenchers remained unconvinced.
Stewart Jackson, MP for Peterborough, tweeted: ‘Fallon absolutely right to use the word “swamped” about “some” immigration hotspots despite what teenage spin doctors at No 10 might say.’
Yesterday, Mr Jackson said: ‘I think it was unfair on Michael Fallon because there are significant parts of the country where people are feeling what he said.
If Number 10 think these retractions will prove anything to the public, then they’re living in cloud cuckoo land MP for Shipley Philip Davies
‘It was poor form to cut the legs from under him in hours over one word. He spoke the truth and it was unnecessary for them to exacerbate the situation by undermining him.’
He added: ‘The public don’t want to be told what the problem is – they want to be told the solution.
‘The reason the public is impatient on immigration is that they keep being told the problems but not the solutions. I think the solution is leaving the EU if we can’t get control of our borders back.’
Philip Davies, MP for Shipley, said: ‘What Nick Boles said wasn’t anything controversial – he was merely stating a fact. The Prime Minister knows that well – that’s why the immigration figures are so high. Why he has been slapped down for telling the truth is beyond me.
‘If Number 10 think these retractions will prove anything to the public, then they’re living in cloud cuckoo land.’
He added: ‘This has now happened to two ministers. After the debacle of making Michael Fallon issue a retraction after making sensible comments, you’d have thought they would have learned their lesson – but what happened to Nick Boles shows they haven’t.’
Several hours after Mr Fallon told Sky News that he believed some communities were ‘swamped’ by European migrants, a government ‘source’ sent round a quote saying: ‘He accepts he should have chosen his words better. He should have said under pressure.’• Guardian and Observer writer is chair of the group Women in Football • Kessel has campaigned against sexism in the game and for equality in sport
Anna Kessel, much of whose career has been spent writing on sport for the Observer and the Guardian, has been awarded an MBE for services to journalism and women’s sport in the Queen’s birthday honours.
Kessel is chair of Women in Football, an organisation that champions female role models in football and lobbies against sexism in the game.
Eva Carneiro case is test of integrity and game must not shy away | Anna Kessel Read more
“I am absolutely thrilled to receive this honour. It says so much about how far we’ve come over the last decade or so in terms of the recognition women in the sports industry are now getting,” said Kessel. “In my own career I have been especially privileged to work alongside, and be supported by, some truly amazing individuals – not least Women in Football co-founder Shelley Alexander, and all of the WiF directors. I wouldn’t be receiving this award today without them.
“There’s much work still to be done before women truly achieve equality in the sector, but I’m excited to be part of the journey.”
The TV presenter Jacqui Oatley paid tribute to Kessel’s work, saying: “She works tirelessly to redress the gender balance - young girls will reap the benefits from her efforts.”About Zabbix
Zabbix is a free and open source network monitoring Software tool which is used to monitor and track the availability and performance of your IT infrastracture: servers, network devices and other IT assets.
In this article we will install Zabbix 3.4 on CentOS 7 and RHEL 7, in order to use Zabbix we required a Web Server (Apache), database server(Mysql, Mariadb, Postgresql …) and PHP to work.
Environment:
Hostname = zabbix.yallalabs.com
IP Address = 192.168.1.200
OS = CentOS 7 / RHEL 7
Before we begin, note that I have installed lamp stack in my server:
[root@zabbix ~]# yum update [root@zabbix ~]# yum install httpd -y [root@zabbix ~]# yum install php php-cli php-common php-devel php-pear php-gd php-mbstring php-mysql php-xml -y [root@zabbix ~]# yum install mariadb-server -y [root@zabbix ~]# systemctl enable httpd && systemctl start httpd [root@zabbix ~]# systemctl enable mariadb && systemctl start mariadb
– Don’t forget to set a password for the root using mysql_secure_installtion, take a look to this tutorial: Securing MySQL server / Mariadb with mysql_secure_installation
Step 1 – Install Zabbix Server with MySQL
Before starting the installation we need to enable the zabbix repository using this commands:
[root@zabbix ~]# rpm --import http://repo.zabbix.com/RPM-GPG-KEY-ZABBIX [root@zabbix ~]# rpm -ivh http://repo.zabbix.com/zabbix/3.4/rhel/7/x86_64/zabbix-release-3.4-1.el7.centos.noarch.rpm
Now use the below command to install Zabbix and necessary packages
[root@zabbix ~]# yum install zabbix-server-mysql zabbix-web-mysql zabbix-agent zabbix-get zabbix-sender zabbix-java-gateway -y
Step 2 – Edit PHP timezone
Open the file /etc/httpd/conf.d/zabbix.conf created by Zabbix with your favourite editer
[root@zabbix ~]# vi /etc/httpd/conf.d/zabbix.conf
It’s necessary to uncomment the “date.timezone” setting and set the right timezone for you.
php_value date.timezone Europe/Rome
– Save the file and don’t forget to reload httpd service using the below command:
[root@zabbix ~]# systemctl reload httpd
Step 3 – Edit create and import initial zabbix database and user
First we need to create zabbix database (zabbixdb) and create a zabbix user (zabbixuser).
[root@zabbix ~]# mysql -u root -p Enter password: Welcome to the MariaDB monitor. Commands end with ; or \g. Your MariaDB connection id is 10 Server version: 5.5.47-MariaDB MariaDB Server Copyright (c) 2000, 2015, Oracle |
disruptive. The various Linux desktop out there provide a real option for this new era. The app centric view of the world is not how desktop users work. It's a reality that Microsoft should understand but they don't," Kerner writes.
Actually, for now, apps are a big part of how most desktop users work. They have a set task, and they need software in which to perform that task. Because of the prevalence of Office, most think that they have to have Office for word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations. However, it is clear that this is in transition, as more people get comfortable with the idea of using online services like Google Docs to perform these same tasks.
If that trend continues, then it's not beyond the realm of possibility to envision an Ubuntu netbook rolling in to seriously compete with the likes of Chromebooks.
But even this is not the opportunity to which I refer. Where Linux is really going to explode is not in the glitzy consumer market, but rather in the cloud.
All of this moving to mobile devices means one thing: more than ever, a lot of computing power is going to be shifted back to the servers. The music-recognition and tagging app Shazam is a classic example: it's not the phone that processed that clip from "Muskrat Love" your kids hear in the store and want to know what the heck that is - it's the rack of servers in the datacenter that's doing the hard work and sending the answer back.
When anyone talks about the cloud, no one is seriously talking about Windows running up there: it's almost always Linux.
It's not glamorous or exciting, but a post-PC world can only happen with Linux in the datacenter and the cloud… and it will only get better.
Read more of Brian Proffitt's Open for Discussion blog and follow the latest IT news at ITworld. Drop Brian a line or follow Brian on Twitter at @TheTechScribe. For the latest IT news, analysis and how-tos, follow ITworld on Twitter and Facebook.After sitting through the same commercial three times during one ad break, many of us have asked ourselves: “Why do I keep watching the commercials?” At least, that’s what many of us here at the Greatist office have wondered, so we got in touch with our friend Rob Sulaver at Bandana Training to see if he could help us make better use of commercial break downtime. The result is a super effective bodyweight workout — actually, three of them!
It turns out commercial breaks can vary in length and frequency depending on the program, but the average half-hour TV show contains about 8 minutes of advertisements, divided into two or three breaks. So we’ve got three bodyweight circuits for you: Perform each exercise for 45 seconds and move straight on to the next exercise without resting. Alternatively, each exercise can be performed for the length of one commercial (restart the circuit if there are more than three). Try it out — pretty soon, you’ll start looking forward to the ads!
Not sure how to do these moves? Here are some videos for your reference:
1-Leg Hip Bridge
Butterfly Crunches
Dive Bomber Push-ups
Mountain Climbers
Side Plank with Reach Around
Squat Jumps
Superman
Want more from Rob? Give Bandana Training a like on Facebook, or follow him on Twitter!The role-playing game Bravely Default has a new demo out on Nintendo 3DS with exclusive content not found in the full game. Developer Square Enix has released the demo which includes several side quests that players will not find in the full released set to drop next month.
The demo gives gamers the chance to try it out up to 30 times and player's progress will be carried over to the full title if they decide to pick it up. Bravely Default is making its North American debut on February 7 in a newly updated version from its past Japanese releases. If you like classic RPGs like Final Fantasy VII you're sure to fall in love with Bravely Default. Check out the brief story trailer below.
RELATED: “Bravely Default” Gets English Trailer (Video)
RELATED: It Gets Deeper: The Nintendo 3DS Review
RELATED: “Bravely Default” Gets Early 2014 Release, New Gameplay Trailer (Video)
[Via GameInformer]Former president Mary McAleese has described as “completely bonkers” Pope Francis’s plan to ask a synod of bishops to advise him on whether church teaching on the family should change.
She said there was “just something profoundly wrong and skewed” about asking “150 male celibates” to review the Catholic Church’s teaching on family life.
Commenting on a planned October synod in Rome on the issue, she said: “The very idea of 150 people who have decided they are not going to have any children, not going to have families, not going to be fathers and not going to be spouses - so they have no adult experience of family life as the rest of us know it - but they are going to advise the pope on family life; it is completely bonkers.”
She was speaking in a public interview at UCD to mark her receipt of the university’s highest honour, the Ulysses medal.
In a wide-ranging talk, the former president - who now lives in Rome where she is studying canon law - said Pope Francis had raised expectations of change but the odds of this happening were “very poor”.
While the pope said he wanted a new role for women in the church, discussion of women priests was off the table, while other senior roles in the Vatican continue to be filled by men in a manner which lacked transparency.
“You don’t need a new theology of women, you just need to end the old boys club,” she said.
While she hoped the October synod “will be a process of real introspection and debate”, she said she had not yet moved “from hope to expectation”.
In advance of the meeting, the Vatican has circulated a questionnaire worldwide seeking feedback on pastoral issues of marriage and family.
Mrs McAleese commented: “I wrote back and said I said I’ve got a much simpler questionnaire and it’s only got one question and here it is: How many of the men who will gather to advise you as pope on the family have ever changed a baby’s nappy? I regard that as a very, very serious question.”
In the public interview with Prof Conor Gearty of the London School of Economics, Mrs McAleese also spoke of her admiration at the “stoicism and solidarity” of the Irish public after the economic crash. She said she didn’t view this response as “passive”.
“I think it’s a momentum to get through; I think it’s let’s knuckle down and get through this”.
Asked whether the burden of austerity had been equally shared, she said she believed a lot of elements of Irish society had taken a hit but young people who had bought their homes at the peak of the market had taken “a disproportionate hit”.
Challenging the idea that everyone got greedy during the boom, most people were simply “investing in this thing call home and family”, she said.
On the day that was in it, Ms McAleese also spoke of her interest in James Joyce and how she had “always been perplexed why he would chose a Jewish person in Dublin” as the lead character of Ulysses.
A possibility, she suggested, was that he had been influenced by “one of the big international scandals” of the late 19th century - the abduction of a six year old Jewish boy Edgardo Mortara by the Vatican where he was raised as a ward of the state.
She noted “the church has an image as a protector of children” but history shows the “treatment of Jews in Rome was appalling” right up to the 20th century.
Mrs McAleese was earlier presented with the UCD Ulysses medal in a ceremony in which four other leading legal and public figures received honorary degrees, including Prof Gearty.
The three others were Chief Justice Susan Denham, Noeline Blackwell, director general of Free Legal Advice Centres and European Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly.A few weeks ago we picked up the former Pulse squad to represent us at non-LCS events in the League of Legends scene. The team has been competing in several tournaments, with both ups and downs in their performances.
Lately the team felt that something had to change for them to move forward as a team, which resulted in the departure of Evan 'Evaniskus' Stevens, who is released from the squad as of today. The team is now on the lookout for a new support player to continue competing at both online and offline tournaments.
We will keep you updated about the replacement support once the team has found a suitable player.
Danan 'Kaniggit' Flander
"It is with a heavy heart that we announce the immediate release of Evan 'Evaniskus' Stevens from our active Challenger Circuit roster. After the recent performances in the CPS and TSM IPL qualifiers and the evergrowing shadow of IPL and MLG on the horizon, we've opted to explore other options in regards to our support role."President Trump on Tuesday moved two controversial pipeline projects forward by signing a pair of executive actions that could speed up approval of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access projects.
In an Oval Office ceremony, Trump said the actions would create new jobs in the United States, and that the pipelines should be built with U.S. steel and labor.
“We will build our own pipeline, we will build our own pipes, like we used to, in the old days,” Trump said as he held up one of his actions to television cameras brought into the Oval Office to broadcast the event.
The actions are a sharp turn from the Obama administration's policies, as the former president had rejected the Keystone pipeline and delayed Dakota Access.
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Tuesday's actions will not force the approval of either project, and Trump said he wanted to renegotiate terms with the pipelines’ developers. Those terms may include some way for the United States government to get a financial return from Keystone, a possibility he mentioned on the campaign trail.
The orders fulfill campaign promises Trump made to move both pipelines forward. They will gain ardent support from the oil industry and the GOP but strong opposition from Democrats and environmentalists.
The two projects require different approvals. Keystone, which would run from Canada’s oil sands in Alberta to the Gulf Coast in Texas, needs a presidential permit to build across the Canadian border. Dakota Access, developed by Energy Transfer Partners, needs an Army Corps of Engineers easement to build under Lake Oahe in North Dakota. Trump’s orders will expedite both.
TransCanada Corp., the company developing Keystone, thanked Trump for his memo. "We are currently preparing the application and intend to do so," spokesman Terry Cunha said in a statement.
Environmentalists on Tuesday vowed to remobilize the legal and grassroots forces that originally fought against the pipelines during the Obama administration.
Jane Kleeb, an anti-pipeline organizer who leads the group Bold Alliance, insisted Keystone is years away from completion, noting it still has to overcome landowner disputes in Nebraska and legal challenges to government decisions on the project.
“If they try to build without having permits, then you’re literally talking about hundreds of thousands of Americans who will descend on the state of Nebraska, and people of his own party, out in the sand hills, protecting land that’s been in their families since the 1800s,” she said.
Jan Hasselman, the Earthjustice lawyer representing the Standing Rock Sioux in its lawsuits against Dakota Access, said he expects to take the Trump administration to court if it approves the easement needed for constructing the project.
“The easement still has to meet the standards of the statue,” Hasselman said in an interview.
“An executive order can’t circumvent the law, and the previous administration found, correctly, that more work was needed and that the tribe’s treaty rights required more thorough analysis of risk and consideration of alternatives. An easement issued under this executive order violates the law, and we will take the Army to court.”
Keystone XL and Dakota Access have been major targets for greens, who coalesced against them when were working their way through the regulatory process under Obama.
Environmentalists on Tuesday indicated they’re ready for another fight against the projects.
“This is a con — a con on a massive scale — and we will fight it, we will fight it with everything we’ve got,” said Bill McKibben, the founder of climate group 350.org.
“It will be in the courts and it will be in the streets. We will fight it and we will fight it with a certain amount of hope that we will prevail in the end.”
Dallas Goldtooth, an anti-Dakota Access organizer with the Indigenous Environmental Network, said he didn’t know if protest camps — 10,000-people strong last fall — would crop back up in North Dakota.
But he said the network will look to launch protest against the project around the country.
“If Trump does not pull back from implementing these orders, it will only result in more massive mobilization and civil disobedience on a scale never seen of a newly seated president of the United States,” he said.
The oil industry and labor groups — whose workers would construct the pipelines — have a different take on the projects, and they welcomed Trump’s announcement Tuesday.
“We are pleased to see the new direction being taken by this administration to recognize the importance of our nation’s energy infrastructure by restoring the rule of law in the permitting process that’s critical to pipelines and other infrastructure projects,” said Jack Gerard, head of the American Petroleum Institute.
“Critical energy infrastructure projects like the Keystone XL and the Dakota Access Pipelines will help deliver energy to American consumers and businesses safely and efficiently,” he continued.
Terry O’Sullivan, head of the Laborers’ International Union of North American, was also pleased.
“What we saw today was bold and decisive action by President Trump,” he said. “He said he was going to create middle-class jobs, and by what he did today, that’s exactly what he’s going to do.”
Jim Hoffa, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, called Trump's move “a major step toward putting more Americans to work, building the infrastructure that we need, and creating economic prosperity.”
“It’s certainly confirms his commitment both to the rule of law and to job creation and energy security, which is pretty critical,” said Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), a close Trump ally whose state would contain segments of both lines.
He called it a “pretty significant differentiation between the previous administration and this one.”
Scott Wong contributed.Nobody sees the state of things quite like Charlie Kaufman. In the films he’s written and/or directed, there is a thickly awkward attitude and heightened atmosphere of relationship and perception quirks. There is always something wrong with the world and the people in it — something off balance, off axis. Whatever that something is, is undetermined and ultimately irrelevant.
For Kaufman, the state of things is told through our connections with one another and with ourselves. How we speak to others, how we carry our bodies, how we look in the mirror, how we hug a relative, etc. Every meticulous moment and movement is important, from what is said to what is unsaid.
Everything is off, nothing is right
Anomalisa continues this trend, but in a new and perhaps more vibrant manner. By new, I mean good old fashioned stop motion animation. By vibrant, I mean in how that animation utilizes and expresses the deep sadness of a whole-less man. A man with an empty void inside him, probably of his own making. He’ll never understand how and why, and is doomed to feel incomplete forever.
In a world that annoys him and feels wrong.
Wanting
If you think of Anomalisa as a somewhat darker extension of Spike Jonze’s Her, you may be both on a right track and potentially mistaken. While both movies do share a romantic vision of human wanting, one is less optimistic than the other. One is more bittersweet than the other. One is more… sharply edged and… tormenting than the other. Both are deeply felt, but only one gets at something that I wish were properly explored more often — the inability and unwillingness to evolve as a person.
The movie takes place during a business trip in Cincinnati. Michael Stone is an author and authority on customer service, and will be giving a speech at a convention the next day. Everyone he meets while heading towards his hotel is polite, a bit quirky-ish and sound just about the same. Man or Woman. Repetition, redundancy, the mundane and the banal have seemingly conquered this man. This man who is more desperate than of high moral compass.
Desperate for something and someone new. He’s married to a loving wife, has a son, friends, etc. Even though they share their feelings and lives with him, he is unable to reciprocate. Or, perhaps, unwilling.
Arriving in his room, Michael goes to take a pee. As the urine leaves him, he lets out the most saddest of sighs. Did he make that noise to remind him of where he’s at in life? Was it for an audience of zero? There is a clearly manufactured look to his and other animations. When the characters speak, their faces move to almost reveal something underneath, as if they were robots. We know that Michael and every other person are being manipulated by unseen hands by virtue of this being stop motion, but the way the figures are crafted expresses this most visually. We are in control of our lives and feelings, but do we know and understand and accept that? Do we want to pretend it’s out of our hands and in someone elses?
His one night stay in Cincinnati reveals a former flame he attempts to hook up with, but forgets soon after when he hears the voice of Lisa. He becomes utterly and hopelessly smitten with her, ignoring and forsaking any other real relationship he already has and previously had for some time with her. It’s pathetic, watching someone live so selfishly and treat others as toys to be played with in one moment and discarded in the next.
Anomalisa is a dystopian now for our collective emotional existence. Michael doesn’t want his life, but also doesn’t know what he’d like to replace it with. He’s in a never ending loop of an existential crisis, where opportunities for learning answers come and go either over his head or ignored completely. It’s fascinating, watching someone behave like this. It’s self sabotage in the worst way possible. Could he enjoy living this way? Could he live any other way?
If only he could unravel Lisa. If only he could understand, there would be hope for him yet.
Kaufman’s Anomalisa might be more familiar of a world than he’s explored before. If Up in the Air suffered from groaning depression and less Clooney-isms, it’d be something like this. Something. No matter how fast transportation and communication technology improves and brings us together, people will find someway to avoid connecting, thereby feeling, thereby feeling responsibility, thereby being human. In this world, machines are ideal. We are wanting to be like them. In Her, they are wanting to be like us. We are ideal to them.
Double feature, anyone?
Rating — *****
Through Michael and Lisa, Kaufman gives us a dissection of love and feelings in multiple parts, believe it or not. In fact, Anomalisa might be the best movie about the unique phenomenon of having and disabling human emotions in a long time. Or maybe of all time.Ramallah, July 24, 2015— Palestinian children detained by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank during the first half of 2015 suffered increasing levels of physical violence, according to Defense for Children International Palestine research.
Data compiled by DCIP since January 2015 shows that 86 percent of Palestinian children experienced some form of physical violence during their arrest or interrogation, a 10 percent increase from 2014. Unlike their Israeli counterparts, Palestinian children have no right to be accompanied by a parent and, in the majority of cases, no access to legal counsel during interrogation.
Ill treatment of Palestinian children remains widespread and systematic in the Israeli military detention system as children arrested by Israeli forces arrive at Israeli interrogation centers blindfolded, bound and sleep deprived, according to DCIP documentation.
Israeli forces used blindfolds and hand ties on almost all the children interviewed by DCIP, and in nearly 55 percent of cases they succumbed to strip-searches once in custody. Children continued to report they signed documents during interrogation drafted in Hebrew, a language they do not understand. DCIP documented four cases involving the use of solitary confinement for interrogation purposes by Israeli forces, a practice that amounts to torture under international law.
“For over a decade, ill treatment of Palestinian children in the Israeli military detention system has been widespread and systematic,” said Ayed Abu Eqtaish, Accountability Program director at DCIP. “Recent amendments to Israeli military law simply serve to improve the appearance of the military detention system and have failed to practically address the abuse of Palestinian children.”
A UNICEF report released in February found that ill treatment of Palestinian child detainees remained widespread and systematic despite recent changes to Israeli military law. According to the report, Israeli authorities have, since March 2013, issued new military orders and taken steps to reinforce existing military and police operating procedures related to the detention of Palestinian children. However, evidence collected by a UNICEF-led working group since 2013 shows continued and persistent reports of ill treatment against Palestinian children by Israeli forces.
Lawmakers in both the United Kingdom and United States have recently called on their respective governments to hold Israel accountable for ill treatment of Palestinian child prisoners. In the U.K. House of Commons, a motion was tabled on July 13 condemning the ill treatment of Palestinian children in Israeli military detention. The motion calls on the British government “to demand immediate action from the Israeli government to behave in line with international law.”
In the U.S., 19 members of Congress sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on June 18 urging him to prioritize the issue of Palestinian child detainees in Israeli military detention. The letter noted that “Israel's military detention system targeting children is an anomaly in the world,” and that ill treatment of Palestinian children is “widespread, systemic and institutionalized” throughout the detention process. A U.S. government human rights report released in June also highlighted ill treatment of Palestinian child prisoners and denial of fair trial rights in the Israeli military courts.
Impunity for violations is a significant obstacle. In June, DCIP filed two complaints to the Israeli Military Police Criminal Investigations Division involving the use of excessive force during the arrest of two Palestinian children. Of nine complaints filed by DCIP in 2014, one investigation was closed without charge and the other eight remain pending.
Around 500 to 700 Palestinian children, some as young as 12, are arrested, detained and prosecuted in the Israeli military detention system each year. The majority of Palestinian child detainees are charged with throwing stones. In addition to physical and psychological abuse during arrest and detention, Palestinian child detainees are overwhelming denied bail and routinely held in pretrial custodial detention for up to several months.
International juvenile justice standards, which Israel has obliged itself to implement by signing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1991, demand that children should only be deprived of their liberty as a measure of last resort. Israel is the only country in the world that automatically prosecutes children in military courts that lack basic and fundamental fair trial guarantees.
Since the occupation of Palestinian territory in 1967 by Israeli forces, Palestinian children have been charged with offenses under Israeli military law and tried in military courts. Israeli military law is only applied to Palestinians even though Israeli settlers live in the same territory. No Israeli children come into contact with the Israeli military court system.
At the end of May, a total of 163 Palestinian children were imprisoned in the Israeli military detention system, according to the Israel Prison Service.The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Chicago Bulls. All opinions expressed by Sam Smith are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Chicago Bulls or its Basketball Operations staff, parent company, partners, or sponsors. His sources are not known to the Bulls and he has no special access to information beyond the access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the media.
Obviously it is very early but in your opinion who is more likely to see rotation minutes this year between McDermott and Mirotic? My initial reaction after two preseason games would be McDermott. I say this because he appears to understand Thibs’ defensive philosophies pretty well and although he has to work extremely hard to execute, at least mentally he is on the right page. Mirotic seems to be adjusting to the speed of the NBA game but is probably a better athlete and a little smoother on the court. But McDermott seems like he worked all summer with his coach dad to understand when to show on a pick and roll, how to rotate defensively and to stick pretty close to shooters in the corner.
Ron Goldberg
Sam: This rotation issue has been the most frequent question I have received, which is good in the sense that most fans do seem to accept, at least for now, that Derrick Rose looks sound. I tend to agree with your observation. After Mirotic’s strong opening game, or at least fourth quarter, there was much talk and excitement in the classic backup quarterback and September baseball call up of the next big thing. Listening to Thibs in training camp, it seems obvious to me he intends to go no deeper—without injuries—than a nine player rotation. It’s not unusual. Some coaches use more, especially early in the season; some very successful ones like Pat Riley do not and generally play eight players under the philosophy that you use your best players and they need the work toward developing the teamwork necessary to be a successful playoff team. Yes, I know, Popovich doesn’t subscribe to that, but he has lost in the first or second round several times, also. Thibs has made it pretty clear, it seems to me, he’s not playing two rookies, at least regularly. It seems most obvious the greatest need is wing player, where neither Jimmy Butler nor Mike Dunleavy is the classic starter at their position. With Noah, Gasol and Gibson, there doesn’t seem more minutes up front. And with 12 road games in the first 17, I don’t see Thibodeau doing much experimenting and risk losing the momentum from a good start with Rose, who will be the most vital player to get into playing mode. I think that’s why Thibodeau pushed during the preseason in 2013, and I don’t see him experimenting with Rose and depth he wouldn’t be using in the playoffs too often.
From my experience at Creighton, whenever Doug had a mediocre or bad game, my friends and I got really excited because we knew he was going to put on a show the following game (typical of all players who are gym rats). I am very excited to see this next preseason game against Milwaukee.
Karthik Patil
Sam: Yes, McDermott shot three of 12 against the Pistons Tuesday. But even if his shooting hasn’t been great five for 16—enough with the McBuckets thing until he at least gets to 33 percent—it’s been impressive the way he has gotten to the free throw line. He’s had five attempts in each of the games, which is very good and somewhat unusual for a rookie. It shows unlike a lot of those great shooters, McDermott isn’t a standstill guy and faster than many said. He should be a regular for the team and I still believe he has the game and maturity to be a starter at some point during the season.
It looks like the Bulls should be shopping Snell as he seems to be getting limited time early, is it better to shop him now with a good summer league or wait and see? I was hoping he could develop as a quality back up to Butler but that seems not in the cards so let’s get some value when you can.
Kevin Franzen
Sam: He hasn’t played that many minutes thus far, though he did have a good finish against the Pistons. He doesn’t appear to be targeted for a regular spot in the rotation, but based on the Bulls experience of injuries and that he’s barely got more than the experience of a rookie it’s much too soon to be making a final judgment. Plus, management remains very high on Snell and given the spread between his value, which is low not having played much, and management’s view of his potential, which is high, I see him as one of the few untouchables on the team at this point.
While everyone talks about the Bulls depth, which they do have, what happens if they are playing a team with a top tier small forward and Butler is unavailable or in foul trouble? Taking the first two games as an example, Hinrich is obviously too small to guard James or Anthony and Dunleavy too slow. Certainly playing McDermott in his early rookie year would be like throwing a wounded deer in front of a wolf… so what then? Seems the only player with the size and speed (assuming Gibson can't cover in that situation for more than a play or two) is Snell. While he had trouble last year, he's put on muscle and has a year under his belt. With this in mind, do you see a bigger role for Snell given this situation or how will Thibs defend elite small forwards too big for Hinrich, should Butler be in foul trouble or pull up with an injury?
Jake Stern
Sam: Well, there goes 82-0. There are no perfect teams and you adjust (coach) to the circumstances. There certainly will be occasions for Snell to play in a situation like that as Thibs has always done stuff like that. I think Marquis Teague played in that seventh game in Brooklyn. Of course, as we know, Jimmy rarely leaves games, so it may never be an issue. Plus, team defense and matchups takes into consideration the circumstances. The Bulls covered for Boozer for four years and if Butler is out for 10 minutes they should be able to figure a way to adjust.
I know its preseason. I know Thibs is closing with rookies and giving a lot of players loads of minutes early on and that’s good. BUT(
Jimmy Torres
Sam: Yes, wait ‘til next year. Look, Thibs is trying what I guess is excruciating for him to play a dozen or more players. So there’s not much to expect with Rose not playing second halves and Noah sitting out a game. A coach has to learn his players as well. Thibs can game plan and watch film all summer, which he did. I loved him saying the other day how great USA Basketball was when you can spend every day watching basketball, then go have a good dinner and talk basketball and then watch tape until the early morning hours. Was he kidding us? Anyway, Thibs has a bunch of new players to learn, especially Pau Gasol. Pau’s an unusual big man in that he has offensive talent but likes to move the ball like Noah, who does so out of necessity. Thibs is a routine oriented guy who isn’t some offensive guru like Mike D’Antoni. The Bulls didn’t want that; they wanted a defensive first and foremost guy. That’s what they got. I think Thibs like most coaches in this era calls too much from the sideline, but so do the baseball managers and certainly the control freak football coaches. Let ‘em play! But that’s not the way the games are played now with everyone thinking mathematical formulas can win games. It seems the Oakland A’s sort of invented this—well, maybe 30 years after a fan named Bill James—and the A’s continue to lose because they cannot acquire players to make plays. That’s what wins games. So sports has gotten stuck with these mathematicians masquerading as sporting authorities. And then you give the ball to LeBron or Durant. Yes, I digress again. Thibs runs a conservative game and it was good enough to lead the league in wins every season he coached a healthy or close Rose. Once he begins to get down to close to his regular rotation and substitution pattern, you’ll get a better look at what sort of game the Bulls will play. But given Thibodeau is the coach, it will rely more on defense because that’s where he’s had his most success and that’s why he was hired. And in the Bulls last championship season, the Bulls averaged fewer points than in Thibs’ only season with a healthy Rose.
I’ve been a season ticket holder since the Sloan-Van Lier era and, of course, have seen the “good, bad and ugly”. Of late, I am getting tired of hearing so much about D. Rose. Basketball is a team sport and as Michael Jordan learned, you gotta play with teammates. Hopefully, after two serious injuries, Rose has learned not to try to carry the team. Unless he changes his style of play (aggressive & explosive) he will end up on the bench again watching his. Let’s give some of the “less-paid” players some attention and just maybe they will be motivated to produce.
Russ Evans
Sam: The Bulls thank you, I’m sure, and admire your patience, especially from 1976 through 1983 and 1999 until Skiles. There’s an erroneous perception that Rose is a scorer and wants to remain so. It’s sort of a paradox. Rose is often asked now not to do as much but at the same time is being measured against his MVP self as in the line of concern that if he’s not an MVP level player again it’s a problem for the team while at the same time everyone says he must slow down and change his game to remain healthy and accommodate a deeper team. What’s a young man to do? It’s been much discussed, but Rose became an NBA high scorer per force after barely averaging 15 points in college on the way to the title game. He’s been perhaps the most popular teammate during his tenure with the Bulls for his unselfish nature amidst his worldwide stardom. But know this: Unless Rose is functioning at a high level, the Bulls are not a contending team. And after all, every season the Bulls won a title with Jordan he led the league in scoring. I don’t believe Rose ever has done that or ever will. Those playing with him always have gotten plenty of chances.
After two preseason games it's almost impossible to predict the lineup going forward. The top 7 (Rose, Butler, Dunleavy, Gasol, Noah, Gibson, Hinrich) are set and are all playing their roles well. The last two are still wide open. But from what I've seen it seems Thibs is trusting Brooks with a lot of time and that makes sense to me. He's a proven vet who can score with that second units so there isn't any stagnation. I see him being the primary backup 2 as all the other guards are big and guard the stronger opposing guard. So who will Coach slot in that 9th and last spot? McDermott or Mirotic I suppose. We won't know for another month or more. But both are darn good to be your last guy in!
Matt Mikulice
Sam: Thibs likes vets; most coaches like vets. Popovich doesn’t play rookies very often. Neither are the Cavs. It does look like Brooks is working his way into that eighth spot and as I’ve speculated McDermott as well for eight or nine. A veteran coach like Thibs who relies on his veterans also doesn’t like to tell them why they’re not playing. Yes, it is a team with the one for all and all for one stuff. But guys want to play, especially veterans. It’s much easier to sit rookies and young players, who don’t get to complain about minutes if they are not named Dion Waiters.
Forget who starts; it’s who finishes that’s important. Of course a lot depends on match-ups and who’s hot, but generally speaking, who do you see as the finishing five? Do you see Butler moving to the 3 at the end of games to go with Noah & Gibson as three defensive stoppers, then add McDermott & Rose for O? Or can Gibson move to the 3 against many SFs, giving them a finishing five of Noah/Gasol/Gibson/Butler/Rose?
Stu Gilbert
Sam: I think it was a different issue last season with Gibson finishing. Boozer basically did his first three seasons and there was less pressure on Thibs about not finishing with Boozer, who obviously was on the way out. I do think Thibodeau will go by circumstances—if they need defense or scoring, though if you are losing you can say your best chance to get back in is by stopping the other team—but he is a defense first coach. Which doesn’t necessarily mean Noah and Gibson. Pau didn’t come here to sit on the bench, so this isn’t going to be easy for Thibs since he doesn’t see Gibson playing any small forward. With Noah’s knee surgery, I think they’ll use that to limit Noah’s playing time, at least early in the season, though we knew Jo likes to play as well. And, frankly, even as Noah was all-NBA first team last season, his responsibility changes with Rose back and Pau added. In many respects, it makes sense to finish with Pau and Gibson since Pau can score the best and can be a shot blocker. I just think Thibs mixes and matches with no set finishers.
After watching their first preseason game, man, if Kyrie and Love stay healthy they are the 2015 champs.
Mike Sutera
Sam: Well, they are the favorites as I’ve seen the betting lines (just for entertainment purposes of course, like the NFL as if anyone would actually have a reason to watch Monday night football) and the Cavs are forecast for the most wins. No one wishes ill on anyone else as the Bulls have had more than their share, but Kyrie is out for a few days with an ankle issue, it seems. Not serious, which is good. The Cavs are the favorites and the Bulls have done best as the hunter. It should make for an entertaining season.
I’m sure you noticed this but John Wall did ZIP while Derrick was in the game. He may have had one rebound but no points and no assists. He “feasted” (if you can call 1-for-7 for 8 points feasting) on Brooks and Hinrich just like he did in the playoffs on Hinrich and D.J. I looked up their previous match-ups and Derrick is 4-0 and has statistically destroyed Wall.
Marc Brauer
Sam: Yes, the Rose guy. He’s good. It’s an interesting dynamic I saw developing when Rose was healthy. Though he doesn’t say much, there’s an intimidation factor he maintained over a lot of the top guards. Being faster than them helps. He’s always made Chris Paul look terrible and was having his best game last season against Lillard when he got hurt. I don’t think Wall ever tried to shoot until Rose left the game. I do think it’s where that lack of sociability, Rose’s arm’s length relationship with opponents, plays a part. Rose has been criticized for it as it somehow prevents top players |
to take the full captaincy after wearing the armband for most of last season and Kane is expected to be handed the vice-captaincy.
Kane captained Tottenham when Lloris was injured at the end of last season and proved his leadership qualities over the course of his incredible campaign.
The 21-year-old gave dressing-room team talks and became the public spokesman for the squad, carrying out numerous commercial and media responsibilities.
It remains to be seen whether the captaincy positions will be enough to keep Lloris and Kane at White Hart Lane, and whether or not a huge United bid for either or both players would tempt Levy into a rethink over his current stance.
Spurs, however, have rejected claims from France that Lloris has a verbal agreement with Levy that he can leave if the club receive a bid of £18 million.
• When does the transfer window 2015 open and close?
Along with Lloris and Kane, Tottenham have told winger Andros Townsend that he is not for sale and that he is very much part of Pochettino’s plans for next season.
Transfer window opens in
Aston Villa and Swansea City have both been linked with moves for Townsend, who became frustrated by the amount of time he spent on the substitutes’ bench last term.
But Townsend has been reassured that Pochettino sees an important place for him within the Spurs squad and the England international remains determined to win a regular first-team starting place at White Hart Lane.
Tottenham are likely to reject bids for Townsend and focus on selling Kaboul, Adebayor, Roberto Soldado, Paulinho, Etienne Capoue, Benjamin Stambouli, Aaron Lennon and Vlad Chiriches.
Galatasaray are interested in both Soldado and Kaboul, while Watford are attempting to set up a deal to sign Brazilian midfielder Paulinho.
The 2015-16 Premier League season starts in
Despite already signing defenders Kevin Wimmer and Kieran Trippier, Spurs are still among the clubs attempting to take Toby Alderweireld from Atletico Madrid.
Atletico have offered Alderweireld to Chelsea, but the Belgian is not a priority for Blues manager Jose Mourinho. Southampton, where Alderweireld spent last season on loan, are also interested but White Hart Lane is believed to be his favoured destination.
Spurs are keen on Atletico Madrid's Toby Alderweireld
Alderweireld is understood to be keen to link up with his former Ajax team-mate and Belgium national team colleague Jan Vertonghen and also already knows head of recruitment Paul Mitchell well.
Tottenham also want a central midfielder, with Marseille’s Giannelli Imbula and Paris St-Germain’s Adrien Rabiot two targets, and a forward, with Monaco’s Anthony Martial the latest preferred option.
Other than brining players in from elsewhere, Pochettino plans to promote a group of youngsters to work regularly with his first-team squad and make appearances in the cup competitions next season.
Goalkeeper Luke McGee, Joshua Onomah, Harry Winks and Cameron Carter-Vickers are likely to be the elite group of youngsters who Pochettino grooms to follow in the footsteps of Kane, Townsend and Ryan Mason.
Meanwhile, Tottenham have been given the green light to build a basement underneath their new stadium that would allow it to be used for NFL games.
The additional space, granted after a meeting of the London Borough of the Haringey Planning Sub-Committee, could be used for NFL-sized dressing-rooms and car parking.
Levy, who is keen to attract a London-based NFL franchise to Tottenham’s new stadium, said: “We are delighted that this application has been approved and are grateful for the continued support of the Council for this landmark project.
“We shall, in the coming weeks, be providing further information on these updated elements with the intention of carrying out a period of consultation during the summer and submitting planning applications later in the year.”In November 2011, a Des Moines, Iowa woman was arrested in an arson attack on the home of a former friend who had quarreled with her and unfriended her on Facebook.
Jennifer Christine Harris, 30, was charged with first-degree arson after setting fire to the home of Jim and Nikki Rasmussen. Harris, who was a maid of honor at the Rasmussen wedding, is a teacher's associate at a local elementary school.
What was the reason?
Nikki Rasmussen and Harris' friendship dissolved when they argued while trying to plan a birthday party for Harris. Harris then began to disparage her on Facebook, so Nikki decided to unfriend and block her bridesmaid.
The Rasmussens woke up and escaped unharmed from the fire as it began to melt the siding on their house.Negotiating HTTP/2 ALPN And The TLS Handshake
The HTTP/2 specification was approved on February 18, 2015 and implementation has already begun. In this post, I'll attempt to explain how HTTP/2 will be negotiated in today's web.
TL;DR: HTTP/2 in the browser uses ALPN to extend TLS by including the protocol negotiation in the exchange of hello messages. The client provides a list of protocols it speaks and the server responds with its selected protocol. No additional round-trip required.
A Little Background On HTTP/2
As a front-end developer, the main benefit of HTTP/2 is the evaporation of the cost of multiple HTTP requests. With HTTP/2, once a connection has been negotiated, the server can push resources over the existing connection that it knows a client will need without waiting for the client to ask for them. Further, HTTP introduces multiplexing, which eliminates the "head-of-line blocking" problem—where a single transaction can prevent other transactions from taking place—by allowing for multiple requests and responses to be in transit simultaneously.
To address these issues in HTTP/1, a number of tactics have been used to reduce the number of HTTP requests like the concatenation of static assets and image spriting. Domain sharding is another hack used to overcome the limitations of HTTP/1, which restricts the number of connections allowed for a given host. Perhaps with the advent of HTTP/2, these practices will soon be seen as anachronisms of a fledgling internet!
The Handshake
When an HTTP/2 connection is negotiated with the browser as the client, two separate concerns need to be addressed:
Agree on a protocol Establish a secure connection
Agreeing On A Protocol
Since clients and servers may speak different versions of HTTP, it is necessary to establish an agreed upon version for each connection. Here is how Daniel Stenberg explains the negotiation over unencrypted HTTP in his excellent introduction to HTTP/2:
[The client makes a request to] the server with an Upgrade: header. If the server speaks http2 it responds with a "101 Switching" status and from then on it speaks http2 on that connection. You of course realize that this upgrade procedure costs a full network round-trip, but the upside is that a http2 connection should be possible to keep alive and re-use to a larger extent than HTTP1 connections generally are.
If the server in the above example doesn't speak HTTP/2, it will ignore the header and respond normally.
This explanation describes the protocol negotiation over unencrypted HTTP, but since Chrome and Firefox have both stated that they will only be implementing HTTP/2 over TLS, for the purposes of web development, this might as well be a requirement of the protocol.
Establishing a Secure Connection
To understand how HTTP/2 will be negotiated over TLS, it is useful to know a little about the TLS handshake. Here's a summary of the process from the TLS specification:
Exchange hello messages to agree on algorithms, exchange random values, and check for session resumption.
Exchange the necessary cryptographic parameters to allow the client and server to agree on a premaster secret.
Exchange certificates and cryptographic information to allow the client and server to authenticate themselves.
Generate a master secret from the premaster secret and exchanged random values.
Provide security parameters to the record layer.
Allow the client and server to verify that their peer has calculated the same security parameters and that the handshake occurred without tampering by an attacker.
This handshake happens over two round-trips, with additional steps to verify the validity of certificates being optional. If a client has a previous session cached, an abbreviated handshake can be used, allowing a secure connection to be established in a single round trip.
Enter: The Application-Layer Protocol Negotiation
Rather than agreeing on a protocol and establishing a secure connection in separate steps, HTTP/2 seeks to batch these concerns into a single step using a TLS extension called the Application-Layer Protocol Negotiation (ALPN).
The ALPN extension seeks to avoid an additional network round-trip by bundling the protocol negotiation with the exchange of hello messages. As part of the initial request (ClientHello), the client provides a list of protocols which it supports. The server then selects a protocol from that list and sends that selection back to the client along with its part of the TLS handshake (ServerHello). For previously established connections, the protocol selection can be negotiated over an abbreviated hand shake.
What's The Big Deal?
Modern sites often require dozens of connections to serve even more objects. Over TLS, each of those connections requires an additional handshake. With HTTP/2, all of the content from a single host can be served over a single connection. This eliminates not only the need to open and close of each additional connection, but also the need for an additional TLS handshake per connection.
HTTP/2 is more than a big win in the battle against latency, it's a big win for security too.
Other Stuff By Matt Mt. Mansfield Snow Depth An interactive graphic that allows users to explore the snow depth on Mt. Mansfield for any season on record. This visualization was retweeted by Edward Tufte (who wrote the book on data visualization) and was shared by the Washington Post on their "Know More" blog. Lyme On The Rise A data project for Vermont Public Radio on the growth of Lyme Disease over the last 15 years. Includes an interactive bar graph of New England and small multiples of Vermont and the continental United States showing the infection's expanded range. Published in the open with links to the data.
See the rest - matthewparrilla.comMrs Brimble died from toxic levels of the drug GHB and alcohol, a pathologist had found. "Dianne Brimble was unknowingly drugged by unscrupulous individuals who were intent on denigrating her for their own sexual gratification." While three men have been sentenced in NSW courts on charges arising from the case – but not over her death – on the basis that Mrs Brimble had willingly taken the drug and engaged in sexual activity with to men, the coroner has rejected that version of events. She said she found the versions of some of the persons of interest from Adelaide not credible, and chose instead to believe the family and friends who have described Mrs Brimble as a modest, almost naive woman who was shy about her body and about sex. The coroner also said she preferred the evidence of a security guard, Peter Hawthorne, who said he had seen Mrs Brimble stagger when she left the disco shortly after 4am that morning.
Mrs Milledge criticised P&O's purser Melvyn Armitage for allowing the men access to their cabin shortly after Mrs Brimble was found dead, allowing them to remove evidence of the events of the night. But she praised the actions of the cruise company in recent years in introducing improvements to security and its internal procedures. The reform of the industry was Dianne Brimble's legacy, she said. The inquest had heard that Mark Wilhelm had had sex with Mrs Brimble and that she later lay naked and unconscious on the floor of his cabin, having defecated, and a number of people saw her there and did not help. About 8.30am, Wilhelm called medical help after showering and dressing Mrs Brimble with another man, Leo Silvestri. But she could not be revived.
Mrs Milledge criticised Mr Wilhelm for failing to tell medical staff trying to revive Mrs Brimble of "callous disregard for her decency and her safety". Silvestri's behaviour after Mrs Brimble's death, and his comments to police in which he blamed her for ruining his holiday, caused outrage when they came to light during the inquest in 2006. Mrs Milledge also criticised the lack of police resources for the initial investigation and the lack of experience of the investigators. Mrs Milledge postponed until Friday making recommendations, which were expected to include national cruise industry reform. Today's findings come after the long-running inquest was resumed when the criminal proceedings had concluded.
Wilhelm was convicted of supplying a prohibited drug to Mrs Brimble. Silvestri and another man, Ryan Kuchel, were convicted for concealing a serious offence. Loading Initial charges of manslaughter against Wilhelm were withdrawn and no one has been found legally liable for Mrs Brimble's death. Geesche Jacobsen is the Herald's Crime Editor. She is the author of Abandoned; The Sad Death of Dianne Brimble.January 3, 2015 [ttr-beta-v1.7.15]
Launcher (Windows and Linux):
• Major Update! - v1.2.0
• Greatly improve look and performance of the launcher.
• Fix a crash on some machines when Two-Step Login is enabled.
• Recent news is now displayed on Doctor Surlee's chalkboard.
Maintenance:
• Cleanup for Estate Furniture Manager.
Bugfixes:
• Fix an issue where items couldn't be deleted from the attic at estates.
• Estate windows now work properly.
• The mailbox now shows an error if your attic, closet, or accessory trunk is too full.
Features:
• Toontown Rewritten is now available on all major Linux distributions!
Do you know what day it is? Don't worry, no one else remembered either, but that's okay.I haven't been able to pursue my passion for Party Planning since the Greatest Parties in the Tooniverse got put on hold for a while, but that doesn't bring my spirits down. They'll be back, and hopefully soon, because: It's my Birthday! On my last Birthday, my pal Muddy Paws made my party better with this sweet(Pie)that helped a lot of Toons make their way into Toontown. I wanted to again contribute to Toonkind like I did last year, so I opened up this dictionary that my new friend Flapjack gave me to see what I could find.Inside, I found all sorts of weird words. Linux? Kernel? Debian? Ubuntu?I don't know what they mean, but they sure are fun to say! I talked to Hawkheart about it, he rambled on about some sort of weird new Launcher of sorts he has been working on and, well, the rest is now history.To put it simply: for the first time in history,If you have a Linux installation, head over to the Play page and download the new launcher now! We also have a special update for Windows users, and plenty of awesome new things planned to start the New Year off right by making Toontown the best it's ever been. You won't want to miss what us Toon Troopers have in store.Thanks for stopping by, and hey -- I'll make sure I send you an invite to my next big party. It's gonna be off the charts!If the Charlottesville rally came as a shock, with hundreds of white Americans marching in support of ideologies many have long considered too vile, dangerous or stupid to enter the political mainstream, it obscured the fact that some in the small, loosely defined alt-right movement are hoping to make those ideas seem less than shocking for the “normies,” or normal people, that its sympathizers have tended to mock online.
And to go from mocking to wooing, the movement will be looking to make use of people like the Hovaters and their trappings of normie life — their fondness for National Public Radio, their four cats, their bridal registry.
“We need to have more families. We need to be able to just be normal,” said Matthew Heimbach, the leader of the Traditionalist Worker Party, in a podcast conversation with Mr. Hovater. Why, he asked self-mockingly, were so many followers “abnormal”?
Mr. Hovater replied: “I mean honestly, it takes people with, like, sort of an odd view of life, at first, to come this way. Because most people are pacified really easy, you know. Like, here’s some money, here’s a nice TV, go watch your sports, you know?”
He added: “The fact that we’re seeing more and more normal people come is because things have gotten so bad. And if they keep getting worse, we’ll keep getting more, just, normal people.”
Flattening the Edges
Mr. Hovater’s face is narrow and punctuated with sharply peaked eyebrows, like a pair of air quotes, and he tends to deliver his favorite adjective, “edgy,” with a flat affect and maximum sarcastic intent. It is a sort of implicit running assertion that the edges of acceptable American political discourse — edges set by previous generations, like the one that fought the Nazis — are laughable.
“I don’t want you to think I’m some ‘edgy’ Republican,” he says, while flatly denouncing the concept of democracy.From Hacking Printers
Cross-site printing (XSP) attacks empower a web attacker to access the printer device as demonstrated by [1] who use a hidden Iframe to send HTTP POST requests to port 9100/tcp of a printer within the victim's internal network. The HTTP header is either printed as plain text or discarded based on the printer's settings. The POST data however can contain arbitrary print jobs like PostScript or PJL commands to be interpreted. In the following, the idea of cross-site printing is adapted and improved which enables a web attacker to perform most attacks described in wiki obtaining captured print jobs, using the victim's web browser acts as a carrier.
Enhanced cross-site printing
Instead of Iframes, we use XMLHttpRequest (XHR) JavaScript objects as defined in [2] to perform HTTP POST requests to internal printers. A limitation of the cross-site printing approach discussed so far is that data can only be send to the device, not received because of the same-origin policy [3]. This opts out all information disclosure attacks. To bend the restrictions of the same-origin policy, cross-origin resource sharing (CORS) [4] can be used – if the web server explicitly allows it by sending a special HTTP header field. In the scenario of cross-site printing, however, we have full control of what the requested ‘web server’ – which actually is a printer RIP accessed over port 9100/tcp – sends back to the browser. By using PostScript output commands we can simply emulate an HTTP server running on port 9100/tcp and define our own HTTP header to be responded – including arbitrary CORS Access-Control-Allow-Origin fields which instruct the web browser to allow JavaScript access to this resource and therefore punch a hole into the same-origin policy. A schematic overview of the attack is given below:
In such an enhanced variant of XSP – combined with CORS spoofing – a web attacker has full access to the HTTP response which allows her to extract arbitrary information like captured print jobs from the printer device. A proof-of-concept JavaScript snipplet is shown below:
job = "\x1B %-12345X\r
" + " %!\r
" + " (HTTP/1.0 200 OK \\ n) print\r
" + " (Server: PostScript HTTPD \\ n) print\r
" + " (Access-Control-Allow-Origin: * \\ n) print\r
" + " (Connection: close \\ n) print\r
" + " (Content-Length: ) print\r
" + "product dup length dup string cvs print\r
" + " ( \\ n \\ n) print\r
" + "print\r
" + " ( \\ n) print flush\r
" + "\x1B %-12345X\r
"; var x = new XMLHttpRequest () ; x.open ("POST", "http://printer:9100") ; x.send (job) ; x.onreadystatechange = function () { if (x.readyState == 4) alert (x.responseText) ; } ;
Limitations of cross-site printing
Note that PCL as page description language is not applicable for CORS spoofing because it only allows one single number to be echoed. PJL likewise cannot be used because unfortunately it prepends @PJL ECHO to all echoed strings, which makes it impossible to simulate a valid HTTP header. This however does not mean that enhanced XSP attacks are limited to PostScript jobs: PostScript can be used to respond with a spoofed HTTP header and the UEL can further be invoked to switch the printer language. This way a web attacker can also obtain the results for PJL commands. Two implementation pitfalls exist which deserve to be mentioned: First, a correct Content-Length for the data to be responded needs determined with PostScript. If the attacker cannot predict the overall size of the response and chunked encoding as well is not an option, she needs to set a very high value and use padding. Second, adding the Connection: close header field is important, otherwise HTTP/1.1 connections are kept alive until either the web client or the printer device triggers a timeout, which means the printer will not be accessible for some time.
If the printer device supports plain text printing the HTTP request header of the XHR is printed out as hard copy – including the Origin header field containing the URL that invoked the malicious JavaScript, thus making it hard for an attacker to stay silent. This is unavoidable, as we do not gain control over the printer – and under some circumstances can disable printing functionality – until the HTTP body is processed and the HTTP header has already been interpreted as plain text by the printer device. If reducing noise is a priority, the attacker can however try to first disable printing functionality with proprietary PJL commands as proposed in PJL jobmedia using other potential XSP channels like IPP, LPD, FTP or the printer's embedded web server. While all protocols could successfully be tested to deploy print jobs using variants of cross-protocol scripting as described by [5] and [6] they have some drawbacks beyond not providing feedback using spoofed CORS headers:
Cross-protocol access to LPD and FTP ports is blocked by various web browsers
Parameters for direct printing over the embedded web server are model-specific
The IPP standard requires the Content-type for HTTP POST requests being set to application/ipp [7] which cannot be done with XHR objects – it is however up to the implementation to actually care about incorrect types
A comparison of cross-site printing channels is given in below:
Channel Port No Feedback Unsolicited printouts Standardized Blocked by Raw 9100 - ✔ ✔ - Web 80 ✔ - - - IPP 631 ✔ - ✔ - LPD 515 ✔ - ✔ FF, Ch, Op FTP 21 ✔ - ✔ FF, Ch, Op, IE
One major problem of XSP is to find out the correct address or hostname of the printer. Our approach is to abuse WebRTC [8] which is implemented in most modern browsers and has the feature to enumerate IP addresses for local network interfaces. Given the local IP address, XHR objects are further used to open connections to port 9100/tcp for all 253 remaining addresses to retrieve the printer product name using PostScript and CORS spoofing which only takes seconds in our tests. If the printer is on the same subnet as the victim's host its address can be detected solely using JavaScript. WebRTC is in development for Safari and supported by current versions of Firefox, Chrome and Microsoft Edge. Internet Explorer has no WebRTC support, but VBScript and Java can likewise be used to leak the local IP address. If the address of the local interface cannot be retrieved, we apply an intelligent brute-force approach: We try to connect to port 80 of the victim's router using XHR objects. For this, a list of 115 default router addresses from various Internet-accessible resources was compiled. If a router is accessible, we scan the subnet for printers as described before.
Proof-of-concept
A proof-of-concept implementation demonstrating that advanced cross-site printing attacks are practical and a real-world threat to companies and institutions is available at hacking-printers.net/xsp/. It was successfully tested on Firefox 48, Chrome 52, Opera 39 and Internet Explorer 10. It is worth noting that the Tor Browser blocks the attack because it tries to connect to all addresses – including local ones – through the Tor network meaning XSP requests never reach the intranet printer.
Update: To prevent cross-site printing, port 9100/tcp may be blocked in future releases of Firefox [9] and Chrome [10].
→ Related articles: Fundamentals, Attack carriers, Port 9100 printing, BeEFSydney property prices dropped 1.6 per cent over the last quarter of 2015, the latest official data released on Tuesday shows.
The last quarter’s drops are the first recorded decline for Sydney since March 2012 on the back of 13.9 per cent growth over the 12 months to December 2015, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data.
The ABS analysis noted falls in almost all segments of the market, but most notably among established houses with prices between $700,000 and $1.4 million, and for attached dwellings in the $420,000 to $850,000 bracket.
“The frantic activity we saw last year is well behind us,” AMP Capital chief economist Shane Oliver said.
“My feeling is the latter part of last year was a kneejerk reaction to [Australian Prudential Regulation Authority led] restrictions on lending,” Dr Oliver said.
For 2016, he said it would most likely be a case of relatively modest price growth with little chance of a “return to the bubble-like conditions of last year”.
The quieter housing market conditions would also likely take another barrier away from a further interest rate cut from the Reserve Bank, he said.
This is the first time since March 2013 that Sydney’s quarterly price growth has been overtaken by Melbourne on the ABS Residential Property Price Indexes.
Over the September quarter house prices increased 2 per cent nationally, the ABS found. In Sydney, house prices increased 3.1 per cent over that period.
Given the strength of Sydney’s auction market in early-2016 it’s not certain the drops will continue, with an expectation of up to 2 per cent growth over the year, Domain Group chief economist Andrew Wilson said.
“All things remaining the same this year, we’re in for flat prices growth, even though the market started off encouragingly,” Dr Wilson said.
“There’s certainly a question mark over whether we will get any growth in the Sydney market this year.”
Domain Group data recorded a downturn in the December quarter, with the largest quarterly drop on record for houses of 3.1 per cent. This was the first house price decline since June 2012.
Apartments declined 2.8 per cent over the same period, the first drop since March 2013.
Domain Group data recorded the largest quarterly drop on record in December 2015. Source: Domain Group
SQM Research managing director Louis Christopher said his expectation is for Sydney to record a further 4 to 9 per cent growth and Melbourne to experience 8 to 13 per cent growth if rates are cut by a further 25 basis points, the Australian dollar falls to 60 cents and the economy remains steady.
“Sydney is a tale of two markets,” Mr Christopher said.
“Sydney’s outer ring is in a light downturn [but there’s a] big contrast happening right now,” he said.
“The inner ring is outperforming and still rising with higher clearance rates than we all expected for this time of the year,” he said.(Photo: REUTERS / Ibraheem Abu Mustafa)Relatives of eight Palestinian members from al-Haj family, who medics said were killed in an early morning air strike that destroyed at least two homes, mourn during their funeral in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip July 10, 2014. At least 74 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in Israel's Gaza offensive, Palestinian officials said on Thursday, and militants kept up rocket attacks on Tel Aviv and other cities in warfare showing no signs of ending soon.
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Desmond Tutu has joined Roman Catholic leaders in the Holy Land and the World Council of Churches in calling for a halt to the "cycle of violence" in Israel and Gaza.
WCC general secretary, Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit, in a statement Thursday strongly condemned attacks by the Israeli military on the civilian population in Gaza, as well as firing of rockets by militants from Gaza to Israel.
Tveit said that the failure of Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations and the loss of prospects for a two-State solution to end occupation triggered this "unbearable and infernal cycle of violence and hatred that we are witnessing today."
"Without an end to the occupation, the cycle of violence will continue," he said.
The Catholic leaders also said much of the Palestinian violence was linked to the occupation of its land.
For his part Tutu said in a statement Wednesday, "Once again, the people of Israel and Palestine are embroiled in a deadly contest of tit-for-tat violence in which there can never be victors, only losers..
"Like children following a playground dust-up, political and religious leaders fall over each other, not to make peace, but to proclaim: It wasn't us, they started it."
The former Archbishop of Cape Town said Israel would never achieve true security and safety through oppressing the Palestinians, and Palestine would never achieve peaceful self-determination through violence.
'NO CONFLICT IS INTRACTABLE'
"No conflict is intractable; no disagreement so absolute that it can never be healed.
"The world is looking to Israelis and Palestinians to be bigger than themselves; to act now, before any more children are harmed," said Tutu.
The Holy Land Catholic leaders offered their sincere condolences to all those in mourning, Israelis and Palestinians.
"We must continue to pray that those that have fallen recently will be the last to die violent deaths in this escalation of hatred and vengeance," the Catholic leaders said.
"The violent language of the street in Israel that calls for vengeance is fed by the attitudes and expressions of a leadership that continues to foster a discriminatory discourse promoting exclusive rights of one group and the occupation with all of its disastrous consequences," the Catholic leaders said.
Their statement said that settlements were built, lands confiscated, families separated, "loved ones are arrested and even assassinated."
They said, "We need to recognize that the kidnapping and cold blooded murder of the three Israeli youth and the brutal vengeance killing of the Palestinian youth are products of the injustice and of the hatred that the occupation fosters in the hearts of those prone to such deeds."
They noted that, "The violent language of the Palestinian street that calls for vengeance is fed by the attitudes and expressions of those who have despaired of any hope to reach a just solution to the conflict through negotiations."
The statement said that those seeking to build a totalitarian, monolithic society, where there is no difference or diversity, gain popular support, are exploiting this situation of hopelessness.
"To these we also say: Violence as a response to violence breeds only more violence."Story updated at 6:56 p.m. ET to reflect additional information about UFC 215’s availability.
Less than one week after the UFC’s streaming partner, NeuLion, went dark for many fans trying to watch “The Money Fight” between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor, the leading MMA promotion has announced a new partner for pay-per-view events.
The UFC has struck a deal with online combat-sports network FITE.TV, which will stream next week’s UFC 215 through its app and website. The terms of the partnership were not disclosed.
“When we first launched FITE TV, our goal was to bring combat sports fans the very best events,” FITE CEO Kosta Jordanov said in a press release. “The signing of this distribution deal with UFC has validated that goal, and we look forward to building an amazing relationship with the sports industry leader.”
Fans who log on to FITE.TV to watch UFC 215, which takes place Sept. 9 at Rogers Center in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, will need to cough up more money. The event is offered at a flat $59.99, contrary to UFC.tv pay-per-views, where a standard definition broadcast is available for $10 cheaper. On UFC.tv, the event is still available for purchase.
It’s not clear how the new partnership affects the UFC’s deal with NeuLion, which runs the promotion’s online network, UFC.tv, and contracts separately for pay-per-view events. Requests for comment to both companies weren’t immediately returned.
Rob Kelly, an investor rep for NeuLion, said nothing had been announced regarding the relationship and referred questions to the company’s PR department.
Nine days ago, NeuLion touted its role in the Aug. 26 megafight between Mayweather and McGregor at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. But the celebration turned into a nightmare when UFC.tv crashed at the start of pay-per-view broadcast. Many fans missed large portions of the fight or were unable to watch altogether, while others coughed up an extra $99.95 or sought other viewing options. Some fans sought out illegal streams, which may have contributed to widespread piracy.
Earlier this week, the UFC said it was “incredibly disappointed” by the outage and would to look into the matter. UFC President Dana White, meanwhile, said he would take care of fans who’d been snubbed. That assurance didn’t fly well with MMA media. One day later, White released a statement promising refunds.
The UFC’s online platform wasn’t the only one to encounter difficulties. There were reports of outages with customers purchasing the event from Showtime’s online network, as well as cable providers Verizon Fios, Comcast, and Frontier.
Showtime offered refunds to any of its customers who’d been affected. But despite efforts to appease fans, one disgruntled customer already has filed a class-action lawsuit against the premium cable channel for delivering a substandard viewing experience.
For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, visit the UFC Rumors section of the site.Even in Mountjoy Prison, Seán Quinn jnr enjoys treatment denied those from the wrong class
LAST FRIDAY, Seán Quinn jnr was sent to Mountjoy Prison for three months for “outrageous” contempt of court in hiding nearly half a billion euro that belongs to the Irish people. But he’s not in Mountjoy. He spent one night in that nasty place. On Saturday, he was transferred to a very different institution on the same campus, the Training Unit, where, we are told, he is to serve all of the rest of his sentence. This decision, according to reports, was taken by “prison authorities”.
To most people, this is a minor detail. To a prisoner, it makes all the difference in the world. The short distance between Mountjoy and the Training Unit is a vast gulf in hope, dignity and self-respect. Mountjoy is a kip. The Training Unit is a decent enough place to be. Quinn being sent there means two things. One is that he remains an extremely privileged man. The other is that some other criminal, almost certainly one who has done less harm to Irish society, will pay for Seán Quinn’s privileges.
The thing to grasp about the Training Unit – demanding a leap of imagination by those of us on the outside – is there’s a really long waiting list to get into it. Once you pass into the parallel universe of incarceration, this is where you want to be. The unit is “one of the best prisons, if not the best, in the country” – according to inmates themselves, interviewed by the prisons inspectorate. Unlike Mountjoy, it is not infested with cockroaches and has not been officially deemed unfit for habitation. No one has to “slop out”.
According to the prisons inspector: “A person, familiar with the Prison Service, on being shown around the Training Unit, would assume from looking in the doors that this was an extremely clean and tidy technical college, with excellent IT facilities and with slightly older students! Indeed the atmosphere is precisely what you would expect in a college. Good-humoured banter, not loud and shouted conversations, as elsewhere within the system.”
The Training Unit has single bedrooms rather than cells. There are no steel bars on the windows. Prisoners have their own keys to their rooms and are free to move around the building. They’re also free to lock themselves into their rooms, giving them the immense privilege of privacy. There is a good library. The unit is drug-free. Medical care is far better than in the general system and levels of violence between prisoners are very low.
In 2005, the inspectorate, which is often harshly critical of conditions in the system, called the unit “a very good service to prisoners... those of them who wish to partake in work training, education or whatever line they wish to follow are encouraged, supported and helped all the way”. Conditions have deteriorated somewhat since then because of overcrowding and staff reductions, but the unit is still the Ritz of the prison world.
So why does Seán Quinn get to serve his time there? The official description of the purpose of the unit runs as follows: “The main focus of the Training Unit is to provide industrial training and education to prisoners, assisting them in securing employment on release... The majority of the prisoners have served a greater part of the sentence in other prisons and then transferred as part of a planned sentence programme.” The unit also has a secondary purpose – as a safe place for prisoners with a history of substance abuse who are completing a detox programme.
What the unit is emphatically not supposed to be for is prisoners serving short sentences. The 2005 prison inspectorate report (the only one I can find that gives a detailed breakdown of the nature of the inmates) shows that of the 96 prisoners then in the unit, none was serving a sentence of less than six months and just one was serving a sentence of less than a year. By contrast, 58 were serving sentences of four years to life. It is quite clear the primary function of the unit is to act as a bridge back into society for long-term prisoners.
Seán Quinn is not serving a long sentence – he’s in for three months. He’s not recovering from substance abuse. He is not in need of training: he’s a very well educated businessman. There is nothing to suggest he was assessed in Mountjoy and deemed to be especially in need of the specific and highly privileged facilities of the Training Unit: he was in Mountjoy for one night.
But because Quinn is there, someone else isn’t. Statistically, that anonymous someone is probably badly educated, from a poor urban background and caught up in drugs. The unit houses just 117 inmates – a tiny fraction of the 4,000-plus male prison population. Almost every one of those 4,000 men wants to be where Quinn is, and many of them are on the |
't think either of us have a vacation planned to Australia anytime soon.
We've contracted with some very responsible and talented artists, but there is always still a chance that they may not be able to complete the work and we will have to find alternatives.
Having run a few successful Kickstarters previously, we've gotten a pretty good process down for handling pledges, shipping, and fulfillment. We can't promise that there won't be any mistakes, but we've worked very hard to make sure that if we do, there won't be many.
We also use the same vendors we have worked with previously. This gives us an excellent idea about their accuracy in costs and turnaround time so that we have been able to plan accordingly.Personal insolvencies surge 11 per cent in March quarter
Updated
Personal insolvencies have jumped more than 10 per cent over the past year, as people in financial difficulty sought help from debt-management firms which have been roundly criticised by key corporate regulators.
Key points: ASIC criticised the "opaque and expensive" agreements
Credit card debt accounted for almost one-quarter of 7,900 new personal insolvencies in first quarter
Companies fined, ordered to remove misleading advertising
The Australian Financial Securities Authority (AFSA) said there were 7,900 new personal insolvencies in the first three months of the year.
"This is an increase of 10.8 per cent compared to the March quarter 2016," AFSA said, noting all states and territories shared in this rise.
"Western Australia led the increase, reaching a record high of 928 personal insolvencies in March 2017, after a year-on-year increase of 197 personal insolvencies - or 26.5 per cent," ASFA noted.
The ACT recorded the largest proportional increase up 32.6 per cent over the year.
Personal insolvency agreements soar 140pc
The figures also highlight another disturbing trend in the growth of personal insolvency agreements.
While bankruptcy edged up 2.5 per cent over the year, and debt agreements rose by 20.8 per cent, the often-criticised practice personal insolvency agreements rose by almost 140 per cent over the year.
In a damning report on debt-management firms last year, the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) found the agreements were often unsuitable for people in financial difficulties.
Debt-management arrangements typically require an establishment payment of up to $2,000 and then ongoing monthly fees.
Consumer rights group Financial Counselling Australia found it was common for 60 per cent of the money owed to be paid to creditors, while the other 40 per cent goes in fees to the debt-management firm.
ASIC found the fees and costs were opaque, making it difficult for consumers, often in significant financial hardship, to assess the cost relative to the purported value.
Fees were found to be often 'front loaded' — that is fees were payable before services were provided thereby increasing consumer commitment through sunk costs.
ASIC also noted some sales were high-pressured and little information was given about important risks.
"Some firms had a poor understanding of the relevant law and the consequences of particular strategies which may lead to unsuitable services for consumers," ASIC concluded.
ASIC crackdown forces changes to misleading ads
A crackdown on the industry by ASIC has seen companies fined and ordered to remove misleading advertising from websites this week.
The firms caught up in the action include Capital Debt Solutions, Debt Assist Australia and Bankruptcy Experts.
Most claims related to false testimonies, which could not be substantiated, and claims the agreements were "government approved" when they weren't.
"Recommendations and statements, like 'government approved' can have a strong influence when vulnerable consumers in financial hardship are seeking help with their debts," ASIC deputy chairman Peter Kell said.
"Firms must ensure their marketing materials and promotional statements are based on fact," he warned.
AFSA said the number of business-related debtors entering personal insolvency increased marginally, with economic conditions the most commonly cited cause of the issue.
The most common cause of non-business related insolvency was credit card debt, which accounted for nearly one-quarter of all new insolvencies over the quarter.
Topics: consumer-finance, consumer-protection, economic-trends, australia
First postedWhat’s a defect? I like this definition.
A defect is anything that threatens the value of the product.”
Before we start, let’s agree that:
we don’t want to have defects that threaten the value of our product we want to give our customers as much value as possible at all times.
If you don’t agree with 1 and 2 then, don’t waste your time and stop reading now.
Testers are normally associated with finding defects. Some testers get very protective with the defects they find and some developers can be very defensive about the defects they wrote. Customers don’t like defects, developers don’t like defects, product managers don’t like defects, let’s be honest, nobody likes defects besides some testers.
Why would that be? The reason is that the focus of testers is on detecting defects, and that’s what they get paid for in most organisations. If you are a tester and love your defects, you might find this article quite distressing, if you decide to proceed, do so at your own peril.
Let’s be clear from the start: defects are waste. Waste of time in designing defective products, waste of time in coding defective routines, waste of time of detecting them, waste of time in fixing them, waste of time in re-checking them. Even writing this sentence took a good while, now think how much time it takes you to produce, detect, fix, recheck defects.
Our industry has developed a defect coping mechanism that we call defect management. It is based on a workflow of detecting => fixing => retesting. Throughout the years it has become best practice (sic) to have defect management tools and to log and track defects. Defect management approaches are generally cumbersome, slow, costly and tend to piss people off no matter whether you are a tester that gets his defect rejected, you are a developer that gets a by design feature flagged as defect or you are a product manager that needs to spend time prioritising, charting and trending waste.
Another bad characteristic of defects is that they can be easily counted and you will always find a pointy haired manager that decides he is going to shed light on the health of his product and on the efficiency of his test team by counting and drawing colourful waste charts.
But, before we said that defects are waste, why are we logging and tracking waste, creating waste charts seems even more ridiculous, wouldn’t it be easier to try to prevent them?
Oh, if only we could write the right thing first and reduce the amount of defects! I say we can, be patient and read on.
Software development teams have found many ways of being creative playing with defects, see some examples below.
Example 1: Reward waste
Some years back i was working on a business critical project in one of 5 scrum teams. Let me clarify first, that our scrum implementation was at best poor, we didn’t release every sprint and our definition of done was questionable.
Close to an important release we found ourselves in a situation where we needed to fix a lot of defects before going into production. We had 2 weeks and our teams had collectively around 100 defects to go through. Our CTO was very supportive of the defect killing initiative and he was eager to deliver with zero defects. He put in place a plan that included free food all day and night and some pampering for the developers that needed to focus 100% on defect resolution. Then he decided to give a prize to the team that would fix the highest amount of defects.
I remember feeling frightened of the possible future consequences of this reward. I spoke to the CTO and told him that I would have liked more a prize for the team that produced the lowest amount of defects rather than the one that fixed the most. Our CTO was a smart guy and understood the value proposition of my objection, he changed his approach and spoke to the teams on how not introducing defects in the first place is much more efficient than fixing them after they have been coded. Soon after the release we started applying an approach that focussed on preventing defects rather than fixating on detection. We never had the problem of fixing 100 bugs in 2 weeks again.
Example 2: Defects metrics
In my previous waterfall life, I remember when management introduced a performance metric directly linked to bugs. Testers were to be judged on the Defect Detection Index calculated as (Number of Defects detected during testing / Total number of Defects detected including production)*100. An index lower than 90 would mean nobody in the test team would get a bonus. Developers were individually judged on number of code defects found by the testers and business analysts were individually judged on number of requirement defects found by the testers.
The bug prioritisation meetings were battles where development managers argued any bug was a missed requirement, product managers argued that every bug was a coding error or a tester misunderstanding and the test lead (me) was simply shouted at and criticised for allowing his testers to go beyond the requirements and make use of their intellectual functions outside a scripted validation routine.
Going to that meeting was a nightmare, people completely forgot about customers and simply wanted to get their metrics right. The amount of time we wasted arguing and defending our bonuses was astonishing. Our customers were normally unhappy because instead of focusing on value delivery we focussed on playing with defects, what a bunch of losers we were!
Example 3: Defects as non conformance to requirements
In the same environment as Example 2 testers, in order to keep their Defect Detection Index high used to raise large amounts of minor or non significant “defects” that were in reality non conformance to requirements that generally represented improvements. Testers didn’t care if they were requirements, code defects or even improvements, to them they were money, so they raised them. Improvements were filed as defects as they were in non conformance to requirements. In most of the cases these were considered low severity and hence low priority defects to make the testers happy and had to be filed, reviewed, prioritised and used in trends, metrics and other useless calculations. This activity could easily take 30% of the tester time. Such defects would not only take testers’s time, but would affect developers, product managers, business analysts and eventually clutter the defect management tool. Waste that creates waste, exponentially, how wonderful.
Example 4: Defect charts, trends and other utter nonsense
Every week I had to prepare defect charts for management. These were extracted from our monstrous defect management tool and presented in brightly coloured useless charts. My manager got so excited at the prospect of producing useless information that she started a pet project to create charts that were more colourful than the ones I presented. She used 2 developers for 6 weeks to create this thing that was meant to wow the senior executives. In the process of defining the requirements for wowing the big guys she introduced a few new even more useless charts and consolidated it into an aggregating dashboard. She called it the product quality health dashboard, I secretly called it the dump. Nobody gave a damn about the dashboard, nobody used the numbers for any reason, nobody cared that they could configure it, but my boss was extremely proud of it. A legend says that she got a big raise because of it. If you play with rubbish, then you will start measuring rubbish and eventually you will end up doing data analysis and showing a consolidated view of the rubbish you store in your code.
How can we avoid this?
1. Focus on defect prevention
Many development teams focus on delivering features fast with little consideration for defect prevention. The theory is that testers (whose time is sometimes less expensive than developers) will find the defects that will be fixed later. This approach represents a false economy; rework disrupts developers activities and harms the flow of value being delivered. There are many approaches available to development teams to reduce the amount of rework needed.
Do you want to prevent defects? You can try any combination of the below:
With BDD/ATDD/Specification By example, delivery teams test product owners assumptions through conversations and produce the right feature the first time. The ability to have fast feedback loops also allows for early removal of defects, automated unit and integration testing can help developers quickly identify potential issues and remove them before they get embedded into a feature. Tight collaboration between business and delivery teams helps teams be aligned with their real business goal and reduce the amount of unnecessary features. This means less code and as a consequence less defects. Because, your best piece of code is the one you won’t have to write. Reducing complexity is very powerful in preventing defects, if we are able to break down a complex problem in many simple problems we are likely to reduce the amount of defects we introduce. Simple problems have simple solutions and simple solutions have less defects than complex ones. Good coding standards like for example limiting the length of a method to a low number of lines, setting limits on cyclomatic complexity, applying good naming conventions to help readability also have a positive impact on the number of defects produced Code reviews and pair programming greatly help reduce defects Refactoring at all times also reduces defects in the long run
Moral of the story: If you don’t write defects, you will not have to fix them.
2. Fix defects immediately and burn defect management tools
If like me years back, you are getting tired of filing, categorising, discussing, reporting, ordering defects I have a very quick solution. Fix the defects as soon as you find them.
It is normal for a developer to fix a defect he finds in the code he is writing as soon as he finds it without having to log it, but as soon as the defect is found by a different individual (a tester for example) then apparently we need to start a strict logging process. Why? No idea really. People sometimes say: “if you don’t do root cause analysis you don’t know what you are doing, hence you need to file the defects”, but in reality nobody stops you from doing root cause analysis when you find the defect if you really want. What I am suggesting is that whoever finds a bug walks to a developer responsible for the code and has a conversation. The consequence of that conversation (that in some cases can involve also a product owner) should be let’s fix it now or let’s forget about it forever. Fixing it now, means normally that the developer is fresh on the specific code that needs to be fixed, certainly fresher than in 4 weeks when he won’t even remember he ever wrote that code. Fixing it now means that the issue is gone and we don’t have to worry about it any longer, our customer will be thankful. Forgetting about it forever means that it is not an issue worth fixing, probably it doesn’t threaten the value of the project and the customer won’t care if we don’t fix it. Forgetting about it forever also means that we won’t carry a stinky dead fish in a defect management tool. We won’t have to waste time re-discussing the same dead fish forever in the future and our customers are happy we are not wasting time but working on new features. If you decide to fix it, I’d also recommend you write an automatic test around it, this will make sure that if the issue happens again you’ll know straight away.
I have encountered huge scepticism when suggesting to burn defect management tools and fix just in time. Nobody seems to think this is possible. As a matter of fact my teams were able to do this for the last 5 years and nobody ever said, “I miss Jira and the beautiful bugs”.
Obviously this approach is better suited for co located development teams, I haven’t tried it yet with a geographically distributed team, I suggest you give it a try and let me know how it goes.
Playing with defects waste index:
Epidemic: 90% – The only places that don’t file and manage defects I have ever encountered are the places where I have worked and have changed the process. I have heard of one other place where they do something similar but that’s just about it. The world seems to have a great time in wasting money filing, categorising, reporting, trending waste. The IT industry has been doing this for decades and questioning the approach is generally seen as heresy.
Damaging: 100% – Using defects for people appraisal is one of the worst practices I have ever experienced, the damage can be immense. The customer becomes irrelevant and people focus on gaming the system to their benefit. Logging and managing defects is extremely wasteful as well, it requires time, energy and can among other things, endanger relationships between testers and developers. Trending and deducting release dates from defect density is plain idiotic, when with a little attention to defect prevention defects would be so rare that trends would not exist.
Resistant: 90% – I had to leave one company because I dared doubt the defect management gospel and like an heretic I was virtually burned at the stake. In the second company I tried to remove defect management tools I was successful after 2 years of trying, quite resistant. The third one is the one where people were happy to experiment and as soon as they saw how much waste we were removing it quickly became the new rule. I have had numerous discussions with people on the subject and the general position is that defect management must be done through a tool and following a rigid process. I believe it is a very difficult wasteful practice to eradicate.
Recommended Reading
Lean Software development – An Agile Toolkit (Mary and Tom Poppendieck)
https://mysoftwarequality.wordpress.com/2015/05/06/little-tim-and-the-messy-house/
https://mysoftwarequality.wordpress.com/2013/09/10/how-i-stopped-logging-bugs-and-started-living-happy/
AdvertisementsBy Ryan Burton
Various sources have advised BoxingScene.com that newly crowned WBA/IBO junior welterweight champion Jessie Vargas (24-0) will return to the ring in July and the two frontrunners to be his challenger are former lightweight champion Antonio DeMarco (30-3) and undefeated Russian Anton Novikov (28-0).
DeMarco, who now trains under the tutelage of Freddie Roach, has won both of his fights since being stopped by Adrien Broner in 2012. Each of those fights took place above the junior welterweight limit. Novikov hasn't fought yet this year but went 3-0 in 2013 with his last fight taking place in December in Puerto Rico.
Vargas won his titles by defeating Khabib Allakhverdiev by unanimous decision on the televised undercard of Manny Pacquiao's victory over Timothy Bradley in their April rematch.
The fight will be televised by HBO and will likely be paired with Brandon Rios' return bout against an opponent to be determined.
Send questions or comments to [email protected]. You can follow Ryan on Twitter @ringsidewriterVolunteers Paul Nelson and Andrew Hunter with piano on Ben Nevis
Conservation volunteers from the John Muir Trust made the discovery during a clean-up operation on the 4,418ft Ben Nevis peak in the Highlands.
The piano has been broken up to make it easier to carry off.
The trust said how it came to be on Ben Nevis was a mystery but the mountain has been the scene of various stunts including cars being pushed to the top.
The piano was dug up from under a cairn during an operation by trust volunteers to reduce 100 cairns on the summit to 25.
Nigel Hawkins, trust director, said: "Our guys couldn't believe their eyes.
"At first they thought it was just the wooden casing - but then they saw the whole cast iron frame complete with strings."
We have a constant battle against litter being left on Britain's biggest highest mountain
Volunteer Sandy Maxwell
Mr Hawkins said the origins of the piano and how it got to the top of Ben Nevis remains a mystery.
But a McVities wholemeal biscuit wrapper also found with the instrument and dated best before December 1986 could be a clue.
He said: "The only thing that was missing was the keyboard - and that's another mystery. Maybe it's hidden somewhere else on the mountain."
Volunteer group organiser Sandy Maxwell, of Glasgow, said: "We are now trying to track down who took it there.
"We may even give them an outstanding invoice for 20 years storage of a piano under a cairn on Ben Nevis.
"We have a constant battle against litter being left on Britain's biggest highest mountain - but this elevates being a litter lout sky high into a completely different category."
He added: "We know cairns are often used to harbour rubbish but we never expected to find something like this."
One theory has been put forward as to how the piano got onto the mountain.
Former Radio 2 producer Paul Newman said he was walking up the mountain with his family in the summer of 1971 when they came upon a man carrying a piano up the mountain on behalf of a cancer charity.
We were coming down the mountain when we saw this surreal sight coming up through the clouds
Paul Newman
Former Radio 2 producer
Mr Newman said he remembered the piano as a half-sized instrument, strapped to the man's back using seat belts.
"He had a broad Scots accent and was wearing a kilt," he told BBC Scotland.
"We were coming down the mountain when we saw this surreal sight coming up through the clouds."
He said the man was leaving the piano on the mountain at night then returning the next day to carry it a bit further. They saw him on the third day as he neared the summit.
"He told us that when he got to the top he would spend the day playing it before pushing it over the edge."
It is thought that man could have been Highland Games athlete Kenny Campbell who said he carried a piano up the mountain on his back in 1971 although he claimed it never got to the top.
However, he did later carry an organ to the summit and played Scotland Brave while Norwegian climbers danced.
In 1911, a Model T Ford was brought to the summit in a stunt to promote the car.In order to achieve your goals they must have specificity. And once you have a very specific “macro” goal, you must know how to break that macro goal into smaller “micro” goals.
But the most vital part of achieving goals has nothing to do with the steps, the tactics, or the tools. The most important part of making sure you achieve your goals is to properly define your “why.” Without defining your most important why’s your goals don’t have a deeper meaning.
Talk about some of the benefits you’ve experienced since shifting your focus towards health. How has it impacted your ability to do high-level creative work on a day-to-day basis?
The most profound shift I’ve seen in the last two years since really cracking this code is how much more quickly I’m able to do the same high quality level of creative work.
For example, when I was editing Burn Notice (pre-Fitness In Post), 12-14 hour days were typical, and I was even putting in unpaid work on the weekend because I just couldn’t keep up with the workload. I was secretly napping almost every day, and the only way I could focus on the job was if the deadline was looming and I had an insane amount of work to accomplish in a short period of time.
Fast-forward to editing Empire (post-Fitness In Post), and I was leaving at 7 or 8 almost every evening to put my kids to bed, I was usually delivering cuts early, yet I was dealing with tighter deadlines and higher volumes of footage on a creatively complex show.
Most importantly, I was no longer working secretly on the weekends to keep up, and I wasn’t crashing and burning every single weekend from burnout. I had energy to spare and Monday morning I was ready to jump right back in.
What’s Fitness in Post all about, and what’s the grand vision for it going forward?
Fitness In Post is the resource I desperately wish had been available to me 10 years ago when I was ready to give up on this industry and my life. I had no tools that were specifically designed for someone working long hours in a highly creative job who just didn’t have time to hit the gym.With the “Alien” franchise, it always helps to keep your expectations in check. The first one, released back in 1979 was one of the scariest science-fiction movies ever made, “Aliens” was one of the most intense, “Alien 3” was one of the most infinitely depressing, and “Alien Resurrection” was the slimiest by far. When Ridley Scott, who directed “Alien,” returned to the franchise with “Prometheus,” he presented us with a film containing, as he said, “strands of ‘Alien’ DNA in it,” but it was also designed to have its own mythology and ideas while existing in the same cinematic universe. Each time, the filmmakers brought their own unique vision to this franchise and succeeded in creating something daring, and at times maddening, which no other franchise would have dared pulled off. As for the “Alien vs Predator” movies, the less said, the better.
Now Scott returns again to the franchise with another prequel, “Alien: Covenant,” which looks to be a return to basics after the mixed reaction “Prometheus” received. Sure enough, composer Jed Kurzel’s score starts off with a taste of Jerry Goldsmith’s theme from “Alien” which has the audience feeling like they are entering familiar territory. But Kurzel’s music also has the music Marc Streitenfeld created for “Prometheus,” and it made me realize Scott was not about to leave the themes he explored previously in the dust.
“Alien: Covenant” picks up ten years after “Prometheus” as we come across the spaceship Covenant making its way to a remote planet where colonists intend to start a new life. These plans go awry when a neutrino blast hits the ship, killing some of the passengers and leaving the survivors in a state of devastation they cannot be expected to quickly recover from. Suddenly they intercept a human radio transmission from a nearby planet not on their charts and despite some objections, which of course are ignored, they change course to investigate. From there, you have a pretty good idea of what will happen.
Scott, as usual, works visual wonders along with cinematographer Dariusz Wolski which put us right into the action instead of just viewing it from a distance. Seeing these humans arrive on a planet we know many of them will not leave, not in one piece anyway, jacks up the tension in no time at all, and he still knows how to make those xenomorphs look more vicious than the average sci-fi creatures.
At the same time, he continues the themes of “Prometheus” with the assistance of one of its best actors, Michael Fassbender (god he has an awesome last name!). Fassbender returns as David, the synthetic android who is revealed to be alive and in one piece on this new planet, and he also plays Walter, another synthetic android assigned to look after the crew of the Covenant. Seeing David and Walter share scenes with one another prove to be some of this movie’s most fascinating for me as Fassbender makes you forget special effects were involved in him having a conversation with himself.
The balance between the themes of “Prometheus” and the typically visceral action of the average “Alien” movie is a tricky one, and Scott manages to pull it off for the most part. Still, it will be interesting to see how audiences react to this one as they may like certain parts of “Alien: Covenant” more than others.
I do wish Scott and screenwriters John Logan and Dante Harper had given more attention to the characters here as many of them appear to be too one-dimensional for this movie’s own good. This franchise thrives on our getting to know these characters as individuals we can relate to, but many of them appear to exist solely for the xenomorphs to rip apart limb from limb. Some characters fare better than others, but the rest of the pack deserved more attention than they got.
Katherine Waterston, unforgettable in Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Inherent Vice,” has a big challenge here as she is essentially playing the Sigourney Weaver/Ellen Ripley role as terraforming expert Daniels Branson. What I really admired about Waterston’s work here is how she never invites easy comparison to Weaver, and I never bothered spending time comparing the two actresses as the movie unfolded before me. Waterston fully embraces her character’s complex emotions as she is forced to deal with an unexpected tragedy which would easily wreck another, and she turns Daniels into formidable warrior long before the movie’s furious climax.
Another actor I got a kick out of seeing here was Danny McBride who plays the chief pilot of the Covenant, Tennessee. McBride is best known for his no-holds-barred comedic performances in “Pineapple Express,” “Tropic Thunder,” “The Foot Fist Way,” and the HBO series “Eastbound & Down,” and several critics have said they felt he was miscast here. I completely disagree as he brings the kind of the down-to-earth character the “Alien” movies can’t exist without as well as a subtlety which makes his emotions feel genuine and never faked. Once again, I truly believe that if you can do comedy, you can do drama.
I also have to give Billy Crudup a lot of credit for taking a character like the self-serious man of faith, Christopher Oram, who lacks the confidence a leader should have and making him into someone more human than any other actor could have. I say this because this kind of character usually comes across as totally annoying and infinitely idiotic, but Crudup succeeds in making Christopher down to earth and more empathetic than you might expect. And those scenes he has with Fassbender in the latter half? Priceless.
Does “Alien: Covenant” reach the exhilarating heights of the first two “Alien” movies? No, but I wasn’t surprised it didn’t. We have long since gotten used to these vicious creatures to where they aren’t as terrifying as when we first met them. Still, I found “Alien: Covenant” to be a pulse-pounding ride with strong performances, a sleek design and the kind of stunning look you can always expect from the average Ridley Scott film. It pays homage not just to its predecessors, but also to “Blade Runner” as well, and it has an infinitely unnerving conclusion which reminds us all that in space, no one can hear you scream.
Just try to go into it with an open mind. There is a bit of the old here which I know fans will enjoy, but there is also a lot of thought put into the story which you don’t often get with the usual summer blockbuster.
* * * ½ out of * * * *
AdvertisementsNewsPopulation Control
TENNESSEE, July 28, 2017 (Population Research Institute) -- A judge in White County, Tennessee has signed a standing order that offers to shorten prison sentences by 30 days for inmates that agree to accept long-term or permanent birth control.
In order to qualify, male inmates must agree to be sterilized via vasectomy, and female inmates must agree to accept Nexplanon, a three-year contraceptive implant. The birth control methods are being offered to inmates free of charge. According to the Daily Beast, 32 women have so far had the implant installed and 38 men are awaiting vasectomy procedures.
The order was signed earlier this year by General Sessions Judge Sam Benningfield, a White County judge who also has jurisdiction over the county’s juvenile court.
“I hope to encourage them to take personal responsibility and give them a chance, when they do get out, to not to be burdened with children.” Judge Benningfield said in an interview with local CBS news affiliate News Channel 5, “I understand it won’t be entirely successful but if you reach two or three people, maybe that’s two or three kids not being born under the influence of drugs.”
“Reduced prison time is a potent bribe,” says Population Research Institute President Steven Mosher, longtime opponent of population control, “How many prisoners will try and buy their freedom by allowing the state to chemically or surgically sterilize them? The order should be rescinded.”
According to a press statement released by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Judge Benningfield’s order is unconstitutional:
Offering a so-called ‘choice’ between jail time and coerced contraception or sterilization is unconstitutional. Such a choice violates the fundamental constitutional right to reproductive autonomy and bodily integrity…
Extracting acceptance of family planning through coercive means runs contrary to core American values. Since 1998, the Tiahrt Amendment has prohibited using international aid to create incentives in exchange for individuals becoming acceptors of a method of family planning, or to conditionally deny benefits to individuals who opt not to accept family planning. While the Tiahrt Amendment does not apply to Judge Benningfield’s order, coerced sterilization is a violation of fundamental freedoms and human dignity.
The U.S. Code of Federal Regulations also prohibits federal funds from being used to sterilize an institutionalized individual. It is not clear whether White County intends to use federal funds or only state and local funds for financing vasectomy procedures.
The incentivization of sterilization for incarcerated inmates is eerily reminiscent of eugenic sterilization statutes that were at one time in force in 32 states during the early to mid-20th century. From 1907 until the late 1970’s, state eugenic sterilization laws authorized the coerced or involuntary sterilization of more than 60,000 Americans who were deemed “feebleminded,” “idiots,” “mentally diseased,” “promiscuous,” criminals, or those for which “procreation would be inadvisable.” By and large, the poor, racial minorities, immigrants, the mentally handicapped, the under-educated, and institutionalized individuals were targeted for eugenic sterilization in an effort to weed out “undesirables” from the gene pool.
While eugenics statues were largely rooted in racism, discrimination, and utilitarianism, reasons for justifying the utilization of forced or coerced sterilization was often framed in terms of advancing the public good, and, at times, much like Benningfield, in terms of the well-being of those undergoing sterilization.
For example, the since-repealed North Carolina eugenic statute granted the governing body of penal institutions the ability to sterilize certain inmates if it was determined that sterilization was “considered best in the interest of the mental, moral, or physical improvement of the patient or inmate, or for the public good.”
In practice, North Carolina’s sterilization law, much like similar laws in other states, gave way to heinous human rights abuses. Eugenics laws counted thousands of victims like Elaine Riddick who was forcibly sterilized by the North Carolina Eugenics Board at age 14 after becoming pregnant as the result of rape.
In a near echo of Benningfield, the Human Betterment Foundation, a pro-eugenics research and advocacy organization active during the 1930’s, attempted to justify eugenic sterilization laws by arguing:
[Many] after sterilization have married and are happy and succeeding fairly well. They could never have managed and cared for children, to say nothing of the inheritance and fate of such children.[1]
After the atrocities of the Nazi regime became widely known following the conclusion of the Second World War, public opinion on eugenic sterilization laws in the U.S. began to change. Gradually, sterilization laws in every state were either repealed or abolished.
Yet even in the 21st century, coerced sterilization has not entirely disappeared in the United States. According to the Center for Investigative Reporting, from 2006 to 2010, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation sterilized 148 female inmates without proper authorization from the state, reportedly coercing several women into accepting the procedure.
[1] Brown RE. Biennial report of the eugenics board of North Carolina. July 1, 1938 to June 30, 1940.
Reprinted by permission from the Population Research Institute.Several countries including the US and France have implemented so-called “strikes” systems to warn and punish P2P file-sharers. The goal of these programs is to reduce piracy, but do they have any effect on people’s downloading habits? New findings published by U.S. and French researchers show that these anti-piracy measures don't stop or even reduce piracy.
In recent years many initiatives to curb online piracy have emerged and in several countries so-called “graduated response” schemes have been implemented.
In France, New Zealand, Taiwan and South Korea strikes schemes are baked into law, a similar policy is in place in Ireland, and last year the United States rolled out its voluntary “alert” system commonly known as six-strikes.
The goal of these policies is to track down copyright infringers and warn them that their behavior is not acceptable. After repeat warnings, these accused file-sharers then face a penalty ranging from a fine to prolonged Internet disconnection.
But are these programs the anti-piracy silver bullet copyright holders believe them to be? A new paper published by researchers from the U.S. and France suggests they’re not.
Based on a large survey among 2,000 French Internet users, the study finds that the local three strikes law didn’t stop or even reduce piracy.
“Consistent with theoretical predictions, our econometric results indicate that the Hadopi law has not deterred individuals from engaging in digital piracy and that it did not reduce the intensity of illegal activity of those who did engage in piracy,” the researchers write in their paper.
“While several factors affect the perceived probability of detection under the law, our results show that the propensity to engage in illegal file-sharing is independent of these beliefs,” they add.
In other words, threatening to punish people for online piracy does nothing to reduce copyright infringement. A result that’s independent of people’s perceived chance of getting caught.
One weakness of the “strikes” systems is that they only cover P2P file-sharing, and not any of the alternative ways people use to download pirated material. This leaves the option open for Internet users to switch to these unmonitored services, but the researchers don’t find any evidence that this is happening across the board.
The results do suggest that those who have more pirates in their social networks switch to alternatives, such as direct download sites and newsgroups.
“There is evidence that the law encourages Internet users who better understand the law and alternative piracy channels (those with many digital pirates in their social network) to substitute away from the monitored P2P channel and to obtain content through unmonitored illegal channels,” the researchers write.
Overall the searchers conclude that the three-strikes law failed to curb piracy, suggesting that similar initiatives such as the U.S. six-strikes scheme are not very effective either.
Previously the French government sanctioned a panel to investigate the effectiveness of their three strikes law. This panel concluded that the law had failed to benefit authorized services as promised. It also recommended that the ultimate sanction of Internet disconnections for infringers should be dumped, which happened soon after.
While disconnections are now off the table, the graduated response scheme lives on in France for now. But according to this new research, it is unlikely to achieve much in the fight against piracy.
Update: |
, molasses, etc in tinfoil and bake it on “Warm” for an hour or so. If it’s not traditional moassel then that’s really all you need to get the juices flowing. Now add your flavorings and let it blend together over night.
4. Wait a Day
The next day, if the consistency seems right and it smells good, load up a bowl and smoke it. If it’s dry add some more of the honey or molasses. If you don’t like the flavor add some more until you get it right. It can take up to a week or more for the flavors to really mellow out and come together into their final form, so be patient. It’s all about preference but it’s really as simple as that. From this point we can get into more traditional tobaccos but I think that may be a follow up blog post.
Here are two good shisha packing guides too:
5. Also See
Making Hookah Charcoal at home to learn how to make your own coals too.Student Startup Madness is promoted and supported by four anchor universities in four regions across the country: Emory University in the Southeast, Saint Louis University in the Midwest, The University of Texas at Austin in the Southwest, and Syracuse University in the Northeast. Major corporate sponsors for this year’s tournament include: Turner Broadcasting’s Media Camp, Foursquare, and The Newhouse School – with help from other media companies and firms that work with early-stage ventures.
The first round of competition was held online from August until November. Judging took place online via Gust.com, a platform used by angel investors around the world. The 32 semi-finalists now advance to the virtual regional round, primarily based on their home college location, where they will be judged against each other online (see regional bracket below). From each of the four regions, two finalists will emerge to form the “Entrepreneurial Eight” (or “E8?), who will be invited to pitch their businesses at the Student Startup Madness national finals in Austin, Texas, on March 11, 2013.
“Each round of the tournament builds momentum,” says Sean Branagan, creator of the SSM program. “It also draws attention to college campuses as sources for innovation, entrepreneurship and talent. …I love how it showcases university entrepreneurship and encourages college students to start businesses.”
About Student Startup Madness
The Student Startup Madness concept was developed by Sean Branagan, director of the Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, in conjunction with SXSW. Syracuse University is the organizing institution for this year’s national tournament.
Student Startup Madness, along with its sponsors and host universities, believes in American entrepreneurship and on-campus startups-and wants to help young student entrepreneurs succeed and become a part of the SXSW experience.
Student Startup Madness debuted at the 2012 SXSW Interactive with a launch event and kick-off pitchfest, where five student startup teams representing eight colleges and universities pitched their ventures and won prizes. For more on Student Startup Madness, visit the website (https://studentstartupmadness.com), see us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter: @StartupMad.
Contact: Sean Branagan
(315) 443-6310
startups@syr.eduIn researching for the Q&A we’ll be moderating at our advance screening of Suffragette with the film’s director and writer, we stumbled on a fascinating piece of history about the British Suffragettes of the early 20th century. As a means of self-defense, a number of these champions of equality taught themselves the Japanese martial art of jiu-jitsu, and there’s a new action/adventure graphic novel trilogy – Suffrajitsu – based on this very fact.
Written for mid-teen to adult readers by Tony Wolf with art by João Vieira, the Suffrajitsu trilogy is set primarily in London during the year 1914, and relates the adventures of Miss Persephone Wright and her team of Amazons, an elite secret society of bodyguards trained in the martial art of Bartitsu and sworn to protect the leaders of the radical women’s rights movement.
Many of the events portrayed in Book 1 are inspired by historical reality and many of the characters are fictional versions of historically real people like Edith Garrud, a woman who ran a martial arts school in London with her husband William and was one of the first professional jiu-jitsu instructors in the Western world. As such, she would become a major asset for the Suffragettes as their movement became more militant, and the violence against them escalated.
As reported by the BBC…
“Edith Garrud was a tiny woman. Measuring 4ft 11in (150cm) in height she appeared no match for the officers of the Metropolitan Police – required to be at least 5ft 10in (178cm) tall at the time. But she had a secret weapon.
In the run-up to World War One, Garrud became a jiu-jitsu instructor to the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU), better known as the suffragettes, taking part in an increasingly violent campaign for votes for women.
Sick of the lack of progress, they resorted to civil disobedience, marches and illegal activities including assault and arson.
The struggle in the years before the war became increasingly bitter. Women were arrested and, when they went on hunger strike, were force-fed using rubber tubes. While out on marches, many complained of being manhandled and knocked to the ground. Things took a darker turn after ‘Black Friday’ on 18 November 1910.
A group of around 300 suffragettes met a wall of policemen outside Parliament. Heavily outnumbered, the women were assaulted by both police and male vigilantes in the crowd. Many sustained serious injuries and two women died as a result. More than 100 suffragettes were arrested.”
That marked a turning point for the Suffragettes and their introduction to jiu-jitsu. Edith started to teach some of them to fight back by training them in the Japanese martial art, which focuses on skill, versus brute force, and outwitting your opponent. Suffragette leaders Emmeline Pankhurst (Meryl Streep plays her in the Suffragette film) and her daughter Sylvia were all for this. In fact, on August 12th, 1913, Sylvia was quoted in the New York Times as saying, “We have not yet made ourselves a match for the police, and we have got to do it. The police know jiu-jitsu. I advise you to learn jiu-jitsu. Women should practice it as well as men.”
Eventually, Edith formed a specialized group of jiu-jitsu skilled Suffragettes called The Bodyguard. These 25-30 women, all athletic and dedicated to the cause, provided security at Suffragette rallies throughout the UK with the sole purpose of protecting their leader, Emmeline Pankhurst, from being jailed or worse. They employed various decoy tactics, and carried wooden clubs hidden in the bustles of their dresses to fend off police. In turn, they were nicknamed “Amazons” by the press, the very same name used by Tony Wolf for Miss Persephone Wright’s security force in his Suffrajitsu trilogy.
PS – Just in case your brains search for connections like ours do, Wonder Woman – the “Amazon” Warrior Princess – made her debut in 1941 in an issue of All-Star Comics.?BRIDGEVILLE - Like so many other free agents, Paul Posluszny doesn�t know where he�ll wind up once the NFL resolves its labor issues.
As the lockout drags on into its 14th week, Posluszny copes with the situation the best he can. Without a contract for the 2011 season and beyond, he�s in football limbo.
There�s a good chance he�ll be back in Buffalo where he�s spent the first four years of his pro career. There�s also a chance he may wind up playing linebacker some place else, perhaps in Cleveland.
�That�s the most difficult thing about the lockout, hands down,� Posluszny said Thursday after a workout at the Evolution Sports Institute. �It�s been tough because I don�t necessarily know where I�ll be playing or where I�ll be living.
�When the time comes to make a move, everything is going to happen in a hurry. Free agency might only be a couple of weeks, so I�ll have to have a lot of things solidified in a short period of time. That�s the most unsettling thing.
�When I start to think about that, I start to worry because I want certainty,� he added. �I want to know where I�ll be so I can start learning a new system if I have to make a move or, if I�m in Buffalo... I just want to know where I�m going to be, where I�m going to be playing.�
There are a lot of reasons why the Bills would want to re-sign Posluszny, the former Hopewell High School star who earned All-American honors at Penn State.
He�s only 26, so he likes to think his best days are ahead. He�s one of those high-motor defenders who is always around the football. He�s an intelligent player who makes the calls for the Buffalo defense, which switched from a 4-3 to a 3-4 last year. And he�s one of the most popular Bills among fans in Buffalo.
But if the Bills don�t re-sign Posluszny or if he chooses to look elsewhere, he figures to have some options. Going to Cleveland could be one of them.
�Yeah, I�ve heard that,� Posluszny said. �The connection there is Dick Jauron, my former head coach in Buffalo, who�s now the Browns� defensive coordinator. I think he�s planning on running the 4-3 (base defense) I learned my first three years in Buffalo.
�Cleveland may be a possibility, but right now, it�s all speculation because we�re not allowed to communicate with anybody and teams aren�t allowed to communicate with us. It will be interesting to see how it unfolds and what teams are interested in me playing for them.�
If Poszluszny does stay in Buffalo, he�ll be working with former Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt, the Bills� new defensive coordinator. Wannstedt�s job is improving a defense that finished 24th in the league last year, including last in rushing.
To help the process, the Bills used seven of their nine picks in the draft on defensive players. Among them were Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus (first round), Texas cornerback Aaron Thomas (second round), LSU linebacker Kelvin Sheppard (third round) and North Carolina safety Da�Norris Searcy (fourth round).
�I�ve known Coach Wannstedt ever since I went to college,� Posluszny said. �Once the Bills hired him, we sat down in January and February and talked. He called me in April when the lockout was (temporarily) lifted. We talked about a game plan and things we want to once we get back to work. But then they put the lockout back on.
�If the Bills bring me back, I�ll be excited to play for him. He�s got an unbelievable football mind and he�s a western Pa. guy through and through, so I�m excited about that.�
The encouraging news for Posluszny and every NFL player is that there seems to be some progress on the labor front. After the latest rounds of talks between owners and players, there�s optimism that some kind of deal could be struck by July 4.
In the meantime, Posluszny will continue his strenuous workout program at Evolution Sports Institute, which is co-owned by Aliquippa�s Anthony Piroli.
�The lockout has been tough on all NFL players,� Posluszny said. �We just want to have a certainty that we�ll be playing football.
�As far as day-to-day things in the meantime, it�s great to be back home and to train here with these guys. This has been the best, when it comes to training, the best off-season I�ve ever had. I�m the strongest and fastest I�ve ever been.�
�
�This is an excellent post. However, I suspect that oil producers will, when looking back from 2020, only wish $50/bbl had been the floor. They may be lucky to see an average price of $25/bbl from today to 2020.
Saudi oil minster Ali Naimi alluded to the possibility in a recent conference when he asked “Is there a black sawn that we don’t know about which will come by 2050 and we will have no demand?”
He might have said Saudi Arabia and other oil exporting countries face twin Swans. On the supply side there is the fracking swan. On the demand side there is the conservation swan. The two could eat all of the oil market.
Fracking seems to be doing to oil and gas production what the personal computer did to main frame computing. The first gas well was fracked in 1999. At the time the largest oil and gas companies were planning to spend billions to import natural gas into the US. Fifteen years later they are now hoping to export gas. Meantime the price of natural gas has not risen above $3/mcf ($18/bbl) since 2009. As prices fall the experts tell us that drilling for gas will stop. They have been wrong. Moore’s law applies. The costs are falling so fast firms are still making money at $2/mcf.
Fracking came later to oil. The impact has been even more dramatic. US oil production is double the level projected five years ago. Again the experts tell us drilling will stop. Again the companies drilling say that they will just drive down costs and boost productivity. Again, Moore’s law is at work. The fracking swan is eating into the market OPEC expected to have.
Meantime, hydrocarbons are being pushed out of markets by conservation and renewable. Productivity of solar panels and vehicle engines are improving rapidly. Coal is being displaced by natural gas as is diesel and gasoline. Oil producers are under a siege - and there seems to be no way out.Image caption The incident happened at Nice airport in April 2012
A French court has found Air France guilty of discrimination for removing a pro-Palestinian activist from a flight to Israel because she was not Jewish.
The court also ordered the airline to pay 13,000 euros (£11,000; $17,000) in fines and damages.
Horia Ankour had planned to fly to Tel Aviv from Nice to join other activists in a pro-Palestinian campaign.
Air France said she was on a list undesirables provided by Israel. The company said it would appeal.
'Flytilla' campaign
The incident happened during what was dubbed by the media the "flytilla" campaign in April 2012 - when hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists sought to fly to Israel and then make their way to the occupied West Bank.
Shortly before take-off last April, Ms Ankour, a 30-year-old nursing student, was asked by an Air France employee whether she had an Israeli passport or was Jewish.
She answered "No" to both questions, and was then escorted off the plane.
The French court on Thursday concluded this was a clear-cut case of racial discrimination.
In its defence, the French flagship carrier argued that it was only at the last minute that it had realised Ms Ankour was blacklisted by Israel.
The company said it had therefore asked her to leave - in line with an international convention that allowed airlines to refuse transporting passengers who it knew would not be accepted at the point of entry.
It seems the fault in law was for the company to have asked Ms Ankour about her ethnic origins and to have made this the apparent reason for her forced disembarkation, the BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris reports.CLOSE Wilmorite plans to redevelop 25 Schoen Place in the Village of Pittsford. Max Schulte, Tina MacIntyre-Yee
Buy Photo Shirts are given outside a Village Board meeting Aug. 15, 2017, to those supporting development on Schoen Place. (Photo: Lauren Peace/staff photographer)Buy Photo
The Pittsford village board unanimously approved a long-delayed and heavily debated construction moratorium Tuesday night.
The newly approved yearlong moratorium is on village construction and can be extended an additional six months by the board.
While the vote was last scheduled to take place during a meeting on Oct. 24, it was pushed back when the volume of community members to offer public comment surpassed the allotted meeting time.
More: 5 questions and answers about Schoen Place development, Pittsford moratorium
More: Pittsford village board concludes public hearing on moratorium; vote pushed to Nov. 14
The timing of the proposal, and the writing in the law hasn't been void of controversy. The halt in development will prevent the construction of a proposed hotel, spa and restaurant on Schoen Place, a commercial hub on the north side of the Erie Canal.
Over the past few months, village officials have maintained that a pause is necessary in order to allow time for the board to update the village zoning code and comprehensive plan, which was last drafted in 2002, but the developer of the proposed project, and the Powers family who it is in contract with to purchase the land, has expressed dissatisfaction with the board's handling of the matter, suggesting that personal motives are involved.
More: Andreatta: Pittsford moratorium stings Powers farming family
Dennis Wilmot, senior VP of Wilmorite offers his thoughts on the vote. Says taking legal action is not off the table. @DandC#pittsfordpic.twitter.com/QJLwbwfdgN — Lauren Peace (@LaurenMPeace) November 15, 2017
Whether that assertion is or isn't the reality (the board has reiterated that it is not), the vote Tuesday determined the future of development in the village — there won't be much, at least not during the next 12 months.
"There's a lot of moving parts, alluding to the code, which is really outdated," said trustee David Ferris, who stressed that board had put a lot of thought into the proposal, and that the decision was not one made on the whim.
"Everybody on this board wants to make the right decision, to do the right thing. This is not to block any project," Ferris said.
Mayor Corby addresses village demands for walkability etc... citing as reasons for the moratorium. @DandC#Pittsfordpic.twitter.com/fqoAwKXb4x — Lauren Peace (@LaurenMPeace) November 15, 2017
Dennis Wilmot, senior vice president of Wilmorite, the developer on the project of interest at 25 Schoen Place, countered that sentiment. He said that he suspects that the moratorium will not only delay development, but will block the 25 Schoen Place proposal entirely.
"We have done everything as required by the village for submissions of a project for approval and today, short of one meeting with the (development review committee), our application has had zero consideration," said Wilmot. "What is troubling for us in, respects to what has happened (Tuesday). is our feeling is this moratorium gives the village the opportunity to essentially change the rules so that what we are proposing at Schoen Place cannot happen."
Wilmot went on to say that Wilmorite and the Powers family have made efforts to maintain open dialogue with the board from the beginning, but that it hasn't been reciprocated.
"We're operating in a vacuum, now the door's been slammed in our face," he said.
NEWSLETTERS Get the ROC60 newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Rochester in 60 seconds: Get all the news you need to know in less than a minute. Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-800-790-9565. Delivery: Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for ROC60 Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. More newsletters
Wilmot said that he can't say definitively what path Wilmorite and the Powers family will take going forward, but that taking legal action is not off the table.
Perhaps the sole glimmer of hope for those looking to develop in the village over the next year came in the form of a question posed to the board by Mayor Robert Corby, who pondered whether or not it would be possible to move certain projects ahead as sections of the code are updated. No definitive answer was given, but it could very well be the subject of future meetings.
LPEACE@Gannett.com
Read or Share this story: http://on.rocne.ws/2AFM8laIn the past few months, at least two reality television shows have filmed an episode in Redondo Beach. Both episodes are set to air within the next two weeks.
Spike TV's, an Irish pub, into, a surf barbecue joint, in April; the episode will be aired Sunday at 10 p.m., according to a news release from the company.
Bar Rescue follows bar consultant Jon Taffer as he attempts to save failing drinking establishments through staff training and bar makeovers. In the Redondo beach episode, titled "Beach Bummer," Taffer "meets a disagreeable bar manager," according to TVGuide.com's synopsis.
More recently, celebrity chef Ludo Lefebvre took his acclaimed pop-up restaurant LudoBites on the road as part of the new Sundance Channel series Ludo Bites America, and for one night, local Mexican restaurant Lefebvre served up delicacies like a foie gras quesadilla, which caused, bringing some of them to protest outside the restaurant.
In the Redondo Beach episode, "the sunny, laid back atmosphere [of Redondo Beach] can take a turn for the dramatic … Between the maverick menu and, things may just fall apart as tempers flare both inside and outside the restaurant," according to the episode summary on the Sundance Channel's website.
The episode is set to air on the Sundance Channel at 9 p.m. on Aug. 23.
Editor's note: An earlier version of this story noted that "Ludo Bites America: Redondo Beach" would air Aug. 16. Due to a very recent change, the episode will now air Aug. 23.A Plastic Free Year Guidelines
REFUSE, RE-USE, & LET NO PLASTIC TO ENTER WASTE STREAM.
-Do not purchase or be gifted virgin plastic.
-Where a plastic free alternative to a product can not be found, plastic re-used or recycled item of that product can be purchased or borrowed.
-If any plastic is (unwillingly) purchased or gifted during 2011, it can NOT enter the waste stream - it must be kept by me. The accumulated plastic will be weighed at the end of 2011 to measure what my annual plastic footprint is, and will be turned into plastic 'art'.
Please post me any suggestions you have on how I can survive My Plastic Free Year - I need all the assistance I can get! And feel free to join me - the less demand created for virgin plastic, the better for all of us!
Thanks for your support ;-)In the 1960s, New York City was the center of the recording industry and home to a wealth of small clubs and theaters that hosted the cream of rock music. Fans could catch bands on their way up at smaller venues with moderate ticket prices.
But 1969’s Woodstock festival changed the industry and superstars began to demand huge fees to appear. Small venues could no longer compete with huge arenas and stadiums for name acts. In a 1971 letter, promoter Bill Graham explained that he would close both Fillmore East and West because of “the unreasonable and totally destructive inflation of the live concert scene.”
“I continue to deplore the exploitation of the gigantic-hall concerts, many of them with high-priced tickets… it turned into the music industry of festivals, 20,000-seat halls, miserable production quality, and second-rate promoters.”
Most of the rock venues of the ‘60s and early ‘70s are now gone; some demolished, others occupied by businesses that could afford New York’s rocketing rents. Rock Cellar Magazine visited 10 of the sites where so much memorable music was performed to see what they’ve become.
[All Recent Photographs are by Frank Mastropolo]
TRUDE HELLER’S
Trude Heller’s started as a swinging Greenwich Village discotheque in the early ‘60s; go-go dancers lined the walls as glitterati like Salvador Dali, George Hamilton and First Daughter Lynda Bird Johnson frugged on the dance floor. Run by tough-as-nails entrepreneur Trude Heller, rockers like Duane and Gregg Allman, Cyndi Lauper and Peter Criss of KISS got their starts here; headliners included Otis Redding, Ben E. King and Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs. By the late ‘70s the disco craze fizzled and the hot spot shuttered.
Today Lenny’s, the popular NYC sandwich chain, has taken over the site on the corner of 9th St. and Avenue of the Americas.
~*~*~*~
CAFÉ au GO GO
For a 375-seat basement club that didn’t serve liquor, the Café au Go Go featured an impressive roster of stars, including the Doors, Cream, Blood Sweat & Tears, Procol Harum, Jefferson Airplane, Richie Havens, Moby Grape, the Youngbloods and Them.
The club opened in 1964 as a place to hear folk, jazz and comedians like Lenny Bruce, George Carlin and Richard Pryor. Bruce’s infamous bust for obscenity almost put the Greenwich Village club out of business soon after it opened in 1964; as electric rock grew in popularity in 1965, more rock bands were showcased. When the much larger Fillmore East opened in 1968, the au Go Go’s influence diminished; the Bleecker Street club closed its doors in 1969. The au Go Go site today is a Capital One bank.
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NIGHT OWL
The Night Owl on 3rd St. near MacDougal St. was another Greenwich Village music mainstay. The Lovin’ Spoonful apprenticed here before signing with Kama Sutra Records; the folk-rock band’s debut album featured the instrumental Night Owl Blues as a tribute. James Taylor worked the cramped club with his first band, the Flying Machine; the Blues Project and the Blues Magoos also appeared.
The Night Owl survived the ‘60s, but not as a music venue; it became a head shop and sold buttons, t-shirts and comic books. Bleecker Bob’s Golden Oldies, where Paul Simon, Keith Richards, David Bowie and Robert Plant shopped for records, took over the site in the 1970s but may be gone by the time you read this. Named for irascible owner Bob Plotnik, this last refuge for vinyl disc lovers can no longer pay the rent and is scheduled to close in 2013.
~*~*~*~
ACADEMY OF MUSIC / PALLADIUM
After decades as a movie theater, the Academy of Music in the mid-1960s began to stage rock concerts. The 3,500-seat venue on 14th St. at 3rd Ave. attracted big names; the Stones played here in 1965 during their first US tour along with other British Invaders like the Dave Clark Five, Herman’s Hermits and Manfred Mann. In the ‘70s, the Academy picked up for the shuttered Fillmore East as The Band, KISS, and Genesis appeared.
Renamed the Palladium in 1976, the hall hosted U2, Bruce Springsteen, the Ramones, the Clash and Ozzy Osbourne. Studio 54 owners Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager recreated the Palladium as a nightclub in 1985; by 1998 it was devoured by the voracious New York University, flattened and rebuilt as student housing; Trader Joe’s now occupies the retail space.
~*~*~*~
MAX’S KANSAS CITY
When Max’s Kansas City opened its doors in 1965 on Park Ave. South at 17th St., New York’s art and literary crowd made it their clubhouse.
Regulars included Roy Lichtenstein, William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg. Running a bar that caters to artists is a good way to go broke but when pop art’s Andy Warhol and his celebrity posse set up residency at Max’s, its success was ensured. Max’s was Ground Zero for the Glam Rock scene, with David Bowie, Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop and the New York Dolls in attendance. Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground regularly played Max’s; Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits and Country Joe McDonald also performed there.
When Glam Rock faded, Max’s lost its cache and closed in 1974. Max’s soon reopened as a punk rock club, with acts like Sid Vicious, the B-52s, Devo and Madonna, but by 1981 its doors closed for good. The site is now Bread & Butter, a panini shop.
~*~*~*~
CBGB
In late 1973, Hilly Kristal opened punk rock mecca CBGB in a cramped space under a Bowery flophouse.
CBGB was originally supposed to showcase the music that gave it its name, Country, BlueGrass, Blues, but soon featured bands like the Ramones, Blondie, Television and Talking Heads, who name-checked the club in Life During Wartime: “This ain’t no Mudd Club or CBGB.” A rent dispute led to CBGB’s closing in 2006 with a final concert by Patti Smith. Fashion designer John Varvatos opened a store in the East Village space in 2008; its walls display original posters and graffiti from CBGB’s toilets.
~*~*~*~
ANDERSON THEATER
The Anderson Theater, on 2nd Ave. at 4th St. in the East Village, sporadically staged rock concerts in the late 1960s. The old playhouse hosted big-name groups like Traffic, the Grateful Dead, the Yardbirds and Big Brother and the Holding Company with Janis Joplin, but it ran out of steam in the early 1970s and closed. In 1977, Hilly Kristal revived the hall for a few more years as CBGB’s 2nd Avenue Theater with acts like Talking Heads and Patti Smith. Most of the theater space was later demolished to become apartments. The marquee is gone but the 2nd Ave. façade remains; the empty retail space below gives no hint of the site’s history.
~*~*~*~
GREAT GILDERSLEEVES
Great Gildersleeves opened in the late 1970s, giving punk rockers like Iggy Pop, Public Image Ltd (PiL) and Johnny Thunders an alternative venue to the already established CBGB a block south. Gildersleeves also featured Elvis Costello, the J. Geils Band, Marshall Crenshaw and the Beastie Boys. After the club closed in the early 1980s, it became one of the most notorious flophouses on the Bowery. Renamed Kenton Hall, it was taken over by Project Renewal and in 2001 converted into a shelter for homeless men on methadone maintenance.
~*~*~*~
BOTTOM LINE
Musicians and fans loved the cozy confines of the 400-seat Bottom Line in Greenwich Village at the corner of 4th and Mercer Sts. The club opened in 1974 and for three decades stars like Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Hall and Oates, Carly Simon and Dire Straits appeared. Lou Reed recorded his LP Live: Take No Prisoners there. In the end it came down to the bottom line; its owners couldn’t pay more than $185,000 in back rent to its landlord, New York University, and closed in 2004. NYU expanded its Village footprint by turning the site into more classrooms.
~*~*~*~
FILLMORE EAST
The list of rock royalty that appeared at the Fillmore East belies the fact that it was only open for three years. The 2,700-seat hall on 2nd Ave. at 6th St. in the East Village, once the Loews Commodore movie theater, opened in March 1968. Jimi Hendrix, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, the Allman Brothers, Sly and the Family Stone, the Who, Led Zeppelin, Joe Cocker, the Byrds, Derek and the Dominos and Van Morrison performed there. At its closing, Bill Graham said, “In 1965 when we began the original Fillmore Auditorium, I associated with and employed ‘musicians.’ Now, more often than not, it’s with ‘officers and stockholders’ in large corporations – only they happen to have long hair and play guitars.” Graham, who died in 1991, didn’t live to see the Emigrant Savings Bank take over the Fillmore’s lobby area in 2007.
~*~*~*~
Did you know that Rock Cellar Magazine now has a record store? 500,000 records (including the entire Rhino catalogue), 16 million digital tracks, vinyl, DVDs, and games. If you already buy at iTunes, CD Baby or Amazon, think about supporting Rock Cellar. Thanks! Click here to enter our store.Here are some kick ass independent games to play while you are waiting in-between alphas of Overgrowth!
Why should you check out indie games? I think Ron Carmel of 2D Boy says it best: "The video game medium has been in a bit of a rut for about a decade. Many truly great games have come out in the last 10 years, but the market is dominated by big-budget photorealistic sequels and movie tie-ins produced by large public companies. Many of these games are the equivalent of second rate airport novels, straight-to-DVD movies, formulaic TV, and synthetic tween pop."
There are a lot of truly awesome independent video games and as an independent video game company, at Wolfire, we play so many video games for "research" that we think we have come up with a pretty good list. Remember, when you are buying or giving away one of these games, be sure to get it from the creator's website directly, which could mean the difference between the author getting 100% of your sale or 30% depending on where you find it.
1. World of Goo
This game kicks ass. For an in-depth look at what makes it great, check out David's design tour. World of Goo is available for Mac, Windows, and (almost) Linux, but the Nintendo Wii version is possibly the most fun. You can play four player co-op! This game is one of the most successful indie games in recent history, so it is worth looking at very carefully for that reason alone.
2. Braid
Braid is the other indie behemoth of 2008. It offers an exciting twist to 2D platforming by incorporating the element of time travel. Some of Braid's puzzles will seem daunting at first but wrapping your brain around the game's time manipulation system to beat levels is very rewarding. Beyond innovative gameplay, Braid's artwork, music, and storyline combine to give the game a beautiful and nostalgic texture. It is only available on XBLA right now, but if you own an Xbox, definitely check it out.
3. Aquaria
Another IGF winner: Aquaria takes place in a vast and immersive underwater world where you join Naija on her quest to find her family. Movement, spell casting and combat are all nicely woven together in one intuitive and streamlined system. The amazing diversity of creatures, quests and puzzles in Aquaria leads to countless hours of enjoyable underwater spelunking punctuated by spurts of intense combat. Bit-Blot offers a free demo on their web site, so go check it out.
4. Mount&Blade
Mount&Blade is incredibly addictive third-person, medieval fighting game. What's most unique about it is the scale of the battles in the game. You can accrue and army of dudes who fight next to you and just personally fight hundreds of enemies in a single skirmish, taking them out one by one. I bought this game back when it was in beta and was little more than a kick-ass sandbox. TaleWorlds actually was able to create a huge following before the game was even finished yet, and we are shamelessly copying their business model.
5. Gish
Gish is a 2D platformer that demonstrates how a few, simple but elegant controls can combine to create high-quality gameplay. For in depth analysis, check out David's Gish design tour.
6. Castle Crashers
Castle Crashers is an Xbox Live Arcade game that addicted Wolfire for a few days until we completely beat it. Basically, it's a side-scrolling beat em up, sort of like Golden Axe, but a lot more intricate. It's one of the few local multiplayer games out there, so it's an awesome game to play with friends -- 4 players.
7. Multiwinia
Don't let Multiwinia's intentionally minimalist graphics fool you. Multiwinia has all the trimmings of a proper RTS. You can battle your friends in multiplay with up to four players in one of six exciting battle modes. A free demo is available on Introversion's site. Survival of the flattest!
8. Cortex Command
In the history of mankind, mining for gold has never been so fun or so dangerous. Cortex Command depicts the distant future where prospectors battle each other for control of resources on an earth-like planet. Imagine Worms Armageddon, but in real time with extremely detailed pixel-art physics and damage modeling. There's something very satisfying about landing a dropship on a group of soldiers and watching the guts and gears go flying.
9. Droid Assault
Droid Assault is a retro arcade game for Mac, Windows, and Linux. I have to admit I'm the only guy at Wolfire who had heard of it, but I'm a huge fan and got totally addicted to it. Basically, you are a little robot and you must shoot or "take over" other bigger robots. You can amass an army of robots who help you out along your journey.
10. Schizoid
Shizoid is another XBLA title that we've really enjoyed. It's a top down cooperative game. One player controls the red ship |
conclusion, James Poniewozik at Time opined that it had "quietly been the best family comedy on TV," calling the show's ending "one of the most moving things I've seen on TV this year."[43] Alan Sepinwall of The Star-Ledger described it as "sweeter and more human than the great majority of live-action sitcoms that overlapped its run."[44] Genevieve Koski of The A.V. Club described the program as a "steadfast, down-to-earth series," while noting "the show saw its fair share of silly conceits and contrived setups—and got fairly repetitive in the final seasons."[45]
Writers have examined the show through a political lens. "It's not a political show," said Mike Judge in 1997. "It's more a populist, common sense point of view."[41] In 2005, Matt Bai of The New York Times Magazine called it "the most subtle and complex portrayal of small-town voters on television."[46] A 2016 reappraisal from The Atlantic dubbed it the "last bipartisan TV comedy," with writer Bert Clere noting the program "imbued all of its characters with a rich humanity that made their foibles deeply sympathetic. In this, King of the Hill was far ahead of its time, and the broader TV landscape has yet to catch up."[47]
King of the Hill is currently ranked #27 on IGN's "Top 100 Animated TV Series".[48] In 2013, TV Guide ranked King of the Hill as one of the top 60 Greatest TV Cartoons of All Time.[49]
Awards and nominations [ edit ]
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
Archival sources [ edit ]After vowing to move forward with votes on controversial anti-piracy legislation, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and House Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith (R-TX) both announced Friday that the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA) and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) had been postponed indefinitely.
“There is no reason that the legitimate issues raised by many about this bill cannot be resolved,” the Nevada senator explained in a prepared statement. “Counterfeiting and piracy cost the American economy billions of dollars and thousands of jobs each year, with the movie industry alone supporting over 2.2 million jobs.
“We must take action to stop these illegal practices. We live in a country where people rightfully expect to be fairly compensated for a day’s work, whether that person is a miner in the high desert of Nevada, or an independent band in New York City, or a union worker on the back lots of a California movie studio. I admire the work that Chairman Leahy has put into this bill. I encourage him to continue engaging with all stakeholders to forge a balance between protecting Americans’ intellectual property, and maintaining openness and innovation on the internet. We made good progress through the discussions we’ve held in recent days, and I am optimistic that we can reach a compromise in the coming weeks.”
Reid’s announcement comes just one day after a whip count by Open Congress revealed a critical mass of Senators had turned against PIPA after the Internet’s first major, coordinated work stoppage on Wednesday caused millions to contact their members of Congress to demand the bill be scrapped. It takes just 41 votes to stop a bill from moving through the Senate, and so far 38 members are either confirmed “No” votes, or are leaning toward a “No” on the issue.
In the wake of Wednesday’s Internet strike, Republicans largely fled from their support of PIPA while Democrats, who’ve taken significantly more money than Republicans from interest groups like the Motion Picture Association of America, held fast to their support.
Reid’s cancellation of the Senate vote represents a major victory for Internet activists and a significant setback for entrenched entertainment industry interests. The bill is not likely to go away, however — supportive senators have in recent weeks been discussing changes, such as removing provisions that would mandate search engine and DNS blockades, but it remains to be seen when those may emerge.
“We welcome input from all organizations and individuals who have an honest difference of opinion about how best to address this widespread problem,” Rep. Smith said in a statement announcing SOPA’s delay. “The Committee remains committed to finding a solution to the problem of online piracy that protects American intellectual property and innovation.”
The White House, as well, has hedged its bets on PIPA and SOPA as currently written, saying on Saturday that any anti-piracy legislation passed by Congress must balance concerns about censorship with the need to enforce intellectual property rights. The White House said they hope such a balance would “avoid creating new cybersecurity risks or disrupting the underlying architecture of the Internet.”
Even without Rep. Smith postponing SOPA, that bill too would have been indefinitely delayed thanks to Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) saying he will not bring it to a vote until there’s wide bipartisan agreement. Fellow influential Republicans Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) have insisted they will go to the mat to block the bill in its current form.
Disclosure: Raw Story Media, Inc. participated in Wednesday’s Internet blackout protest.The modest price is matched by this first Ubuntu phone's barebone spec sheet. The 4.5-inch display has only qHD resolution (540 x 960), the processor is a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek chip, there's no LTE option, and the onboard storage is limited to 8GB. To offset these restrictions, the Aquaris allows memory expansion via a microSD card and also has two micro-SIM slots for added flexibility. If there's one spec indulgence here, it's the 5-megapixel front-facing camera, which BQ highlights as a major feature on the Android variant of this phone.
Though obviously aimed at the budget-conscious phone buyer, the Ubuntu phone faces tough competition from cheaper alternatives like the excellent Moto E on Android and Microsoft's latest Lumia devices running Windows Phone. Canonical, the company in charge of Ubuntu, believes it has a unique proposition to offer with its concept of Scopes. It eschews the traditional app-based interaction model in favor of "a new UI paradigm, designed to deliver content and services directly to categorised home screens, giving users a rich, unfragmented experience." This sort of content aggregation — serving web videos from YouTube and Vimeo as well as your own recorded media on the same screen — has been tried previously and never really succeeded. Canonical is therefore embarking on a highly ambitious project, but that's to be expected from the company that once sought $32 million to build the Ubuntu Edge smartphone that never materialized.Ever since the automobile became a driving force in American and global culture, road designers and highway planners have been looking for ways to curb the risks associated with driving.
Some cities use dynamic speed limits and flexible lanes (that can run in either direction depending on the time of day) to adjust the flow of traffic during the busiest times of travel. Others widen lanes in a misguided attempt to reduce congestion and collisions.
Many highways feature rumble strips to make cars vibrate, warning of impending curves or sudden stops and alerting drivers who veer too close to the shoulder.
There are a few stretches of highway, however, all across the world, where designers have retuned rumble strips for a different effect, transforming ordinary pavement into musical roads.
By controlling the depth and spacing of rumble strips, engineers and designers can control the pitch and rhythm of the vibrations they produce as a driver passes over the indentations. Assuming a car is traveling at a constant speed, spacing the grooves closer together increases the pitch and spacing them farther apart lowers the pitch.
Producers of National Geographic’s television series Crowd Control used this approach to set up an experiment to encourage drivers to reduce their speed on one of America’s most iconic roads: a stretch of Route 66 near Tijeras, New Mexico. The target area was outfitted with a series of strips, spaced in such a way that motorists would hear America The Beautiful as they drove over.
The design came with a calculated catch: drivers had to slow to 45 miles per hour to hear that tune at the intended tempo and in the appropriate key. Go too fast and the pitch is transposed higher and the tempo is increased (think: chipmunks from Alvin And The Chipmunks); go too slow and the inverse happens (think: any non-chipmunk from the Alvin And The Chipmunks).
Not all musical roads, however, are designed to modify behavior. The first recorded use of a musical road was in Denmark in 1995. It was created by two artists and dubbed the Asphaltophone. Unlike most musical roads, this one used raised bumps on the surface of the road to create vibrations as cars drove over instead of impressions into the pavement. The same physical principles apply, though: the closer the bumps, the higher the resulting pitch of the note.
About a decade later in Japan, a bulldozer operator accidentally etched some grooves into the road and realized that with the proper planning and spacing of the grooves, the technique could be used to create music. A national research institute refined the operator’s design approach to create four stretches of Melody Roads across the country in hopes they would attract tourists. The one in the video above can be found on a major road to Mount Fuji.
More complex pieces are also possible with the right planning. The Okinawa Melody road has two distinct sets of strips in the lane, one for the left and right set of wheels. In addition to allowing more complexity in rhythm, it also creates a stereo effect since different notes can be played from the right and left side of the car.
Unfortunately, not all musical roads turn out equally well. In Lancaster, California, there is a stretch of highway that was supposed to play the finale of the William Tell Overture. But something seems to have gone wrong in their calculations—or perhaps the tune was overly ambitious. The video above shows a couple going over the stretch at the recommended speed of 35 mph and at the posted speed of 55 mph. Still, no matter their speed, the song doesn’t sound right.
There are probably a few factors at play. First, this piece of music is pretty upbeat, with a lot of notes to hit in a very short amount of time. If one of those notes is off at all, it throws off the rhythm of the others as well. The rhythm, however, turned out far better than the pitch. The intervals (the “jumps” in pitch between the musical notes) is totally off in multiple places, making the melody bare little semblance to the original piece. Most likely, they made a miscalculation (or a series of miscalculations) in the spacing between the grooves for several of the notes which led to these distortions.
Whether well or poorly designed, these musical roads do seem to be grabbing the attention of drivers as evinced by all of shaky YouTube footage that exists from around the world. One does have to wonder, though, if these roads are actually improving driving habits.
Obeying the speed limit to get a musical reward might slow people down, but it can also increase temptation to pull out a phone and capture the moment. A tip for would-be musical road drivers: bring a passenger if you want to record the experience.Photo - David Fitt
Synthwave, darksynth, neon metal – appelez-la comme vous voulez, mais cette branche rétroactive de la musique électronique défonce sérieusement, et James Kent en fait la synthèse comme personne. Depuis 2012, il a publié une série d'EPs et d'albums avant-gardistes sous le pseudonyme de Perturbator qui, non-contents d'avoir donné naissance à un genre nouveau (une fusion cyber-organique de krautrock, de B.O électroniques et de metal industriel), ont également contribué à y attirer des fans improbables. Quel est le dernier projet de musique électronique a avoir vraiment séduit les metalheads? The Prodigy? Eux n'ont jamais été invités à jouer dans des festivals de black metal comme c'est le cas pour Kent.
Son style a beau être enraciné dans le passé, la popularité de Pertubator s'est faite de manière tout ce qu'il y a de plus moderne : sur Internet, par le biais de Bandcamp ou Soundcloud, sur lesquels il publie sa musique en mode prix libre. Alors qu'il était proposé quasi-gratuitement, son dernier album Dangerous Days (épuisé en format physique) demeure toujours, presque deux ans après sa sortie, dans le top-80 des ventes digitales sur Bandcamp.
Ayant depuis signé avec Blood Music, qui ont publié des versions remasterisées de ses premiers trucs, son quatrième album semble en bonne voie pour propulser Kent, basé à Paris, dans la stratosphère. Sa pochette est déjà à l'origine d'une controverse (oh non, pas un dessin de nichons!), et on peut s'attendre sans grand risque à ce qu'il batte encore des records sur Bandcamp dès sa sortie, c'est à dire aujourd'hui.
On a rencontré le « Night Driving Avenger » en personne pour parler de sa descente dans la « Vallée Mystérieuse » et de l'amour que lui témoignent les metalheads.
<a data-cke-saved-href="http://perturbator.bandcamp.com/album/the-uncanny-valley" href="http://perturbator.bandcamp.com/album/the-uncanny-valley">The Uncanny Valley by PERTURBATOR</a>
Noisey : Le truc qui m'intéresse dans la synthwave, c'est qu'il y existe un crossover évident avec la scene metal.
James Kent : Je crois que c'est surtout le cas pour une poignée de gens de la synthwave, dont moi, et aussi Gost, et Carpenter Brut. Il y a beaucoup de musiciens dans la scène synthwave, mais il n'y en a que quelques-uns qui sortent vraiment du lot pour les metalheads.
Comment tu expliques que ta musique peut plaire à des des fans de metal?
C'est difficile à dire. Je suis moi-même fan de metal et j'en écoute tous les jours. La plupart du temps je n'écoute que du metal, en fait. Je fais de la musique électronique de la même manière que je composerais un morceau de metal, donc c'est peut-être ça, le facteur attractif de ma musique pour cette scène. C'est assez étrange pour moi aussi – à tous mes concerts je vois des gens avec des vestes pleines de patchs et des t-shirts Slayer, des trucs comme ça. Ça me fait bizarre parce qu'ils sont là pour voir un concert de musique électronique. J'ai quelques petites idées, mais je suis incapable d'être vraiment catégorique sur ce qui les attire autant.
Puisque le metal est ce que tu écoutes le plus, qu'est-ce qui t'a poussé à faire de la musique électronique?
Je jouais de la guitare dans des groupes de metal du coin, mais ce qui m'a attiré dans la musique électronique c'est en premier lieu qu'on puisse en faire – et qu'on puisse la faire sonner de manière aboutie – tout seul. Pas besoin de batteur, pas besoin de bassiste, pas besoin d'autres musiciens avec des égos pas possibles. Je voulais juste faire de la musique tout seul, vraiment, et je me suis dis que le plus facile, c'était de le faire avec des synthétiseurs et des boites à rythmes. Ca fait cinq ans maintenant, et avec le recul, c'était finalement un choix étrange J'aurais pu faire un projet solo, juste moi et ma guitare ou un truc dans le genre. Parce que la musique électronique a des règles, et qu'elles sont très différentes de celles du metal en termes de composition. Donc ça a été vraiment dur de passer de l'un à l'autre pour moi, mais c'était marrant. Aujourd'hui, je suis capable de faire les deux.
Quand tu t'es mis à faire ce type de son, tu t'es juste dit « je kiffe John Carpenter, et aussi Tangerine Dream, c'est parti », et t'as commencé à bidouiller avec en arrière-plan ton passif dans le metal?
Ouais, c'est exactement comme ça que ça s'est passé. Comme je l'ai dit, quand j'ai décidé de faire de la musique électronique, j'y connaissais que dalle. Je n'écoute pas beaucoup de musique électronique. Ma seule référence, c'était les B.O de The Thing, de Blade Runner, Tangerine Dream, Goblin – tout le délire des B.O rétros faites avec des synthés. C'était mes seules bases. J'utilisais ces références comme point de départ pour construire mon propre son. Et, plus tard, j'ai évidemment découvert des projets électroniques plus contemporains que j'aime, ce qui fait qu'à chaque fois que je fais un morceau ou un album, j'y ajoute un peu de ce que j'ai découvert ou des influences que j'ai eue à cette période.
Tu peux citer quelques-unes des nouvelles influences qu'on retrouve dans ton nouvel album Uncanny Valley?
Après Dangerous Days, j'ai commencé à écouter beaucoup de... – ça va paraître étrange, mais j'ai commencé à écouter beaucoup de jazz. Il y a un morceau sur l'album [« Femme Fatale »], sur lequel je voulais faire un truc électronique semi-jazz. C'est du Pertubator qui essaie d'être jazz, ce qui est un peu marrant et un peu con, mais je trouve que ça rend plutôt bien. J'ai aussi commencé à m'intéresser beaucoup plus aux seventies, avec les B.O de films d'horreur chelous, faites au Moog – les vieux films d'exploitation des années 70, surtout des films italiens. Comme je l'ai dit, Goblin, qui sont les maîtres dans le genre. De tous les pionniers – les Tangerine Dream, les John Carpenter – Goblin sont ceux qui sonnent le plus occulte. Je me suis vraiment plongé là-dedans. J'en avais déjà conscience avant, mais je m'y suis vraiment plongé après Dangerous Days, et ça a vraiment influencé la manière dont j'ai fait ce nouvel album. C'est probablement celui qui sonne le plus occulte de tout ce que j'ai fait jusque-là. Il y a clairement plus de sons vintage des seventies.
Est-ce que tu vois The Uncanny Valley comme une continuation de Dangerous Days? Les deux semblent avoir beaucoup de thèmes en commun, autant dans la musique que dans les thèmes.
À chaque nouvel album, j'essaie soit de faire vraiment, vraiment différent, ou juste mieux en terme de production, de tempos, de son. Uncanny Valley, c'est en gros ce que je voulais faire quand j'ai fait Dangerous Days. Quand j'ai fait Dangerous Days, je n'avais pas encore les connaissances et la technique pour faire The Uncanny Valley. C'est cool, parce que c'est l'étape logique dans ma progression. C'était soit ça, soit faire un truc complètement différent, ce que j'ai fait quand j'ai sorti le EP Sexualizer par exemple, qui n'était quasiment que de la disco. Je voulais que mon quatrième album soit un amalgame, un melting-pot de tout ce qui constitue Perturbator. Certains titres sont violents, avec un tempo très rapide – c'est clairement le plus violent que j'aie fait. Les batteries tabassent, le son tabasse. Mais on retrouve aussi tout ce qu'on peut attendre de n'importe lequel de mes albums – des morceaux avec du chant, des interludes d'ambient bizarre, des trucs comme ça.
Y a t-il une histoire qui se développe d'album en album? D'un point de vue extérieur, on dirait qu'elle se construit depuis I Am the Night jusqu'à celui-ci.
Il y en a une, oui. Dans un sens, j'aurais bien aimé avoir commencé directement – ma première sortie ça a été le EP The Night Driving Avenger. J'aimerais bien qu'il y ait eu une histoire qui s'y rattache, avec mon premier album aussi. À l'époque j'avais 18 ans, et je n'avais même pas idée que des gens l'écouteraient, alors j'ai un peu précipité les choses. À partir de I Am The Night – même avant, avec Nocturne City – on retrouve plein de thèmes récurrents, et j'essaie, à chaque nouvelle sortie, que ça soit un EP ou un album, j'essaie de lier les choses avec le reste de mes autres sorties, mais toujours en essayant d'apporter de la nouveauté. Je crois que c'est la partie la plus difficile du processus. Il faut que ça sonne familier – genre, que les gens mettent The Uncanny Valley et se disent « OK, c'est du pur Pertubator », mais qu'ils aient quand même des surprises. Toutes les histoires sont liées. L'histoire de Uncanny Valley se déroule 20 ans après Dangerous Days, et elle aborde les même genres de thèmes, le fanatisme et la science-fiction, la technologie, les androïdes qui ressemblent exactement à des humains. Je développe le même genre de choses, mais j'essaie de le faire différemment à chaque fois.
Et il y a même une bande-dessinée d'Ariel ZB qui accompagne l'édition deluxe de cet album.
La BD a été difficile à réaliser, parce que c'est une BD sans bulles, donc elle doit présenter l'histoire, les personnages, l'album, sans aucun mot. Je trouve qu'elle le fait plutôt bien, mais sans divulguer toute l'histoire – la bande-dessinée ne correspond pas à toute l'histoire de l'album. L'histoire de l'album – en gros, le dénouement –, l'auditeur la retrouve sous forme d'indices dans le nom des chansons, les samples, les trucs comme ça, et même dans les textes des morceaux avec du chant.
Est-ce que c'est un truc qui vient de ton background metal – des groupes comme Iron Maiden ou Immortal, qui ont un fil rouge dans leurs visuels et leurs albums?
Oui, mais pas seulement du metal. Pour une raison ou une autre, tous mes albums préférés se développent autour d'une histoire. Même dans le rap – Tyler the Creator a fait un album qui s'appelle Goblin, avec une histoire en filigrane, et je trouve ça mortel. Je pense que chaque album devrait être un voyage. Il y a un début et il y a une fin. Il y a des scènes et des interludes. Ça prend tout son sens si tu écoutes l'album du début jusqu'à la fin, mais tu peux quand même écouter les chansons séparément si tu veux. C'est comme ça que j'aime les albums en général. Quand j'écoute un album, je l'écoute en entier. J'espère juste que les gens qui écoutent Perturbator font pareil. On verra bien.
Jeff Treppel est dans un rétro futur très proche. Il est sur Twitter.Tuesday Aug 13, 2013
Announcing CouchDB Conf in Vancouver
We’re excited to announce the next Apache CouchDB Conf will be in Vancouver, Canada on November 13, 2013. Big thanks to Cloudant to helping to make this happen!
Sign up to get notified when CouchDB Conf tickets go on sale.
We’re building the schedule with talks from all corners of the CouchDB community and hope to see you there this fall. This is a follow-up to our CouchDB Conf in Berlin, where we laid the groundwork for the BigCouch merge and other exciting features you'll hear about in Vancouver (geospatial data and PouchDB for mobile devices to name two).
We’ll be in Vancouver, BC the day before CascadiaJS 2013, which will be held November 14-15. Sign up to get notified when the next batch of CascadiaJS tickets go on sale. The Early Bird tickets sold out in 20 minutes!
There's lots of crossover between the JavaScript and CouchDB communities. Data-driven web apps and CouchDB makes it a natural fit. So we hope you'll be able to stick around and experience what both conferences have to offer.
We’ll plan to keep running these Apache CouchDB Confs. Got suggestions? Feedback? Wanna help us with our next one? Get in touch publicly, or privately. You can also tweet us at @CouchDB. Whatever suits!
Posted at 09:12PM Aug 13, 2013 by Noah Slater in News | |There are a number of potential dangers that could occur while bicycling, including bad or inattentive drivers, other cyclists, rough or uneven riding surfaces, broken parts, potential crime, etc. But, the danger that worries me the most often is an unprovoked attack by dog(s). Perhaps this is because two decades ago my ex-wife was attacked and bitten by a German shepherd as we pedaled past tranquil farms along a county back road in West Central Indiana. Fortunately, we found the owners and learned the dog was up-to-date on its shots.
Ever since then, I keep a wary eye and ear out for aggressive, angry, and/or dangerous dogs. There is one dog in particular who lives along my bike commuter route, who sprints up toward the trail as soon as it sees me riding past and stops just short of my position due to their invisible fence. Would it ever bust through the electronic barrier and attack me? I wish I knew the answer to that question. It is obviously not running up there and displaying a playful demeanor. My only defense at this point would be to use my helmet, back pack, or bike itself as shields. I guess I should consider other options like mace, a spray water bottle, or an umbrella to better fend off an attack.
Aside from my irritated morning greeter, most often I worry about dogs living in rural areas as they seem less likely to be controlled by leash, chain, or electronically and they seem more likely for an unprovoked attack given their exposure to wild animals and run-free conditions. To date, I fortunately have never been bitten, but it is something that remains in the back of my mind while riding.
So…what scares you the most while bicycling?
AdvertisementsAs methane intensifies greenhouse gas in the atmosphere – propelling average global temperatures higher toward the brink of no return – Cornell’s Robert Howarth briefed the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy May 27 on its dangers and solutions.
“In Paris at the COP21 [the 21st United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties] last December, the nations of the world came together to recognize that we need to keep our planet well below a 2 degrees Celsius temperature rise – compared to the pre-industrial baseline temperature for the Earth – and that anything above 1.5 degrees Celsius is dangerous,” said Howarth, the David R. Atkinson Professor of Ecology and Environmental Biology. “If we don’t, we’re at an increased risk of hitting tipping points in the climate system that will lead to runaway global warming.”
The 90-minute briefing, “Natural Gas and Methane After COP21,” was given to senior staff and scientists.
Howarth told the group Earth’s atmosphere is on target to raise the average atmospheric temperature by 1.5 degrees C in the next 10 to 15 years and by 2 degrees C within the next 35 to 40 years. “The only way to slow this rate of warming and meet the COP21 target is to reduce methane emissions,” he said. “Although we should reduce carbon dioxide emissions, reducing carbon dioxide alone will not slow global warming on the time scale of the next few decades. The climate system responds much more quickly to reducing methane emissions.”
Last October, Howarth published a scientific paper explaining how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimate for greenhouse gas emissions may be in error by a wide margin due to its computations accounting for natural gas, the so-called “bridge” fuel – a fuel considered transitional from full carbon energy like coal to renewable energy. “Methane emissions from the U.S. are much larger than is recognized by the EPA, according to a large and growing body of evidence,” he told the scientists.
“The agency relies on data that are questionable due to misuse of monitoring equipment, according to papers published last year,” he said. “Reliable data from satellite and airplane surveys show much higher emissions and indicate that global increases in methane in the atmosphere over the last decade may well be the result of increased emissions from the United States.”
Further, the EPA underestimates the importance of methane emissions on global warming, since they only compare methane and carbon dioxide for 100 years following emissions. This greatly discounts the importance of methane and is contrary to the guidance given by the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change. A better approach is to compare to the two greenhouse gases on the time scale of 10 to 20 years following emission, he said.
Statistically, carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel have fallen in the U.S. since 2007 due to the economic recession and switching to natural gas from coal to generate electricity, but, Howarth cautioned, “Total greenhouse gas emissions – after dipping slightly in 2007 – have been rising since at their most rapid rate ever, due to shale gas development and large methane emissions.
“If the U.S. wants to meet the COP21 target – to which we have agreed – we need to recognize that natural gas – and shale gas, in particular – is not a bridge fuel,” Howarth told the scientists. “We need to move aggressively move toward an economy based on renewable energy.”The location of an artificial earthquake detected from North Korea's nuclear test site in Punggye-ri
The launch site for several of North Korea's nuclear tests appears to be caving in - a condition known as "Tired Mountain Syndrome".
The geological condition occurs when underground nuclear blasts cause the surrounding rock to become weak and permeable.
Five of Pyongyang's six nuclear tests have been carried out under Mount Mantap at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site, in the country's north west.
Since Pyongyang's most recent - and most powerful - nuclear test on 3 September, there have been three small earthquakes in the immediate area.
The first happened shortly after the blast while two smaller tremors took place in late September and last week.
:: N Korea missile test: What message is Kim Jong Un trying to send?
N Korea propaganda video attacks'madman' Trump
The 38 North website, which reports on issues involving North Korea, said there could be concern about the phenomenon at Mount Mantap, as the area affected by the latest blast could potentially extend as far as 1.4km from the detonation point.
But it says such results are "not unusual", and probably won't stop the area being used for further tests.
"There is no valid reason to assume that the Punggye-ri test site is unable to contain additional underground nuclear tests," the report said.
Punggye-ri has two more unused tunnel complexes, it said.
Image: A missile launch by North Korea in July
Kim Jong Un told party officials this month that the country's atomic weapons were a "treasured sword" to protect it from aggression.
But nuclear missiles aren't the only thing North Korea is launching.
Its deputy UN ambassador has said it plans to also launch more satellites.
At a UN meeting called the International Co-operation in the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, Kim In Ryong said the country's five-year plan for 2016-20 includes the development of "practical satellites that can contribute to the economic development and improvement of the people's living".
Trump: US ready for N Korea'military option'
:: Sky Views: Sanctions won't stop Kim Jong Un
He accused the US of trying to block its efforts on grounds it violates UN sanctions.
The frontline against North Korea
"The US is the country that launched the largest number of satellites and yet it claims that our launch of satellites is a threat to international peace and security," he said.
Some, including in the US, fear North Korea's space programme is a cover for developing weapons.White House's shifting IRS account
The White House on Monday once again added to the list of people who knew about the IRS investigation into its targeting of conservative groups — saying White House chief of staff Denis McDonough had been informed about a month ago.
Press secretary Jay Carney said again that no one had told President Barack Obama ahead of the first news reports: not his top aide McDonough, nor his chief counsel Kathy Ruemmler, nor anyone from the Treasury Department.
Story Continued Below
Monday’s revelation amounts to the fifth iteration of the Obama administration’s account of events, after initially saying that the White House had first learned of the controversy from the press.
( PHOTOS: 10 slams on the IRS)
Republicans said they were on the lookout for the next installment in the White House’s ever-shifting narrative.
Here’s how the White House account has evolved:
Friday, May 10: IRS official Lois Lerner disclosed at an American Bar Association conference that the agency had targeted non-profit applications from groups with tea party language in their name.
That afternoon, Carney said he didn’t know when the White House first became aware of the investigation.
“I don’t have an answer to that specifically,” Carney said. “I know that when the IG began investigating it, that it’s been investigating it for however long the IRS has said, but I don’t have a specific answer to that.”
( Also on POLITICO: Baucus and Hatch expand IRS probe)
Outside the White House, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said that he’d first learned of the details of the investigation from news reports.
Monday, May 13: Obama, during his press conference with British Prime Minister David Cameron, said he first learned about the IRS story from the press.
“I first learned about it from the same news reports that I think most people learned about this,” Obama said. “I think it was on Friday.”
Later in the day, Carney told reporters aboard Air Force One that White House counsel Kathy Ruemmler’s office was told “in the week of April 22” that an inspector general’s report was coming “involving the office in Cincinnati.”
“But that’s all they were informed as a normal sort of heads up,” Carney said. “And we have never — we don’t have access to, nor should we, the IG’s report or any draft versions of it.”
Tuesday, May 14: The inspector general’s report was released, and Obama released a statement directing Treasury Secretary Jack Lew to “hold those responsible for these failures accountable.”
Wednesday, May 15: Acting IRS Commissioner Steven Miller resigned at Obama’s request.137 SHARES Facebook Twitter Flipboard Stumbleupon Reddit
Just a friendly wager on some baseball.
Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, NY and Anchor Brewing in San Francisco, wagered some craft beer–and then some–on the outcome of last night’s MLB National League Wild Card game between the New York Mets and the San Francisco Giants. Sporting blue and orange, Ommegang President Doug Campbell challenged Anchor’s President Matt Davenport yesterday morning on Twitter. Matt accepted, terms were drawn up, and a tweet-handshake sealed the deal.
The terms: the winner will send beer and a jersey of the winning team to the losing brewing, and the loser, decked out in said uniform, will serve the winning brewery’s beer in their tasting room. The losing brewmaster will also travel to the winning brewery to brew a collaboration beer in honor of the winning team and city. The beer will be available in time for Opening Day 2017.
“This game promises to be an epic matchup between two great teams and two great states,” said Campbell. “I look forward to seeing pictures of Matt serving our beer to Anchor fans in San Francisco. Here in Cooperstown, our roots run deep in both the national pastime and our home state, and we are exciting to raise our glasses to the Mets’ victory tonight.”
Doug foresaw an outcome that Mets fans would have been vigorously celebrating this morning; however, it will be the Giants who advance to play the Chicago Cubs in the National League Divisional Series of the MLB Playoffs after a three to nothing win over New York.
“Baseball and San Francisco have gone hand in hand for more than 100 years. With roots that date back to the California Gold Rush, Anchor has been intrinsically tied to the city, enjoyed by Giants fans for decades,” says Davenport, decked out in orange and black. “We look forward to sharing our beer with Ommegang fans in Cooperstown, as we send some tasty West Coast [read: Best Coast] brews to be enjoyed in their taproom. It’s an even year and we all know what that means.”
The Wild Card game was played at Citi Field in New York City last night. The outcome will have Davenport sending beer and a Giants jersey to Cooperstown. The San Francisco victory also means that Ommegang’s brewmaster is checking out plane tickets to the Bay Area today, as he will be travelling to Anchor to concoct some awesome suds with them. The Giants and the crew at Anchor deserve congratulations, but the true winners will be fans of craft beer everywhere, who will get to taste a new collaboration beer from the two breweries.
About Brewery Ommegang
Brewery Ommegang opened in 1997 to brew imaginative craft beers across a variety of styles, with particular emphasis and respect for Belgian brewing traditions. Ommegang brews nine ales year-round, as well as an extensive and innovative range of seasonal and specialty ales. The beers have won a national following by connoisseurs of fine beer and are distributed in 46 states and internationally. Ommegang is located on a 136-acre farmstead |
two certainties underlying the Cold War's various animosities, the United States preserved calm in its lake.
But the 21st century has not been kind to this status quo, however convenient it may have been for American interests. China's naval, air, cyber and ballistic missile buildup over the past two decades has not yet challenged U.S. military supremacy in the region, but it has encroached significantly on the previously unipolar environment. Moreover, to measure China's progress against U.S. supremacy is to neglect the primary regional balance of power between China and Japan. Tokyo, over the same time period, has come to see China as reaching a sort of critical mass and has accelerated its own military preparations, both in a quantitative and a qualitative sense. Recently, Tokyo has taken to trumpeting its abandonment of quasi-pacifism in order to adjust the world's expectations to what it sees as a new reality. Japan was already a major naval power — it ranks fourth in total naval tonnage, has more destroyers than any navy besides that of the United States, and its technology and traditions give it a special edge. But now it is moving faster to loosen restrictions on its rules of engagement and to upgrade the capabilities it needs to defend its most distant island holdings.
While Beijing sees Japan's actions as aggressive, it is primarily China that is altering the status quo. No doubt Japan was once the region's most ambitious and belligerent power, and no doubt China cannot assume good intentions, but Japan's current military normalization has little in common with its 1930s militarization, and Tokyo is for the moment mostly reacting to Beijing. China, for instance, has largely succeeded in shaping a global narrative of a legitimate dispute over islands in the East China Sea. But Japan has controlled the Senkaku islands (known as Diaoyu in Chinese) for more than 40 years, and China has only recently asserted its claims. Japan's other territorial disputes, by contrast, show a continuation of the status quo: Russia administers the southern Kuril islands but sees Japan offering dialogue while moving military forces away from that border; South Korea controls the Liancourt Rocks, but any feared Japanese appetite for overturning that status quo remains in check by the Americans. Nor were Japan's sea-lanes under any conceivable threat of interference from China until recently. Keep in mind that Japan's supply line anxieties are inherent to its geopolitical position.
Indeed, in the eyes of the Pentagon, Japan now has every reason to tailor its military capabilities in order to take precautions against China's rise. For years U.S. defense officials have argued that a stronger Japan would help ensure China's peaceful ascent. Only a few years ago, defense officials and think tank analysts in Washington were fretting that the Japanese might not muster the courage to stand up to China. The explanation for all this is clear: Almost seven decades of U.S. military presence in Japan has created, on an emotional level, a powerful Japan lobby within the American military and on the Pentagon's E-Ring. This was further buttressed during the Rumsfeld years, when the United States encouraged Japan to spend billions of dollars on defending itself against North Korean missiles and to host a U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier strike group, despite Japan's neuralgic attitude toward nuclear weapons at the time. (See "What Rumsfeld Got Right," by Robert D. Kaplan, The Atlantic, July 2008.) From a purely geopolitical point of view, a more assertive Japan could someday revive an old threat to the United States, since both are maritime powers. But for now, Washington sees immediate benefits in Japan's growing willingness to defend itself rather than rely so heavily on the United States.
The real danger Japan poses to the Americans is that attempting to establish a formidable defensive posture could provoke China into a dangerous escalation that, in turn, could ensnare the United States in a confrontation with the latter.
While Japan reacts to a changing of the status quo, China is aware of its own role as an agent of change. Beijing knows that it is an emerging power. It knows that emerging powers disrupt the international system. But it needs to buy time, since it isn't ready to confront directly and unapologetically the American-led status quo in the Pacific. China's lack of readiness is heightened by the precarious consolidation of political power and economic reforms that the Xi Jinping administration has undertaken out of necessity. China thus seeks a "new kind of major country relationship," a phrase Chinese and American diplomats have taken to repeating, whereby the two countries will find some way of accommodating each other to China's military emergence without causing the disruption and conflict that history books suggest is inevitable. The problem with this rhetoric is that, as the Napoleonic Wars and World War I showed, the awareness that a collapsing status quo often precedes a bellum is not the same thing as collective action on all sides to reform the old status quo. Knowing theoretically what causes wars — though good in and of itself and a prerequisite for prudent statecraft — is not the same as sacrificing some portion of one's own interests to try to prevent them.
The United States must try both to accommodate rising Chinese power and to fortify U.S. allies in response to it. But it acts from a position of military security that Japan — not to mention China's smaller neighbors — cannot assume. Regardless of whether Japan overcorrects, the status quo in the Pacific is changing. And the stability of the region can no longer be taken for granted.Mads Blücher has seen the overtime zombies. He was installing servers at a large firm's office one night, after hours, and was astonished when he saw how many young people were still sitting at their desks. "They were completely slumped down in their chairs; they were barely able to look at the screens. But they were there," he recalled.
His glimpse into the corporate world and its overtime culture showed Mads how he does not want to work. He now runs his own company, Translated By Us, a small translation bureau based in Copenhagen. Here he does things differently. His employees get to go home after six hours of work - while getting paid the same as in a nine-to-five job.
"The usual thing that happens when you have a lot of hours is everything and nothing," he told DW. Slicing two hours off the usual eight-hour workday allowed the start-up to focus on the tasks that really matter, the 34-year-old added. "It sharpens everything."
Translated By Us's management team around CEO Mads Blücher (left) champions the six-hour workday
In the morning the whole team briefly meets to agree the day's goals. "It gives a more positive vibe because everybody knows what's expected of them," Mads said. "And then you do that, be okay with it, go home and go kite surfing - or whatever it is that you do with your life."
Are six hours the new eight hours?
Clocking off in the early afternoon, that really does sound like many a worker's dream. And it hits a nerve. A recent study by a health insurance company found that work stress burdens almost half of German employees. Many suffer from headaches, insomnia or emotional exhaustion, some even from depression or burnouts. People work, work, work - until they get sick. And then they continue to work. Is it time to rethink the way we earn our money?
Translated By Us are no pioneers of the six-hour workday. Particularly in Sweden the concept has been around for a while with many smaller but also larger firms trialing it. Car manufacturer Toyota, for example, shortened the shifts at its service center in the city of Gothenburg more than a decade ago - and stuck with it ever since, after they saw an immediate increase in profits.
A two-year trial at an elderly care home, also in Gothenburg, just ended with some interesting results. Reducing the 68 nurses' workdays from eight to six hours, with no pay cuts, came at a cost. The local municipality, who ran the trial, had to spend an extra 1.26 million euros ($1.33 million) to hire 17 new staff to cover for the lost hours. They did also save in unemployment benefits and taxes from the people the scheme put to work. But all in all it was a financial failure.
The Swedish city of Gothenburg trialed the six-hour day in a care home - with mixed results
And still the trial was a success. It achieved exactly what it set out to do: It improved staff satisfaction and health - and patient care. The trade-off seems simple enough: Have happier and more productive staff or save money? Could this actually revolutionize the way an entire country works?
Reality check
No, is the rather sobering answer from Werner Eichhorst at the IZA Institute of Labor Economics in Germany. "It's not a universal remedy and not a general principle that can be implemented in the short run," he told DW. "You can't assume that the work being done in eight hours now can in all cases simply be accomplished in three quarters of the time."
An entire country switching to a six-hour day would most likely batter its economy, Eichhorst predicted. More people would be needed to do the same amount of work, which would increase companies' labor cost. And it might result in workforce shortages, as there is not an infinite supply of trained professionals to take the new jobs. "I would place a huge question mark behind such a model," Eichhorst said.
Web development agency Potato is looking to attract young talent by not setting any work hours
And so did the local government in Gothenburg. They eventually decided not to continue the care home scheme - because of the higher costs.
A right solution for everyone
But the end of the experiment does not spell the end of the six-hour day. It still has its place in some companies. And other companies have to find other solutions, Eichhorst said. "Right now there are a lot of discussions around this. What is work? What's a legitimate space of not working? What are the limits of stress?"
At least in Germany, he added, the rigid nine-to-five day is vanishing more and more. Many companies nowadays offer at least somewhat flexible hours, let employees work from home - or even give them entirely free reign in how and when they finish their tasks.
Focus on the output
The web development agency Potato, which was founded in 2010, did away with set working hours altogether. Employees in their London, Bristol and San Francisco offices can come and go as they please, as long as they finish their work.
Watch video 03:49 Share Stress management at work Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/2X7Qb Stress management at work
"People are more productive at certain times of the day, not everyone's the same," Declan Cashin, the firm's head of content, told DW. "If your job can accommodate when you're at your most productive, then it's in the company's best interest to work around you," he said.
Before joining Potato four months ago, the 35-year-old worked as a journalist, where the hours were long, all over the place and often set in stone. "Working in media, it can be hard to have a good work-life balance, whereas working in a company like Potato allows you to really achieve that balance an awful lot more."
Change is underway
Sure, companies like Potato or Translated By Us are not offering an attractive and flexible work culture out of sheer goodwill. They are hoping it will convince young and talented people to work for them and put them ahead of their competitors. Just the way that Toyota in Gothenburg stuck with the six-hour workday because it made them more money. It must make business sense. But maybe the examples they set will pave the way for a more fundamental change in work culture.
Over in Copenhagen, Mads is glad his visit to the corporate world was only temporary. "It just seemed so unhealthy," he said. "There was very little focus on having a great life and much more focus on meeting budgets." He wants to prove that it is possible to meet budgets AND have a great life.The heartbroken family of Captain Dara Fitzpatrick, who was named as the first casualty following a helicopter crash off the west coast of the country, have paid tribute to her.
The heartbroken family of Captain Dara Fitzpatrick, who was named as the first casualty following a helicopter crash off the west coast of the country, have paid tribute to her.
'We are so proud of Dara's work' - family of mum-of-one who died in Coast Guard helicopter crash pay tribute
She was one of four crew members on board Rescue 116 which crashed six miles west of Blacksod.
She is survived by her three year old son.
It's believed that Ms Fitzpatrick is from Kilternan, Co Dublin.
Her family have led tributes to her.
"We are so proud of Dara's work and all she has done to save the lives of others over the years," they said in a statement to Today FM.
"We are completely heartbroken and we pray for the recovery of the other three crew.
"She is survived by her three year old son, her three sisters, brother and her parents."
Coastguard Personnel pictured loading helicopter debris into a jeep at Blacksod Lighthouse, Belmullet, today. PIC COLIN O'RIORDAN Boatmen pictured landing helicopter debris at Blacksod Lighthouse, Belmullet, today. PIC COLIN O'RIORDAN Boatmen pictured landing helicopter debris at Blacksod Lighthouse, Belmullet, today. PIC COLIN O'RIORDAN Boatmen pictured landing helicopter debris at Blacksod Lighthouse, Belmullet, today. PIC COLIN O'RIORDAN Boatmen pictured landing helicopter debris at Blacksod Lighthouse today. (Image: Colin O'Riordan) Coast Guard Members searching for a Coast Guard Helicopter Missing at Blacksod lighthouse, Belmullet, Co. Mayo. Photo : Keith Heneghan / Phocus Rescue workers in Blacksod. Picture: Fergus Sweeney
Her sister, leading psychologist Niamh Fitzpatrick, also paid tribute to her on Twitter this afternoon.
"My brave sister Capt Dara Fitzpatrick lost her life. We are devastated. Please pray for recovery of 3 remaining crew".
Muckross Park College, where Ms Fitzpatrick attended, also paid tribute to her.
"It is with heavy hearts that we post this message. Capt Dara Fitzpatrick, class of 1989, died this morning doing what she loved #rescue116. Our thoughts and prayers are with her son. Her parents Mary Mulholland, class of 1962 & father John, twin sisters Niamh & Orla, class of 1986, brother Johnny & younger sister Eimear, extended family & friends.
My brave sister Capt Dara Fitzpatrick lost her life in #Rescue116 crash. We are devastated. Please pray for recovery of 3 remaining crew. — Niamh Fitzpatrick (@NFitzPsychology) March 14, 2017 Me & my gorgeous sister Dara...we'll miss you forever & love you always #RIPDara #Rescue116 pic.twitter.com/yIfFDlztU2 — Orla Fitzpatrick (@ofitzp) March 15, 2017
"We are all very proud of Dara's work & all she has done to save the lives of so many others.
"May She Rest in Peace."
The other three crew members on board the Sikorsky S92 helicopter, Paul Ormsby, Ciarán Smith and Mark Duffy are still missing.
Capt Fitzpatrick was pronounced dead in hospital, Gerard O'Flynn, VS&T Operations Manager of the Irish Coast Guard confirmed.
Blacksod (marked). Picture: Google maps
She was one of very few female civilian rescue pilots worldwide.
She featured in the RTE series Rescue 117 leading dramatic rescues by the crew at Waterford helicopter base.
Captain Fitzpatrick had over 20 years flying experience and was chief pilot in Waterford since 2002. She described her job as "challenging and exciting" during the filming of Rescue 117.
Read More: Hero captain had almost 20 years experience and dedicated her life to water safety
Captn Fitzpatrick spoke often about her love for her job.
Speaking to the 'Munster Express' in 2009, Capt Fitzpatrick said she was a native Dubliner, but more than happy to be living in Waterford at the time.
Dara told the newspaper she first went up in a helicopter at the age of 18, and "thought it was the business".
Wreckage from the Rescue 116 Helicopter is brought back to Blacksod Pier after the Coastguard Helicopter crash. Pic Steve Humphreys 14th March 2017 Wreckage from the Rescue 116 Helicopter is brought back to Blacksod Pier after the Coastguard Helicopter crash. Pic Steve Humphreys 14th March 2017 Wreckage from the Rescue 116 Helicopter is brought back to Blacksod Pier after the Coastguard Helicopter crash. Pic Steve Humphreys 14th March 2017
"And that, pretty much, was it.
“I got my own licence and I was working for a businessman for a year, year and a half when the Coast Guard advertised for co-pilots.
“That was at a time when Shannon was the only Coast Guard helicopter base was in the country so I applied for it and got it. I stayed there until 2002 and came over to Waterford and I love it here.”
“I had another few layers to deal with after I was taken on by Search and Rescue,” she added.
“They had to teach me to fly a twin engine helicopter since I was used to flying single engined. They had to teach me how to fly by instruments – which is another separate, long course.
“And before I could go anywhere near Search and Rescue, I had to get used to flying the helicopter with two crew because I was used to flying in my little helicopter all by myself, so I went to Aberdeen for a year to fly onto oil rigs.
“So by the time I got taken on, it had taken a good year to get me ready to sit in the left-hand seat as a co-pilot.
“But then even when I started, for the first while you’re hanging out the back seat of it – you’re just so far behind it because when the jobs come in, everything is happening so quickly.”
In January 2008, Capt Fitzpatrick appeared on a video entitled 'Find A Balance Dare To Dream' DVD.
It was produced by the Irish Bishops' Conference and it covers the issue of alcohol and the challenge of moderation.
The production, which was aimed at young people, saw Capt Fitzpatrick stress the importance of finding balance in her job and how she took her responsibilities.
"When I was about 18 or 19, all I wanted to do was economics or business or something. Didn't get the points I wanted to at school - just didn't work hard enough - and I heard an ad on the radio for a helicopter.
"I went up in a helicopter and that was it. I was hooked.
"Most people go 'oh there's so many buttons and dials and things', but it just takes a little bit of coordination.
"There are so many variables in this job. Like when we get a call here, you know the Coastguard will say there's a person injured here or fallen off a cliff in Dublin or something like that, you will have to in about two or three minutes, make a decision on whether we can go there and back and what fuel do I need.
"We can go up and save loads of people but there is no point in doing that if we can't get back. You just have to be able to think on your feet and also think about the consequences of making a decision. You have to be able to get back to land.
"I'm doing this about 15 years now which is a fair amount of time but it doesn't make any difference; it will still kick you in the ass. It really will. You will go along and you'll do loads of really, really good jobs and then one time, you will get a kick in the ass and it kind of wakes you up. You can't relax.
"The thing that I find the hardest is that everybody thinks it will never happen to them and again, you're picking somebody up out of the water. You probably don't think so much about the casualties, because you can't. You can't afford to. Because sometimes you might pick somebody up and you have another two to three hours transit with a badly injured casualty or a body in the back. When you drop them off to hospital or bring them to a quay or whatever, when that flight is over, you've got to turn the page and move on. And you can't really think about it too much."
She was also prominently featured in RTE's documentary Rescue 117 documentary.
"You never know what you are going to face, you could be called up to the mountains, you could be called because someone has fallen off a cliff. You could be called at 2 o'clock in the morning being called to an injured fisherman on a boat," she said on camera during the documentary.
"There is huge variety here, you really don't know what you're facing. I think most of us enjoy that. That's teh bit of the job that we actually like because you just don't know what's going to happen for the next few hours."
Speaking today Gerard O'Flynn said: "It is with our deepest regret we can confirm one of the pilots was Captain Dara Fitzpatrick.
"Dara has been pronounced dead.
"Dara was the most senior pilot and has been with the company for close on 20 years.
"Outside of her work as a pilot she did an enormous amount of work on water safety and was always available to do school visits and promote water safety.
"For all of us involved in the Coast Guard and for particularly her family it has come as a complete shock.
"And we want to extend our sincere sympathy to all her family and her flying colleagues in the CHC and simply to everybody who knew her.
"The operation is continuing, and we are continuing to recover wreckage out there.
"The whole operation is being done in conjunction with the Air Accident Investigation Unit who have been on scene all morning."
SEARCH OPERATION
Contact was lost with the rescue chopper at approximately 1am on Monday morning.
The Dublin-based crew had been providing top cover for another Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 118 that was performing a medical evacuation (medevac) off the coast of Mayo.
Rescue 116 was returning to base when it fell out of contact.
A search operation got underway and a large amount of debris was found.
Capt Fitzpatrick was recovered from the sea and airlifted to hospital.
A multi-resourced search operation is underway in the area and debris has been recovered and brought to storage.
The recovery of the flight recorders, or the black box, will be crucial to determine what happened.
The Irish Air Corp Casa aeroplane, fishermen from all over the area, naval personnel and garda divers have all been on the scene today.
The LE Roisín arrived at the scene shortly after 9am.
Speaking at the lighthouse in Blacksod this morning, Gerard O'Flynn said that a number of vessels are currently involved in the search operation.
"At the moment the search is ongoing and it's been coordinated by the rescue coordination centre in Mallon. We're rotating the two coast guard helicopters in Sligo and Shannon. Ballyglass and Achill RNLI are assisting the search. Six fishing vessels and the naval ship, the LE Roisin are also involved," he told Independent.ie
A small amount of debris has also been recovered from the shore near the Blacksod lighthouse, as Gardai, Coast Guard members and investigators remain at the scene.
Gary Bohan from Belmullet, who is involved in the operation and spent the morning recovering debris in a rib, said he had never come across an aviation accident of this scale.
"We got involved at about 9am this morning. The conditions are bad. The debris is scattered across about two miles. The biggest part that came out is about half the size of a (truck) dirt panel.
Asked if it's a hard operation to be involved in, Mr Bohan said: "We're just trying to do our bit for the community. Doing our best that's all we can do.
"On the aviation side of things I've never seen anything like this. I've seen boats sink and tragedies like that but nothing on this scale. We're heading out again later on. The size of the area is getting bigger. The site at the moment is two square miles, but as the day gets on it's only going to get bigger and larger and larger, because the debris is scattering. It will definitely be floating north. Hope to God something will come a shore."
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Coast Guard director Eugene Clonan described today as a "dark day for emergency services".
He said that hopes are fading for the three missing crew: “At this particular point in time, our hopes are fading of finding the remainder of the crew."
Coast Guard sources said there was no evidence that the crew of the stricken helicopter had attempted to send a mayday call.
This would suggest that whatever happened, the crash was unlikely to have been caused by a mechanical fault.
But the sources stressed that it was too early in the investigation to speculate on the cause.
TRIBUTES
Tributes have poured in with Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Michael D Higgins expressing their sympathies.
Speaking in Washington Taoiseach Enda Kenny extended the "deepest sympathy" of the Government to the family of Captain Fitzpatrick.
Mr Kenny said he knows the area of the Mayo coast where Rescue 116 went down well.
"Obviously the search continues and on behalf of the Government again we pay our respects to the family of Dara Fitzpatrick. The search continues for other crew members.
"Clearly in the analysis and investigation into this we want to uncover what exactly happened in respect of the lack of communications and loss of contact with Rescue Helicopter 116," Mr Kenny said.
He told reporters that he learned about the lack of communications from the rescue team late last night.
The Taoiseach has been briefed on the unfolding situation by Transport Minister Shane Ross and the Chief of Staff for the Defence Forces Mark Mellet.
"The Irish Coast Guard have been exceptionally professional and competent in their work over many years.
"Last year alone over 2,500 incidents were directed by the Irish Coast Guard," he said.
"Obviously the rescue agencies are now coordinating their search in the locality, assisted by the Achill Lifeboat and local fishermen. Obviously Gardaí and the Defence Forces are in the area."
President Michael D Higgins has also paid tribute to the late Coast Guard member.
"Today marks a dark day in the history of the Coast Guard / Garda Cósta na hÉireann, with a member of this important service losing her life while providing assistance to others," he said.
"On behalf of the people of Ireland, may I pay tribute to Captain Dara Fitzpatrick who died today.
Health Minister Simon Harris has also paid tribute.
"It is striking that on a bright spring day such a dark cloud hangs over Ireland," he said.
"The crew of Rescue 116 represent all that is good about our country - they epitomise courage, bravery, selflessness and dedication to the welfare of others.
"These traits were all on display again overnight on our West Coast.
"This crew joined their colleagues in an effort to help a fishing vessel crewman access medical care. We now know that, tragically, Captain Dara Fitzpatrick has passed away.
"Often at times of great difficulty and sadness, we see people pull together - this has been so evident today as the ongoing, collective effort of our emergency services and the local community work together on this search mission."
Last September brave volunteer Caitríona Lucas (below) became the first coast guard member to die in the line of duty.
Catriona Lucas
Ms Lucas, an active member of the Doolin coast guard in Co Clare, was part of a search and rescue operation in Kilkee when the tragedy struck.
More than 400 lives were saved last year by the service. The rescue missions were among 2,500 incidents co-ordinated from the agency's main bases at Dublin, Malin, Co Donegal, and Valentia, Co Kerry.
Online EditorsWhat is the referendum about?
The two million inhabitants of Crimea had to decide whether they want to belong to Russia, or whether they want to continue to be part of Ukraine. Under international law, the Crimea belongs to Ukraine, but it holds the status of an autonomous republic with its own parliament, which voted at the beginning of March to become part of the Russian Federation. The head of the parliament, Vladimir Konstantinov, has already sent a request to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The referendum is designed to legitimize the step.
Why does Crimea belong to Ukraine in the first place?
In 1954, on the 300th anniversary of unification of Russia and Ukraine, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev - himself a Ukrainian - declared the peninsula a part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1992, only a year after Ukraine's declaration of independence, a referendum was already on the question of Crimea's future. This - initiated by pro-Russian forces - was blocked by the government in Kyiv. In response, the Crimeans established an autonomous republic with far-reaching powers. The town of Sevastopol would be administered from Kyiv - though as a naval base for its Black Sea fleet, the town is also of major importance for Russia.
The Crimea is strategically significant to Russia's navy
Why is Crimea so important?
The peninsula has been a bone of contention between Russia and Ukraine for centuries, because of its strategically desirable position on the Black Sea coast. In the first half of the 19th century, Russia built up Sevastopol, Crimea's largest city, to be the main base for its Black Sea fleet. Following the October Revolution of 1917, Crimea became an autonomous republic of the Soviet Union.
Following the occupation of Crimea by the Wehrmacht, Germany's armed forces, during the Second World War, Russian leader Joseph Stalin deported the peninsula's entire original population - the so-called Crimean Tatars - to Central Asia, in order for Russians to colonize strategically important areas. The few Tatar survivors were only allowed to return in 1988. Today they represent about 12 percent of the population, alongside 60 percent Russians and only 24 percent Ukrainians.
What are the differing positions on Crimea's independence?
The pro-Russian majority of the Crimean population wants to join the Russian Federation as quickly as possible. Crimea's Ukrainians and Tatars are in favor of an independent Crimea within Ukraine - in other words, maintaining the status quo.
The Crimeans have been staging both pro- and anti-Ukrainian protests
What do experts on international law make of the referendum?
Western experts agree that both the Crimean parliament's vote and the imminent referendum on the region entering the Russian Federation are not binding under international law. Although the Ukrainian constitution does allow local referendums on political questions, alterations to Ukraine's borders require national referendums. In other words, only the entire Ukrainian population can legally decide whether Crimea should join Russia.
Although a people does have the right to self-determination in principle, a small group within a people can only claim that right in exceptional circumstances. Despite the many political tensions currently mounting in the region, the inhabitants of Crimea have not reached that stage - yet.
On top of this, the right to claim secession is annulled if another state intervenes externally, which Russia has clearly done. Moscow's argument, that it is only intervening in the conflict to protect the Russian section of the population, is not legitimate, legal experts say. The deployment of Russian soldiers in Sevastopol is a clear violation of international law. The United Nations Charter bans the threat or the use of violence against a territory or the political independence of another state.
Why is the Crimean referendum important to the West?
Ukraine and the European Union drew up an agreement a few months ago aimed at improving ties. Under pressure from Moscow, the now fallen Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych declined to sign the deal at the last minute, and instead negotiated a billion-dollar deal with Russia that was meant, among other things, to guarantee cheaper gas deliveries.
Crimea has been a bone of contention for centuries
The West does not want Moscow to expand its influence in the region. If Crimea joins the Russia Federation, the Kremlin might then increase economic pressure on Ukraine, since Yanukovych's gas deal would be void.
Should Western countries decide to impose sanctions on Russia, the Kremlin could find itself in a tricky position economically. On the other hand, many European countries are dependent on Russian gas and oil deliveries. The consequences for individual countries are hard to predict, but there would certainly be significant costs associated with putting sanctions in place against Moscow.
What would happen after the referendum?
Should the majority of Crimeans vote to join the Russian Federation this Sunday (16.03.14), as expected, the self-proclaimed leadership of Crimea would repeat its request to the Kremlin. The Russian parliament, the Duma, would then have to pass a special law in order to allow Crimea in. The upper chamber of the Russian parliament, the Federation Council, has already signaled its agreement. The final decision would still be made by Putin.
Russia's deployment on the peninsula is illegal, say experts
The citizens of Crimea would then be issued their own passports, but would presumably also be allowed to keep their own Ukrainian IDs. The official languages of Crimea would become Russian and Tatar - Ukrainian would be scrapped.
Ukrainewould then have to withdraw its soldiers from the peninsula. Those troops that have sworn an oath to the pro-Western government in Kyiv would either have to defect or leave, Deputy Prime Minister Rustam Temirgaliyev has declared. He said he does "not want to see a Ukrainian uniform on Russian Crimea."
A Ukrainian military intervention aimed at trying to re-conquer the peninsula following the referendum would be legitimate, some international legal experts say. But the 200,000 Ukrainian troops would barely stand a chance against the Russian army, the third-largest in the world with one million regular troops and 1.5 million reserves. Ukraine could not count on any support from the West either, since military intervention would be much too dangerous.After voting to give two parties who literally can’t agree on anything the power to run the country, everyone in Northern Ireland is reportedly “very upset and annoyed” today, after discovering that they have failed to reach agreement again.
“This has really taken us by surprise!” admitted DUP voter, Sammy Difference. “Why don’t they get their acts together and reach an agreement in private so everyone in Northern Ireland can get back to not agreeing with each other in public?! It’s an absolute outrage!”
This was a frustration shared among nationalist voters. “FFS, we didn’t vote sworn enemies in to run the country for this shite to happen!” moaned Sinn Fein voter, Paddy Wagon. “If I’d known Michelle and Arlene weren’t going to see eye-to-eye I’d have voted for one of the Unionist parties!”
However James Brokenshire claimed that progress has been made. “After four months of talks the two parties have drafted an outline document in which they set aside a time frame for further talks which may, or may not, lead to them agreeing on the colour of shite.”
The colour has since been confirmed as ‘brown’ by an independent panel of playschool children at a nearby nursery.
“We mixed the orange and green together!!” they confirmed gleefully before crapping themselves and lying down for a mid-morning nap, a move which sums up the entire talks process.
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CommentsDespite being published in several languages globally, there has been an unofficial ‘ban’ on ‘The Red Sari’ in India for seven years. The Congress party ensured that this dramatized biography of Sonia Gandhi by Spanish writer Javier Moro was never available in Indian bookstores. After it was first published in Spain in October 2008, and then in over a dozen languages (but never in English), the book is finally being published in India this week by Roli Books. What is in the book about Sonia Gandhi that led the Congress to so vehemently try to stop its publication? Here are a few samplers from the excerpts Outlook will publish in its forthcoming edition:
Can love arise in such an instantaneous, almost insolent way? When Rajiv took her hand as they were walking in the shade of the ancient walls of the cathedral, Sonia had no strength to pull it back. That warm, soft hand transmitted a feeling of immense, profound safety and pleasure. She could not pull her hand away.
It was still a difficult situation for Sonia, but she was determined to do the right thing and do it well. Her legs trembled as she walked up the stairs of the Indian ambassador’s residence where Indira and her best friend, Pupul Jayakar, who had helped her organize the tribute to Nehru, were staying.
“I have come with a very serious proposal,” he told Stefano Maino. “I have come to tell you that I want to marry your daughter.”
Delhi society was conventional and small – it seemed as if everyone knew each other. Most praised Sonia’s beauty, but others alluded to her lack of pedigree: “She’s a nobody” or criticized her way of dressing, “She wants to attract attention.”
They arrived a day before the wedding when the mehendi ceremony was being held at the Bachchan’s house. Although traditionally, the groom was not supposed to attend the mehendi, an exception was made and both Rajiv and his mother were present because they wanted to greet Sonia’s family that had come from Italy.
The atmosphere had never been so charged. On 20 June 1975 the party organized a solidarity rally at the Boat Club and it was Sanjay’s idea that the whole family should be together. “It’ll be good for the people to see us all together,” he had said. “I’d prefer it if you didn’t decide for us,” Rajiv spat back at him.
Sonia got up, wrapped her robe around her, and went into the living room to answer the phone. Amid all the interference, she recognized the nervous voice of one of her mother-in-law’s secretaries. Now she was certain that it would be very bad news. “Madam… Sanjayji has had an accident…He’s dead.”
Sonia’s hair stood on end when she heard that. She was about to shout “No!” loudly, but she stopped herself. She knew they would try to persuade Rajiv to fill the vacuum his brother had left. Sonia knew this would mean the end of their happiness. She was prepared to fight tooth and nail |
place.”
Corcoran officials said the agreement was needed to keep its world-class art collection in Washington, keep the school running and renovate the building, which, according to court documents, would require between $70 million and $100 million for repairs and alterations. The board argued that the three-way partnership offered the best outcome.
The university received almost $50 million from the Corcoran in cash, investments and property, and it is owed $7.4 million more. In May, it launched a multiyear $47.5 million renovation of the historic Flagg building. The first phase this summer is behind schedule and will not be completed by the time students return next month. Completion of all the work is not expected until the end of 2018.
Even the deal’s proponents are impatient. “The Corcoran at five years will be better than the Corcoran at two years,” said Harry Hopper III, chairman of the Corcoran board of trustees. “The wheels are turning a little slowly.”
Some members of the cultural community remain convinced that the fix was in for a deal that benefited two major institutions in the city. Students, alumni and faculty led the grass-roots opposition to the breakup; the American Alliance of Museums, the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area and the city’s attorney general supported it. Individual museum leaders were mostly silent (some say that was because they hoped to eventually gain Corcoran pieces for their own collections). The National Gallery of Art’s Board of Trustees voted in May 2014 — a month before it signed the agreement — to accession 703 works, pending the court’s approval of the deal. And the day before the court hearing, the judge disclosed that his wife was a GWU employee. He offered to recuse himself, but both sides agreed to proceed.
“It seemed as if there were things that had been agreed to, that had taken place behind the scenes before they were announced,” Simmons said. “It’s a betrayal of the public trust.”
Peggy Loar, who was interim director in 2014, said the board was faced with a difficult situation. “I know what this board went through,” she said. “It was an excruciating decision. I think they made the only call they could.”
A windfall of art
The National Gallery of Art is the biggest winner. The museum has added 8,300 works — at no cost — to its permanent collection, including pieces by John Singer Sargent, Mary Cassatt, Frederic Remington and Ed Ruscha. The accessions have dramatically transformed its holdings of contemporary art, sculpture, American paintings and works on paper. The National Gallery’s board is expected to vote on the last group of accessions when it meets Sept. 28 and 29. The museum also received $5 million in endowment funds.
“It was certainly like opening up presents at Christmas,” modern art curator Harry Cooper said last year when the first accessions were announced.
The museum has 164 of the works on display in its galleries, including 63 pieces in the temporary exhibition, “Intersections: Photographs and Video from the National Gallery of Art and the Corcoran Gallery of Art,” running through Jan. 2. Museum officials expect that about 40 more will be on view when the East Building, home to its modern and contemporary exhibitions, reopens Sept. 30.
After GWU finishes renovating the Flagg building, the National Gallery will lease gallery space and curate exhibitions, thus returning art to the academic environment, a key piece of the Corcoran tradition. The public will be able to view the art, too, without paying admission fees. Before any art is displayed, the renovation must meet the National Gallery’s standards.
With the National Gallery’s accessioning almost complete, Hopper and the skeleton board of the Corcoran have begun soliciting proposals from local institutions interested in the remaining 9,000 pieces of art. The Smithsonian and several universities are among the organizations that have responded.
“This second wave is going to result in works being displayed in more spaces and places in D.C. than we could have executed at the legacy Corcoran,” said Hopper, who added that the board has hired a consultant to help with the distribution. Groups have been told to expect a decision in the fall.
Monitoring the progress of their partners is the chief concern of the Corcoran board of trustees, which continues to be “dedicated to art and encouraging American genius,” according to its 2015 tax filings. The latest tax return shows the organization has assets of $5 million. It no longer has any employees, and earlier this summer it awarded a grant of $175,000 to GWU for the first year of a three-year visiting professorship., according to Hopper. Artist Mel Chin is the first visiting artist-professor. His appointment was announced at the same time GWU fired 10 Corcoran faculty members.
Of the 25 full-time professors at the Corcoran when the merger was approved, only nine remain. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post)
Breaking up the art collection has been painfully slow, but it hasn’t been nearly as messy as the merger of the school. In his decision, Judge Robert Okun wrote that the university would “sustain the college under the Corcoran name... provide the same educational and employment opportunities to its student faculty and staff... renovate the iconic building” and keep its galleries open to the public.
The first promise has been kept. GWU created the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design within its Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. But the university’s five arts departments — including its own department of fine arts and art history — have yet to be integrated with it. A faculty committee is working on the transition, with a target date of next July.
The merger has caused drops in the numbers of students and staff workers. Undergraduate enrollment fell from 196 in 2013, the year before the breakup, to 151 last year, according to the university. Officials anticipate 157 undergraduates for the coming year.
About 60 faculty and staff members are employed by GWU’s Corcoran School, a university spokeswoman said. That’s a fraction of the “approximately 150 Corcoran employees” who had been offered jobs by the university, according to a letter to the court from the school’s then-provost, Steven Lerman. Of the 25 full-time professors employed at the Corcoran when the deal was approved, nine remain.
The cuts to the faculty have riled the school’s many supporters.
“It basically killed the Corcoran. They are the blood and soul of the institution,” said Sara Sklaroff, who studied graphic arts. “They had never intended to keep the Corcoran.”
Sanjit Sethi, who became director of the Corcoran School in October, said the cuts were determined by changes to the curriculum, drops in enrollment and suggestions from the accreditation team that evaluates the program. He acknowledged the difficulty of the transition, even using the phrase “remarkable collision” to describe the merging of two distinct programs.
“I have a tremendous degree of sympathy for the massive amount of change they have seen,” he said of the students. “They are right that it is no longer an independent art school. There’s no sugarcoating it.”
Muriel Hasbun, who led the Corcoran’s photography department, said that Sethi’s decision to cut three department heads revealed the gulf between the two programs.
“That tells me that whatever they are creating does not align with our ideas or what we were bringing to the table,” she said.
GWU sold Corcoran’s Fillmore School in Georgetown last year for $16.5 million. The Flagg building on 17th Street near the White House was closed in May to upgrade its mechanical, safety and electrical systems and improve bathrooms and accessibility issues. The building will reopen for the fall semester, but not all of the planned work will be done by then.
Sethi points to some positive changes. The Corcoran archives became part of GWU’s Gelman Library and are accessible by appointment after being closed to the public for almost 10 years. Chin’s hiring is another bright spot, he said.
Discontent lingers
Given the results of the agreement, many critics continue to question the original decision to break up the institution. They say that just as the Corcoran painted a rosy picture of its plan, the board exaggerated the negative consequences of other options, especially the effects of sanctions by the American Alliance of Museums if the assets transferred to GWU were used for operations. (Philanthropist Wayne Reynolds offered a plan that would have used the funds from an earlier de-accession and those from future sales in this way.)
In its petition to the court, the board pointed to the Delaware Art Museum as an example of a future it wanted to avoid. In 2014, Delaware lost its American Alliance of Museums accreditation for selling paintings to pay off debt from a 2005 expansion. Two years later, its visitors and memberships are on the rise, as is community engagement, said chief executive Samuel Sweet.
“As one of my former Corcoran colleagues said about the two case studies, ‘The Corcoran is dead. Delaware lives,’ ” Sweet said.“We don’t want this to become an international joke, and we don’t want it to turn into an example of Chinese investment failures.”
Still, no matter which century you’re in — the 19th or the 21st — the challenge of a Nicaraguan route remains a breathtaking proposition, a test of political skill, physical engineering and personal mettle that has so far defied all comers.
But Wang Jing of Beijing is nowadays seized by the same grand and tantalizing prospect that long obsessed an American named William Walker — the dream of building a canal across the Central American republic of Nicaragua. More direct and therefore cheaper, such a waterway would provide a better route between the Atlantic and the Pacific, or between the east and west coasts of the United States, than the canal that was eventually built, the one through Panama.
By most standards of measurement, these two individuals would seem to represent two distinct breeds of men, hailing as they do from different cultures and different countries — not to mention different centuries.
The resulting waterway could potentially dwarf the economic fortunes of the once-mighty Panama Canal, while causing a major shift in international trade and signalling what may well become a reconfiguration of global politics.
Nonetheless, Chinese industrialist Wang Jing is now preparing to attempt the same engineering achievement that eluded William Walker more than 150 years ago. It may well be the largest, most expensive infrastructure plan in development anywhere in the world.
Cue the present and enter, stage left, a Chinese businessman who has considerable experience in telecommunications but no history of tackling colossal transportation projects, much less a continent-cleaving canal.
That was where overweening ambition could get you, if you were a gringo in Central America a century and a half ago.
Take Walker, a diminutive, fast-talking southerner from Tennessee. He tried to accomplish the feat during the 1850s, with disastrous results. First, he declared himself the president of Nicaragua, only to wind up losing a jungle war against a Central American army — one partly bankrolled by rival American entrepreneur Cornelius Vanderbilt. Walker was executed by a Honduran firing squad in 1860, aged 36.
The Chinese entrepreneur says he is ready to do exactly that, to start work on what is by any measure a gigantic undertaking, a canal that would bisect Central America’s largest country, joining existing rivers and Latin America’s second largest lake with a series of man-made channels.
This past June, Wang received a 50-year concession for the project, courtesy of the Nicaraguan government. Pending the results of a feasibility study — now underway — the concession grants Wang a green light to dig.
Just think: here comes a Chinese engineering concern with a proposal to tackle what is possibly the world’s most ambitious infrastructural project, one that just happens to be located in Central America, a neck of the geopolitical woods that Washington has long regarded — and treated — as its private backyard.
What’s more, the Americans have yet to utter a peep in protest.
“During recent years, the U.S. has been preoccupied by other issues, especially the Middle East,” says Larry Birns, director of the Washington-based Council on Hemispheric Affairs. “We didn’t have a clearly defined Latin American policy. We still do not have an articulated policy.”
There used to be a policy — the notorious Monroe Doctrine, an oft-cited 1823 U.S. diktat that declared the Americas off limits to outside powers. But things are apparently different now.
Opponents of the project have staged demonstrations in Managua, the Nicaraguan capital, but most Nicaraguans are said to be happy with the scheme, at least so far.
“It means a large investment in the country, jobs,” says Hector Palacios Galo, a political scientist at the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua. “There will be more money, more work. Of course, the greater part of the Nicaraguan people are in agreement.”
As well they might be.
After all, Nicaragua is the second-poorest country in the Americas, with a per capita gross domestic product that is superior only to that of woebegone Haiti. The proposed canal would make a huge economic difference to the republic’s 6 million inhabitants, as long as the profits aren’t all spirited away by those at the top.
That is hardly a remote prospect.
“There is so much money to be made from that canal that few could resist it,” says Birns. “Nicaragua is rated as one of the most corrupt countries in Latin America. It doesn’t have a mature government with long-term goals. Nicaragua is kind of a champion of opportunism.”
Environmentalists are also likely to have qualms about the project, which would cross vulnerable water systems and stretches of more or less pristine forest. The varieties of flora and fauna that might be threatened include the storied bull sharks of Lake Nicaragua and the San Juan River, an aquatic species with the unusual ability to migrate between fresh and salt water.
“I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of some environmental protests,” says Susan Purcell, head of the Latin America studies program at the University of Miami.
Whatever its ecological impact, the idea of a Nicaraguan canal might, to some, seem merely redundant.
After all, Central America already has a man-made transcontinental waterway — the Panama Canal, which began operating 99 years ago, in 1914. It has united the world’s two largest oceans ever since, nowadays handling 5 per cent of the world’s seagoing cargo traffic.
But the Panama Canal has problems. For one thing, at least in places, it’s either too shallow or too narrow to accommodate the massive draught and beam of many modern vessels. Limitations such as these have helped clear the way for newer competition.
The Panamanian marvel
The construction of the Panama Canal was, for its time, an extraordinary accomplishment.
The French were the first to try. They sought to build a channel across the isthmus during the 1880s, but were flummoxed by a combination of tropical diseases and the inadequacy of their machinery. By some estimates, more than 22,000 men died in the failed attempt.
At the time, Panama was not independent — it belonged to Colombia. After the French abandoned their work, Washington petitioned Bogota for permission to try. The Colombians said no.
But the Americans did not let a little thing like sovereignty get in the way. Instead, Washington threw its support behind an existing Panamanian insurgent movement. When the insurgents declared the independence of their new “country,” the Americans immediately granted official recognition to the fledgling state. That was in 1903. Colombia’s objections were noted but ignored.
Work on the canal began the following year. The Americans employed powerful locomotives, massive steam shovels and armies of men. Upwards of 40,000 workers laboured on the project at a time, most imported from the Caribbean. A decade later, the job was done.
Dubbed the Panama Canal, the facility was not really Panamanian at all. It was an American operation from the outset.
Not only did Washington control the canal itself, but the U.S. also enjoyed sovereignty over eight-kilometre-wide buffers on either side, a territory known as the Canal Zone. There, the Americans who ran the operation — known as “Zonians” — lived lives of U.S.-style wealth and ease, while most Panamanians remained trapped in poverty.
By the 1960s, this arrangement had become politically untenable and sparked violent street protests. In 1977, then-U.S. President Jimmy Carter signed a treaty with Omar Torrijos, his Panamanian counterpart, which led to the gradual transfer of authority over the canal, a process that culminated in full local control in 2000.
Panama falls behind
Panamanian authorities are now racing to complete a $5.25-billion reconstruction that will greatly enhance the channel’s capacity.
But it’s not clear that the world’s largest shipping companies will continue, or resume, using the Panama route.
Earlier this year, Danish-owned Maersk Line, the planet’s biggest fleet of container vessels, announced it would cease traversing Panama owing to a combination of high tolls and uneconomical restrictions on ship size.
Even following the work now being done to expand the Central American channel — scheduled for completion in mid-2015 — the waterway will still be unable to handle the largest of the vessels now plying the world’s oceans, to say nothing of the behemoths planned for the future.
The size of container ships is measured in something called “20-foot equivalent units,” or TEUs, each of which approximates the length of a single cargo container. At present, the Panama Canal can handle vessels measuring up to 4,500 TEUs, a benchmark known in the industry by the abbreviation “Panamax.”
With the addition of two new systems of locks as well as the dredging of existing channels, the waterway will be able to handle ships measuring as much as 12,000 TEUs, which insiders already refer to as “New Panamax.”
That seems like a huge improvement, until you consider that vessels of up to 18,000 TEUs are already being built, while container ships of the near future may well be as large as 30,000 TEUs.
Built from scratch, a Nicaragua canal could be far better equipped to handle the new seaborne giants.
Plus, a route through Nicaragua rather than Panama would shorten voyages between the Atlantic and the Pacific by about 800 kilometres for a trip between New York City and California, saving time and money.
Panamanian authorities profess to be unperturbed by the prospect of a Central American competitor.
“We don’t consider there will be any competition,” the country’s foreign minister, Fernando Nunez Fabrega, told British journalists during a recent trip to London. “We have never taken it seriously.”
He said Nicaragua, unlike Panama, is prone to hurricanes and earthquakes. Plus, the sky-high cost of the project would make it uneconomic.
“Our canal is already paid off,” Nunez Fabrega said. “If you invest $40 billion, repayment will take 200 years.”
Wang Jing’s plan
Wang Jing, the Chinese entrepreneur behind the Nicaragua project, says he has already considered most of the potential obstacles his project might face.
“We don’t want this to become an international joke, and we don’t want it to turn into an example of Chinese investment failures,” Wang said during a recent news conference in Beijing.
According to a report in Bloomberg Businessweek, Wang first studied medicine before turning his hand to business. He now oversees more than 20 companies — principally Xinwei Telecom Technology — with interests in some 35 countries.
His newest enterprise, the Hong Kong Nicaragua Canal Development Investment Co., has more than a canal in mind. Its associated projects are said to include an oil pipeline, two deep-water ports, a transcontinental railway and two airports — all for $40 billion. For perspective, that figure is about four times greater than Nicaragua’s GDP.
“Our investors are big banks and other large institutions,” he recently told The Telegram, without being specific. “They are first-class investors.”
Not everyone is convinced that Wang is for real.
Some doubters cite his almost complete lack of experience with major engineering projects — in fact, with engineering projects on any scale.
“My sense is a lot will depend on the credibility of the Chinese to do this,” says Purcell at the University of Miami.
One thing’s sure: it won’t be easy.
“It was different when the Panama Canal was being built,” Purcell says. “There was no such thing as an environmental movement or democracy as we know it. Even indigenous people are rebelling now, in Ecuador and elsewhere. We’re in a different era now.”
William Walker’s failures
A Nicaraguan canal was first broached in the late 1500s at the royal court in Madrid during the reign of King Felipe II. Later, Spain conducted several preliminary surveys of possible routes for a waterway across Nicaragua. For Americans, dreams of a Nicaraguan canal stretch back at least to the 1820s, during the presidency of John Quincy Adams.
“Nicaragua has long been considered, from the very beginning,” says Purcell.
The most colourful advocate of building a canal through Nicaragua was the aforementioned William Walker, who combined modest stature — he stood just 5-foot-2 — with an imposing intellect. He graduated from the University of Nashville at age 14 and added degrees in law and medicine from the University of Pennsylvania before he reached 20.
And yet, in most other respects, Walker was a thoroughgoing failure. He washed out as a doctor, a lawyer and a journalist. He even tried his hand at prospecting for gold in California — once again, with no luck.
Later, with backing from a pro-slavery organization in the American South, he spent several years in Mexico trying to transform the states of Sonora and Baja California into slave territories, without success. Next, he set off for Nicaragua with a private army of 58 men and two objectives — to convert the Central American republic to slavery and to oversee the construction of a canal.
With political support from Nicaragua’s Liberal Party, Walker and his fighters won an initial armed skirmish with militants from the country’s Conservative Party. Thus emboldened, Walker declared himself president.
Infuriated by this interfering gringo, Central Americans mustered an opposing army that was partly funded by Vanderbilt, a wealthy financier who harboured his own dreams of building a Nicaraguan canal.
The ill-starred Walker was put to flight, and his army dispersed. After a time spent licking his wounds in the United States, he made the mistake of returning to the region — he still regarded himself as Nicaragua’s president — and was promptly captured and subsequently executed.
What route?
Wang Jing is probably safe from comparable perils, but there is still much that could go wrong with his project. For one thing, Wang has yet to settle upon a precise route.
The most likely course would begin on the Pacific coast at Brito and proceed across Lake Nicaragua, before traversing the jungles of central Nicaragua. Next, it would burrow through the flatlands of the eastern coast, finally joining the Caribbean Sea at Bluefields. But at least four other possibilities are under study.
Critics also warn that Nicaraguans’ support for the project could change, especially if economic benefits fail to trickle down to the masses. Or if they become disenchanted with the current government, headed by former Sandinista guerrilla leader Daniel Ortega.
“The Sandinistas may not be in power forever,” says Purcell. “Will the people of Nicaragua feel they’re benefitting from the canal or will they think it just increases the corruption?”
And will a former medical student named Wang Jing prove himself to be more persistent than the French were in Panama in the 1880s?
Nicaraguans — and the world — are soon to find out.
Canals: Nicaragua vs. Panama
Nicaragua Canal
Late 2014
Expected start of construction
5 years
Estimated construction time
$40 billion
Rumoured cost of construction
280 kilometres
Approximate length
-
Panama Canal
1880
Year the French broke ground
1889
Year the French abandoned project
1904
Year the Americans broke ground
10 years
Total construction time
$375 million
Cost of construction
77 kilometres
Length
Sources: Panama Canal, USA TodayEngland are attempting to replicate the intensity of a match situation during training to eradicate the no-balls which have proved costly for them this year, but Alastair Cook is convinced the issue stems from fewer on-field calls being made.
In the first Test, Stuart Broad had Shoaib Malik caught at slip on 40 only for replays to show he had overstepped. Earlier in the same day Broad had overstepped by a distance but not been called. It was the sixth time this year that England had been denied a wicket in such a fashion, following two apiece by Mark Wood and Steven Finn during the summer, and one by Ben Stokes in the West Indies.
At training, bowling coach Ottis Gibson is trying to ensure bowlers come off their full runs and take the same care in marking their delivery stride as they would in a match situation. At a net session on Tuesday, Gibson could be heard calling no-balls and during the first Test Broad pondered whether it would be possible to have umpires at net sessions.
"It's incredibly frustrating," Cook said of the transgressions. "One of the frustrating bits is there has been less and less no-balls called in games and you always know as a bowler if you're never getting called you don't really do too much about it.
"In the nets, Gibbo is onto the guys making sure it's their full run-up and they're not bowling no-balls. It is incredibly frustrating not only for the ten other guys but the one bloke who must feel terrible. No one means to do it but we are working hard to make sure we don't do it again."
The question of calling no-balls on-field was raised at an ICC briefing to the media in Dubai on Monday. Geoff Allardice, the ICC's general manager of cricket, said that umpires still confer with bowlers to warn them when they are getting tight to the line, but confirmed that the instruction was only to call them if they are sure, because once a no-ball is called the subsequent actions cannot be overturned.
Stuart Broad comes in off his long run in training © Getty Images
He said there were no plans in the near future to take the process out of the hands of the on-field umpires, largely because the officials themselves have said they want to retain the authority in the middle. Umpires, partly for safety, now stand further back from the stumps than they used to while there are some bowlers, such as Finn, who have an action which blocks off the view of the front foot.
Cook, himself, fell victim to a missed no-ball when his dismissal against Shoaib Malik was not referred to the third umpire, only for replays to show that Malik's foot had landed over the line before dragging back, which made it an illegal delivery.
Although frustrating for Cook, who was eyeing a maiden Test triple hundred having previously fallen for 294 against India in 2011, he did have the compensation of setting a vital tone for England's series with his 14-hour 263. His performance, which helped England pile up 598 for 9, ensured there were no early reminders of the batting woes which struck their previous visit here in 2012 when they passed 300 only once and where 94 by Cook was the highest individual score.
Cook said he did not envisage any problem in refocusing his energies in a bid for a repeat performance this week, but was aware that Pakistan's attack will be strengthened by the return of Yasir Shah on a surface expected to have more life.
"It's always a nice place to be as a batter, to score runs early in a series. I know my game is working well. I don't think it's any more or less daunting. For me it's about rhythm - I had a hit yesterday and felt in good touch. You need a little bit of luck to get in and then it's a question of whether you can get into that rhythm and go big again. If you get in here, you have to go big.
"Pakistan missed [Yasir] last game, he's done well but we were prepared to play him in Abu Dhabi. He will strengthen their bowling.
"It will turn more and a bit quicker - last time there was more for the seamers. It's a unique stadium, the shadow is still there at 10am and that allows for dampness in the wicket and movement. It should be a better cricket wicket."
Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.You would think that the masses would have learned by now, but here we go again: When you upload a video of yourself to YouTube of you working in a retail environment and being a real jerk to the products you're supposed to be selling, odds are good that someone on the Internet is going to find that video.
Odds are even higher that someone on the Internet is going to post a link to your video on a popular website (like, say, Reddit or 4chan).
And odds are extremely high that, once this happens, fans of said popular website are going to go on a witch hunt to get you fired.
In the case of the recent video posted to Reddit by a user named "SenorPierre," however, the Internet didn't really have to do a thing.
In the footage, a few alleged Walmart employees are having a bit of "fun" in the back stockroom, tossing around boxes supposedly carrying iPads and spiking one into the ground like a big digital football. You know stuff like that.
While it hasn't been confirmed that the miscreants were actually tossing around iPads based on the boxes they were quarterbacking, Walmart representatives maintain that the video is completely real.
"We've seen the video of several night-shift associates destroying merchandise in the back of one of our stores in August and, as anyone can image, it made us wince. We are also embarrassed," said a Walmart spokesperson in a statement provided to Cnet's Chris Matyszczyk.
"Since this unfortunate incident, we haven't received any returns of this merchandise. We stand behind our merchandise, and our associates work very hard to take proper care and handling of the products we put on our shelves," the spokesperson added.
According to the video's original submitter on Reddit, the employees have allegedly been fired and have been prosecuted for their mini-rampage. While the Walmart spokesperson confirmed that the employees in the August video were let go, it doesn't appear as if the ex-employees will face any criminal penalties for their actions. Local police representatives say that they haven't received any reports in regards to the videotaped incident.
We've embedded the full video below, but a brief warning for those at work it contains a bit of naughty language!
For more tech tidbits from David Murphy, follow him on Facebook or Twitter (@thedavidmurphy).Donald Trump did not hesitate to compare U.S. intelligence officers to Nazis but after white nationalists waving the Nazi flag erupted in violent clashes throughout downtown Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday, the president failed to call out racists and chide white supremacists -- even after a car plowed into a group of anti-racists protesters, killing at least one person.
A spokesperson for the University of Virginia Hospital cited one death and at least 35 injured on Saturday afternoon, the violent aftermath of a what appears to be a deliberate attack. White supremacists gathered near the college campus to protest the removal of a Confederate statute. Self-identified "alt-right" protesters —a key constituency of Trump's base made up mostly of white men— marched through the campus carrying tiki torches Friday night.
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"It’s been going on for a long time in our country, not Donald Trump, not Barack Obama, it’s been going on for a long, long time,” Trump said in a televised statement from New Jersey on Saturday. “We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides ― on many sides."
Hardly the high mark of rhetoric, Trump went on to boast about the economy -- without once mentioning the reason for the rally or the car accident. “We wanna get the situation straightened out in Charlottesville and we want to study it,” he continued. “We want to see what we’re doing wrong as a country where things like this can happen.”
“It has no place in America,” he added. “What is vital now is a swift restoration of law and order and the protection of innocent lives.”
Trump's vice president, Mike Pence, echoed his hollow sentiments on Twitter:
The nation's top cop, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, also failed to make any mention of racism or white nationalists:
"We stand united behind the President in condemning the violence in Charlottesville and any message of hate and intolerance," Sessions said in a statement. "This violence is totally contrary to American values and can never be tolerated."
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By contrast, other Republicans were blunt and forceful in their condemnation of the racist rally:
Well, not Ted Cruz:Lewis Hamilton matches Jim Clark and Alain Prost with a controlled fifth British Grand Prix win
On the surface it was a Lewis Hamilton show in front of his home crowd, equalling Jim Clark in winning four consecutive British Grands Prix. From a dominant pole, it was a measured performance, keeping Kimi Räikkönen’s Ferrari just far enough off his back and then letting rip when he needed the gaps at the strategic times. A silver blur, a crowd-surfing hero. But the carnage in his wake, as the Ferraris burst their tyres in the closing stages, told of what was behind that performance.
There were concerns coming to Silverstone about the durability of the front-left Pirelli. The cars are five seconds faster than last year. Through Copse they are pulling 5.2g compared to 4.7 in 2016. Through the bumpy Chapel corner they were seeing speeds of 291km/h (less than 280 last year). “These cars are just monstrous around here. They’re like the ultimate rollercoaster ride,” Hamilton had said with a gleam in his eye after qualifying. Drivers were getting out buzzing with the sheer thrill of expressing their cars’ performance through the fast corners. Not only fast, but long-duration too. Around this clockwise circuit that meant there was a potential wear limit on the left-front.
The effect of that was to poise the race very delicately between a one- and two-stop. An early three-lap safety car (for the colliding Toro Rossos at Becketts) swayed it towards a one-stop, but that strategy carried with it the inherent risk of running into that front-left wear limitation.
If your position was established and wasn’t under any threat, and the cars in front too far away, you could afford to nurse the tyre. But if you were Ferrari – trying to a) hang onto Hamilton or b) fend off Valtteri Bottas on his transposed tyre strategy from his penalised grid place – then you couldn’t surrender, you just had to push up hard against that limitation, and then hope.
That gamble went bust for Räikkönen two laps from the end and for Sebastian Vettel a lap later. The Ferraris were just not quite as quick as the Mercedes W08 around here, especially that of Hamilton. Also, the respective traits of the two cars – how their lap times are derived – allowed the Merc to be easier on the fronts, and enabled the team to come into the race with an unambiguous one-stop plan. The Merc around these long turns had a balance that allowed Hamilton and Bottas to turn the car in late and have it simply follow its nose. The Ferraris, by contrast, tend to initially slide their fronts, then rely on a more suddenly rotating rear to turn the car. Around Silverstone, that wore out the fronts quicker than on the Merc.
With a car tougher on its fronts being pushed harder for longer than was feasible, Ferrari was pincered into an impossible dilemma by the combination of car and track traits, tyre durability and strategic necessity – and most of all by Hamilton’s raw pace and Bottas’ attacking pressure.
Qualifying
Hamilton at Silverstone – always fast, always a drama. Last year it was having his first Q3 run disallowed for track limit infringements. This time he faced a possible penalty for having got in the way of the end of Romain Grosjean’s lap at the beginning of his own final Q3 attempt. The usual penalty for this is three grid places, which would have had him starting fourth. The lap itself was faster than anyone else’s by the resounding margin of over half a second on this overcast, blustery, damp afternoon. No, he hadn’t impeded, said the stewards, he’d merely ‘effected’ Grosjean’s car. The distinction of this? It was judged that his car itself was not physically in the way, but that its aerodynamic wake did affect the Haas. This distinction dates back to Monza 2006 when Fernando Alonso was infamously penalised for having impeded Felipe Massa’s Ferrari even though the Renault was running about 200 metres in front. The aero wake did ‘effect’ Massa on that occasion but it was later agreed that this interpretation could not practically be considered impeding and the sporting regs were tweaked to prevent a repetition. Thus Hamilton’s 67th pole – one short of Schumacher’s all-time record – stood.
Silverstone was its usual capricious self on Saturday afternoon, gusty showers featuring prominently, and Q1 began with everyone on inters. Alonso played a beautiful cameo in this session by coming in near the end for a change to slicks. Making it over the line to begin the lap with less than half a second to spare, he went fastest – to the great approval of the crowd. It meant little in reality, for the McLaren was no more competitive here than anywhere else, but it was a magical little moment.
It was slicks all the way thereafter as the wind quickly dried the track, leaving just a few damp patches. The Mercedes W08 was in its element around the fast sweeps and Hamilton was delighting in this generation of car around a track that could have been created for it. “The downforce is incredible,” he said. “One of the reasons why this track is so great is that we always generally have into Copse a headwind. So it’s like being in a wind tunnel with just the optimum downforce package. Copse… obviously we were building up to it because it was a little bit damp at the beginning. You can take it flat in eighth but it’s not necessarily that quick, you scrub quite a lot of speed off and then the rpm potentially would drop a little bit too much, so I don’t personally do it flat and it didn’t seem to cost me any |
to secede.
Fort Sumter had been planned in the 1820s as a bastion of coastal defense, with its five sides, an interior large enough to house 650 defenders and 135 guns commanding the shipping channels to Charleston Harbor. Construction, however, had never been completed. Only 15 cannon had been mounted; the interior of the fort was a construction site, with guns, carriages, stone and other materials stacked about. Its five-foot-thick brick walls had been designed to withstand any cannonballs that might be hurled—by the navies of the 1820s, according to Rick Hatcher, the National Park Service historian at the fort. Although no one knew it at the time, Fort Sumter was already obsolete. Even conventional guns pointed at the fort could lob cannonballs that would destroy brick and mortar with repeated pounding.
Anderson’s men hailed from Ireland, Germany, England, Denmark and Sweden. His force included native-born Americans as well. The garrison was secure against infantry attack but almost totally isolated from the outside world. Conditions were bleak. Food, mattresses and blankets were in short supply. From their thick-walled casements, the gunners could see Charleston’s steeples and the ring of islands where gangs of slaves and soldiers were already erecting bastions to protect the Southern artillery.
Militiamen itching for a fight flooded into Charleston from the surrounding countryside. There would soon be more than 3,000 of them facing Fort Sumter, commanded by the preening and punctilious Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard, who had resigned his position as West Point’s superintendent to offer his services to the Confederacy.
“To prove it was a country, the South had to prove that it had sovereignty over its territory,” says historian Allen Guelzo. “Otherwise no one, especially the Europeans, would take them seriously. Sumter was like a huge flag in the middle of Charleston Harbor that declared, in effect, ‘You don’t have the sovereignty that you claim.’ ”
With communications from his superiors reaching him only sporadically, Anderson was entrusted with heavy responsibilities. Although Kentucky born and bred, his loyalty to the Union was unshakeable. In the months to come, his second-in-command, Capt. Abner Doubleday—a New York abolitionist, and the man who was long credited, incorrectly, with inventing baseball—would express frustration at Anderson’s “inaction.” “I have no doubt he thought he was rendering a real service to the country,” Doubleday later wrote. “He knew the first shot fired by us would light the flames of a civil war that would convulse the world, and tried to put off the evil day as long as possible. Yet a better analysis of the situation might have taught him that the contest had already commenced and could no longer be avoided.” But Anderson was a good choice for the role that befell him. “He was both a seasoned soldier and a diplomat,” says Hatcher. “He would do just about anything he could to avoid war. He showed tremendous restraint.”
Anderson’s distant commander in chief was the lame-duck president, Democrat James Buchanan, who passively maintained that while he believed secession to be illegal, there was nothing he could do about it. A Northerner with Southern sympathies, Buchanan had spent his long career accommodating the South, even to the point of allowing South Carolina to seize all the other federal properties in the state. For months, as the crisis deepened, Buchanan had vacillated. Finally, in January, he dispatched a paddle wheel steamer, Star of the West, carrying a cargo of provisions and 200 reinforcements for the Sumter garrison. But when Confederate batteries fired on her at the entrance to Charleston Harbor, the ship’s skipper turned the ship around and fled north, leaving Anderson’s men to their fate. This ignominious expedition represented Buchanan’s only attempt to assert federal power in the waters off Charleston.
Some were convinced the Union was finished. The British vice-consul in Charleston, H. Pinckney Walker, saw the government’s failure to resupply Fort Sumter as proof of its impotence. He predicted the North would splinter into two or three more republics, putting an end to the United States forever. The Confederacy, he wrote, formed what he called “a very nice little plantation” that could look forward to “a career of prosperity such as the world has not before known.” Popular sentiment in Charleston was reflected in the ardently secessionist Charleston Mercury, which scoffed that federal power was “a wretched humbug—a scarecrow—a dirty bundle of red rags and old clothes” and Yankee soldiers just “poor hirelings” who would never fight. The paper dismissed Lincoln as a “vain, ignorant, low fellow.”
While Buchanan dithered, six more states seceded: Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas. On February 4, the Confederate States of America declared its independence in Montgomery, Alabama, and named Mexican War hero, former Secretary of War and senator from Mississippi Jefferson Davis, its president. “The radicals felt they were making a revolution, like Tom Paine and Samuel Adams,” says Emory Thomas. Although Davis had long argued for the right of secession, when it finally came he was one of few Confederate leaders who recognized that it would probably mean a long and bloody war. Southern senators and congressmen resigned and headed south.
Secessionists occupied federal forts, arsenals and customhouses from Charleston to Galveston, while in Texas, David Twiggs, commander of federal forces there, surrendered his troops to the state militia and joined the Confederate Army. Soon the only significant Southern posts that remained in federal hands were Fort Sumter and Florida’s Fort Pickens, at the entrance to Pensacola Harbor. “The tide of secession was overpowering,” says Thomas. “It was like the moment after Pearl Harbor—people were ready to go to war.” Buchanan now wanted nothing more than to dump the whole mess in Lincoln’s lap and retire to the quietude of his estate in Pennsylvania. But Lincoln would not take office until March 4. (Not until 1933 was Inauguration Day moved up to January 20.)
The new president who slipped quietly into Washington on February 23, forced to keep a low profile because of credible death threats, was convinced that war could still be avoided. “Lincoln had been a compromiser his whole life,” says Orville Vernon Burton. “He was naturally flexible: as a lawyer, he had always invited people to settle out of court. He was willing to live with slavery where it already was. But when it came to the honor of the United States, there was a point beyond which he wouldn’t go.”
Once in office, Lincoln entered into a high-stakes strategic gamble that was all but invisible to the isolated garrison at Fort Sumter. It was in the Confederacy’s interest to provoke a confrontation that made Lincoln appear the aggressor. Lincoln and his advisers believed, however, that secessionist sentiment, red-hot in the Deep South, was only lukewarm in the Upper South states of Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Arkansas, and weaker yet in the four slaveholding border states of Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky and Missouri. Conservatives, including Secretary of State William H. Seward, urged the president to appease the Deep South and evacuate the fort, in hopes of keeping the remaining slave states in the Union. But Lincoln knew that if he did so, he would lose the confidence of both the Republican Party and most of the North.
“He had such faith in the idea of Union that he hoped that [moderates] in the Upper South would never let their states secede,” says Harold Holzer. “He was also one of the great brinksmen of all time.” Although Lincoln was committed to retaking federal forts occupied by the rebels and to defending those still in government hands, he indicated to a delegation from Richmond that if they kept Virginia in the Union, he would consider relinquishing Sumter to South Carolina. At the same time, he reasoned that the longer the standoff over Fort Sumter continued, the weaker the secessionists—and the stronger the federal government—would look.
Lincoln initially “believed that if he didn’t allow the South to provoke him, war could be avoided,” says Burton. “He also thought they wouldn’t really fire on Fort Sumter.” Because negotiating directly with Jefferson Davis would have implied recognition of the Confederacy, Lincoln communicated only with South Carolina’s secessionist—but nonetheless duly elected—governor, Francis Pickens. Lincoln made clear that he intended to dispatch vessels carrying supplies and reinforcements to Fort Sumter: if the rebels fired on them, he warned, he was prepared to land troops to enforce the federal government’s authority.
Rumors flew in every direction: a federal army was set to invade Texas...the British and French would intervene...Northern businessmen would come out en masse against war. In Charleston, the mood fluctuated between overwrought excitement and dread. By the end of March, after three cold, damp months camped on the sand dunes and snake-infested islands around Charleston Harbor, Fort Sumter’s attackers were growing feverishly impatient. “It requires all the wisdom of their superiors to keep them cool,” wrote Caroline Gilman, a transplanted Northerner who had embraced the secessionist cause.
For a month after his inauguration, Lincoln weighed the political cost of relieving Fort Sumter. On April 4, he came to a decision. He ordered a small flotilla of vessels, led by Navy Capt. Gustavus Vasa Fox, to sail from New York, carrying supplies and 200 reinforcements to the fort. He refrained from sending a full-scale fleet of warships. Lincoln may have concluded that war was inevitable, and it would serve the federal government’s interest to cause the rebels to fire the first shot.
The South Carolinians had made clear that any attempt to reinforce Sumter would mean war. “Now the issue of battle is to be forced upon us,” declared the Charleston Mercury. “We will meet the invader, and the God of Battles must decide the issue between the hostile hirelings of Abolition hate and Northern tyranny.”
“How can one settle down to anything? One’s heart is in one’s mouth all the time,” Mary Chesnut wrote in her diary. “The air is red-hot with rumors.” To break the tension on occasion, Chesnut crept to her room and wept. Her friend Charlotte Wigfall warned, “The slave-owners must expect a servile insurrection.”
In the early hours of April 12, approximately nine hours after the Confederates had first asked Anderson to evacuate Fort Sumter, the envoys were again rowed out to the garrison. They made an offer: if Anderson would state when he and his men intended to quit the fort, the Confederates would hold their fire. Anderson called a council of his officers: How long could they hold out? Five days at most, he was told, which meant three days with virtually no food. Although the men had managed to mount about 45 cannon, in addition to the original 15, not all of those could be trained on Confederate positions. Even so, every man at the table voted to reject immediate surrender to the Confederates.
Anderson sent back a message to the Confederate authorities, informing them that he would evacuate the fort, but not until noon on the 15th, adding, “I will not in the meantime open my fire upon your forces unless compelled to do so by some hostile act against this fort or the flag of my Government.”
But the Confederacy would tolerate no further delay. The envoys immediately handed Anderson a statement: “Sir: By authority of Brigadier-General Beauregard, commanding the provisional forces of the Confederate States, we have the honor to notify you that he will open the fire of his batteries on Fort Sumter in one hour from this time.”
Anderson roused his men, informing them an attack was imminent. At 4:30 a.m., the heavy thud of a mortar broke the stillness. A single shell from Fort Johnson on James Island rose high into the still-starry sky, curved downward and burst directly over Fort Sumter. Confederate batteries on Morris Island opened up, then others from Sullivan’s Island, until Sumter was surrounded by a ring of fire. As geysers of brick and mortar spumed up where balls hit the ramparts, shouts of triumph rang from the rebel emplacements. In Charleston, families by the thousands rushed to rooftops, balconies and down to the waterfront to witness what the Charleston Mercury would describe as a “Splendid Pyrotechnic Exhibition.”
To conserve powder cartridges, the garrison endured the bombardment without reply for two and a half hours. At 7 a.m., Anderson directed Doubleday to return fire from about 20 guns, roughly one half as many as the Confederates. The Union volley sent vast flocks of water birds rocketing skyward from the surrounding marsh.
At about 10 a.m., Capt. Truman Seymour replaced Doubleday’s exhausted crew with a fresh detachment.
“Doubleday, what in the world is the matter here, and what is all this uproar about?” Seymour inquired dryly.
“There is a trifling difference of opinion between us and our neighbors opposite, and we are trying to settle it,” the New Yorker replied.
“Very well,” said Seymour, with mock graciousness. “Do you wish me to take a hand?”
“Yes,” Doubleday responded. “I would like to have you go in.”
At Fort Moultrie, now occupied by the Confederates, federal shots hit bales of cotton that rebel gunners were using as bulwarks. At each detonation, the rebels gleefully shouted, “Cotton is falling!” And when a shot exploded the kitchen, blowing loaves of bread into the air, they cried, “Breadstuffs are rising!”
Humor was less on display in the aristocratic homes of Charleston, where the roar of artillery began to rattle even the most devout secessionists. “Some of the anxious hearts lie on their beds and moan in solitary misery,” trying to reassure themselves that God was really on the Confederate side, recorded Chesnut.
At the height of the bombardment, Fox’s relief flotilla at last hove into sight from the north. To the federals’ dismay, however, Fox’s ships continued to wait off the coast, beyond range of rebel guns: their captains hadn’t bargained on finding themselves in the middle of an artillery duel. The sight of reinforcements so tantalizingly close was maddening to those on Sumter. But even Doubleday admitted that had the ships tried to enter the harbor, “this course would probably have resulted in the sinking of every vessel.”
The bombardment slackened during the rainy night but kept on at 15-minute intervals, and began again in earnest at 4 a.m. on the 13th. Roaring flames, dense masses of swirling smoke, exploding shells and the sound of falling masonry “made the fort a pandemonium,” recalled Doubleday. Wind drove smoke into the already claustrophobic casements, where Anderson’s gunners nearly suffocated. “Some lay down close to the ground, with handkerchiefs over their mouths, and others posted themselves near the embrasures, where the smoke was somewhat lessened by the draught of air,” recalled Doubleday. “Everyone suffered severely.”
At 1:30 p.m., the fort’s flagstaff was shot away, although the flag itself was soon reattached to a short spar and raised on the parapet, much to the disappointment of rebel marksmen. As fires crept toward the powder magazine, soldiers raced to remove hundreds of barrels of powder that threatened to blow the garrison into the cloudless sky. As the supply of cartridges steadily shrank, Sumter’s guns fell silent one by one.
Soon after the flagpole fell, Louis Wigfall, husband of Charlotte Wigfall and a former U.S. senator from Texas now serving under Beauregard, had himself rowed to the fort under a white flag to call again for Anderson’s surrender. The grandstanding Wigfall had no formal authority to negotiate, but he offered Anderson the same terms that Beauregard had offered a few days earlier: Anderson would be allowed to evacuate his command with dignity, arms in hand, and be given unimpeded transport to the North and permission to salute the Stars and Stripes.
“Instead of noon on the 15th, I will go now,” Anderson quietly replied. He had made his stand. He had virtually no powder cartridges left. His brave, hopelessly outgunned band of men had defended the national honor with their lives without respite for 34 hours. The outcome was not in question.
“Then the fort is to be ours?” Wig-fall eagerly inquired.
Anderson ordered a white flag to be raised. Firing from rebel batteries ceased.
The agreement nearly collapsed when three Confederate officers showed up to request a surrender. Anderson was so furious at having capitulated to the freelancing Wigfall that he was about to run up the flag yet again. However, he was persuaded to wait until confirmation of the terms of surrender, which arrived soon afterward from Beauregard.
When news of the surrender at last reached the besieging rebels, they vaulted onto the sand hills and cheered wildly; a horseman galloped at full speed along the beach at Morris Island, waving his cap and exulting at the tidings.
Fort Sumter lay in ruins. Flames smoldered amid the shot-pocked battlements, dismounted cannon and charred gun carriages. Astoundingly, despite an estimated 3,000 cannon shots fired at the fort, not a single soldier had been killed on either side. Only a handful of the fort’s defenders had even been injured by fragments of concrete and mortar.
Beauregard had agreed to permit the defenders to salute the U.S. flag before they departed. The next afternoon, Sunday, April 14, Fort Sumter’s remaining artillery began a rolling cannonade of what was meant to total 100 guns. Tragically, however, one cannon fired prematurely and blew off the right arm of a gunner, Pvt. Daniel Hough, killing him almost instantly and fatally wounding another Union soldier. The two men thus became the first fatalities of the Civil War.
At 4:30 p.m., Anderson handed over control of the fort to the South Carolina militia. The exhausted, blue-clad Union soldiers stood in formation on what remained of the parade ground, with flags flying and drums beating out the tune of “Yankee Doodle.” Within minutes, the flags of the Confederacy and South Carolina were snapping over the blasted ramparts. “Wonderful, miraculous, unheard of in history, a bloodless victory!” exclaimed Caroline Gilman in a letter to one of her daughters.
A steamboat lent by a local businessman carried Anderson’s battle-weary band out to the federal fleet, past hordes of joyful Charlestonians gathered on steamers, sailboats bobbing rowboats and dinghies, under the eyes of rebel soldiers poised silently on the shore, their heads bared in an unexpected gesture of respect. Physically and emotionally drained, and halfway starved, Anderson and his men gazed back toward the fort where they had made grim history. In their future lay the slaughter pens of Bull Run, Shiloh, Antie-tam, Gettysburg, Chickamauga and hundreds more still unimaginable battlefields from Virginia to Missouri. The Civil War had begun.
Fergus Bordewich’s most recent book is Washington: The Making of the American Capital. Photographer Vincent Musi is based in Charleston, South Carolina.Variety is pleased to announce the return of Tune In: The TV Summit 2017. With audiences so divided across content channels, the TV Summit will explore how to best engage today’s viewers to support the future growth of the TV industry. Networks, advertisers, showrunners, production companies, digital channels and services will explore what it means to develop, market, monetize and distribute successful programming for evolving audiences.
For sponsorship inquiries please contact: Kimberly Cervantes | kcervantes@variety.com
For press inquiries please contact Michelle Rodriguez | michelle@pr-dept.com
For media partnerships and ticket inquiries please contact: Joseph Meehan | joseph.meehan@variety.com
Ticket includes access to full day summit, networking lunch and cocktail reception.
Ticket quantities are limited at each price level and are subject to change. Tickets are non-refundable but will be transferable upon request.
James Corden The Late Late Show Actor, Executive Producer & Host
Justin Hartley This Is Us Actor
Chrissy Metz
This Is Us Actor
Jack Rotherham FreeWheel CMOAt Harvard Business School, the pros and cons of the argument were personified by two of its most famous faculty members. For Michael Porter, widely considered the father of modern business strategy, the answer is yes — create online courses, but not in a way that undermines the school’s existing strategy. “A company must stay the course,” Professor Porter has written, “even in times of upheaval, while constantly improving and extending its distinctive positioning.”
For Clayton Christensen, whose 1997 book, “The Innovator’s Dilemma,” propelled him to academic stardom, the only way that market leaders like Harvard Business School survive “disruptive innovation” is by disrupting their existing businesses themselves. This is arguably what rival business schools like Stanford and the Wharton School have been doing by having professors stand in front of cameras and teach MOOCs, or massive open online courses, free of charge to anyone, anywhere in the world. For a modest investment by the school — about $20,000 to $30,000 a course — a professor can reach a million students, says Karl Ulrich, vice dean for innovation at Wharton, part of the University of Pennsylvania.
“Do it cheap and simple,” Professor Christensen says. “Get it out there.”
But Harvard Business School’s online education program is not cheap, simple, or open. It could be said that the school opted for the Porter theory. Called HBX, the program will make its debut on June 11 and has its own admissions office. Instead of attacking the school’s traditional M.B.A. and executive education programs — which produced revenue of $108 million and $146 million in 2013 — it aims to create an entirely new segment of business education: the pre-M.B.A. “Instead of having two big product lines, we may be on the verge of inventing a third,” said Prof. Jay W. Lorsch, who has taught at Harvard Business School since 1964.
Starting last month, HBX has been quietly admitting several hundred students, mostly undergraduate sophomores, juniors and seniors, into a program called Credential of Readiness, or CORe. The program includes three online courses — accounting, analytics and economics for managers — that are intended to give liberal arts students fluency in what it calls “the language of business.” Students have nine weeks to complete all three courses, and tuition is $1,500. Only those with a high level of class participation will be invited to take a three-hour final exam at a testing center.
“We don’t want tourists,” said Jana Kierstead, executive director of HBX, alluding to the high dropout rates among MOOCs. “Our goal is to be very credible to employers.” To that end, graduates will receive a paper credential with a grade: high honors, honors, pass.UNStudio’s design for Theatre responds to the current cultural invigoration of the city by merging the archetypal function of a theatre – that of creating a world of illusion and enchantment – with the specific requirements of a regional theatre and its requisite to cater to the varied needs of the local community.
The theatre is therefore designed with a dual emphasis on the chimeric nature of the world of the stage and the social aspects of the theatre experience.
Ben van Berkel / UNStudio, Theatre de Stoep, Spijkenisse, The Netherlands. Top: photo © Peter de Jong. Above: photo © Jan Paul Mioulet
Theatre de Stoep is designed to fortify and inspire this liveliness, providing at one and the same time a place of performance, of social gathering and of experiencing contrasting realities: the world of the other, of fabrication, of expression and display, but simultaneously the very real sentient experience of ourselves as spectators within these worlds.
In the design of the 5,800 sqm building a larger and a smaller theatrical space (with the main auditorium seating up to 650 guests and the smaller hall accommodating 200), several interlinked foyers, a grand café and a restaurant, an artist’s café, a VIP lounge, numerous dressing rooms, multifunctional rooms and offices are all brought together within one volume. The placement of the various internal volumes results in a building in the form of a flower, with a large, column-free central foyer forming the heart of the structure.
Ben van Berkel / UNStudio, Theatre de Stoep, Spijkenisse, The Netherlands. Photo © Peter Guenzel
The vertical foyer is a pivotal point in the social functioning of the theatre, and serves to organise wayfinding and the linking of the different programmes within the building. In the auditoria the ceiling elements can be lowered and angled to adjust volume levels when required, while the acoustic wall panels reflect and increase the quality of the sound for every seat in the auditorium. During the day the lower glass portion of the facade enables daylight penetration directly from both the front of the theatre and from above, throwing daylight deep into the foyer and above the stairs leading to the auditoria. In the evening a warm and inviting atmosphere is created through the use of both colour and artificial lighting. Although the demands of the regional theatre are many and varied, ways must be found to balance design ambitions with affordability. One means by which it was possible to save significant costs on construction was through the use of Design Information Modelling (DIM): a knowledge integrated performance driven design methodology employed during the design phases which affords the opportunity to test and to model spaces swiftly and in an integrated fashion.
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There’s nothing like a grand gesture when proposing marriage, and they don’t get much grander than blowing nearly $100,000 on a stack of iPhone 6 devices, arranging them in the shape of a heart, and standing in the middle to pop the question. Surely, such a gesture cannot fail? Sadly, a Chinese computer programmer found out it’s not a sure-fire winner this week, when he proposed to his girlfriend using exactly this tactic.
Apparently, according to local reports, the love-struck guy spent the equivalent of $95,000 on 99 iPhone 6 smartphones, and proposed to his girlfriend while standing in the middle of the carefully arranged iPhone-heart, holding a bunch of flowers. The answer was no.
There are no details on why she turned the iPhone fan down, but it could be she preferred Android, or didn’t think spending the rest of her life with a man who had just happily spent what the average Chinese worker earns in 17 years would be a good idea. Regardless, that leaves the presumably now single man with a lot of Apple iPhones. Still, at least they are in their boxes, so selling them off shouldn’t be difficult.
The proposal took place just before Singles Day in China, where singletons celebrate (or not) being unattached, while everyone else spends billions online, making November 11 the world’s largest online shopping day. Coincidence? Probably, unless an enterprising company came up with this as a ruse to gain attention.
Apple put the iPhone 6 on sale in China during October, after reportedly attracting 20 million pre-orders, along with massive queues outside stores, and rabid media attention.A motorcyclist was killed after a crash in Joppa Friday night, according to a report from the Joppa-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company.
He was identified as 52-year-old Joseph Kraft of Timonium, according to The Aegis.
At 7:53 p.m. on Friday, Joppa-Magnolia responded to Mountain Road at Jerusalem Road, where a motorcycle and vehicle collided, the report from Joppa-Magnolia said.
The motorcyclist was taken to Upper Chesapeake in grave condition, according to Joppa-Magnolia, which later reported he was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The person driving the vehicle refused medical treatment, the report said.
Mountain Road was closed between Jerusalem Road and Greenspring Avenue as police investigated the crash in addition to another fatal crash that happened after 6:30 p.m. less than half a mile away on Mountain Road.
Related: One Killed in Crash Near Mountain RoadNot only did [Josh Kiepert] build a 33 Node Beowulf Cluster, but he made sure it looks impressive even if you don’t know what it is. That’s thanks to the power distribution PCBs he designed and etched. In addition to injecting power through each of the RPi GPIO headers they host an RGB LED which is illuminated in blue in the images above.
Quite some time ago we saw a 64-node RPi cluster. That one used LEGO pieces as a rack system to hold all of the boards. But [Josh] used stand-offs to create the columns of hardware which are suspended between top and bottom plates made out of acrylic. The only thing that’s unique about each board is the SD card and that’s why each has a label on it that identifies the node. These have been flashed with almost identical images; the host name and IP address are the only thing that changes from one to the next. They’ve been put in order physically so that you can quickly find your way through the rack. But functionally this doesn’t matter… put the card in any RPi and it will automatically identify itself on the network no matter where it’s located in the rack.
Don’t miss the demo video where [Josh] explains the entire setup.Around the beginning of every year, Los Angeles hosts photo l.a. (no capitalization, God knows why), a global photography fair that consistently draws 10,000 attendees. It’s a lot like a regular fair, only instead of funnel cakes, there’s photos, and instead of Ferris wheels, there’s photos, and instead of tiny pigs in adorable racing outfits, there’s photos—and we’ll tell you straight up, it’s incredible. Like a mashup of a trade show and a sprawling fine art gallery, it brings the work of old masters and emerging talent under one roof, and it’s all going down January 13 through 15 at downtown’s The REEF (extra capitalization, because nothing is right in the world).
Highlights include installations by the Monroe Gallery, one of which showcases Life magazine photographer Grey Villet’s images of Richard and Mildred Loving—the couple who whose relationship led the Supreme Court to legalize interracial marriages nationwide (and who you recently learned about in that trailer for Loving that got you all pumped for equality).
Photograph by Grey Villet courtesy Monroe Gallery of Photography
Photograph by Grey Villet courtesy Monroe Gallery of Photography
Photograph by Grey Villet courtesy Monroe Gallery of Photography
Photograph by Grey Villet courtesy Monroe Gallery of Photography
Monroe Gallery is also exhibiting the photographs of Tony Vaccaro, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his World War II combat photography (but did plenty of other work shooting models and artists as well, per the images below).
Photograph by Tony Vaccaro courtesy Monroe Gallery of Photography
Photograph by Tony Vaccaro courtesy Monroe Gallery of Photography
Photograph by Tony Vaccaro courtesy Monroe Gallery of Photography
Photograph by Tony Vaccaro courtesy Monroe Gallery of Photography
Photograph by Tony Vaccaro courtesy Monroe Gallery of Photography
And lastly, the gallery is also supplying the photo you’ve scrolled all this way to get a better look at—a portrait of David Bowie by Steve Schapiro.
Photograph by Steve Schapiro courtesy Monroe Gallery of Photography
Shapiro hit it off with the late superstar in L.A. at an all-night photo sesh in 1974 (the one that produced the cover art for Station to Station and Low), and he shot this striking image the following year, during the filming of The Man Who Fell to Earth. And yes, since you asked, standing in front of this image while listening to “Blackstar” on your headphones and silently weeping is not only acceptable, but an ideal way to commemorate the legend we lost almost exactly one year ago.
The fair is $25 at the door ($20, if you order in advance like a responsible person who doesn’t wait until the last minute to solidify plans because what if something better comes up? even though you know it won’t). In addition to literally thousands of images, there will be lectures, seminars, and deep talks about Snapchat (more on all that here).
Thomas Harlander is junior web producer at Los Angeles magazine. You can follow him on Twitter and Instagram. He recently wrote “The Most Controversial Public Sculpture in the City Is Getting a $100,000 Upgrade.”by
There are no formal drive-in movie theatres left in Santa Cruz County, but a few times a year you can follow a set of buried-treasure type directions to find the Guerilla Drive-In, an anarchist outdoor moving movie theater whose legality is hazy but whose awesomeness is not.
Guerilla Drive-In, which started in 2002, claims, “Beyond showing great free movies year-round and bringing a broad community together, part of our mission is reclaiming public space and transforming our urban environment.”
Bringing together two passions innate to Santa Cruz — DIY (Do It Yourself) culture and great cinema — Guerilla Drive-In screens free films at different locations around town. The first guerilla theater in the country, it often does not secure rights or permits to show these films. This is part of their mission to reclaim public space — they don’t believe permits should be needed to simply enjoy a movie outdoors with some friends. As a result, police officers have sometimes broken up the peaceful viewings, on the grounds of trespassing.
The movement has since spread to places like Hollywood, Berkeley, and even New York.
Though some of the art films shown at Guerilla Drive-In are family-friendly, getting to the various secret locations is not for the faint of heart — recent instructions for finding the film Brazil included phrases like “Go to the back of the building. Follow the Giant Dragons,” and “Use of bikes and Hwy 1 footbridge connector is encouraged. At the bottom of the big bike hill, make a right.”
But what makes the Guerilla Drive-In most special isn’t the hunt to find it, or the rocky legal history, or even the fact that it started in Santa Cruz and turned into a national underground movement. It’s the sense of community it creates, and the leeway allowed in DIY culture that isn’t present in for-profit movie theatres. Although it only happens a few times a year, it’s worth following the Drive-In to see when the next warehouse or parking lot will turn into the weirdest theatre you’ve ever seen.
Sign up for the Guerilla Drive-In’s email list on their website to find out when, and where, the next movie will take place.The Rommel myth, or the Rommel legend, is a phrase used by a number of historians in reference to common depictions of German field marshal Erwin Rommel as an apolitical, brilliant commander and a victim of Nazi Germany due to his participation in the 20 July plot against Adolf Hitler. According to these historians, who take a critical view of Rommel, such depictions are not accurate.
The myth was created, with Rommel's participation, as a component of Nazi propaganda to praise the Wehrmacht and instill optimism in the German public. Starting in 1941, it was picked up and disseminated in the West by the British war-time press as the Allies sought to explain their continued inability to defeat the Axis forces in North Africa.
Following the war, the Western Allies, and particularly the British, depicted Rommel as the "good German" and "our friend Rommel", adhering closely to the tenets of the myth of the clean Wehrmacht. His reputation for conducting a clean war was used in the interests of West German rearmament during the Cold War and the reconciliation between the former enemies—the United Kingdom and the United States on one side, and the new Federal Republic of Germany on the other. The 1950 biography Rommel: The Desert Fox and the 1953 publication of The Rommel Papers added to the myth, which has proven resilient to critical examination.
The mythology surrounding Rommel has been the subject of analysis by both English- and German-speaking historians in recent decades. The reevaluation has produced new interpretations of Rommel, including his relationship with Nazism, his abilities as operational and strategic level commander, and his role in the July 20th plot to assassinate Hitler. Historians and commentators conclude that Rommel remains an ambiguous figure, not easily definable either inside or outside the myth.
Terminology [ edit ]
Early authors such as Desmond Young and Basil Liddell Hart mention "the Rommel legend" in their respective books. Liddell Hart described British efforts to make counterpropaganda against Rommel's military reputation (while showing respect to his conduct of war): "Thus the British commanders and headquarter staffs were compelled to make strenuous efforts to dispel 'the Rommel legend'". As early as 1950, Bernard Montgomery's former deputy referred to the "myth" in an article titled "The Rommel Myth Debunked" where he aimed to address perceived misconceptions regarding the fighting in the North African Campaign.
As used by German authors, Mythos Rommel (roughly translated into English as "Rommel myth") is a neutral description, as can be seen in works by historians such as Peter Lieb. The term recognizes, per Lieb, that "Rommel is and remains a Mythos... He could not be stuck in a single drawer. At any rate, one should decide for oneself whether one sees him as a role model or not".[7] German authors who use the word "Mythos" in this neutral manner include Maurice Philip Remy [de], Wolfram Pyta [de], Jörg Echternkamp, Guido Knopp, and Sandra Mass.
Origins [ edit ]
The origins of the myth can be found first in Rommel's drive for success as a young officer in World War I, and then in his popular 1937 book Infanterie Greift An (Infantry Attacks) that was written in a style that diverged from the German military literature of the time. The book became a bestseller, and was supposedly read by Adolf Hitler.
Historian Antony Beevor places the start of the "Rommel legend" on 13 May 1940, during the Battle of France, when Rommel's troops crossed the Meuse under fire and established bridgeheads at Houx and Dinant.
In Nazi and Allied propaganda [ edit ]
Rommel at the Paris victory parade, June |
handsets it offers equal amount of publicity, DoCoMo is now selectively promoting two Android models in its smartphone lineup – Samsung Electronics Co.’s Galaxy S4 and Sony Corp.’s Xperia A – hoping that those models can compete against the iPhone 5 being offered by Softbank Corp. and KDDI Corp.
Still, many people in Japan, from the media to investors, continue to ask one question: Will DoCoMo carry the iPhone? This week, The Wall Street Journal asked that question to DoCoMo Senior Executive Vice President Kazuto Tsubouchi, who was attending the Mobile Asia Expo in Shanghai.The White House will propose dramatic cuts to the Office of National Drug Control Policy in its FY 2018 budget, according to multiple reports.
Politico first reported a proposed 95 percent cut to the office Friday morning, citing an internal office email and two unnamed sources, followed by the New York Times, citing a document it obtained from the Office of Management and Budget.
The proposed cuts would slash the office’s budget from $338 million in FY 2017 to $24 million in 2018, according to the reports.
ONDCP is the executive branch’s primary anti-drug agency, led by the so-called Drug Czar.
Politico obtained an email from acting Drug Czar Rich Baum, picked by the Trump administration in March for the office, who wrote to employees that the proposal was “frankly heartbreaking.”
”I don’t want to see this happen,” he wrote.
The White House downplayed the reports.
“I’m not going to comment on ongoing discussions,” deputy White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said during a press briefing Friday, asked about Politico’s report.
“Again, there’s not a final document,” she continued. “When there is, we’d certainly be happy to discuss that. I think the bigger point here is the President has made very clear that the opioid epidemic in this country is a huge priority for him, something he is certainly very focused on tackling and something that I think was ignored by the previous administration that won’t go ignored in this one.”
Sanders had earlier warned, “My first piece of advice would never be to use Politico for a source for your story.”
The move would seem to contradict Trump’s frequent campaign pledge to combat the opioid addiction.
House Republicans’ health bill, passed out of that chamber on Thursday, would also dramatically cut funds for people dealing with addiction.
The Washington Post reported in March, citing an estimate from health care economists Richard G. Frank and Sherry Glied, that nearly 1.3 million people received mental health and substance abuse treatment through the Medicaid expansion authorized by Obamacare, which would be rolled back by Republicans’ bill.
The version of the bill passed Thursday would also allow states to opt out of Obamacare’s Essential Health Benefits, a checklist of benefits that the law requires of every insurance plan. One benefit: mental health and substance disorder services.Amid the positive and negative developments involving Lebanon these days, and the anticipation and anxiety surrounding the upcoming constitutional procedures — from forming a government to the presidential elections — a meeting of Christians will be held in Beirut to consider matters of equal urgency and importance.
The meeting, organized by the Christian Gathering-Beirut, is set to take place the third week in December at Our Lady of Lebanon, the famous Christian shrine in Harissa, northeast of the capital. The large gathering is expected to attract political party representatives as well as prominent and independent Christian political figures, among them members of the Free Patriotic Movement, led by Gen. Michel Aoun, head of the largest Christian ministerial and parliamentary bloc, and the Tashnag, which represents the overwhelming majority of Christian Armenians.
The Christian Gathering was launched on Sept. 2 and includes representatives from the major churches in Lebanon, among them a number of bishops, representing the heads of their churches. On Nov. 2-3, the organization held a Levantine conference in which delegates from Christian groups in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine and Syria participated, in addition to Lebanese churches and Gathering members. An impressive array of Western diplomats also attended. The packed assembly, whose attendees heard news of the suffering of the region’s Christians and various testimonies, concluded by issuing a conference document and establishing a framework for the six countries represented.
The organizers told Al-Monitor that two issues are on the agenda of the upcoming meeting: attacks on Christians in Syria and the fears that jihadist terrorism will take hold in Lebanon with the possible targeting of Christian areas. There have, indeed, been worrying indicators in this latter regard.
Concerning the Syrian situation, attendees will be following up on the fate of the 12 nuns kidnapped Dec. 2 by a Sunni Muslim group from their monastery in Maaloula, northeast of Damascus. They are being held somewhere in Syria. The appearance of the abducted nuns on a video, broadcast on Al Jazeera, angered many Christians. Although the video demonstrated that the women were still alive, it was also clear that they were talking in the presence of their kidnappers. Their crosses had been removed, pointing to the kidnappers as jihadists and raising further concerns about the nuns’ ultimate fate.
Amer al-Qalamouni, spokesman for the General Committee for the Syrian Revolution, claimed that the nuns were being "hosted" to protect them from the shelling by regime forces near the monastery. Of course, not many believe this. When the nuns were kidnapped, there were news reports that the abductors wanted to exchange them for detainees in Syrian prisons. There has since been news of negotiations with the Vatican on this matter.
One news report said that the Lebanese president had tasked the director of the Lebanese General Security Directorate, Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, to visit Doha and negotiate the nuns’ release with Qatari officials, noting that the pretext of the victims being “hosted” had also been used when 11 Lebanese were kidnapped in Azaz in May 2012. They were “hosted” for more than 15 months, before being released in late October through Qatari mediation and pressure on Turkey, in the form of the kidnapping of two Turkish citizens in Beirut.
The hosts of the Christian Gathering conference noted that the nuns’ kidnapping was part of a series of incidents targeting Christians in Syria. Others include the kidnapping and killing of Father Fadi Haddad in October 2012, the beheading of the monk Francois Murad on July 1, the killing of the monk Paolo Dall'Oglio on Aug.15 (although he supported the armed rebels), the destruction of more than 43 monasteries and churches (according to church statistics), and the kidnapping of Bishops Boulos Yazigi and Youhanna Ibrahim on April 22 (whose fates remain unknown). The Christian Gathering will be looking at what can be done at various levels to ensure the release of the hostages and protect Christians and their holy places.
The second issue on the conference agenda is about the possible terror-related consequences of a claim on Dec. 10 by members of the Syrian armed opposition that armed elements belonging to Aoun are involved in the fighting in Syria. Aoun's camp denies the report.
The various Lebanese actors — the government, political parties and even Aoun’s rivals — know this allegation to be false, and some have questioned why such statements are being disseminated. Some see the allegation of Aoun's involvement as a pretext for future attacks against Christian areas in Lebanon, just as the Shiite areas in Lebanon have been subject to terrorist attacks in response to Hezbollah’s participation in the fighting in the Syrian regions bordering Lebanon. The possibility has raised everyone’s alarms, and official bodies have mobilized to counter such schemes.
By scheduling the Geneva II conference for Jan. 22, some feel that the Syrian crisis is nearing the beginning of its end. Until then, however, the violence and the bloodshed will continue, which scares the Christians who constitute a minority in both Syria and Lebanon.Quokka charge: Man accused of throwing animal into water on Rottnest Island
Updated
A man has been charged by police after allegedly tossing a quokka into the ocean from a jetty at Rottnest Island off Perth.
Police allege 37-year-old Bevan Denis Hames picked up the quokka and threw it into the water from a jetty near the Rottnest Hotel about 10:00pm on Friday night.
"The quokka was able to swim to shore," a police spokeswoman said.
Hames, who is from Christchurch in New Zealand, has been charged with animal cruelty and has appeared before the Perth Magistrates Court.
Police said another man was fined after allegedly helping to catch the quokka.
The 38-year-old from Noosa Heads in Queensland was issued with a $200 Rottnest Island Authority (RIA) infringement notice and was evicted from the island.
The case comes after a 21-year-old man was fined last week after admitting the ill-treatment of a quokka. He had filmed a man allegedly attacking the animal on the island last month.
The man who was recorded in the video is due to reappear in court in May.
In 2015, two French backpackers were fined after one of them set fire to one of the animals.
However, the RIA said it had not noticed any surge in incidents of quokka harm.
"I wouldn't say there's been a discernible increase," RIA senior ranger Doug Long said.
"It's just that with the advent of social media we seem to able to pick up on these incidents a lot quicker and follow them through to conclusions a lot faster than we've been able to in the past."
Most visitors respect quokkas: ranger
Quokkas are found in abundance on Rottnest and are a major drawcard for tourists, but are no longer common on the mainland.
Mr Long said he was confident there was enough information about quokkas for visitors to the island.
"There's videos on the ferries coming over, numerous signs around the island and information in the accommodation," he said.
"And on the whole, most people do respect that it's an A-class reserve and treat the flora and fauna of the island appropriately.
"Unfortunately we do find instances where people don't read the information and it's ignorance or they just don't believe that it applies to them."
Ranger Long said quokkas were generally "very happy animals" and tended not to view humans as predators.
Topics: animal-welfare, police, rottnest-island-6161, wa
First postedThis frame grab from a video provided on Friday, Oct. 13, 2017 by Turkey-based Kurdish Mezopotamya agency media outlet that is consistent with independent AP reporting, shows a Syrian woman with her child cries after she fled from the areas that still controlled by the Islamic State militants, in Raqqa, Syria. Scores of civilians including women and children are fleeing the last few remaining neighborhoods held by the Islamic State group in Syria's northern city of Raqqa, ahead of an anticipated final push by U.S.-backed fighters seeking to liberate the city. (Mezopotamya Agency, via AP)
BEIRUT (AP) — Some 100 fighters from the Islamic State group handed themselves over to U.S.-backed fighters in the northern city of Raqqa Friday as fighting continued with remaining gunmen in a pocket inside the city.
Omar Alloush of the Raqqa Civilian Council did not give details how the 100 fighters surrendered but said fighting is still ongoing in parts of the city that was once the de facto capital of IS.
U.S.-backed fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces have been on the offensive in Raqqa since early June and have so far captured more than 80 percent of the city under the cover of airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition.
IS still controls the city’s stadium that is believed to be a jail run by the extremists, as well as the National Hospital and a small part of northern Raqqa.
“There are still fighters but the area they control is getting smaller,” said Mohammed Khedher of Sound and Picture Organization, which tracks atrocities by IS in Iraq and Syria.
Earlier Friday, scores of civilians including women and children fled the last few remaining neighborhoods held by the IS in Raqqa, ahead of an anticipated final push by U.S.-backed fighters seeking to retake the city.
A new video that emerged Friday shows desperate, terrified residents emerging from destroyed districts, some of them collapsing on the ground in exhaustion as they arrive. They seemed to be taking advantage of a slowdown in the fighting and airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition amid efforts to ensure the safe evacuation of an estimated 4,000 civilians who remain trapped in the city.
The coalition has said that IS militants are holding some civilians to use as human shields, preventing them from escaping as the fight enters its final stages. The city, on the banks of the Euphrates River, has been badly damaged by the fighting, and activists have reported that over 1,000 civilians have been killed there since June.
The video released by the Turkey-based Kurdish Mezopotamya Medya on Friday showed clearly petrified residents running toward safety, some clutching babies or wounded people.
“This is my husband, we are civilians!” one woman cried, fearing that fighters from the U.S.-backed force known as the Syrian Democratic Forces would take him away. Some of the arriving men were searched before being allowed in while others kissed the ground in relief.
“God is stronger than them (IS),” shouted another woman, clutching what appeared to be a large Quran in her hand.
Another elderly man hobbled out on crutches, begging for water. After drinking from a bottle handed to him, he collapsed on the ground in exhaustion.
Gunfire could be heard in the background.
SDF fighters have been on the offensive in Raqqa since June 5 and have so far captured more than 80 percent of the city that was the de facto capital of IS.
IS still controls the city’s stadium believed to be a jail run by the extremists, as well as the National Hospital and a small area north of Raqqa.Mayor Bloomberg Loves Cameras Watching Everyone... Except His Cops
from the the-public's-best-interest-is-rarely-served-by-a-billionaire/police-chief-ta dept
One of the directives ordered by Judge Scheindlin in her decision declaring New York City's stop and frisk program unconstitutional was to equip NYPD officers with body cameras. Mayor Bloomberg treated this suggestion derisively during his post-decision press conference apoplexy, as he sarcastically channeled the "common man's" complaints about cop-operated cameras.
A camera on the lapel or hat of a police officer... He didn't turn the right way. My god, he DELIBERATELY did it. It's a solution that's not a solution...
When cops in a Rialto, California were forced to wear cameras, their use of force dropped by over two-thirds. Additionally, the officers who were not made to wear the cameras used force twice as much as those who did. This strongly suggests the majority of the time police use force is unnecessary. In other words, the majority of the time these officers used force they were simply committing acts of violence which they don't feel comfortable committing if it's captured on film...
The Rialto study began in February 2012 and will run until this July. The results from the first 12 months are striking. Even with only half of the 54 uniformed patrol officers wearing cameras at any given time, the department over all had an 88 percent decline in the number of complaints filed against officers, compared with the 12 months before the study, to 3 from 24.
Officer Rininger says one of the goals of using these [cameras] is to hold cops more accountable, and keep them from crossing the line.
"You have the video actually from the time of the incident and not just the officer's hearsay," says Officer Rininger. "Officers who are equipped with cameras, their use of forces are lower."
The statistics back that up. According to a new study by Cambridge University, agencies who used these cameras cut their excessive force complaints in half over the course of a year.
“They are great tools for not only recording what you would expect, but they also seem to have great impact in ensuring civility during police interactions,” said John DeCarlo, a University of New Haven associate professor of criminal justice and former Branford police chief.
Hamden Police Chief Thomas Wydra said law enforcement agencies using the technology across the country have seen improvement in the behavior of both parties, police and public.
“People behave more professionally, and they simply are more professional with each other,” Wydra said.
[I]n a world where 90 percent of adults have a recording device in their pocket — a cellphone or smartphone — perceptions are changing.
Some New Haven officers have purchased body cameras on their own, Esserman said. It’s a stark contrast from a time when many officers were highly skeptical of dashboard cameras.
“Years ago it was imposed on officers; now it seems many officers think it’s in their best interest,” he said. “I think the world has changed and people are much more comfortable with cameras than they used to be.”
In Branford, Halloran said body cameras have been embraced by his officers.
“Now the attitude of the officers are, if there’s a camera broken down, ‘Well, I want a camera. I’m not going on the road without a camera,’” Halloran said.
The Mesa Police Department is currently in the eighth month of its own year-long trial program with body cameras. Sergeant Tony Landato said the cameras "really have been an assist." He added that "obviously we have mixed emotions among some of our members, there are people who don't want that 24-hour scrutiny. But overall it's been a very positive thing."
Taser International, the company that manufactures the eponymous stun gun, also makes body-worn cameras. Steve Tuttle, a Taser vice president, said the cameras can be a hard sell — until police officers discover the video can be used to back them up. And then, Tuttle mirrored Sergeant Landato's experience. "Once they've had a complaint, and realize 'Oh my gosh, there is a video of this,' that changes their feelings very quickly." Tuttle said the cameras reduced complaints against police by "a dramatic number."
Sergeant Robert Drager is the technical manager of the body camera program in Albuquerque. He says once you're crossed the logistical hurdles of the program -- is the camera recording? is the battery going to last longer than an hour? -- officers still have to deal with the massive amounts of data produced by the videos. An example: Drager says that in Albuquerque, in four months just 70 police officers have recorded 30,000 videos. And there's more.
"Officers a lot of times are seeing people on the worst day of their lives, and we're capturing that on video that's now a public record," he said. "We're in the process of trying to create an entire unit to deal with all the media requests and public records requests."
CCTV cameras were found to be weak behavior modifiers not because of a flaw in the self-awareness paradigm or the deterrence theory. Rather, the level of certainty of being apprehended necessary for the self-awareness mechanism, which would lead to socially-desirable behavior, is not high enough in CCTV. If cameras are expected to influence behavior and to serve as cues that social norms or legal rules must be followed, then the cue “dosage” of awareness must be intense. Mobile cameras are likely to have this effect.
For a guy who really seems to love aiming cameras at civilians, Bloomberg sure isn't much for aiming any at his "personal army." I'm sure it galls him that his NYPD (and that's how he thinks of it --) might have to be subjected to extra scrutiny and accountability, like some sort ofpolice force in Podunksville, USA (read: anywhere other than NYC).The thing is, the evidence (what exists of it) shows body cameras are a net gain, both for copscivilians. As Hephaestus pointed out in his comment on another cops-and-cameras story, Rialto's (CA) police department saw significant improvements in a couple of problem areas as a result of department-issued body cams A better behaved police force is a more effective police force, one that's not bogged down in departmental paperwork, internal investigations and court battles that the deployment of excessive force tends to bring with it.Out in Florida, police departments are seeing similar results But it's not just cops being better behaved. Police officers using these cameras have discovered the citizens they interact with are also better behaved No cop wants to show up at a call and have to deal with nothing but assholes. Likewise for civilians. With a camera recording everything being said, the dialog tends to be lower key. Every encounter has a chance to be part of someone's (cop or member of the public) permanent record, so to speak. Being an asshole may not be a crime, but it's seldom helpful when one party insists on being antagonistic.The presence of a body camera also levels the playing field somewhat, especially for cops who still are uncomfortable with citizens recording their actions. With every citizen carrying a cell phone, a cop's body camera puts a second set of "eyes" on the situation.Mesa, AZ's police department has experienced a similar drop in uses of excessive force and citizen complaints With all these positives comes the negative aspects. Obviously, there's a privacy concern. Collected videobe considered a public record, but interactions with people inside their homes or places of business might still be subject to an expectation of privacy. There's also a concern about stored footage of people who happen to be at the scene but are not involved with the criminal activity or interaction being recorded.Another concern is that cop-controlled cameras will be abused in order to cover up wrongdoing. To that end, most camera systems have built-in safeguards to minimize any post-recording manipulation or gaps in coverage.Rialto's camera system attacks this problem by running a constant 30-second "pre-event" buffer. This way the event that prompts the officer to turn on the camera is more likely to be caught on tape. This won't do much for officers who leave their cameras off, but its assumed that video reviews of the day's events will expose any glaring gaps or omissions.Branford, CT's system auto-uploads all footage into cloud storage maintained by Amazon the moment the camera hits the charger. Bellvue, NE's system prevents video editing on the camera itself and uses a proprietary cord to download the video from the camera.None of these systems are completely immune to abuse, but as the systems become more common, improvements in these areas will follow.Even with limited evidence, Bloomberg's resistance to outfitting the NYPD with body cameras feels more like an authoritarian kneejerk reaction than one borne out of any serious thought. (Much like most of the press conference...) He and Ray Kelly's love for CCTV is similarly wrongheaded. The full report on Rialto's body camera experiment points out the limitations of surveillance cameras in terms of reducing certain kinds of criminal activity.Whoever ends up running the city will be faced with the possibility of outfitting the NYPD with body cameras. Let's hope it's someone who recognizes that the benefits tothe police departmentthe public will far outweigh any potential downsides. With Kelly possibly leaving his post as well, the new mayor may have an easier time implementing this should the NYPD's appeal of the decision fail. New Yorkers should hope this is done sooner rather than later as this tactic, more than any other order issued by the judge, has the greatest possibility of improving the NYPD's civil rights record.
Filed Under: cameras, michael bloomberg, nypd, police, stop and friskIt's packed with British acting talent, but EastEnders star Danny Dyer repeatedly auditioned for a part in the hit series TV Game of Thrones... and failed every time.
"I've been up for it three times, I got three knockbacks," Dyer said during the recording of ITV's Jonathan Ross Show.
Fellow guest Dame Diana Rigg - who plays Lady Olenna Tyrell in the HBO fantasy drama - blamed Dyer's voice.
"I'll put in a word for you as long as you lose the cockney accent."
Dyer told Ross he went for several roles. "One was Pyper. Is it Pyper?"
Pyper is played by London-born Josef Altin, and Dyer said other Londoners had managed to get parts.
"There's a couple of cockneys knocking about. There's a couple of chimney sweeps too. I've seen them."
A range of British accents can be heard on the show - including Sean Bean's Yorkshire delivery.
Dyer - who plays Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter in the BBC One soap - has recently spoken about bringing a "cockney" flavour to roles made famous by "posh" actors.
"I think that I could play Sherlock... if I did it my way. Benedict [Cumberbatch] is brilliant and the lines roll off his tongue, but that role is about being highly intelligent rather than posh.
"I think I could do Doctor Who as well.
The star, who grew up in Canning Town, east London, also told Ross he changes his EastEnders' scripts - adding more cockney rhyming slang.
"I made the job hard for myself really because I thought when I come in it, I want to bring back a bit of the East End. They're good writers there but they're quite middle class people so I'm constantly changing the dialogue and I'm freaking their nut out and they have meetings over the word 'boat race'."
Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter, BBCNewsbeat on Instagram and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTubePrime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has instructed ministers to brace for challenging times ahead and tighten their belts with regard to their respective ministries, according to Star Online.
The news portal said International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed met the prime minister last week to discuss the ministry’s proposals to strengthen the economy.
"Miti is asking for a bit more allocation. We understand the situation but we hope for support for investment and trade promotion.
"We have been informed that times are tough, but it is important that the government and Treasury decide what the priorities are.
"Some you have got to give away. You win some, you lose some," he was quoted as saying.
Stressing on the need to spend public funds in a wise manner, the prime minister would hold special sessions with the ministers to find out their needs and aspirations on Budget 2017.
Najib is scheduled to table the budget on Friday.
Meanwhile, Mustapa said Miti's proposals centred on emphasis for investment and trade, and supporting small and medium enterprises.
He said the business community raised the issue of the rising costs of doing business and hoped that the budget would not burden them.Goa Declaration +
state-sponsored terrorism +
name-check JeM +
BENAULIM (GOA): China blocked India’s attempts to name JeM and LeT in the, wherein the Brics member states pledged to “relentlessly pursue” outfits designated terrorist groups by the UNSC, but what has hurt the government more, sources said, is Russia’s disinclination to argue India’s case.The result, of course, was a declaration which failed to address India’s core concern, or the issue of. What compounded the matter for India was Russia’s recent military flirtation with Pakistan in the form of an anti-terror exercise. In current global power play, Russia is increasingly seen as needing China more than the other way round, but Moscow’s submission to Beijing’s position on an issue related to India’s security has still come as a revelation to New Delhi.While Russia did not help India, which perpetrated both the Pathankot and Uri attacks, in the declaration, it ensured that Syria-based Jabhat al-Nusra was. As it seeks to bolster the Bashar al-Assad regime, Russia has continued to target al-Nusra, which it accuses of pursuing, through barbaric methods, a caliphate in Syria. Al-Nusra is among the groups fighting to topple al-Assad.Like Nusra, JeM and LeT too are proscribed by the UN. Strategic affairs expert Brahma Chellaney said Moscow appeared willing to accommodate India’s concerns, but, in the face of Chinese opposition, shied away. “The result was that the declaration failed to mention the most potent form of terrorism in the world, which is state-sponsored,” he added.With Russia doing precious little for India, China has managed to shield Pakistani terrorism not only at the UN Security Council but also at a multilateral summit on Indian soil. In doing so, Chellaney said, China rode roughshod over Indian concerns and showed itself culpable in the killing of 26 Indian soldiers at Uri and Pathankot.While Russia itself has been the clear winner in terms of Brics’ focus on security-related issues, China continues to calls the shots on financial issues, leading to questions about the utility of Brics for India. “China uses Brics to advance its economic and political interests, including dominating the two financial mechanisms that the grouping has set up. But what does India get from Brics?” Chellaney said. “Goa showed that while China manages to get its own way, even at India’s expense, Indian officials do little other than put on a brave face. Even earlier, when China secured the right to host the Brics bank, Indian officials were left flaunting a consolation prize — that an Indian would be the bank’s first president,” he added.The Goa Declaration came just a day after President Vladimir Putin assured PM Narendra Modi that Russia would do nothing to hurt India’s interests. But, as MEA secretary Amar Sinha admitted, there was no consensus on naming Pakistan-based terror groups because other nations are not affected by their actions.His Cherokee name, according to Mooney, was "Aganstata," which he translated as "groundhog-sausage" ( agana = "groundhog", and tsistau = "I am pounding it"—as in pounding meat in a mortar). It appears as "Oconastota" (with two 'a's) on his grave marker at the site of Chota. Chota had been the chief town of Overhill Cherokee for a time.
Oconostota may have been a son of Moytoy of Tellico,[citation needed] and was born around 1704,[citation needed] one of eleven children. The identity of Oconostota's first wife is a mystery, although she was of the Paint Clan.[citation needed] Their daughter, Nionne Ollie,[citation needed] married his cousin Attakullakulla,[citation needed] his predecessor as First Beloved Man. Some sources claim Nionne Ollie was a Natchez refugee who was adopted as the daughter of Oconostota's wife (as the Cherokee were a matrilineal society, inheritance and descent went through the mother's clan.)[1] Some Natchez or Natchers lived in the Upper South prior to relocating farther south.
Oconostota first appears in historical records in 1736. He was a prominent warrior among the Cherokee, and was called "The Great Warrior of Chota." He may have been influenced by the German utopian Christian Priber, who lived with the Cherokee from about 1735 to 1739.[2] He eventually transferred his allegiance from the French to the British, and in 1753 led a pro-British Cherokee force against the Choctaw. Over the next 12 years the Cherokee fought both with and against the British, but as more and more American settlers encroached on Cherokee land, the Cherokee threw their support behind the British.[3]
Oconostata led a February 1760 attack on Fort Prince George where 29 Cherokee chiefs seeking peace had been imprisoned and then executed. He also defeated Col. Archibald Montgomery in Macon County in June 1760 and later captured Fort Loudoun.[4]
Oconostota became the First Beloved Man of the Cherokee following the death of his cousin Attakullakulla, sometime around 1775-1777. His tenure was fraught with warfare and struggle, which culminated in 1780 in the destruction of Chota and Tanasi by American revolutionary forces during the rebellion against the British and their allies. Many histories state that Oconostota went to England in either 1730 or 1762, but he was not a member of either delegation. Oconostota was believed to have died in either 1782 or 1783. He was buried with his hands on his chest holding a broadsword pointing down his body.[citation needed]Maybe more people than we thought long to be urban Martha Stewarts, or perhaps folks are just tired of spending an entire paycheck on high-priced organic food. Whatever the reason, city dwellers are embracing gardening en masse—but many aren't aware that the rich black soil they're dropping seeds into may contain toxic metals and chemicals.
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According to a recent study, urban gardeners aren’t prone to inspecting the soil they’re planting those tomatoes and pepper plants in—and that's a huge mistake, because toxins make their way into the produce.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University’s Center for a Livable Future conducted surveys of 70 urban gardeners across Baltimore and found “low levels of concern and inconsistent levels of knowledge about heavy metal and organic chemical contaminants,” as well as limited knowledge about effective ways to reduce exposure.
The urban gardening movement has grown rapidly over the last five years, with 2 million new city gardeners getting their hands dirty, according to newly released figures by the National Gardening Association. That's a lot of potentially contaminated tomatoes.
Brent Kim, a program officer at the center, told NPR that once gardeners find a plot of land where they want to plant, it's important to learn its history:
What's now an empty plot or a backyard might once have been a parking lot, a gas station or the site of a chemical spill, he says. "Knowing the site history will give you some clues about what might be in that soil," he says.
Once you know the history, share it. After all, it is a “community” garden, right?
Inside Urban Green, a blog on modern methods of growing food, calls soil contamination a “dirty secret” of urban gardening unknown to city dwellers who are not in the inner circle of community gardeners:
“Who educates recent immigrants and low income people? From my experience the answer is no one.”
Heeding the warnings and taking precautions against soil contamination don't mean you shouldn't indulge a budding green thumb, however.
The Environmental Protection Agency has a thorough fact sheet on reusing potentially contaminated soil for growing a sustainable urban garden. It recommends using raised beds, adding a thick layer of organic matter that can provide a physical barrier to contamination, and removing all the contaminated soil and replacing it with a new batch before you begin.
You can even conduct a formal environmental assessment (called a brown field assessment), for which the government is willing to provide a monetary grant, according to the EPA.
Contact your regional United States Department of Agriculture Service Center to find out how to go about testing your soil. Though you can use home test soil kits, these aren’t as comprehensive when it comes to detecting chemicals found in urban soil. Local city officials can connect you with soil testing labs in your city that can provide detailed analysis of your soil. The Department of Agriculture also provides information on soil testing labs in your area.From China to Korea to Iran to al-Qaeda, unfriendly eyes are watching our strength diminish.
The last few months have made crystal clear what was increasingly evident anyway: that every category of primary risk to American security is growing.
In January, a Chinese vessel locked a radar fix on a Japanese ship. That’s equivalent to a sniper fixing a laser sight on the forehead of a prospective target. It was a deliberately provocative act, and it comes on the heels of actions by which the Chinese have made clear that they intend to pursue vigorously their claim to hegemony over the South China Sea and much of the East China Sea.
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Last year, the Chinese took effective control of Scarborough Shoal — a coral reef that both China and the Philippines claim — by stationing ships nearby and blocking the entrance. From all appearances, they intend to keep the ships there permanently, presenting the Philippine government with the Hobson’s choice of starting a shooting war or accepting de facto Chinese control over the shoal.
#ad#China should not be viewed as an enemy of the United States. But the Chinese have national ambitions that, unless channeled into peaceful avenues, could substantially impair freedom of the seas and/or bring China into conflict with other nations which the United States is bound by treaty to defend.
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In February, the North Koreans conducted yet another successful nuclear test and launched a three-stage rocket. The acts were so flagrant that even the United Nations condemned them, imposing a new round of sanctions on North Korea. The Kim regime reacted by threatening to turn Washington and Seoul into a “sea of fire.” That caused the Obama administration to reverse its decisions of three years ago and take steps to place more missile-defense interceptors in Alaska.
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President Obama is no great fan of missile defense. If even he believes that the interceptors are necessary, that tells you the threat is real. The administration further evidenced its concern by flying a sortie of stealth bombers over South Korea last Thursday, to which the North Koreans responded by putting their missile units on standby alert.
Even more fundamentally, the actions of North Korea, and the ongoing Iranian nuclear program, show that the nuclear non-proliferation regime — which for decades prevented the spread of nuclear weapons to unstable governments — is disintegrating.
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Regarding Iran, with sanctions appearing not to have stopped its uranium-enrichment program, the United States will likely be faced with two practical choices: either attack Iran (or support the Israelis in doing so) or accept that the Iranian government will soon have nuclear weapons as a tool to support its ambitions in the Middle East. Neither option is palatable; both hold the prospect of increased conflict and destabilization of the region, which is already headed toward chaos because of the (ironically named) “Arab Spring.”
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Finally, it is now clear beyond denial that al-Qaeda has metastasized, both directly and through affiliates, and that it is planning further attacks against the United States from refuges in Africa and the Arabian peninsula. In fact, al-Qaeda is reportedly now active in Iraq, which — America having withdrawn from that country — is drifting into the orbit of Iran. The spread of nuclear weapons, along with the resurgent vitality of al-Qaeda, increases the risk that the terrorists will succeed in their goal of acquiring asymmetric weapons for use in their attacks.
And what exactly is the United States government doing in response to these growing threats? After 20 years in which it allowed the strength of America’s armed forces to decline gradually, it is now radically cutting military capability.
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As I wrote in a cover story for National Review six years ago, the last time the United States engaged in a sustained military buildup was during the Reagan administration. Since then, America has been living off the capital built up during the Reagan years, cutting the size of its military by about one-half, while failing to recapitalize its inventories and substantially increasing its missions and deployments abroad.
As a result, when Barack Obama took office, the Navy had already shrunk to its smallest size since before World War I. The Air Force |
learn how to talk to China. His instinct is to do deals. Last week he tweeted that he told Xi Jinping, China’s president, that “a trade deal with the US will be far better for them if they solve the North Korean problem!” Later he explained that his decision not to label China a currency manipulator, as he had threatened, was a quid pro quo for China helping out over North Korea. Dropping the currency threat was the right policy, but Mr Trump’s transactional approach to diplomacy is exactly the wrong one.
China would love to carve up the world bilaterally into spheres of influence, with the great powers dominating their regions and trading favours elsewhere. America has long been the guardian of something different: a rules-based order that applies to every country, big or small, and which has underpinned the relative peace and remarkable growth of the world since 1945. That Mr Trump appears to scorn this rules-based global order is worrying. The world would become a more dangerous place if America started letting China break the rules (for example, in the South China Sea) in exchange for help to resolve whichever issue happens to be in the news. A better response to China’s rise would be for America to strengthen the rules-based order and invite China to join it more actively. Alas, Mr Trump is unlikely to do this.
So the best hope is that he or his diplomats persuade China that it is in its own interest to curb North Korea. And the way to do this is to talk about North Korea itself, not the yuan or American steel jobs.
Three generations of Kims are enough
China does not gain if North Korea destabilises East Asia, or starts a regional arms race that leads Japan and South Korea to build their own nuclear weapons. Mr Trump should reassure his allies in Tokyo and Seoul that they remain under Uncle Sam’s protection. But he should also deal with China’s concerns. To that end, he could make it clear that freezing and then rolling back the North’s nuclear programme is his goal rather than regime change. He could also guarantee that, were the North to collapse into the arms of the South, America would keep its troops south of the current north-south boundary. China hates to admit that the Kim dynasty might not last, but it is rash not to plan for that possibility.
The crucial message for Mr Kim as for his predecessors is that, if the North were to use its nukes, the regime would be obliterated. In the long run, reunification is inevitable and desirable. Meanwhile, the junior god-king can be deterred.THE MARTIN JETPACK
The Martin Jetpack is a game changer for aviation. It has been designed to be the world’s most practical and safest OPV: Optionally Piloted Vehicle. It can be flown manned, unmanned or as a mule.
After 35 years of dedicated research and using the most advanced composite technology available alongside industry-standard aviation practices, we have produced an exceptional aircraft that provides real capability for our customers, particularly in the role of Saving Lives.
Without doubt the Martin Jetpack is one of the easiest aircraft to fly either manned or remotely, with a fly-by-wire system that allows hands-free hover and position hold. When coupled with its advanced safety features, including a ballistic parachute that can open as low as six metres above the ground, the Martin Jetpack now gives operators true freedom for mission focus.Conservatism in America has always been both distinct from the Republican Party and comprised of several different constituencies and strands of thought. There are the libertarians, of course, whose intellectual output is not matched by an equal number of voters. There is the Religious Right, which gained steam in the 1970s after the impact of abortion liberalization, the sexual revolution, and other disconcerting trends. There are the Rockefeller Republicans, who are not conservative per se, but who represented a socially liberal and fiscally conservative message that sold well in the Northeast, but which was largely displaced. And then there is the New Right of William F. Buckley, which tended to be socially conservative, economically free market oriented, and a proponent of a strong and aggressive defense posture against the Soviet Union. It began as an insurgent movement, but under Reagan became the dominant strain of conservative thinking.
The New Right movement had something of an intellectual core of sacred texts, including Hayek’s Road to Serfdom, Russell Kirk’s The Conservative Mind, Nash’s The Conservative Intellectual Movement in America Since 1945, and Weaver’s Ideas Have Consequences. The ideas in these books filtered down to conservative activists through publications like National Review, Modern Age, and the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, as well as television shows like Crossfire and Buckley’s Firing Line.
This movement culminated in Reagan’s presidential win, and it had broad support from voters with different concerns: national security oriented intellectuals impressed by his foreign and military policy, Reagan Democrats who appreciated his cultural conservatism, and the aspiring college-educated middle class, who did well under his economic policies. Many apolitical people of a conservative bent also appreciated his confidence and pride in an America that was in a dejected state during the Carter administration.
After the End of the Cold War, much of the consensus that defined the Republican Party’s mainstream conservatism began to fall apart. The party itself staying together in large part by inertia. More important, its intellectual basis became increasingly forgotten by the young activists who now ran its flagship publications, supplemented by a new strain of thought, neoconservatism, that was little different from the muscular liberal views of FDR.
The dissensus was expressed in both Pat Buchanan’s 1992 presidential run, as well as Ross Perot’s. Buchanan stood for the basic nationalist position, which was for immigration restriction, limitations on free trade, and a less activist foreign policy. Perot had a strange syncretist populism, coupled with faith in technology-enhanced direct democracy, further supplemented by free trade skepticism. These feels were, however, a minority position among Republicans. Most people had done reasonably well through 1992, and the rot to America’s culture, demographics, and economy, mostly appeared as storm clouds on the horizon at that point. Reagan style conservatism had not been rejected. 57% of people voted for either Bush or Perot, who split off a portion of the Republican coalition, and Clinton won. Clinton himself won as a moderate and abandoned the Democrat’s traditional albatross of being soft on crime and welfare, favoring both the death penalty and welfare to work laws. Because of the peculiar impact of the Perot phenomenon, most Republicans stuck to their traditional views for the most part. These were given new life following the spectacular success of the First Gulf War, after which most Republicans were not ready to turn away from an aggressive foreign policy, although the Somalia debacle in the early years of the Clinton administration began to make this shift more palatable.
George W. Bush also deviated from conservative orthodoxy, pushing his relatively big government “compassionate conservatism,” which aimed to use government to raise up the poor by expanding access to home loans, for example, and, prior to 9/11, he expressed his common-sense opposition to nation-building abroad. Nonetheless, most Republicans supported the Kosovo Campaign under Bill Clinton and, out of Cold War habit, continued to support a muscular foreign policy. Russia was weak, so most of these adventures were confined to the Middle East, and this instinct gained force after 9/11.
The 9/11 attacks made foreign policy the dominant issue of the 2000s. After they occurred, only two groups had a coherent explanation and proposed strategy: paleoconservatives, who suggested a limited punitive campaign coupled with immigration restriction, and the neoconservatives, who supported an ambitious and “idealist” campaign deliberately designed to destabilize the Middle East and usher in democratic change. The latter won out, but the Iraq War’s results proved lacklaster at first and eventually turned into an undeniable quagmire. Similar results transpired in Afghanistan. The disaster of Arab Democracy appeared in full flower during Obama’s administration in the Arab Spring, where relatively stable and friendly (or at least manageable) regimes became increasingly hostile, such as Egypt and Libya. Terrorist attacks in Boston, Fort Hood, San Bernardino, and Chattanooga were reminders of the importance of immigration restrictions, particularly of Muslims, to any effective containment of the Islamic extremist threat.
The failed campaigns of McCain and Romney also suggested something out of kilter about the Republican message. The prior emphasis on free market capitalism appeared increasingly tone death to the realities of globalization, where immigration and off-shoring rendered a great swath of the economy net losers, especially among the working class. The 2008 economic crisis rendered many once middle class people impoverished, and their own struggles were easily contrasted with the continuing big bonus culture of Wall Street, who obtained massive government assistance to keep their speculation going. Further, there are cultural factors: the decline of marriage and the increasingly Darwinian dating scene, the harsh suffocating effects of political correctness, perennial racial tensions exacerbated by Obama’s leftist message, and the realization among Baby Boomers, who did so well in the 80s and 90s, of their fragile economic position, coupled with the change in the texture of everyday life wrought by immigration and cultural leftism. These changes to the country have all conspired to bring about a strong feeling of dissatisfaction. The Republican Party’s continued embrace of neoconservative foreign policy also fell on increasingly deaf ears, made wise by the unfulfilled promise of the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns. Finally, the occasional pushes of the GOP’s establishment wing for immigration amnesty, first by Bush in 2005, and then later during the Obama years, added alienation to this dissatisfaction, and amnesty was for many the last straw.
The Alt Right emerged from a combination of these structural and intellectual factors. All of the changes above made core Republican voters–middle class whites–more nationalist in tone and orientation. At the same time, the declining intellectual integrity and influence of the Right’s flagship publications have left lacunae that have been filled from a combination of samizdat sources, ranging in quality, but all of which have been magnified in influence by the weakening power of gatekeepers. On Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, and numerous blogs, wide-ranging “forbidden” ideas have gained currency, including the Mens’s Rights Movement, the nationalist views set forth in Richard Spencer’s Radix publication, the race realism of American Renaissance magazine, Steve Sailer, and Vdare, foreign policy skepticism, and anti-feminism. These heterodox ideas have been further amplified by internet-savvy, alienated, and undeniably mischievous young activists, who are also energetic and sharp, and have been behind such diverse phenomena as the “chalkening,” #gamergate, and #NROrevolt.
Ironically, the increasingly ideological and unrigorous laundry list of official “conservatism” propagated by National Review and the mainstream Republican Party, is less intellectual than ever. The often Catholic intellectual forbears of Reagan’s New Right views are now unread and forgotten for the most part, including by the Alt Right. Instead, we have ended up with the shrill John Podhoretz and unserious Jonah Goldberg, whose main influences appear to be pop culture, in which both are immersed. The new leadership, often Jewish, is frequently reflexively hostile to the ethno-nationalist strains of conservatism that existed even in the very recent past. Further, the devolution of National Review–which has purged such stalwarts as John Derbyshire and Peter Brimelow for their “politically incorrect” musings on race–is engaged in purges on explicitly liberal grounds.
The early National Review did not represent nearly as dramatic a break with the Old Right of H.L. Mencken, Robert Taft, and the American Mercury magazine. Just as the Cold War created a new phenomenon–Soviet sponsored aggressive international socialism– that supported abandoning the traditional isolationism of the Old Right, the new phenomena of globalization, mass immigration, and crony-capitalism collectively demand the revival of the national unit, as well as a privileged position for its core historical demographic (white people), as an adaptation to new circumstances.
Like the occasional New Right thinker such as Erik von Kuehnelt Leddihn, the Alt Right has a more continental and authoritarian view than the classically liberal free market views of the New Right. But even this distinction can be overstated. Reagan embraced the Chrysler bailout and pushed for increasing exports to Japan. Further, Reagan continued the Nixon realpolitik rapprochement with China to weaken our number one foreign policy threat, the Soviet Union. Reagan had the good sense to withdraw from Lebanon after the Beirut Barracks Bombing. No one thought, as many Republican leaders do today, that we were honor bound to stick around the Middle East for 15 years pursuing the impossible, as we have done in Iraq and Afghanistan. Further, our ties to Israel made sense when the Soviet Union went “all in” for Arab Nationalism after 1967, but have become less useful, and positively dangerous in certain cases, after the end of the Cold War.
The modern Republican Party’s “True Conservatism” is an ideologically rigid series of positions on taxes, trade, and foreign relations that proponents imagine, but do little to prove, is coextensive with the interests and flourishing of the American people. Indeed, in characters ranging from Rubio to Jeb to the annoying Kevin Williamson at National Review, we see passionate support for jobs-destroying trade policy and fomenting unnecessary conflict with Russia and Assad’s Syria. We also see a fever pitch of opposition to Trump, who has not signed on to this ossified political ideology, but whose patriotism and right-leanings are undeniable.
The New Right that led to Reagan was an adaption of the Old Right of Robert Taft, H.L. Mencken, and Robert McCormick. The post-war right had embraced different positions on specific issues than their forbears because circumstances had changed. Similarly, the Alt Right, or something like it, must replace the 35 year old views of Reagan, enshrined in the Republican platform, because circumstances have changed markedly. But the fundamental and practical concerns with our collective existence, flourishing, and safety remain the same. Whereas in 1992 these were developing threats, today they are in full flower, and have coupled with continuing mass immigration and anti-family policies to render the natural constituency for conservative views smaller than ever. The Old Reagan coalition is simply too small to elect Presidents and will become increasingly weakened at the local level. It must change its policies, tone, and focus to address the new threats and concerns of today.
Donald Trump has been a symbolic source of energy for the Alt Right because, unlike his opponents, he is running on an explicitly nationalist message. His hostility to political correctness has been bracing. And his expressed solidarity with the middle and wage-earning class is somewhat new for a GOP that historically appealed to the now-shrinking entrepreneur class. This preservation of the nation is the chief concern for the Alt Right; it is now a prerequisite for any viable conservative movement, because otherwise it is simply a laundry list of stale positions, created in a different time, not designed to conserve anything in particular, which collectively do not even allow for the winning elections, as demonstrated by the twin failures of McCain and Romney.
Russell Kirk straddled the Old Right and New Right, providing an intellectual biography of conservatism that stretched from Burke and John Adams to Irving Babbitt and T.S. Eliot. He also reminded us that “politics is the art of the possible.” A conservatism rooted in nationalism is both possible and necessary when the integrity of the nation itself is under attack by the combined forces of globalization, mass immigration, and multicultural ideology. Just as the GOP of Reagan had to make peace with the New Deal, any surviving conservative party, Republican or otherwise, must make peace with the legitimate anxieties of “legacy Americans,” who are being squeezed by the culturally and economically hostile upper classes and the parasitical lower classes. As demonstrated by Trump’s successes and the enthusiasm he inspires, nationalism is both good politics and good policy under these circumstances, and the Alt Right is, broadly speaking, the heart of that movement.But of course the government of Ontario intends to make itself one of the biggest weed dealers in the world. And of course it's going to award itself an absolute monopoly — the cannabis equivalent of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO).
Was there ever any doubt?
There's a fortune to be made in peddling sin — governments already control booze and gambling in Canada, they don't like competition and a whole bureaucracy wants in on the action. The self-appointed guardians of our rectitude.
Ontario's public employees' union, OPSEU, has been drooling over the prospect of all those secure new jobs, and began lobbying for the pot franchise the moment Justin Trudeau's Liberals arrived in power, with their promise to legalize.
Ontario's proposed plan for distributing legalized marijuana includes online ordering and stores run by the provincial liquor control board, but critics say the setup could fall apart quickly 2:11
The unions and their government are even singing the same talking points: only government employees can be relied upon to properly retail cannabis. Private dispensaries are a danger by comparison (not to mention an economic threat). The substance may become legal, but private sales must be swept out of existence.
Ontario says it will initially open 40 outlets next July, rising to 150 in a few years. From the sounds of it, they will be austere, inherently scolding places, basically designed to make you apply for a perfectly legal product.
"Ontario's retail model will … sell products in a safe and socially responsible manner to restrict access for minors and give consumers the information they need," says the Ontario finance ministry in an official statement.
It is a law of politics that shamelessness pays, but only in Canada would it be taken to this level of nakedly self-serving, patronizing demagoguery without an indignant shove back from the consuming public. We're just so used to it.
Because of federal regulations, the new outlets will not allow people to actually see what they are buying. And no advertising. Or marketing. Just like cigarettes.
Well, fine, except Ontario allows corner stores to sell cigarettes. There are usually signs advising that ID may be required to ascertain the customer's age, and I've seen clerks ask for it.
It all seems pretty socially responsible to me, and tobacco use has declined massively over the years. Why, then, shouldn't dispensaries, or, for that matter, corner stores, sell pot? Why can only government employees save us from ourselves?
But the real whopper isn't the cigarette analogy. It's alcohol.
Public health threat
A study by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, published in 2013, identifies alcohol as one of the greatest public health threats in Canada, a drug far more dangerous than cannabis, and its consumption is on the rise.
The centre's literature connects alcohol to more than 200 diseases and injuries, blaming it for eight per cent of deaths under the age of 70 and seven per cent of hospital stays. Health advocates call alcohol "the new tobacco."
A separate CAMH study asserts that "Canadians drink more than 50 per cent above the global average." That figure, presumably, holds in Ontario.
And yet, the self-described socially responsible LCBO is constantly sending out glossy advertisements, urging the public to buy more. It presents alcohol as glamourous and sophisticated. It suggests food pairings. It surprises customers with sudden sales (puny reductions, but sales nonetheless). Sommeliers are on hand in the LCBO's high-end wine shops to offer advice.
And it makes special efforts to push Ontario wines, making sure they're up front and in your face.
Even conservative Americans are getting over this foolishness, but in Canada, normally sensible, educated people still assert marijuana is a "gateway drug." (Matilde Campodonico/Associated Press)
There will be none of that in the new provincial pot shops. In a long, not-for-attribution background briefing, an Ontario cannabis bureaucrat told me it is unclear whether employees will be able to offer advice on the best dope (the federal regulations would seem to forbid that), or which dope might best suit the customer's needs. Or even whether there will be more than one strain of cannabis on offer, let alone special treatment for Ontario-grown cannabis. (Initially, at least, all the product will come from government-approved medical cannabis growers).
It is as yet undecided how many customers will be allowed in a shop at the same time. (My guess is there will be permanent lineups outside). "Edibles" of the sort sold legally in the U.S. will be banned. Will people be allowed to buy in other provinces? "That is yet to be determined."
So why the full-bore marketing of alcohol, but severe restrictions on cannabis?
Well, my briefer explained, Ontario's government feels that Canadians have become much more educated over the decades about alcohol, and have learned to make responsible choices, so the LCBO's approach has evolved.
Mmm-hmm. And so has the "dividend remitted to the government," as the government likes to call the taxes vacuumed up by its alcohol monopoly. Two billion dollars or so last year.
A 'gateway drug'
But the real reason is that government still considers itself in loco parentis, and pot, inexplicably, remains a boogeyman.
Even conservative Americans are getting over that foolishness, but in Canada, normally sensible, educated people still assert it's a "gateway drug." Yes, they tried it, and it didn't make them try heroin, or anyone they actually know, but they have heard stories about their friend's cousin's daughter who ended up in rehab, so they're concerned.
As a result, ministers in the government of Justin Trudeau, who himself has smoked pot and presumably didn't graduate to heroin, cannot open their mouths about the subject of legalization without banging on endlessly about how strict the system will be, and how they're really only doing it to put criminals out of business.
For heaven's sake. Pot is already part of our lives. Millions of people smoke it at every level of society. Whatever threat it poses is mild compared to tobacco and alcohol. Decades of criminalization ruined countless careers and lives.
My briefer told me that legalizing a substance is not an easy thing. Well, actually, yes it is, when you have a majority government. Just do it. Justin Trudeau is not my father, and Kathleen Wynne is not my mother, and they should stop acting like they are.
Oh, also: I stopped smoking dope ages ago. It just weirds me out. So this all comes too late. But still.
This column is part of CBC's Opinion section. For more information about this section, please read this editor's blog and our FAQ.I thought I’d write a post with some quick thoughts on Markel’s value. I recently had a few conversations with a friend regarding how to think about the return on equity that Markel produces relative to the investment return that you will receive as a shareholder. For example, I’ve had a couple questions from clients similar to this: “It’s great that Markel can produce 15% ROE over time, but will we receive 15% if we’re paying above book value?” The current price of Markel is somewhere around 1.3 times book, so this is a relevant question.
First off, I wrote a much more detailed post with my thoughts on Markel earlier this year, so I won’t rehash why I think Markel is a great business here. If you’re interested in what I think about Markel as a business, please check out that post.
But back to the question: If Markel produces X% ROE, will I get X% on my investment if I’m paying above book value?
To answer the question, I need to explain how I think about Markel. Although I’ve referenced Markel’s book value growth over the past few decades, I don’t really value Markel relative to book value. In fact, I don’t usually value anything relative to book value. I’m interested in earning power.
Buffett once made the following comment regarding Wells Fargo:
“You don’t make money on tangible common equity. You make money on the funds that people give you and the difference between the cost of those funds and what you lend them out on.”
Buffett was talking about banks, but the same concept applies here. Unless Markel gets liquidated, book value is not really relevant. What is relevant is how much value Markel can wring from that equity capital.
So I think about Markel like I think about most other businesses: using a price relative to earning power, not book value. And one way to think about it is this: As long as you are paying a fair price for Markel—one that is equal or below intrinsic value—and Markel can grow intrinsic value at 12-14% per year, then you should expect 12-14% shareholder returns over a long period of time.
And you could look at the P/B ratio of 1.3 to determine valuation, but what I do is compare the P/B ratio to the ROE, which essentially values the business using a price to earnings ratio rather than price to book.
Think about it this way… Markel is priced at 1.3 times book. If Markel produces 13% ROE over time, then you’re paying 10 times earnings at the current price (At the risk of stating the obvious, let’s review simple math and invert our P/B thinking with a quick example of Stock XYZ. Let’s say XYZ has:
Book value of $100 per share
P/B ratio of 1.3
ROE of 13%
In this case, XYZ is priced at $130 per share (P/B of 1.3 times $100 book value), and is producing $13 per share in earnings (13% ROE on $100 book value). So the stock (at $130 per share) has a P/E ratio of 10.
So, if Markel’s ROE averages 13% over time, then at 1.3 times book (roughly the current valuation), Markel currently has a P/E ratio of just 10. If Markel produces 15% ROE over time, then you’re getting the stock at just 8.7 times earnings at the current price. Again, this is probably obvious, but I thought some explanation might be necessary since everyone always likes to talk about P/B ratios when it comes to financial companies. This makes some sense since financial companies’ earning power is somewhat tethered to the amount of capital they have, but what really matters is earning power, not book value.
So I think about the value in terms of price relative to earning power, not directly in terms of price relative to net worth on the books. Markel earns much more on its net worth than most other insurance companies, so I think price to earning power is much more relevant way of thinking about valuation.
Note: Please keep in mind that Markel is priced around 10 times earnings (normal earning power) at the current level, but these are comprehensive earnings, not GAAP earnings, as some of the earnings come from unrealized gains that don’t flow through the income statement.
A Simple Way to Think About Markel
So I’ll lay out a very simple way that I think about Markel (update numbers):
$17.6 billion investments
$2.3 billion debt
$1250 investments per share
$510 equity per share
5% after tax investment return = $63 per share in investment earnings
Markel over time has been a consistently profitable insurance business. I’m assuming they will make enough money to pay the relatively small interest charges on the debt along with all other expenses associated with the insurance company.
So in this example, we have a business that produces 12.3% returns on equity, and $63 per share in earnings.
So here is what we have if Markel produces the numbers above:
$63 per share earning power
P/E of 10.8
Instead of thinking about the return on Markel’s investment portfolio, you could also think about Markel in terms of book value compounding or return on equity. Basically, over time Markel has compounded book value at better than 15% annually, which means that their comprehensive return on equity (including unrealized gains) has been in the neighborhood of 15%.
Also, it’s worth noting what Markel said in the 2013 annual report:
“We believe that the five year change in book value is now just as important a measurement to consider when thinking about the value of your company as the book value itself.”
Basically, they don’t really view book value as a relevant proxy for intrinsic value, but they do view the growth of book value over time as a decent proxy for the growth of intrinsic value over time.
And growing book value (producing high returns on equity over time) is something that Markel has excelled at:
In other words, don’t look at the static value on the books—look at the growth of that value over a long term time period (5 years or more). This will give you a better view on how Markel is doing at growing intrinsic value.
So all of this boils down to a few questions:
How fast is Markel compounding intrinsic value?
I would say that if they can produce 12% ROE, they’ll be able to grow intrinsic value at around 12% over time. It’s a back of the envelope way to think about it, but it’s been true over decades, and I think it will be true going forward. One can argue about what their ROE will be going forward. I predict it will be better than 12%. But for now, let’s say the insurance company just breaks even after paying interest and we get 12% ROE, and thus 12% growth in intrinsic value going forward.
The next question is naturally:
What price do we have to pay in order to ensure that our investment returns match the intrinsic value compounding?
The answer here is quite simple: In order for our investment returns to match the 12% compounding of intrinsic value, we need to just make sure we pay a price that is at or below the current intrinsic value.
How do we determine this? My method is simple. I think about what a rational private owner would be willing to pay for a business that has compounded intrinsic value at between 15-20% annually for decades, and will likely compound intrinsic value at a rate of 12% for a period of time going forward. And while this answer could have a wide range of values, my guess is that this private buyer would be willing to pay more than 10.8 times earnings, which is where Markel is currently priced.
So to me, it’s that simple. It’s not scientific, and there are no spreadsheet models. I like to keep Ben Graham’s comment in mind that you don’t need to know the exact weight of a 350 lb man to know that he’s fat.
To me, a business that produces 12% (my guess is this is quite conservative) returns going forward and is currently available at 10 or 11 times earnings is a bargain.
My guess is someone would probably pay at least 12-15 times earnings for this type of business.
So to sum it up, Markel has historically compounded its book value at 20%. I think the growth of book value, not the current point in time value, is what’s relevant in thinking about the intrinsic value. As for the current price, Markel is priced around 1.3 times book value, but the way I think about this is simply that 1.3 times book at 12% ROE is simply 11 times earnings.
I think Markel is worth much more than 11 times earnings, and even if I’m wrong, I’m getting a business that is compounding at 12%.
Not bad. Although this would be a satisfactory result, my guess is that we’ll get:
Slightly better than 12% returns because of profitable underwriting over time
Higher valuation at some point in the future
I don’t need those two things to happen, but if they do, the results from owning Markel at this level should be quite good.
If not, we will be satisfied owning a business that is prudently managed, safe, cheap, and compounding value at a good clip.
Disclosure: John Huber owns Markel for his own account and for accounts he manages for clients.A decade and half later, Sachin Tendulkar yesterday recalled the curious case of the mongoose that helped India win the 1993 Hero Cup semifinal. With Sachin defending just six runs off the last over of that memorable match, he recalled how whenever the mongoose came on, South Africa lost wickets.
From among the countless memories that Sachin Tendulkar has given to cricket fans all over the world, only a few include Sachin bowling. The most famous one of those, perhaps, is from the Hero Cup semifinal in 1993, when India beat South Africa at the Eden Gardens. South Africa needed just 6 runs to win off the last over, and captain Md. Azharuddin took a huge gamble by giving the ball to Sachin, who somehow managed to create the pressure that brought down South Africa completing a memorable 3-run victory for India. This is just what everyone knew. Now here's something that not many people knew. Sachin bowled a great last over but according to the man himself, there was another good omen that led to the Indian victory last night. A mongoose kept appearing on the field, and whenever it did, the South Africans lost wickets.
“I don’t know how many of you have noticed this but because it was the first day and night match, there was a mongoose which kept coming in the second half of the match. We got some wickets when it came. Then there were some runs and again the mongoose came and we got wickets. So I was waiting for the mongoose to keep coming. The match got rather close and I ended up bowling the last over.” Tendulkar, who was speaking at an event in the City of Joy, could score only 15 with the bat in that particular match, but he made up for it by bowling a brilliant last over. Brian McMillan, the batsman on strike, took a single off the first ball, however, while trying to steal a second, non-striker Fanie de Villiers ran himself out. Tendulkar then bowled three dot balls to Allan Donald and gave away a single on the penultimate delivery. With a raucous crowd cheering for India, McMillan could only take a bye off the last ball and gave India a victory they would remember.
“When in Kolkata we used to have a joke running around –‘Pehle do wicket lelo, baki ke aath wickets crowd le leta hai’ (first take the first two wickets, the crowd will look after the rest).” The Hero Cup semifinal was among Tendulkar's most memorable moments at the Eden Gardens. The fact that it was the fist day-night ODI in the stadium made it extra special. The iconic venue was also where South Africa made their comeback to international cricket after the long exile due to apartheid, and a crowd of over one lakh people welcomed them, a match where Sachin got the joint MoM award along with Allan Donald. “It was quite memorable and completely different, the first day-and-night match where I ended up bowling the last over. The experience to see the entire stadium lit with torches was truly out of this world. They stay with you for the rest of your life. There have been so many memories when it comes to Kolkata. The first big moment for me was when we played against South Africa, who were getting back to the International cricket. We had a spectacular match, Donald had a fiery spell up front but we got a partnership going and ended up winning the game. All in all, the experience was overwhelming not just for South Africa but also for me.”A man in Panama Beach City, Florida, thwarted an attempted robbery outside his home this past Sunday when he shot one of the three suspected burglars with an assault rifle, police say.
The homeowner, whose identity was not revealed by police, awoke early Sunday morning when his wife told him she had heard a loud noise in their front yard. The man investigated and found three teenagers robbing their cars in the front yard. According to the Panama City News Herald, the homeowner told authorities one of the cars the teens were burglarizing had a firearm in it.
Per WTVY, the homeowner was armed with an AK-47 as he investigated the front yard, and at one point, the homeowner says, one of the robbers turned towards him in a way that made him fear he was about to be shot. The owner then opened fire with his rifle.
The robbers were able to flee in a car with a flat tire, and the homeowner later told police that the firearm that was in the car was now missing. Per WJHG, police were later able to track down the teens and found the handgun, as well as marijuana, in their car.
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Police identified the three teens as Tristen Wilson, Conrad VonBlankenburg and Kevin Taylor. Wilson and VonBlankenburg are both 19, while Taylor is 15. During their getaway, Wilson was hit in the leg by one of the bullets from the AK-47. He was transported to a local hospital and treated.
All three teens have been charged with grand theft of a firearm, two counts of burglary and obstructing justice. Wilson has also been charged with possession of marijuana. Police believe all three teens were under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the robbery, per WTVY.
According to statistics from the Department of Justice, 26 percent of household burglaries take place when members of the household are at home. Of that 26 percent, 26 percent end in some form of violent crime against the household member.Oakland approves laws to regulate pot industry
Council member Dan Kalb of District 1 listens to a member of the public give comments during an Oakland City Council held at City Hall in Oakland, CA Wednesday, July 7, 2015. Council member Dan Kalb of District 1 listens to a member of the public give comments during an Oakland City Council held at City Hall in Oakland, CA Wednesday, July 7, 2015. Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle Buy photo Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Oakland approves laws to regulate pot industry 1 / 1 Back to Gallery
The Oakland City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved laws to regulate the city’s medical cannabis industry, but promised to revisit provisions that have drawn sharp objections from industry leaders.
At the center of the debate is an equity program that some council members see as reparations for the U.S. drug war, but that industry leaders say will cause the city’s pot trade to sputter.
The program would reserve half the city’s cannabis permits for applicants who fit a narrow set of criteria: Residents who have lived for at least two years in a designated police beat in East Oakland that saw a high number of arrests in 2013, or individuals who |
White, who blanketed West Virginia’s Kevin White last weekend. With bracket coverage sure to be focused on Lockett, slot man Curry Sexton should have plenty of chances to inflict damage underneath the coverage. Sexton has been fabulous as Lockett’s wingman, ranking eighth in the Big 12 in receiving. The Wildcats need him to have another big game to keep the chains moving. -- Trotter
TCU's X factor: Points off turnovers. What Jake didn't mention is the Horned Frogs were gifted five turnovers at West Virginia and still almost lost. They turned the first three of those five takeaways into a combined zero points. An inability to capitalize on those extra chances is something you won't get away with often, particularly against K-State. Even if TCU notches only one or two takeaways this weekend, they must be turned into points. -- Olson
What a win would do for K-State: The Wildcats have quietly been one of the hottest teams in the country since the Sept. 18 loss to Auburn. They can take a serious leap into the playoff conversation with a win at TCU. As the only team without a conference loss, the Wildcats also can take command of the Big 12 race. -- Trotter
What a win would do for TCU: Potentially a spot in next week's College Football Playoff top four and probably at least a share of a Big 12 title. The Frogs finish out the year with games against three of the Big 12's worst teams and would have a clear path to a crown so long as they take care of business and Baylor loses one more game. This isn't the finish line for TCU, but it's getting closer. -- OlsonAspect A deity, demon lord, or other immortal power can project their consciousness across the planes by manifesting an avatar called an aspect. Only the most faithful of a power's mortal followers can summon an aspect; such manifestations are temporary and have no psychic or spiritual connection to their power. Aspect of Tiamat While only a fraction of the deity's full strength, the Aspect of Tiamat is more powerful than all but the most ancient dragons. She is usually escorted by five young chromatic dragons of red, blue, green, black, and white. Tiamat's pride is so great that she will not take the shape of anything other than her true form. The avatar of the Dragon Queen might assume direct control of one of her cults, or claim the hoard and territory of an unworthy dragon. Lair Actions While it has no lair actions of its own, Tiamat's aspect can use the lair actions of any variety of chromatic dragon, as is suitable for its environment.
Aspect of Bahamut The aspect of the Platinum Dragon is always escorted by an honor guard of seven young gold dragons. In his humanoid shape, Bahamut assumes the form of a smiling, venerable old man in simple gray robes, his gold dragons disguised as seven yellow canaries. The aspect might act as an advisor for a promising sect of paladins, or serve as caretaker for one of Bahamut's most holy sites. Lair Actions While it has no lair actions of its own, the aspect can use the lair actions of any variety of metallic dragon, depending on its environment.
Aspect of Bahamut Huge celestial, lawful good Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
19 (natural armor) Hit Points 290 (20d12 + 160)
290 (20d12 + 160) Speed 40ft., fly 80 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 29 (+9) 10 (+0) 27 (+8) 24 (+7) 25 (+6) 24 (+7) Saving Throws Dex +6, Con +14, Wis +12, Cha +13
Dex +6, Con +14, Wis +12, Cha +13 Skills Insight +12, Perception +18, Religion +18
Insight +12, Perception +18, Religion +18 Damage Resistances radiant; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
radiant; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks Condition Immunities charmed, exhausted, frightened
charmed, exhausted, frightened Senses darkvision 120 ft., truesight 60 ft., passive Perception 28
darkvision 120 ft., truesight 60 ft., passive Perception 28 Languages Common, Celestial, Draconic
Common, Celestial, Draconic Challenge 18 (20,000 XP) Innate Spellcasting (1/Day). The aspect can innately cast divine word (spell save DC 21). His spellcasting ability is Charisma. Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the aspect fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead. Magic Resistance. The aspect has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Magic Weapons. The aspect's weapon attacks are magical. Regeneration. The aspect regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn. Actions Multiattack. The aspect can use his Frightful Presence. He then makes three attacks: one with his bite and two with his claws. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (2dl0 + 9) piercing damage. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d6 + 9) slashing damage. Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (2d8 + 9) bludgeoning damage. Frightful Presence. Each creature of the aspect's choice that is within 120 feet of the aspect and aware of him must succeed on a DC 21 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for l minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the aspect's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours. Breath Weapons (Recharge 5-6). The aspect uses one of the following breath weapons. Polar Breath. The aspect exhales freezing air in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 21 Constitution saving throw, taking 66 (12d10) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Disintegrating Breath. The aspect exhales a beam of blue light in a 90-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that area must make a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw, taking 70 (20d6) force damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If this damage reduces a creature to 0 hit points, its body becomes a pile of fine gray dust. If the target is a Large or smaller nonmagical object or creation of magical force, it is disintegrated without a saving throw. If the target is a Huge or larger object or creation of magical force, this breath weapon disintegrates a 10-foot cube of it. Gaseous Form Breath. The aspect exhales swirling silver mist in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area can choose to make a DC 21 Wisdom saving throw. Creatures that fail or forgo their save are transformed into a misty cloud, as the spell gaseous form. Unwilling creatures can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect on a success. Otherwise this lasts for one hour, until the creature drops to 0 hit points, or until the aspect ends the effect as a bonus action. Change Shape. The aspect magically polymorphs into a humanoid or beast that has a challenge rating no higher than his own, or back into his true form. He reverts to his true form if he dies. Any equipment he is wearing or carrying is absorbed or borne by the new form (the aspect's choice). In a new form, the aspect retains his alignment, hit points, hit dice, ability to speak, proficiencies, Legendary Resistance, lair actions, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, as well as this action. His statistics and capabilities are otherwise replaced by those of the new form. Legendary Actions The aspect can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The aspect regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn. Tail Attack. The aspect makes a tail attack. Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The aspect beats his wings. Each creature within 10 feet of the aspect must succeed on a DC 23 Dexterity saving throw or take 16 (2d6 + 9) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The aspect can then fly up to half his flying speed.
Aspect of Tiamat Huge fiend, chaotic evil Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
19 (natural armor) Hit Points 290 (20d12 + 160)
290 (20d12 + 160) Speed 40ft., fly 80 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 29 (+9) 10 (+0) 27 (+8) 22 (+5) 22 (+5) 26 (+7) Saving Throws Str +15, Dex +6, Wis +11
Str +15, Dex +6, Wis +11 Skills Arcana +18, Perception +18, Religion +18
Arcana +18, Perception +18, Religion +18 Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
acid, cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks Damage Immunities poison
poison Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, poisoned, stunned
blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, poisoned, stunned Senses darkvision 120 ft., truesight 60 ft., passive Perception 28
darkvision 120 ft., truesight 60 ft., passive Perception 28 Languages Common, Draconic, Infernal
Common, Draconic, Infernal Challenge 18 (20,000 XP) Innate Spellcasting (1/Day). The aspect can innately cast divine word (spell save DC 21). Her spellcasting ability is Charisma. Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the aspect fails a saving throw, she can choose to succeed instead. Magic Resistance. The aspect has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Magic Weapons. The aspect's weapon attacks are magical. Multiple Heads. The aspect can take one reaction per turn, rather than only one per round, and makes opportunity attacks with her bite. The aspect also has advantage on saving throws against being knocked unconscious. If she fails a saving throw against an effect that would stun a creature, one of her unspent legendary actions is spent. Regeneration. The aspect regains 10 hit points at the start of her turn. Actions Multiattack. The aspect can use her Frightful Presence. She then makes three attacks: two with her claws and one with her tail. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d6 + 9) slashing damage. Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (2d8 + 9) piercing damage. Frightful Presence. Each creature of the aspect's choice that is within 120 feet of the aspect and aware of her must succeed on a DC 21 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for l minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the aspect's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours. Legendary Actions The aspect can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The aspect regains spent legendary actions at the start of her turn. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (2dl0 + 9) piercing damage plus 5 (1d10) acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison damage, determined by rolling on the breath weapon table. Reroll if that damage type has already been rolled this turn. Breath Weapon (Costs 2 Actions). The aspect uses one of the following breath weapons, determined by rolling on the following table. Reroll if that damage type has already been rolled this turn. Each creature in the area of the exhalation must make a DC 21 saving throw, the type of which is determined by the dragon head. A creature takes 23 (5d8) damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. d10 Dragon Damage Type Breath Weapon 1-2 White Cold 60 ft. cone (Con. save) 3-4 Black Acid 5 by 90 ft. line (Dex. save) 5-6 Green Poison 60 ft. cone (Con. save) 7-8 Blue Lightning 5 by 90 ft. line (Dex. save) 9-0 Red Fire 60 ft. cone (Dex. save)
Beholder Ultimate Tyrant The most horrible of all beholders, ultimate tyrants emerge from the Far Realm to spread dark chaos in their wake. The ultimate tyrant is the pinnacle of beholderkind, drawing power from the madness of that unknowable place and commanding the allegiance of lesser beholders. Lair Actions An Ultimate Tyrant has the same lair actions as its lesser kin, but does not increase the challenge rating or XP reward.. Beholder Ultimate Tyrant Huge aberration, lawful evil Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
19 (natural armor) Hit Points 230 (20d12 + 100)
230 (20d12 + 100) Speed 0 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover) STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 17 (+3) 15 (+2) 19 (+4) Saving Throws Int +10, Wis +9, Cha +10
Int +10, Wis +9, Cha +10 Skills Perception +15
Perception +15 Condition Immunities prone
prone Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 25
darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 25 Languages Deep Speech, Undercommon
Deep Speech, Undercommon Challenge 21 (33,000 XP) Antimagic Cone. The beholder's central eye creates an area of antimagic, as in the antimagic field spell, in a 150-foot cone. At the start of each of its turns, the beholder decides which way the cone faces and whether the cone is active. The area works against the beholder's own eye beams. Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the beholder fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Actions Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (4d8) piercing damage. Eye Beams. The beholder shoots one of the following magical eye beams of its choice, or up to three at random (rerolling duplicates): 1. Confusion Beam. Each creature in a 120-foot line that is 5 feet wide must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or be confused for 1 minute. While confused, it can't take reactions or move, and on its turn, the creature uses its action to make a melee or ranged attack against a randomly determined creature within range. If the creature can't attack, it does nothing on its turn. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. 2. Shock Beam. Each target in a 120-foot line that is 5 feet wide must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw, taking 27 (6d8) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. On a failed save, a creature is also paralyzed for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. 3. Terror Beam. Each creature in a 120-foot line that is 5 feet wide must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. While frightened by this effect, a creature that is able to move must take the Dash action and move away from the beholder by the safest available route on each of its turns, or drop prone if there is nowhere to move. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. 4. Freeze Beam. Each target in a 120-foot line that is 5 feet wide must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw, taking 27 (6d8) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. On a failed save, a creatures' speed is also halved for 1 minute. In addition, the creature can't take reactions, and it can take either an action or a bonus action on its turn, not both. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. 5. Burn Beam. Each target in a 120-foot line that is 5 feet wide must make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw, taking 36 (8d8) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. On a failed save, if the target is a creature or a flammable object, it ignites. Until a creature or an ally within 5 feet takes an action to douse the fire, the creature takes 9 (2d8) fire damage at the end of each of its turns. 6. Telekinesis Beam. Up to 3 targets that are within 120 feet of the beholder and within 10 feet of each other are gripped by a telekinetic force. If a target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 20 Strength saving throw or the beholder moves it up to 50 feet in any direction. It is restrained by the beam's telekinetic grip until the start of the beholder's next turn or until the beholder is incapacitated. If a target is an object weighing 300 pounds or less that isn't being worn or carried, it is moved up to 50 feet in any direction. Multiple targets moved by the same beam must remain within range and within 10 feet of each other. The beholder can also exert fine control on objects with this beam, such as manipulating a simple tool or opening a door or a container. 7. Sleep Beam. Each creature in a 120-foot line that is 5 feet wide must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw or fall asleep and remain unconscious for l minute. The creature awakens if it takes damage or another creature takes an action to wake it. This beam has no effect on constructs and undead. 8. Petrification Beam. Each creature in a 120-foot line that is 5 feet wide must make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature begins to turn to stone and is restrained. It must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn. On a success, the effect ends. On a failure, the creature is petrified until freed by the greater restoration spell or other magic. 9. Disintegration Beam. Each target in a 120-foot line that is 5 feet wide must succeed on a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw or take 45 (10d8) force damage. If this damage reduces a creature to 0 hit points, its body becomes a pile of fine gray dust. If a target is a large or smaller nonmagical object or creation of magical force, it is disintegrated without a saving throw. If a target is a Huge or larger object or creation of magical force, this beam disintegrates a 20-foot cube of it. 10. Death Beam. Each creature in a 120-foot line that is 5 feet wide must succeed on a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw or take 55 (10d10) necrotic damage. A creature dies if the beam reduces it to 0 hit points. Legendary Actions The beholder can take 3 legendary actions, using the Eye Beam option below. It can take only one legendary action at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The beholder regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. Eye Beam. The beholder uses one random eye beam.
Bulette Dire Bulette Infused with demon ichor and insatiable hunger, dire bulettes are even more ferocious and deadly than their smaller kin. Dire Bulette Huge monstrosity, unaligned Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
17 (natural armor) Hit Points 138 (12d12 + 60)
138 (12d12 + 60) Speed 40 ft., burrow 40 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 21 (+5) 9 (-1) 23 (+6) 2 (-4) 10 (+0) 5 (-3) Skills Perception +6
Perception +6 Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 16
darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 16 Languages —
— Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) Ground Eruption. The space the bulette burrows into or emerges from becomes difficult terrain. Standing Leap. The bulette's long jump is up to 40 feet and its high jump is up to 20 feet, with or without a running start. Actions Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 44 (6d12 + 5) piercing damage. The bulette can score a critical hit on a natural roll of 19 or 20. Deadly Leap. If the bulette jumps at least 20 feet as part of its movement, it can then use this action to land on its feet in a space that contains one or more other creatures. Each of those creatures must succeed on a DC 16 Strength or Dexterity saving throw (target's choice) or be knocked prone and take 19 (3d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage plus 19 (3d8 + 5) slashing damage. On a successful save, the creature takes only half the damage, isn't knocked prone, and is pushed 5 feet out of the bulette's space into an unoccupied space of the creature's choice. If no unoccupied space is within range, the creature instead falls prone in the bulette's space.
Carrion Crawler Enormous Carrion Crawler Carrion crawlers are familiar to most dungeon delvers, yet in the deepest recesses of remote caverns, enormous carrion crawlers gnaw on the ancient corpses of titanic creatures, slain in forgotten times and unknown to the surface races. Enormous Carrion Crawler Huge monstrosity, unaligned Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
13 (natural armor) Hit Points 136 (16d10 + 48)
136 (16d10 + 48) Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 16 (+3) 1 (-5) 12 (+1) 5 (-3) Skills Perception +4
Perception +4 Senses passive Perception 14
passive Perception 14 Languages —
— Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) Keen Smell. The carrion crawler has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell. Spider Climb. The carrion crawler can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. Actions Multiattack. The carrion crawler makes two attacks: one with its tentacles and one with its bite. Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 15 ft., one creature. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) poison damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. Until this poison ends, the target is paralyzed. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the poison on itself on a success. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (4d6 + 2) piercing damage. Swallow. The carrion crawler makes one bite attack against a Medium or smaller paralyzed creature. If the attack hits, the target is also swallowed. While swallowed, the target is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the carrion crawler, and it takes 14 (4d6) acid damage at the start of each of the carrion crawler’s turns. A carrion crawler can have only one creature swallowed at a time. If the carrion crawler takes 20 damage or more on a single turn from the swallowed creature, the carrion crawler must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate the creature, which falls prone in a space within 10 feet of the carrion crawler. If the carrion crawler dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 15 feet of movement, exiting prone.
Demon Bebilith Deep in the Abyss, Lolth maintains her hold over the Demonweb Pits by sending demonic spiders the size of elephants to eliminate any challengers. The Bebilith excels in recovering lost or desired objects, enemies, and runaway slaves and bringing them back to its master, but delights most in hunting and slaying other demons.
Variant: Retriever A retriever is a tireless demonic construct similar to a bebilith with the following traits: Type. Replace fiend with construct. A retriever doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep. Innate Spellcasting. The retriever can cast locate creature and locate object at will, requiring no material components. Bite. Retriever bites do not inflict poison. Instead, on a hit, the target is grappled and restrained (escape DC 15). The retriever can grapple only one target at a time and can't use its bite attack against a different target. Venomous Web. Replace this action with the Eye Rays action of the Spectator, Monster Manual page 30. Bebilith Huge fiend (demon), chaotic evil Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
19 (natural armor) Hit Points 157 (15d10 + 75)
157 (15d10 + 75) Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 20 (+5) 21 (+5) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 13 (+1) Saving Throws Str +6, Con +9, Wis +5, Cha +5
Str +6, Con +9, Wis +5, Cha +5 Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks Damage Immunities poison
poison Condition Immunities poisoned
poisoned Skills Insight +5, Perception +5, Survival +5
Insight +5, Perception +5, Survival +5 Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15
darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15 Languages Abyssal, telepathy 120 ft.
Abyssal, telepathy 120 ft. Challenge 10 (5,900 XP) Demonbane Poison. Against fiends, the bebilith's poison damage is treated as acid damage. Innate Spellcasting. The bebilith can innately cast plane shift once per day requiring no material components, affecting only itself and anything it is carrying. Magic Resistance. The bebilith has advantage on saving throws against Spells and other magical effects. Magic Weapons. The bebilith's attacks are magical. Spider Climb. The bebilith can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. Web Walker. The bebilith ignores movement restrictions caused by webbing. Actions Multiattack. The bebilith makes three attacks: two with its rending claws and one with its bite. Rending Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5) slashing damage, and if the target is wearing armor or carrying a shield, it takes a permanent and cumulative -1 penalty to the AC it offers. Armor reduced to an AC of 10 or a shield that drops to a +0 bonus is destroyed. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 22 (4d10) poison damage. Venomous Web (Recharge 5-6). Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 30/60 ft., one creature. Hit: 45 (10d8) poison damage, and the target is restrained by webbing. While restrained, the target takes 16 (2d8) poison damage at the start of each of its turns. As an action, the restrained target can make a DC 15 Strength check, bursting the webbing on a success. The webbing can also be attacked and destroyed (AC 10; hp 20; immunity to bludgeoning, poison, and psychic damage).
Displacer Beast Pack Lord Before being tamed by the Unseelie Court, displacer beasts roamed the Feywild free in great numbers, led by the mythical pack lords. Legend holds they were hunted to extinction by the Seelie fey, but some lurk still in shadowy forests and forgotten ruins.
Displacer Beast _ > - Armor Class 13 (natural armor) > - Hit Points 142 (15d10 + 60) > - Speed 40 ft. > >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|18 (+4)|15 (+2)|18 (+4)|6 (-2)|12 (+1)|8 (-1)| > > - Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 > - Languages Sylvan > - Challenge 12 (8,400 XP) > _ > Avoidance. If the displacer beast is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails. > > Displacement. The displacer beast projects a magical illusion that makes it appear to be standing near its actual location, causing attack rolls against it to have disadvantage. If it is hit by an attack, this trait is disrupted until the end of its next turn. This trait is also disrupted while the displacer beast is incapacitated or has a speed of 0. > > Magic Resistance. The displacer beast has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. > > ### Actions > Multiattack. The displacer beast makes three attacks: two with its tentacles and one with its bite. > > Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 15 ft., one creature. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) piercing damage. > > Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (4d6 + 4) piercing damage. > ## Pack Lord >Huge monstrosity, lawful evil >>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|18 (+4)|15 (+2)|18 (+4)|6 (-2)|12 (+1)|8 (-1)| >If the displacer beast is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails. > >The displacer beast projects a magical illusion that makes it appear to be standing near its actual location, causing attack rolls against it to have disadvantage. If it is hit by an attack, this trait is disrupted until the end of its next turn. This trait is also disrupted while the displacer beast is incapacitated or has a speed of 0. > >The displacer beast has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. > > ### Actions >The displacer beast makes three attacks: two with its tentacles and one with its bite. > >Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 15 ft., one creature. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) piercing damage. > >Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (4d6 + 4) piercing damage.
Draegloth Draegloths are a monstrous hybrid of drow and glabrezu (detailed on page 141 of Volo's Guide to Monsters.) Abomination The practice of making draegloths is not exclusive to drow. Driders also perform the profane creation rituals. A drider-born draegloth is an impressive creature, representing the height of Lolth's favor and the most perverse of creations. These fiends cannot be controlled, however, and they usually bring ruin to their creators. For that reason, most draegloth abominations are gifted to Lolth, so that the creatures threaten only those who dare venture into the Demonweb Pits. Lolth herself prefers the company of draegloth abominations to the balors attending other demon lords. Draegloth Abomination Huge fiend (demon), chaotic evil Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
19 (natural armor) Hit Points 284 (21d12 + 147)
284 (21d12 + 147) Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 26 (+8) 20 (+5) 24 (+7) 20 (+5) 22 (+6) 16 (+3) Saving Throws Str +14, Con +13, Wis +9, Cha +12
Str +14, Con +13, Wis +9, Cha +12 Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks Damage Immunities poison
poison Condition Immunities charmed, poisoned
charmed, poisoned Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 13
truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 13 Languages Abyssal, telepathy 120 ft.
Abyssal, telepathy 120 ft. Challenge 19 (22,000 XP) Fey Ancestry. Magic can't put the abomination to sleep. Innate Spellcasting. The abomination's spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 22). The abomination can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: At will: darkness, detect magic, dispel magic 1/day each: cloudkill, confusion, fly, power word stun Magic Resistance. The abomination has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Magic Weapons. The abomination's attacks are magical. Spider Climb. The abomination can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the abomination has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. Web Walker. The abomination ignores movement restrictions caused by webbing. Actions Multiattack. The abomination makes three attacks: two with its claws, and one with its bite. It can replace its bite attack with a tethering web. Alternatively, it makes two attacks with its claws and casts one spell. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 63 (10d10 + 8) slashing damage. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d6 + 8) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or take 36 (8d8) poison damage. Tethering Web. Ranged Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, range 30/60 ft., one target. Hit: 36 (8d8) poison damage, and the target is restrained by webbing. The abomination can use a bonus action to force a restrained target to succeed a DC 20 Strength saving throw or be pulled up to 25 feet toward the abomination. As an action, the restrained target can make a DC 20 Strength check, bursting the webbing on a success. The webbing can also be attacked and destroyed (AC 10; hp 30; immunity to bludgeoning, poison, and psychic damage).
Bluespawn Godslayer Huge giant, neutral evil Armor Class 16 (natural armor, shield)
16 (natural armor, shield) Hit Points 200 (16d12 + 96)
200 (16d12 + 96) Speed 40ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 26 (+8) 10 (+0) 22 (+6) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) Saving Throws Con +9, Wis +7, Cha +7
Con +9, Wis +7, Cha +7 Skills Insight +7, Perception +7
Insight +7, Perception +7 Damage Resistances lightning
lightning Senses blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 17
blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 17 Languages Common |
the opening up of new markets to US corporations and Wall Street, controlling critical resources, and “forging a broad-based military presence” across the continent. Washington intends to be the main player in the world’s most prosperous region. Here’s Clinton:
“The future of politics will be decided in Asia, not Afghanistan or Iraq, and the United States will be right at the center of the action…. One of the most important tasks of American statecraft over the next decade will therefore be to lock in a substantially increased investment — diplomatic, economic, strategic, and otherwise — in the Asia-Pacific region… Harnessing Asia’s growth and dynamism is central to American economic and strategic interests and a key priority for President Obama. Open markets in Asia provide the United States with unprecedented opportunities for investment, trade, and access to cutting-edge technology…..American firms (need) to tap into the vast and growing consumer base of Asia…The region already generates more than half of global output and nearly half of global trade. As we strive to meet President Obama’s goal of doubling exports by 2015, we are looking for opportunities to do even more business in Asia… (“America’s Pacific Century”, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton”, Foreign Policy Magazine, 2011)
As we noted earlier, the pivot to Asia is Washington’s top priority. Clinton merely confirms what geopolitical strategist Zbigniew Brzezinski had laid out in his 1997 magnum opus The Grand Chessboard: American Primacy and Its Geostrategic Imperatives. Here’s a short excerpt from the book:
“For America, the chief geopolitical prize is Eurasia… (p.30)….. Eurasia is the globe’s largest continent and is geopolitically axial. A power that dominates Eurasia would control two of the world’s three most advanced and economically productive regions. ….About 75 per cent of the world’s people live in Eurasia, and most of the world’s physical wealth is there as well, both in its enterprises and underneath its soil. Eurasia accounts for 60 per cent of the world’s GNP and about three-fourths of the world’s known energy resources.” (p.31)
For Washington to achieve its foreign policy objectives, it must eliminate or defeat all emerging threats to its dominance. In practical terms, that means the Russo-Sino plan to transform Europe and Asia into a giant free trade zone that extends from Lisbon to Vladivostok– must be sabotaged by any means possible. The State Department’s coup in Kiev as well as aggressive efforts to restrict the flow of Russian gas to the EU via Nord Stream and South Stream, have at least temporarily succeeded in undermining Moscow’s plan for accelerated economic integration. Had Hillary won the election, the US would have stepped up its provocations, its sanctions, its military buildup on Russia’s borders, its gas war, its attacks on Russia’s markets and currency, and its proxy wars in Syria and Ukraine. But now that Trump has been thrown into the mix, anything is possible. Even a fundamental change in the policy.
The question is whether the deep state powerbrokers –who have already launched a number of attacks on Trump in the media — will throw in the towel and allow Trump to develop his own independent foreign policy or take steps to have him removed from office.
Early indications suggest that a coup is already underway.Real Fair for Canada
It's time for 'Robellus' to grow up (Rogers, Bell, and Telus)
Protecting "Robellus" against fair-play and competition is a bad call for us Canadians.
Rogers, Bell, and Telus - have virtually no incentive to treat their customers with fairness and compete with each other. Competition is the ONLY thing that will keep them in check. The best improvements we have seen from them are a direct result of having to compete with new entrants.
Canadians Deserve Better from the Wireless Industry
Dear Robellus: Let's get real
You own 85% of the wireless spectrum. You have all of the best frequencies already and they aren't up for auction.
You make more money off of Canadians than carriers anywhere else in the world.
You all, in unison raised your plan rates by almost 40% summer of 2013.
You loved the new rules when they first came out seeing as they still leave you at a giant advantage. Then complained when a carrier with more money than you was considering entering the market.
Most of the spectrum you have now, was a free handout from the government.
You have enjoyed a government protected shared monopoly all these years.
Your Fair for Canada campaign is dishonest, irresponsible, and shows a lack of ethics and morals
Robellus is Concerned about Canadian Jobs
This must have been a concern for them when thousands of Canadians received pink slips, becuase they sent their jobs to countries like Tunisia, India, and The Philippines.
The Robellus Fair for Canada campaign is dishonest and a downright insult to our intelligence
What about Canadians' Privacy?
Robellus wants us to believe that they are looking out for our privacy. Was this a concern when operations were contracted to third party companies in different countries including the United States? Would that not mean our data is already accessible and subject to foreign laws and agencies? Let us not forget that the big 3 ALL have American upstream providers (Level3, Cogentco, and Metromedia to name a few) meaning all of our data funnels through nodes in the United States. Telus was especially considerate of our privacy when they built their LTE network using equipment from Huawei - a company which is suspected of spying for the Chinese Government and as Peter Nowak notes; are banned from providing telecom equipment in the United States and Australia.
Get involved in this process.Image caption Energy drinks can have very high levels of caffeine and are not usually recommended for children
One in 20 teenage pupils goes to school on a can of energy drink instead of a good breakfast, a survey suggests.
A third of UK teenagers eat unhealthy breakfasts such as fry-ups or crisps, the poll of 2,000 youngsters aged between 12 and 18 suggests.
Four out of 10 skip breakfast altogether to lose weight, the poll for the Make Mine Milk campaign suggests.
Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said the results were a worry.
He said pupils breakfasting on energy drinks, which are not usually recommended for children, was something he had seen as a head teacher.
'Hyperactive'
"When children arrive in schools having started the day eating or drinking totally inappropriate things like that, they are in no fit state to be in the classroom.
"They can be hyperactive, and it can have a very negative effect on their behaviour."
He added that parents should be ensuring that their children were eating good breakfasts, rather than sending them off with money to buy something on the way to school.
He added: "There's a lot of advertising with these drinks and they are fashionable, and teenagers love things that are fashionable."
Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), also said it was vital that children had a good and nutritious breakfast to set them up for the day and enable them to concentrate in class.
"A healthy breakfast is also important in stopping children become fractious and badly behaved.
"It is worrying to think that some children are breakfasting on energy drinks, such as Red Bull, which are stuffed full of sugar and stimulants and have little nutritional value.
"School breakfast clubs can play a key role in making sure children have had a good breakfast before they start school to help their learning. And we would like children to be taught about healthy eating, so they learn about healthy diets and how to cook nutritious meals."
Caffeine content in such energy drinks ranges from about 8mg of caffeine - about the same as an espresso coffee - to as much as 400mg.
'Shot style'
Some of the smaller "shot style" products can contain as much as 175mg of caffeine in a 60ml bottle.
Drinks containing more than 150mg of caffeine per litre (mg/l) must be labelled with the term "high caffeine content", and the Food Standards Agency recommends that children should only "consume in moderation drinks with high levels of caffeine".
The makers of the Red Bull Energy Drink did not wish to comment on the issue raised but its website says: "Red Bull Energy Drink's special formula has been appreciated worldwide by top athletes, students, and when undertaking demanding work or during long drives."
It adds the drink is "the ideal equipment when you are active and keen to set personal bests".
Director general of the British Soft Drinks Association Gavin Partington said: "The soft drinks industry is clear that energy drinks are not suitable for children, and we want to get that message across to young people and their parents.
"Adults might choose an energy drink, containing about as much caffeine as a typical cup of coffee, when they want a physical or mental boost. But, like all food and drink, energy drinks should be consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet and active lifestyle."Cleveland
The Trump campaign is dismissing reports that it lobbied to lessen support for Ukraine against Russia and Russian-backed rebels in the Republican party platform.
"I really don't understand the question," Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort said in response to a Ukrainian reporter. Asked whether eastern Europeans should be worried about Russia "run[ning] amok and harass[ing] its neighbors" under a Trump presidency, Manafort said the businessman would be a "strong leader."
"The people of the world should be concerned about what's going on in Washington today," Manafort said. "To all those enemies of democracy, strong leadership by the United States is something that they should fear, and Mr. Trump will be a strong leader."
The Washington Post reported Monday that the Trump campaign pushed delegates working on the party platform to decrease the supply of weapons to Ukrainians fighting Russian forces.
Trump and his advisers have shown signs of cozying up to Russia.
Manafort served as a lobbyist for former Ukrainian president and Vladimir Putin ally Viktor Yanukovych for years. Trump has also praised Putin for his "leadership" and said he would "get along very well" with him. The Russian leader has returned the favor, calling Trump "bright."
"Trump is a bright person," Putin said. "What, is he not bright? He's bright."
This story has been updated with a fuller quote from Manafort.(CNN) -- An Oregon seafood company is recalling packaged crab meat products after testing revealed some products contained bacteria that could cause serious or fatal infections.
Hallmark Fisheries, based in Charleston, Oregon, is recalling crab meat sold under brand names Hallmark, Peacock, Quality Ocean International and Yaquina Bay.
Recalled products come in 5-pound cans, 1-pound vacuum packs, 1-pound plastic tubs and 8-ounce plastic tubs, according to a company press release.
The meat was distributed in California, Nevada and Oregon, mainly to food service companies.
The company said routine testing revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes, "an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems."
Healthy people can suffer short-term symptoms, but the bacteria can cause miscarriages and stillbirths for pregnant women.
Consumers can find a list of the product codes involved in the recall at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's website.
Hallmark has stopped crab production at its Charleston facility and was investigating what caused the problem, the release said.
Customers can return recalled products to the place of purchase for a refund.447.000 euro
De maatregel van Fred Teeven volgde op De maatregel van Fred Teeven volgde op grote commotie in de media over de salarissen van de directie. De salarissen van Van der Ree en toenmalig financieel directeur Cees van Rij werden in 2011 voor het eerst opgenomen in het jaarverslag. Toen bleek dat Van der Ree ruim 300.000 euro verdiende. Het laatste jaarverslag (over 2013) meldt zelfs een totale beloning van 447.000 euro voor Van der Ree, en 347.000 voor financieel directeur Wieger Kettellapper. Dat is inderdaad ruim boven de minister-norm, die in 2015 staat op 178.000 euro. De commotie leidde in mei 2011 tot Kamervragen van de SP, waarop staatssecretaris Teeven ingreep. Voor nieuwe arbeidsovereenkomsten gold de WNT-norm al, vanaf 2017 moeten ook bestaande contracten over een periode van drie jaar afgebouwd worden.
In zijn brief aan het bestuur stelt Van der Ree dat de staatssecretaris te ver gaat met zijn bemoeienis, en dat hij vindt dat BumaStemra als goed werkgever zijn arbeidscontract zou moeten verdedigen. Op de bestuursvergadering van 3 september 2014 is juist besloten dat niet te doen. “Ik meen dat er voor het bestuur alle aanleiding bestond en bestaat om de overheid er op aan te spreken dat artikel 25a Wet toezicht buiten toepassing moet blijven. Door dit niet te doen schaadt het bestuur in mijn visie niet alleen de belangen van BumaStemra, maar ook mijn persoonlijke belangen.” Van der Ree zegt een civiele zaak te overwegen, waarvoor hij de kosten (volgens hem tussen de 50.000 en 100.000 euro) zelf zal betalen. Zeer opvallend is dat hij claimt dat het bestuur destijds unaniem akkoord ging met zijn arbeidsvoorwaarden, terwijl bestuursleden Hans Kosterman en Henk Westbroek juist in de media klaagden dat ze akkoord moesten gaan zonder details over bijvoorbeeld salaris te mogen weten.
Onrust vermijden
In een concept antwoord op de brief, dat ook in handen van 3voor12 is, raadt bestuursvoorzitter Leo de Wit zijn directeur af om juridische stappen te ondernemen. “Een procedure tegen de Staat – aan een procedure tegen BumaStemra als uw werkgever zult u niet denken – zal voor BumaStemra ongunstige publiciteit kunnen genereren en roept mede daardoor het risico van grote onrust onder de achterban van BumaStemra op. Als gewaardeerd directeur van BumaStemra moet u die publiciteit en die onrust met het bestuur tegen elke prijs willen vermijden”, zo luidt het. In de brief wordt gefilosofeerd over mogelijke oplossingen. Van der Ree zou meer ruimte willen om als ondernemer extra verdiensten te genereren. Ook wordt gesproken over een afkoopsom als Van der Ree opstapt voor de regeling ingaat. Daar zou het bestuur niet meer dan 75.000 euro over beschikbaar willen stellen. De voorganger van Van der Ree verdween destijds met een In een concept antwoord op de brief, dat ook in handen van 3voor12 is, raadt bestuursvoorzitter Leo de Wit zijn directeur af om juridische stappen te ondernemen. “Een procedure tegen de Staat – aan een procedure tegen BumaStemra als uw werkgever zult u niet denken – zal voor BumaStemra ongunstige publiciteit kunnen genereren en roept mede daardoor het risico van grote onrust onder de achterban van BumaStemra op. Als gewaardeerd directeur van BumaStemra moet u die publiciteit en die onrust met het bestuur tegen elke prijs willen vermijden”, zo luidt het. In de brief wordt gefilosofeerd over mogelijke oplossingen. Van der Ree zou meer ruimte willen om als ondernemer extra verdiensten te genereren. Ook wordt gesproken over een afkoopsom als Van der Ree opstapt voor de regeling ingaat. Daar zou het bestuur niet meer dan 75.000 euro over beschikbaar willen stellen. De voorganger van Van der Ree verdween destijds met een oprotpremie van zeven ton. Ook daar ontstonden felle discussies over.
Het bestuur van BumaStemra beraadt zich dus momenteel op de wens van de directeur. Woordvoerder Frank Janssen laat weten dat noch Hein van der Ree noch het bestuur op dit moment inhoudelijk op de zaak in wil gaan. Ook bestuurslid Pieter Perquin (Perquisite) wil ‘in het belang van de leden’ niet reageren. Hij bevestigt dat de kwestie speelt, maar zegt een interne oplossing te zoeken. “Dat zullen we dan uiteraard helder aan de leden communiceren.” Definitieve besluitvorming zou in de loop van dit jaar moeten plaatsvinden.If more sightings of an endangered species are recorded, does that mean its numbers are increasing? Australia’s native forest logging industry is arguing yes.
On the basis of an increase in sightings of Leadbeater’s possums, advocates for Victorian native forest logging industry has proposed to downgrade the possum’s conservation status from critically endangered (thus facilitating ongoing logging in and around potential habitat in Victoria’s Central Highlands).
But while this sounds reasonable, increased sightings aren’t always a reliable measure of endangered species’ viability. Often, an increase in sightings can be attributed to two things: either more people are trying to spot the animal in question; or new work that has used different parameters to previous studies.
Read more: Victoria must stop clearfelling to save Leadbeater's Possum
Why more sightings may not mean species recovery
One of the ultimate achievements in successful conservation is to downlist a threatened species – for example from critically endangered to endangered, or from endangered to vulnerable. But this requires high-quality, long-term survey data that shows substantial recovery, as well as proof that the key threats to a species’ persistence have been truly mitigated.
An example of a failure to do due diligence was the woylie in Western Australia, (also known as the brush-tailed bettong). It was downlisted in 1996 but then within 3 years suffered an enormous and still not well understood population crash (from which it has still not recovered). Its conservation status was uplisted in 2008.
AAP Image/WA Government
There have been more records of Leadbeater’s possum in the last few years, but this growth is most likely a function of a large increase in the amount of effort invested in trying to find them.
In areas zoned for timber harvesting, locations with a confirmed Leadbeater’s possum sighting are excluded from logging. This has motivated large numbers of people who are concerned about the plight of the possum to devote many hours to finding animals.
The detection of more animals with greater searching is a well-known phenomenon in ecology and other disciplines. Last year, for example, sightings of wild tiger populations rose by 22% – but further investigation found that the increase was most likely caused by changes in methodology and greater effort in surveying.
Read more: Australia's species need an independent champion
In fisheries this relationship is termed catch per unit effort. For example, even with rapidly declining numbers in a fishery, the number of fish caught can stay the same or even go up when more efficient and targeted techniques are adopted. Sadly, this intensified effort can often cause fish stocks to collapse.
The real evidence on Leadbeater’s possum
As stated earlier, the first critical piece of evidence required to justify downlisting is robust evidence of long-term improvement in population size. So what does the evidence tell us about Leadbeater’s possum?
For more than 34 years, the Australian National University has monitored Leadbeater’s possum including at more than 160 permanent sites since 1997. This large-scale, long-term data set shows that the possum is in significant decline. Over the past 19 years, the number of survey sites where the possum was detected has dropped by almost two-thirds.
The second critical requirement for delisting is evidence that the key processes threatening the species have been mitigated.
One of the principal threats facing Leadbeater’s possum is the rapid ongoing decline in large old trees which are the sole form of natural nesting sites for the species.
As part of ecological surveys in the wet forests of Victoria, which have been running since 1983, the Australian National University has been collecting information on hollow-bearing trees. The most recent analysis of this large and long-term data set suggests that if current declines continue, by 2040, populations of large old trees may be less than 10% of what they were in 1997.
Another key threatening processes which has not been addressed is fire. Victoria’s wet ash forests are extremely fire prone, in part because forests that regenerate after logging are significantly more likely to burn at elevated severity.
The significant risks facing the mountain ash forests in which Leadbeater’s possum lives has resulted in the forest itself being classified as critically endangered.
No grounds for reducing the conservation status
Efforts to downlist Leadbeater’s possum are misguided at best. The greater number of records in recent years is most likely a reflection of greater survey effort. In contrast, robust long-term monitoring data clearly shows a significant decline in population.
Most importantly, the key processes causing the decline of Leadbeater’s possum (and other threatened species in the same area, like the greater glider) have not been mitigated; indeed they are intensifying (such as the increasing fire burden with increasing area of logged forest).
There is little room to gamble with these species. Leadbeater’s possum and the greater glider currently do not breed in captivity, so expensive fallback options like captive breeding and reintroduction are not viable possibilities if wild populations crash.
The loss of these animals from ill-informed downlisting would add to Australia’s already appalling record on species loss. Approximately 10% of our mammal fauna has gone extinct – the worst rate in the world, and 30 times worse than places of equivalent size, such as the United States.
More formally protected areas, and not downlisting their conservation status, is the most scientifically robust option for the conservation of this iconic animal.Bad Batch of K2 Leads To 23 Overdoses in 24 Hours
About a dozen more overdosed the following day.
About 35 St. Louis residents overdosed on K2, a synthetic cannabinoid, this week—23 of which occurred in a 24-hour period on Tuesday.
Most of the people who overdosed were homeless, and were found near the New Life Evangelistic Center, a shelter in downtown St. Louis, according to CBS St. Louis.
“People were standing and walking around like zombies,” St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “They didn’t know what they were doing or where they were at.”
A large group of people in the area appeared to overdose in a very short amount of time. On Wednesday morning, 11 more people overdosed. “The police chief was passing by the north side of the library when he saw seven people down, and by the time the fire department arrived, there were 11 down within a 20-minute period,” Jenkerson said.
In addition to appearing disoriented, some people were having seizures, passing out or moaning and asking for help. On Wednesday, police were called twice in four hours to care for one man, who told a reporter that he had smoked K2.
Three people were taken into custody who were suspected of selling the synthetic drugs that caused the spate of overdoses. “Somebody is preying on the most vulnerable people in society,” said Rev. Larry Rice, who runs the shelter.
The New Life Evangelistic Center has had its own run-ins with the law. The shelter has been illegally operating since it lost its occupancy permit on May 12, 2015. Neighbors oppose the shelter, and there have been tensions between the homeless population and the surrounding residents. On Wednesday morning, following the overdoses, the city ordered the shelter to either obtain a new permit or close.
One resident of the shelter said that residents use K2 because it allows them to be able to pass court-ordered drug screenings. “The drug is everywhere,” said James Tyler Pennick, a 29-year-old Air Force veteran and resident of New Life. “A lot of homeless people have drug problems. I am sure this stuff is very cheap.”
Pennick, who was recently kicked out of rehab, said that he tried the drug once. “I took one hit. It’s supposed to be like marijuana. It was almost like having a seizure. I didn’t know where I was. I didn’t know my own name.”
St. Louis Police Lt. James Joyner agreed with Pennick on one thing: “It’s a cheap way to get high,” he said. In fact, the bad batch that hit St. Louis this week was sold for as little as $1 per K2 cigarette.Budget Director Mick Mulvaney speak to the media about President Donald Trump's proposed fiscal 2018 federal budget in the Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, May 23, 2017. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
How President Donald Trump’s proposed $4.1 trillion federal spending plan would affect individual government agencies.
___
AGRICULTURE
Up or down? Down 5 percent
Highlight: The proposed budget would limit subsidies to farmers, including a cut in government help for purchasing crop insurance. Crop insurance is overwhelmingly popular program with farm-state senators in both parties, and previous farm bills have only increased spending. The budget would also limit spending on environmentally friendly conservation programs and some rural development dollars that help small towns build infrastructure.
Trump isn’t the first president to try to limit farm subsidies. Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush also proposed major reductions, but farm-state lawmakers have always kept them going. The Republican chairmen of the Senate and House agriculture committees both said Tuesday they oppose Trump’s proposed cuts.
Total spending: $132.3 billion.
Spending that needs Congress’ annual approval: $18 billion.
___
COMMERCE
Up or down? Down 15.4 percent
Highlight: The budget would eliminate three economic development agencies and several grant programs aimed at preserving the environment and dealing with climate change. The Minority Business Development Agency, the Economic Development Administration and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership would be eliminated.
The budget would also eliminate several grant programs run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: the Sea Grant, the National Estuarine Research Reserve System, Coastal Zone Management Grants, the Office of Education and the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund.
Total spending: $8 billion.
Spending that needs Congress’ annual approval: $7.8 billion.
___
DEFENSE
Up or down? Up 3.3 percent
Highlight: The Pentagon’s proposed 2018 budget would fund increases of almost 43,000 in the size of the active duty military and 13,000 in the Reserves. It provides troops a 2.1 percent pay raise, adds F/A-18 fighter jets and seeks a new round of base closures, which Congress routinely rejects. It also increases the amount of money used for training Afghan forces and conducting counterterror operations in Afghanistan. The budget includes $64.6 billion for military operations in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Africa.
Total spending: $647 billion.
Spending that needs Congress’ annual approval: $639.1 billion.
__
EDUCATION
Up or down? Down 46.9 percent
Highlight: Eliminates after-school and teacher training programs, ends subsidized federal student loans and loan forgiveness programs for public servants, funds year-round Pell grants and expands funding for school choice for low-income students.
Total spending: $61 billion
Spending that needs Congress’ annual approval: $59 billion
___
ENERGY
Up or Down? Down 5.7 percent
Highlight: Trump’s budget would sell off nearly half the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve, 270 million barrels, over the next 10 years as a way to reduce the budget deficit. The reserve is an emergency fuel storage maintained underground in Louisiana and Texas. Budget director Mick Mulvaney said the sale would not cause a security risk because of an increase in oil production from fracking. The administration says the plan would bring in a projected $17 billion over 10 years.
The budget also would hike spending for the National Nuclear Security Administration, which is responsible for maintaining the nuclear stockpile, while cutting other energy spending. The budget seeks $120 million to revive the mothballed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository, which is hugely unpopular in Nevada and was largely stopped by the efforts of former Democratic Sen. Harry Reid.
Total spending: $28 billion
Spending that needs Congress’ annual approval: $28 billion
___
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Up or down? Down 31 percent.
Highlight: The budget cuts EPA by nearly one-third, eliminating more than 3,800 jobs while imposing dramatic cuts to clean air and water programs. Adjusted for inflation, the proposed budget would represent the nation’s lowest funding for environmental protection since the mid-1970s. The Superfund pollution cleanup program would be cut by $330 million, to $762 million.
Total spending: $5.7 billion.
Spending that needs Congress’ annual approval: $5.7 billion.
___
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Up or down? Down 1.3 percent
Highlight: The budget initiates deep cuts to health insurance programs for people with modest incomes, including coverage for children. Those cuts would go beyond the House GOP bill that repeals much of the Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare,” and limits future federal financing for Medicaid.
Total spending: $1.1 trillion
Spending that needs Congress’ annual approval: $65.3 billion
___
HOMELAND SECURITY
Up or down? Down 3.2 percent
Highlight: The budget asks Congress for $2.6 billion for border security that would include a down payment for Trump’s long-promised wall and increased technology along the U.S.-Mexican border. The budget calls for $314 million to hire 500 new Border Patrol agents and 1,000 agents for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It also requests a $1.5 billion increase for ICE to arrest, detain and deport immigrants in the country illegally. The plan also proposes cutting about $667 million in grants administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. That includes proposed cuts to the Urban Area Security Initiative and eliminating the Transportation Security Administration’s law enforcement grants.
Total spending: $49.4 billion
Spending that needs Congress’ annual approval: $44.1 billion
___
HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Up or down? Down 22.9 percent
Highlight: The budget would eliminate HUD’s Community Development Block Grant program, a $3 billion effort that funds local improvement projects, affordable housing construction and other social supports like meals for seniors and enrichment programs for low-income children. The budget proposal says the program is not well targeted to poor populations and hasn’t showed measurable impact on communities. The administration’s budget also seeks to cut costs to the department’s rental assistance programs — a $2 billion decrease to $35.2 billion. Rental assistance programs comprise about 80 percent of the agency’s total funding.
Total spending: $40 billion.
Estimated spending that needs Congress’ annual approval: $40 billion.
___
INTERIOR
Up or Down? Down 9.2 percent
Highlight: The budget calls for opening Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling, where it is now prohibited, while eliminating offshore oil revenues used by Gulf Coast states to restore disappearing shorelines. Arctic drilling, a contentious issue that would require congressional approval, would generate an estimated $400 million a year in tax revenues by 2022, according to the White House. Elimination of revenue-sharing to the four Gulf Coast states — Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas — would generate $1.6 billion over the next five years, the document says. The proposal also includes money for seismic surveys to provide data for possible offshore drilling in the Atlantic Ocean where it is now barred.
The budget would cut $10 million from a program to manage wild horses and burros in the West and allow the Bureau of Land Management to sell or euthanize thousands of horses that now roam in Nevada, Oregon and other western states. More than 70,000 wild horses and burros roam federal lands across the West, a number that officials call unsustainable.
Total spending: $12.5 billion
Spending that needs Congress’ annual approval: $11.7 billion
___
JUSTICE
Up or down? Down 19.1 percent
Highlight: The budget adds $26 million for 300 new assistant U.S. attorneys to fight gangs, violent crime and illegal immigration. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has identified those areas as his top priorities. The plan calls for 230 of these prosecutors to be stationed in yet-to-be-named cities deemed hot spots for violence.
Another 70 will be assigned to border states, focusing on those who enter and re-enter the country illegally after deportation, as well as document-fraud, human smuggling, drug trafficking and other immigration-related offenses.
Total spending: $31.6 billion.
Spending that needs Congress’ annual approval: $27.7 billion
___
LABOR
Up or down? Down 3.3 percent.
Highlight: Trump is proposing cuts in job training programs including $434 million for the Senior Community Service Employment Program, $238 million by closing Job Corps centers, and $68 million for the Bureau of International Labor Affairs. He is proposing $90 million for apprenticeships that result in jobs and a parental leave program of six weeks.
Total spending: $45.8 billion.
Spending that needs Congress’ annual approval: $9.7 billion
___
NASA
Up or down? Down 1.2 percent
Highlight: The budget cancels five planned missions to observe Earth and monitor climate change, saving $191 million. It eliminates an Obama-era mission to send astronauts to an asteroid. It also slashes NASA education spending by two-thirds and makes smaller cuts to exploration and space operations, along with increases in spending to explore other planets.
Total spending: $19.1 billion.
Spending that needs Congress’ annual approval: $19.1 billion
___
STATE
Up or down? Down 31.7 percent
Highlight: Eliminates funding for the U.N. children’s agency, UNICEF, as part of a $780 million cut to international organizations. Also eliminates $1.6 billion in funding for climate change and slashes assistance for refugees and global health. That includes $222 million cut in an international fund for fighting AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Proposal also ends $523 million for international family planning programs.
Total spending: $40.2 billion.
Spending that needs Congress’ annual approval: $40.2 billion, includes $12 billion from the Overseas Contingency Account.
___
TRANSPORTATION
Up or down? Down 2.2 percent.
Highlight: Trump proposes that the government pay $200 billion toward the $1 trillion cost of improving the nation’s infrastructure — rebuilding aging roads, bridges, water systems and more. Private investments would pay the rest, under his plan. He’s also suggesting cutting grants to Amtrak long distance services by $630 million and reducing the Highway Trust Fund by $95 billion over a decade.
Total spending: $75.7 billion
Spending that needs Congress’ annual approval: $16.2 billion
___
TREASURY
Up or down? Up 6.7 percent
Highlight: Treasury oversees the Internal Revenue Service and the agency responsible for managing the government’s payment systems. The IRS would see a 2.1 percent budget cut, but says it will continue to seek less costly ways of delivering taxpayer services. Trump’s budget would provide increased investment for cybersecurity as well as implementing the sanctions program to combat terrorist financing. The budget would also seek initial funding to replace the aging Washington facility for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing that produces the nation’s paper currency.
Total spending: $601 billion
Spending that needs Congress’ annual approval: $12.1 billion
___
VETERANS AFFAIRS
Up or down? Up 3.7 percent
Highlight: The budget proposes a $4.3 billion increase in discretionary spending, mostly to pay for medical care at more than 1,200 VA facilities nationwide serving about 9 million enrolled veterans. That’s a 5.8 percent increase as the Department of Veterans Affairs expands its network to include more private health providers. The budget also calls for $2.9 billion in mandatory budget authority for 2018 and $3.5 billion in 2019 to pay for expansion of the Veterans Choice private-sector program. To help pay for rising costs from that program, the VA would cap the amount of educational benefits veterans receive under the GI bill to roughly $21,000 a year and halt “individual unemployability” benefit payments to out-of-work disabled veterans once they reach retirement age.
Total spending: $183.1 billion
Spending that needs Congress’ annual approval: $78.8 billionCLOSE USA TODAY Sports' Jeff Gluck breaks down the MyAfibStory.com 400.
Winning isn't essential to claiming the Sprint Cup championship under the revised format.
If the current Chase format was in place last season, Dale Earnhardt Jr. would have beaten teammate Jimmie Johnson for the championship despite going winless in 2013. (Photo11: Daniel Shirey, Getty Images)
Winning meant everything during the regular season in NASCAR this year.
Could it mean virtually nothing in the postseason?
Yes.
Sunday's debut of the restructured Chase for the Sprint Cup will introduce several new elements. The addition of eliminations. Resetting the points every three races. A season finale in which the best finish among four finalists earns a championship.
It also will signal a fundamental shift in the way teams can approach the title vs. the regular season.
Under this year's revamped Chase, a victory was the surest way to guaranteeing a championship berth. But as the 10-race title playoff begins, it won't be essential to winning the title.
A win will guarantee advancement into the next round, but unless it occurs at Homestead, it'll be mostly incidental in crowning a champion. With the round-by-round resets, there will be no transferable bonus points for victories.
That helps increase the likelihood of a winless champion, which is borne out by modeling with the new format.
Four times in the past seven seasons, the champion would have been a driver who didn't score a victory in the final 10 races. Twice, it would have been a champion who went win |
49:48 floor at Moscone Center.
49:50 So if you are live with us here at Google I/O, please
49:53 come by and say hi.
49:54 And let’s have a conversation about this stuff.
49:56 And visit some of our partners who are showing off their
49:59 Glassware there in the Sandbox.
50:02 Now we have some resources as well.
50:04 If you have questions, go to Stack Overflow.
50:06 There’s a Glass tag.
50:08 If you want to download some code and get started with some
50:10 starter projects, GitHub is the place to go.
50:13 And of course, we have an issue tracker for any bugs
50:15 that you might find.
50:16 Remember, we’re in the developer preview period.
50:19 So these conversations that you have on these resources
50:22 are really helping us get this API ready for the real world.
50:26 And the Mirror API is if you want to develop Glass services
50:30 that people are going to use and that you’ll be able to
50:32 distribute to users soon, then that’s where you start.
50:35
50:38 And if you want to get in depth with some more
50:40 conversations about Glass, we have a general community.
50:42 For those of you that do have Glass, you have access to this
50:45 site, glass-community.com.
50:46
50:51 Thank you so much.
50:53 [AUDIENCE APPLAUSE]
51:02 TIMOTHY JORDAN: All right.
51:03 So we have about seven minutes for just
51:05 a handful of questions.
51:07 Please head over to the microphones.
51:09 There’s one over here as well.
51:12 Please know that if you ask about feature requests, I
51:16 definitely want to hear them.
51:17 That’s what this explorer period is all about.
51:20 However, I’m not going to be able to comment on any future
51:22 releases or plans.
51:24 Yes.
51:25 AUDIENCE: Hi.
51:25 Know John Blossom, Shore Communications.
51:29 On the API where you’re showing the ability for
51:33 individual google glass apps to have command cards, are those
51:36 commands specific to the app or specific to the content?
51:39 Because it doesn’t look as if we really have the ability to
51:44 do the equivalent of tapping on hyperlinks in that HTML.
51:48 So is anybody thinking about how do you disambiguate
51:53 between buying this and buying that, say?
51:56 TIMOTHY JORDAN: That’s a great question.
51:57 So I think the question is really about the Menu options
52:00 on the Timeline item.
52:02 So the way you do that is that when you insert the Timeline
52:04 item, part of that JSON in that structure is all the Menu
52:08 items that you want to appear with that Timeline card
52:10 enumerated.
52:11 AUDIENCE: OK.
52:11 So it’s content-specific?
52:12 TIMOTHY JORDAN: It’s content-specific.
52:14 But you can build this however you want in your app.
52:16 So if you have a template of menu items for every certain
52:18 kind of Timeline item that you insert, and you just slap that
52:22 into your JSON every time, you can do that.
52:23 It’s really under the control of the Glass service.
52:26 And those can be the System Menu items, like Reply or Read
52:29 Aloud, or they can be any custom items that have
52:32 whatever name you choose.
52:33 AUDIENCE: OK.
52:33 TIMOTHY JORDAN: So let’s say you want to include a
52:36 hyperlink and you want to give the user the option to save
52:38 that for later, for when they’re at their computer, you
52:41 can add that as a Menu item.
52:42 AUDIENCE: Cool.
52:43 And will the GDK, as it’s conceived today, include
52:46 signals from the headset?
52:50 Can you read from the headset things besides what are on the
52:53 command cards?
52:53 TIMOTHY JORDAN: So there will be.
52:55 I don’t have any details about exactly what.
52:56 But there will be access to some of the hardware features
52:59 of Glass exposed in the GDK.
53:01 Now the GDK itself–
53:03 I’ll add a little bit more information for those of you
53:05 that didn’t rush off to another session–
53:08 is essentially developing for Android with an extra library.
53:13 So if you’ve already use Android and you know those
53:16 paradigms really well, you’ll be able to download additional
53:19 code to target against that’ll give you more functionality
53:23 specific to Glass.
53:24 AUDIENCE: Cool.
53:25 Thank you.
53:25 TIMOTHY JORDAN: You’re welcome.
53:27 Question over here.
53:27 And then we’re just going to go back and forth.
53:29 AUDIENCE: Hi.
53:30 Steve Ogden from Starz.
53:31 TIMOTHY JORDAN: Hi, Steve.
53:32 AUDIENCE: Wondering, are you adding any new sensors?
53:35 And also, could you go over the existing
53:37 sensors within Glass?
53:40 TIMOTHY JORDAN: So I can tell you what the user
53:42 has access to today.
53:44 There is sort of an accelerometer.
53:47 They know if you look up to turn on
53:48 Glass, like I just did.
53:51 There’s a camera, and there’s a location built in to the
53:54 paradigm as well.
53:56 When it comes to the GDK, the best thing to do is if there’s
54:00 a specific sensor that you want, make sure that you let
54:03 us know on Stack Overflow.
54:04 Here’s my idea.
54:05 I want to make sure I have access to this.
54:07 And then we’ll work on that.
54:09 AUDIENCE: OK.
54:09 Thank you.
54:10 TIMOTHY JORDAN: We’ll do our best.
54:10 Thank you.
54:12 AUDIENCE: Hi, Tim.
54:12 Antonio [INAUDIBLE]
54:13 from [INAUDIBLE]
54:14 Apps.
54:15 TIMOTHY JORDAN: Hi.
54:16 AUDIENCE: Hi there.
54:17 You were my target for Ice Breaker, by the way.
54:19 So I need to take a picture of you right now so I
54:22 can send it to them.
54:23 Awesome.
54:24 So two quick questions.
54:25 You insisted that the image resolution should be 640/360,
54:30 but everything we send to Glass goes
54:32 through Google, right?
54:33 TIMOTHY JORDAN: Mm hmm.
54:34 AUDIENCE: So is Google doing some processing of the images,
54:36 like if we send something that is too big, you would reduce
54:40 it for us so that it gets the right resolution for the user?
54:43 TIMOTHY JORDAN: There’s a lot of optimization that we do
54:46 before the user sees something on Glass.
54:48 And I’m sure there’s more that we could do over time.
54:50 But the reason I say you should set the resolution to
54:53 full screen is that that gives you the most control over
54:55 resizing and how it’s going to look when it’s full screen.
54:57 And that’s always better.
54:58 AUDIENCE: OK.
54:59 The second question is you showed a few apps, like
55:02 Facebook, Twitter, Path, “New York Times”.
55:05 Are you going to have an app store or a place where you can
55:08 actually publish your app?
55:09 TIMOTHY JORDAN: Yeah.
55:09 AUDIENCE: As an app developer, I’m interested in publishing
55:11 my apps there.
55:12 TIMOTHY JORDAN: That’s a really great question.
55:15 As everybody here knows, because we’re all developers,
55:18 a healthy ecosystem involves some story around discovery.
55:22 And right now, if the user wants to add one of these
55:25 Glassware or Glass services, they go to MyGlass, they’ve
55:28 got cards, and they can turn them on.
55:31 And we believe that that’s a great paradigm for showing
55:34 users how Glassware is there.
55:37 At the moment, we’re still in developer preview, so we’re
55:39 still working on the details about how that’s going to
55:41 evolve and how additional third-party Glassware is going
55:44 to get in there.
55:45 And those details will come.
55:46 But we’re definitely going to have something.
55:48 AUDIENCE: Cool.
55:48 Thanks.
55:50 AUDIENCE: Hi.
55:50 I’m Danny [INAUDIBLE].
55:51 I had a question about best practices.
55:54 I was speaking with CNN, and they mentioned that in their
55:57 Glassware app they were advised not to
55:59 use the Delete function.
56:00 And I was wondering, why would Google advise them not to use
56:04 that function?
56:04 Because you mentioned it.
56:05 TIMOTHY JORDAN: That’s a great question.
56:06 Yeah.
56:06 I talked about Delete and Dismiss.
56:08 Now in the case of sending data to the user that the
56:11 user’s going to look at and be like, hey, this is cool,
56:14 having them be able to delete them encourages sort of a user
56:17 paradigm of curating their Timeline.
56:20 Which doesn’t really make sense on Glass, because,
56:22 remember, there’s this single Timeline that
56:24 stretches into the past.
56:25 And since it’s such a now device, I’m going to be
56:28 looking at the recent few cards.
56:30 I’m not going to scroll to a week ago.
56:33 So why would I need to curate it?
56:35 AUDIENCE: Exactly.
56:36 OK.
56:36 Makes sense.
56:37 TIMOTHY JORDAN: Yeah.
56:38 AUDIENCE: Hi.
56:38 I’m Lucas from [INAUDIBLE].
56:40 And you talked about you should test the Glass in our
56:45 apps as much as possible.
56:47 But how much earlier will get the other developers the Glass
56:50 before the customers will get them?
56:54 TIMOTHY JORDAN: So you’re asking, are we going to make
56:55 more Glass available before we’re selling to consumers?
56:58 I don’t know.
56:59 AUDIENCE: OK.
56:59 TIMOTHY JORDAN: Right now, we’ve just sort of finished
57:03 fulfilling and inviting people that have signed
57:05 up at I/O last year.
57:07 And we’re going on to the “If I Had Glass” winners.
57:10 That’s the next big thing.
57:11 What’s next?
57:12 I’m not sure.
57:13 I’m sure we’ll let you know.
57:14 A way that you can make sure we let you know is if you go
57:16 to google.com/glass, in there is a web form where you can
57:20 indicate your interest and say that you’re a developer.
57:22 AUDIENCE: OK.
57:22 Thanks.
57:23 TIMOTHY JORDAN: Thank you.
57:24 AUDIENCE: Hi.
57:25 I’m Sebastian from [INAUDIBLE].
57:27 I’m just wondering what features you’re going to allow
57:30 us in the GDK.
57:32 One of them that would be interesting is, are you going
57:36 to allow us to have access to the video stream so they we
57:38 can display information directly on what we are
57:41 seeing, something similar to layers on
57:44 Android, but for Glass?
57:48 TIMOTHY JORDAN: As I said before, I can’t comment on any
57:49 feature requests.
57:50 But I like hearing them.
57:52 I think right now the right time to think about this is
57:56 use the Mirror API.
57:59 Your dream for Glass, can you build that in the Mirror API?
58:02 And what that’s immediately going to tell you is, is this
58:05 going to be a simple and quick user experience that makes
58:08 sense on Glass?
58:09 And if it becomes really complicated really quick,
58:11 sometimes that might make sense for GDK, or maybe it
58:14 makes sense that it doesn’t work on Glass.
58:17 But please do go through that process of design thinking
58:20 about how this would work on Glass, and let
58:22 us know in the forums.
58:23 AUDIENCE: OK.
58:24 Thanks.
58:25 TIMOTHY JORDAN: Thank you.
58:25 And I think, with that, we’re just out of time.
58:29 Remember that we have the Sandbox area.
58:30 Please come up afterwards.
58:32 And let’s keep having this conversation.
58:34 Thank you so much.Looking for news you can trust?
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I see via TPM that conservative crackpot Dinesh D’Souza has been indicted for violating federal election laws. But is this real fraud, or the sort of picayune thing that anybody might get entangled in simply for not being an expert in the finicky details of campaign finance regs? Here’s the Reuters report:
According to an indictment made public on Thursday in federal court in Manhattan, D’Souza around August 2012 reimbursed people who he had directed to contribute $20,000 to the candidate’s campaign. The candidate was not named in the indictment.
Hmmm. This would be the real deal. Telling other people to make contributions and then reimbursing them is an obvious no-no, something that D’Souza could hardly plead ignorance about. If this turns out to be true, he’s in trouble.1
1Alternatively, it could be a godsend, something he can milk forever as proof that he’s being hounded by Obama administration thugs determined to shut down their conservative critics.Speaking today at the ICR Conference 2016 in Orlando, GameStop CEO Paul Raines talked more about the retailer's thoughts on one of the biggest trends of 2016: virtual reality.
Overall, Raines said GameStop is optimistic for the future of VR, hoping to work with the device's creators to sell the headsets, as well as their games and accessories, in GameStop's network of stores around the world.
Raines said he wouldn't be drawn into a conversation about the quality of the three major headsets, instead saying Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and PlayStation VR all look great. The bigger consideration for GameStop, Raines said, is the breadth of content that will be available. In that regard, Sony has the edge.
"The more important thing will be the title count at launch," Raines said. "I think that's going to be big. And from what we can see at this point, Sony seems to have the strongest title count."
It's still relatively early days, however, and none of the VR companies have yet to provide any specifics on the number of games that will be available for their devices. For its part, Sony has said more than 200 developers have signed up to make PlayStation VR games, of which 100 or more are currently in development.
Raines went on to say that the games lineup for each device will come into focus over time. He pointed out that GameStop has a team in Hawaii right now attending a sales meeting where Sony may divulge more information.
"We think VR is a big part of our future," Raines said, cautioning, however, that GameStop won't get "caught in the trap" of factoring VR sales into its financial outlook just yet.
"Once we know more about it, we'll plug it in," Raines said. "But I certainly think [GameStop] is going to be a store you're going to want to buy your virtual reality products at. And it will come with a variety of accessories, by the way--there'll be goggles and gloves and motion [controllers] and all kinds of things. So it's very promising in a lot of ways."
Also during his talk, Raines said GameStop is in discussion with all the major VR players about stocking their devices in the company's stores. He said he's hopeful that these companies will see GameStop as a store that's uniquely positioned to help sell their devices and bring them to the masses.
"Some of them will understand what we did with the launches of the consoles," Raines said. "What people don't grasp, is we had very strong market share at the console launch. Depending on the country, we were in the 30-50 percent range."
This was made possible, Raines said, by sending out email blasts and conducting other awareness campaigns to help convince gamers to buy from GameStop.
"We think we can bring the same thing to VR," Raines said.
Finally, Raines warned that VR games could carry huge file sizes, larger than those for AAA games. About VR games, Raines said, "those will be even larger files." Of course, GameStop would rather sell you a physical game, which can be traded in. It remains to be seen, however, if VR games will be sold through both physical and online channels.One of the first agreements was signed with the American company Chevron in May 2013. The deal included a $2 billion loan by Chevron to Pdvsa to cover the state oil company’s portion of investment in an oil field across Lake Maracaibo from Mene Grande.
But it also included provisions sought by Chevron to guarantee that the new loan, as well as millions of dollars in unpaid dividends from past operations, would be paid promptly from oil revenues, according to an oil industry consultant in Venezuela briefed on the agreement and Mr. Monaldi, who was shown a summary of the contract.
The deal also provided for tighter controls over how the loan would be spent and allowed for greater flexibility in running the joint project, they said.
Several other oil companies have renegotiated their agreements with Pdvsa along similar lines, several people familiar with the deals said. And while the oil companies remain minority partners with Pdvsa, under terms dictated by Mr. Chávez, the new agreements give the companies a greater say in running Venezuela’s oil fields than they have had in years, according to people in the industry. That includes allowing for greater leeway in buying supplies and hiring subcontractors, without going through Pdvsa-controlled subsidiaries, a frequent source of delays and corruption.
The recent loan agreements also generally include provisions that would allow disputes to be resolved through international arbitration or in New York courts under New York law, according to the people familiar with them. That is a departure from the operations contracts that govern the joint ventures, which are subject only to Venezuelan law, they said.
“These are contracts signed out of necessity,” said Carlos Bellorin, a senior analyst at IHS Energy, a London consulting firm. “They don’t have enough cash flow to invest in exploration and production or enhancing production in existing projects.”
Repeated requests to interview officials at Pdvsa were denied.
Mr. Maduro recently removed the longtime head of Pdvsa, Rafael Ramírez, a favorite of Mr. Chávez, who ran the company for nearly a decade. But Mr. Ramírez remained in the government, becoming the foreign minister, and a close lieutenant of his was named to lead the company, suggesting that at least for now there may be no major changes in how it is run.Cryptology ePrint Archive: Report 2013/451
Indistinguishability obfuscation requires that given any two equivalent circuits C_0 and C_1 of similar size, the obfuscations of C_0 and C_1 should be computationally indistinguishable.
In functional encryption, ciphertexts encrypt inputs x and keys are issued for circuits C. Using the key SK_C to decrypt a ciphertext CT_x = Enc(x), yields the value C(x) but does not reveal anything else about x. Furthermore, no collusion of secret key holders should be able to learn anything more than the union of what they can each learn individually.
We give constructions for indistinguishability obfuscation and functional encryption that supports all polynomial-size circuits. We accomplish this goal in three steps:
- We describe a candidate construction for indistinguishability obfuscation for NC1 circuits. The security of this construction is based on a new algebraic hardness assumption. The candidate and assumption use a simplified variant of multilinear maps, which we call Multilinear Jigsaw Puzzles.
- We show how to use indistinguishability obfuscation for NC1 together with Fully Homomorphic Encryption (with decryption in NC1) to achieve indistinguishability obfuscation for all circuits.
- Finally, we show how to use indistinguishability obfuscation for circuits, public-key encryption, and non-interactive zero knowledge to achieve functional encryption for all circuits. The functional encryption scheme we construct also enjoys succinct ciphertexts, which enables several other applications.If you recall, Cahn represented to the court that SCO now has only $145,352.00 in hand left. If you add up the new interim bills and expenses from Blank Rome, calculated at 80% of the actual bills and 100% of the costs which is how interim bills get paid, it comes to $34,601.78. And so the sand is running out of the hourglass, grain by grain, and this story is not yet at the very end. So even though I don't usually predict outcomes, I think it's safe to say that at this rate, barring the unlikely, Ralph Yarro and friends aren't going to get their $2 million loan repaid by SCO. Ever. Only in their dreams.
How persistent money dreams can be. The lenders agreed, in settling a money dispute between them and Cahn, not to object to the amounts of Blank Rome bills, and that they'd only get paid if there are the following:
6. The Lenders acknowledge and agree that the Restated Debt and the Loan Fee will be payable solely from the Litigation Proceeds.
That's how it goes with bankruptcies sometimes. You plan to stiff others and it ends up you getting stiffed yourself. Anyway, we know now who left on Planet Earth still wants the SCO case against IBM to go forward.
Here are the filings:
08/14/2012 - 1422 - Certificate of No Objection Re: Monthly Application for Compensation of Blank Rome LLP (Twenty-First) for the period July 1, 2011 to July 31, 2011 (related document(s)1376) Filed by Edward N. Cahn, Chapter 11 Trustee for The SCO Group, Inc., et al.. (Tarr, Stanley) (Entered: 08/14/2012) 08/14/2012 - 1423 - Certificate of No Objection Re: Monthly Application for Compensation of Blank Rome LLP (Twenty-Second) for the period August 1, 2011 to August 31, 2011 (related document(s)1377) Filed by Edward N. Cahn, Chapter 11 Trustee for The SCO Group, Inc., et al.. (Tarr, Stanley) (Entered: 08/14/2012) 08/14/2012 - 1424 - Monthly Application for Compensation (Twenty-Sixth) of Blank Rome LLP for the period December 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011 Filed by Blank Rome LLP. Objections due by 9/3/2012. (Attachments: # 1 Notice # 2 Exhibit A # 3 Exhibit B) (Tarr, Stanley) (Entered: 08/14/2012) 08/14/2012 - 1425 - Monthly Application for Compensation (Twenty-Seventh) of Blank Rome LLP for the period January 1, 2012 to January 31, 2012 Filed by Blank Rome LLP. Objections due by 9/3/2012. (Attachments: # 1 Notice # 2 Exhibit A # 3 Exhibit A) (Tarr, Stanley) (Entered: 08/14/2012) 08/14/2012 - 1426 - Monthly Application for Compensation (Twenty-Eighth) of Blank Rome LLP for the period February 1, 2012 to February 29, 2012 Filed by Blank Rome LLP. Objections due by 9/3/2012. (Attachments: # 1 Notice # 2 Exhibit A # 3 Exhibit B) (Tarr, Stanley) (Entered: 08/14/2012) 08/14/2012 - 1427 - Monthly Application for Compensation (Twenty-Ninth) of Blank Rome LLP for the period March 1, 2012 to March 31, 2012 Filed by Blank Rome LLP. Objections due by 9/3/2012. (Attachments: # 1 Notice # 2 Exhibit A # 3 Exhibit B) (Tarr, Stanley) (Entered: 08/14/2012) 08/15/2012 - 1428 - Monthly Application for Compensation (Thirtieth) of Blank Rome LLP for the period April 1, 2012 to July 31, 2012 Filed by Blank Rome LLP. Objections due by 9/4/2012. (Attachments: # 1 Notice # 2 Exhibit A # 3 Exhibit B) (Tarr, Stanley) (Entered: 08/15/2012)
But in the last bill, we do see this indication of reality finally settling in:
5/4/2012 - REVIEW AMENDED LOAN AGREEMENT AND NOTE FOR
EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND DISCUSS WIND DOWN WITH S. TARR
5/9/2012 - TELEPHONE CONFERENCE WITH H. JACKSON
REGARDING STATUS OF CASE AND DISCUSSED
LENDER OPPORTUNITIES
5/25/2012 - EMAILS REGARDING POSSIBLE ADDITIONAL FUNDING
That's according to these court filings. I can't represent that this has or hasn't been planned for a very long time. Frankly, I read these monthly reports the way your boss might read expense reports handed to him. They might be true. Probably are. Sorta. But who knows, really? How would you prove it one way or the other?
Update: More, SCO's MORs for June of 2012:
08/16/2012 - 1429 - Debtor-In-Possession Monthly Operating Report for Filing Period As of 6/30/12 (TSG Group,Inc. (f/k/a The SCO Group, Inc.), et al.) Filed by Edward N. Cahn, Chapter 11 Trustee for The SCO Group, Inc., et al.. (Tarr, Stanley) (Entered: 08/16/2012) 08/16/2012 - 1430 - Debtor-In-Possession Monthly Operating Report for Filing Period As of 6/30/12 (TSG Operations, Inc. (f/k/a SCO Operations, Inc.), et al.) Filed by Edward N. Cahn, Chapter 11 Trustee for The SCO Group, Inc., et al.. (Tarr, Stanley) (Entered: 08/16/2012)
(1) Total Pre-Petition Liabilities does not reconcile to the amount stated on the Schedules of Assets and Liabilities filed on October 15, 2007 due to timing differences and allocation of accruals. (2) Due to the allocation of accruals and adjustments booked at month end, the net loss for the 9/15/07 to 9/30/07 period does not reconcile to the change in retained earnings. There will not be an unreconciled difference in future periods as Company reporting periods will correspond with the Monthly Operating Report periods.
Update 2: Mr. Cahn is, indeed, sopping up the last crumbs, with plenty of red ink to spare. The lawyers clean up. That's for sure. Look on page 17 of Docket # 1430, and look for footnote 1:
(1) Adjustment to allocate legal expenses surrounding the IBM and Novell litigation to Cost of Goods Sold at Fiscal Quarter Closes (October, January, April & July).
(5,711,909)
And SCO, now TSG, purportedly wants to keep going, asking to reopen the IBM case. What were these crazy people thinking? And why didn't any of their lawyers tell them it was time to stop digging themselves into a hole? What was the real purpose behind all this? Because if it was money, it didn't work.
Update 3: They've now filed the MORs for July and Ocean Park wants some bills paid too:http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/24/health/policy/24veterans.html?pagewanted=all All leading up to this new VA policy! https://www.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=5711 ><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>< "The work we did on this issue was for all Vets of all time periods. My personal injuries led me to find medical cannabis to help control my chronic pain. My fellow Vets, thousands of them have found the same medicine to relieve their suffering and will appreciate this strong support and Dr. Petzel's attention."
By Dan Frosch [published in the New York Times front page above the fold]
Then there was this article:
Letter to Michael Krawitz, VMCA Director from Dr. Petzel, VHAUndersecretary For Health with definitive health answer to questionreferred by General Counsel:
Then there was this letter:
First there was this letter:
First incorporated in 2007 as Veterans for Medical Marijuana Access (VMMA), Veterans For Medical Cannabis Access or VMCA,
advocates for veterans' rights to access medical cannabis for
therapeutic purposes.
VMCA encourages all legislative bodies to endorse veterans' rights
to use medical cannabis therapeutically and responsibly, and is
working to end all prohibitions associated with such use.
VMCA is working to preserve and protect the long established doctor-patient relationship including the ability to safely discuss medical cannabis use within the V.A. healthcare system without fear of punishment or retribution.
Here are the some VA statistics about Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans:RELATED NEWS Hearing recap
The Republic | azcentral.com Thu Dec 13, 2012 11:01 PM
Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery intends to ask the Arizona Court of Appeals to temporarily block a lower court ruling that the state’s medical-marijuana law is constitutional.
Montgomery’s remarks came Thursday, almost immediately after Superior Court Judge Michael Gordon refused to grant the county attorney’s request to stay or suspend the medical-marijuana ruling. In the meantime, Montgomery said his office “will take the necessary steps to comply with” the judge’s order.
Last week, Gordon ruled federal drug laws do not pre-empt the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act and that public officials must implement the law as voters intended. Gordon also ruled Maricopa County officials must provide zoning documentation for a potential medical-marijuana dispensary in Sun City. The ruling essentially paved the way for dispensaries to open without fear of prosecution by law enforcement.
Gordon on Thursday said he would give Montgomery’s office more time to comply with his order pertaining to zoning documents involving the Sun City dispensary.
During a 45-minute hearing, Montgomery continued to argue that county officials would violate federal law since marijuana is illegal under the Controlled Substances Act. Montgomery said Gordon’s ruling puts him in a “very precarious” position.
“As the chief law-enforcement officer for Maricopa County, I have to provide guidance to law-enforcement agencies throughout the county,” Montgomery told Gordon. “If we’re forced to act at this point in time without having a final ruling, my ability to give advice to those law-enforcement agencies is negatively impacted.”
Montgomery also told Gordon that if he were to act on the ruling, “I’m going to be violating part of my oath in giving advice to Maricopa County to pursue a course of conduct that I know is going to lead to activity in violation of federal law.”
Attorneys for the White Mountain Health Center argued that other public officials across the state have performed administrative acts tied to the medical-marijuana law and have not been prosecuted. Attorney Jeffrey Kaufman argued that White Mountain Health Center is being harmed by the county’s reluctance to say whether county zoning is even appropriate for the center to open a dispensary.
The state’s first medical-marijuana dispensary opened last week and a dispensary in Tucson opened this week. Meanwhile, the state Department of Health Services, which oversees the medical-marijuana program, on Wednesday licensed a third dispensary in Cochise County.Disposable Income Clothing
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"Over the course of this Parliament we have looked at many different issues in the fields of Education and Children’s Services. We produced more than 30 reports and held nearly 200 evidence sessions as we sought to recommend changes to Government policy that would help close the gap between disadvantaged young people and their peers.
While we have driven real progress in areas such as the use of B&B accommodation for children in care and the reform of exams for 15 to 19 year-olds, there is still more to be done. That is why we are asking people to tweet their suggestions for key issues that our successor Committee should focus on in the next Parliament, using the hashtag #closethegap."by Bryan Gardiner, Gizmodo.com
To measure is to know, said Lord Kelvin. But as marketing departments get more and more creative with their published specifications, what we're left measuring – and by extension, knowing – about our gear is increasingly worthless.
With the gadget-buying squarely in season, most of us will soon be turning to those ubiquitous columns of numbers, ratios, and percentages before making our final selections. Frequency responses will be consulted, |
. Mr. Chen then pointed to Mr. Shi and said, "He was one of those."
Mr. Shi, a thin man of thinning hair, blinked laconically through the smoke. Though the stage was set for him to unspool his tale, he showed no interest in taking up the story. "Later," barked Mr. Chen. It was strange, and not a little confusing, how gruff he could be while making himself, and those around him, so vulnerable. When more plates of food arrived, he shoveled beans and noodles, fish and broccoli onto his plate, then lit upon it all as if it were prey, gobbling and drinking, then gobbling some more.
I regarded him once more in this dim light. He was unabashed in his mannerisms, a man who seemed to live so fully inside this hed world of suicide that he had little time for polish or polite chitchat or getting-to-know-you. When I asked if he had heard of the famous Hollywood film It's a Wonderful Life, in which Jimmy Stewart plans to end his life on a bridge until an angel named Clarence saves him, he cut me off by shaking his head. No; he didn't care about movies or my attempts to draw fatuous parallels. Nor were we kindred spirits: Simply showing up did not confer membership to the club. He barely bothered to look at me when responding to my questions.
In turn, I soon found myself growing anxious there in that restaurant—very anxious—watching Mr. Chen and Mr. Shi drain glass after glass. My mind suddenly seized upon the notion that this was a Saturday, the busiest day on the bridge, and here we sat. However absurd it had felt to be standing on a four-mile bridge, thronged by thousands, trying to pick out jumpers, I felt a sudden onrush of dread at not being there at all, as if the welfare of all humanity depended on our vigilance. Part of it had to do with the effect of the grain alcohol. And part of it was fatigue—the result of all those time zones to get here. In that loud, hot space, I felt simultaneously this desire to stand and leave and yet to lay my head down and rest. The irrefutable truth was that nothing—neither butter nor Mr. Chen—would dissuade the jumpers from coming: So what was the point of being here at all?
That was the question that occurred to me now in that mung-bean-and-hooch restaurant, that hole-in-the-wall, listening to the guttural rebukes of Mr. Chen: What was I doing here at all, in a place where people came to kill themselves, 7,000 miles from my home and family? This wasn't an assignment that had been given to me. I'd chosen it. I'd come as if there were some message for me here, some fragment to justify, or obliterate, that slow bloom of doubt. But now I could feel the pressure under the soles of my feet: The bridge ran under me, too.
If you dig deep enough into the past, every family has its suicide. My maternal grandmother had told me the story of a relative, dating from the nineteenth century: a young woman fresh from Ireland, a Catholic who'd married a Protestant. She was isolated, living with her husband's family in upstate New York, in the region known as the North Country, and her life became a slow torment from which there seemed to be no escape, even after bearing a child. Her beliefs were pilloried and belittled. She slowly unraveled. One day she put rocks in her pocket and stepped into a cistern, where she drowned.
But such events didn't just belong to the past—or to some mythic country, either. From my own suburban hometown, I remembered a sweet, shy kid, roughly my age, who seemed incapable of any sort of demonstrativeness, who drove himself to the Adirondacks in winter, purchased a coil of rope along the way, found a sturdy tree, and hanged himself. I had nightmares about that boy, shagged in ice until his father found him and cut him down.
And the neighbor down the street, found in the bathtub… And the kid who ran his motorcycle into a tree, an accident but for the note left behind saying that's exactly what he intended to do… And so on. Even in suburbia, suicide had seemed like its own opaque parable, the never-happened, glossed-over secret.
I came upon the story of a boy, a British art student named Christian Drane, who'd photographed suicide spots in England for a school project—including a bridge in Bristol, where he was approached by a stranger who wondered if he was all right—and then hanged himself in the Polygon woods of Southampton. No one could believe it. He'd made everyone laugh. He had a tattoo on his arm, representing his family. Afterward, his girlfriend told an inquest that Christian was the happiest person she knew, "cheeky, spontaneous, excitable." He whisked her to Paris for her birthday, wrapped her in "fairy lights" and took her portrait. He posted other photos from his project online: other bridges, subway stations, and Beachy Head, the chalk cliffs of Eastbourne, the most famous of English suicide spots. Each bore the moniker "Close Your Eyes and Say Goodbye."
The photograph of Christian that accompanied many of the news stories showed a boy with mussed-up hair and pierced ears with black plugs, looking impishly askance at the camera. Had the pretense of the project emboldened him, or was "the project" merely his eventual suicide? His final note, which no one claimed to understand, read: "To mum and anybody who cares. I have done something I can never forgive myself for. I am a bad person. I am sorry."
The Yangtze ever beckoned. And its pull was finally felt at the family restaurant by Mr. Chen, who abruptly stood, grunted a little, walked out the front door like a superhero summoned by dog whistle, then fired up his moped and went swerving off, his They spy on you double-bill back on his head, binoculars dangling around his neck. Left in his wake, we—Susan the translator, Mr. Shi, and I—straggled back to the bridge in a slow-motion amble. It felt good to be in the open air again, somehow cleansing after all the smoke and noise.
Bent like a harp, Mr. Shi was the kind of gentle man you instantly wanted to protect, to shield from life's bullies or from the falling monsoon rain that now switched on again. It seemed to pain him to have to speak. He was too slight for his somewhat dirty slacks and pale blue dress shirt—and carried himself with so little swagger he seemed resigned to the fact that he interested no one. Except I was interested. I wanted to know what Mr. Chen had meant when he'd identified Mr. Shi as one who'd failed really hard. Mr. Shi squinted at me as he lit a cigarette and then started to speak, hesitated, and started again. He said that several years back, his daughter had been diagnosed with leukemia. He'd borrowed money for her treatment and had fallen tens of thousands in debt, even making the desperate blunder of engaging with a local loan shark.
When he went to the bridge on that fateful day, he loitered by the railing long enough for Mr. Chen to lock in on him through his binoculars, and then this man was suddenly standing next to him, saying, "Brother, it's not worth it." After a while, Mr. Chen got Mr. Shi to smoke a cigarette and coad him off the bridge, down to the family restaurant to drink and talk, whereupon Mr. Shi's entire story poured forth. Mr. Chen listened closely, trying to understand as best as possible Mr. Shi's predicament, and then began to formulate a plan. Mr. Chen would speak with the loan shark and all the other vengeful parties in the matter. He'd negotiate a truce, a repayment plan, a job search. He insisted that Mr. Shi meet him the following day, at his workplace, at the transportation company, where he often welcomed the weekend's forlorn and misfit to his desk, a recurring gesture that had left his bosses exasperated and threatening to fire him. He'd given Mr. Shi hope and friendship (though details of the repayment plan were murky), and Mr. Shi had found a way to begin life anew.
In this moment of sheepish intimacy—Mr. Shi had a habit of making eye contact, then looking away as if embarrassed—he reminded me of something Mr. Chen had said: "The people I'm saving are very, very kind. They don't want to hurt anyone, so the only way they can vent is by hurting themselves. In that moment when they are deciding between life and death, they are much simpler, more innocent in their thoughts. They almost become blank, a white sheet."
In a way, Mr. Shi was human pathos writ large; in another, he was the smidgen of hope that caused the caesura before jumping. It struck me as odd, however, that it required a moment like this, walking with him now, to realize that while the deeper, more ancient brain was at all times in dialogue with death, and while that dialogue asserted itself into one's conscious mind from time to time, the frontal lobe was a powerful combatant in self-denial. No matter what declivities I'd found in my own life, I'd always thought of suicide as something occurring over a divide, in the land of irrevocable people, when evidence suggested again and again—sweet Mr. Shi, right here in front of me!—that wasn't the case at all.
We climbed the South Tower stairwell back to the bridge and found Mr. Chen again, standing sentry, and he proffered us a slight if somewhat cool nod. He seemed so alone, standing there; even his wife and daughter knew little of his life on the bridge. They didn't know he'd once been stabbed in the leg; they didn't know the emotional storms he'd weathered on those days when he lost a jumper. ("I want to give them a clean piece of land," he said, using a turn of phrase. "I don't want them worrying.") Now the rain galloped harder; a sea of umbrellas popped open, moving south to north and north to south. Then, as quickly, the rain stopped, and a low-lying monster cloud filled with a muggy kind of light and a crowding heat blanketed everything. One wondered if there'd ever been blue sky in Nanjing. Below, the barges glided downriver in the same stream that carried fallen trees and clumps of earth in the direction of distant Shanghai. While Mr. Chen scoured the crowd, Mr. Shi crouched under the shelter of the fort and lit a cigarette. Cars and trucks and taxis came and went, honking horns, the taste of fuel and smog thick in the air.
Another reporter appeared on the bridge. Young and wearing a flouncy miniskirt and white high heels, she held a device that looked to be the size of a pen, which acted both as her tape recorder and camera. It seemed like secret-agent stuff, but she announced herself to be a student from Shanghai, here to do a big exposé on suicide. Softened a bit by alcohol and the spectral vision of youth itself, Mr. Chen intermittently answered her questions, allowing that the hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. were the most likely for attempts and that his method on the bridge boiled down to intuition. "I'm looking for their spirit as much as their expression and posture," he said. Then he made a grand show of getting on his moped, kicking it to life, and put-putting off on patrol, John Wayne again on his Shetland pony.
We both stood watching him go, the young woman and I, until he disappeared behind tatters of sky-fog that had come loose. In his absence, I was buffeted again by a wave of ennui, this crescendoing sense of uselessness. But then the young student reporter turned to me, beaming with bright eyes, and blurted in broken English, "What angel is he!"
There are always two countercurrents running through the brain of someone contemplating suicide, much like the currents working at odds in the river itself: the desire to escape and the dim hope of being saved. The mind, having fixated on suicide as an option, might take signs of encouragement in everything: cloud formations or rough seas or a random conversation. In the failure of the mailman to arrive. Or the store sold out of a particular brand of cereal. As the mind vacuum-seals itself to its singular course of action, and as the body moves in concert—as suction takes hold and begins to claim its molecules—the only solution to the inevitable chain of unfolding events, the only possibility at being saved, is an intervention of some sort, a random occurrence or gesture. The hand on the shoulder. Then, the mind that has held so long and fast to the body's undoing might shift, and unburden, and de-aggregate, in some cases, almost instantly. Recidivism rates for those mulling suicide are low for all but the severely depressed. Help someone focus step by step across the bridge and he'll be less inclined to ever return.
In my reading, I kept coming back to William James, brother of Henry, journeying across the European continent in 1867, his despair at feeling a failure, the pull of ending it all. In his Norfolk coat, bright shirts, and flowing ties—"His clothes looked as if they had come freshly pressed from the cleaners," a contemporary once said, "and his mind seemed to have blown in on a storm"—he decamped to Berlin, and took the baths at Teplice, in what was then Bohemia. Later, plagued by intense back pain that had migrated to his neck, he took the hypnotic drug chloral hydrate as a sleep aid, and tried electric-shock therapy, which failed to provide relief. In his deepest depression, he felt he'd arrived at a terminus. And yet he withstood the urge of self-annihilation, never again contemplating suicide. A friend of his, a woman named Minny, who helped encourage him through his troubled time (then died herself at a young age), reminded him in a letter of the proposition ever at work: "Of course the question will always remain, What is one's true life— we must each try solve it for ourselves."
Now, in the country that brought the world 20 percent of its annual suicide victims, I stood awaiting Mr. Chen's return while breathing in the particulates and invisible lead chips of progress. Time came to a very still point in the late afternoon, and I ambled out onto the bridge with Susan, the translator, realizing that whatever vision of Mr. Chen's heroism had brought me here in the first place, it was folly to think I'd actually ever see him save someone.
Susan was telling me about a family acquaintance who, years back, had jumped from the bridge in winter (most suicides here occurred in the fall and spring). Bundled in many layers against the elements, she had gone to the bridge in distress, climbed the railing, and leapt. One hundred and thirty feet down, at the speed of sixty-five miles an hour, she had hit the river, but if it was the angle or the specifics of her swaddling, if it was will or fate, she had lived, survived not just the fall but also the currents and hypothermia and, most of all, the killer flotsam. Every once in a while, for whatever reason, someone was chosen—but what I wanted to know was this: Having returned from the river, was she happy now, had she found in the aftermath her true life, solved the thing that had first gone missing in her? Susan considered the question. "I think happy enough," she said, "but who knows?"
Just then a man lurched past us, a flash of green. We paid him no mind, really, until he was about twenty steps beyond us, out where the bridge first met water. He stopped, put both hands on the railing, and threw a leg up. The green man's body rose, and now he was hooking his ankle on the top bar, then levering himself from vertical to horizontal until he lay on top of the railing. People streamed by, apparently unaware, staring down. Now the green man began to push his way over the railing, at which point I knew that I was not dreaming and that he was going to kill himself. I shouted, and then burst toward him, sprinting past Mr. Chen's posters and flags.
The green man began shifting to the other side, listing as if on the curl of a wave, half of him letting go into space. Reaching him, I reflexively planted a foot against the concrete base of the railing, latched an arm up and over, then wrenched his body as hard as I could while I pushed back from the railing. Just like that, his body, which was as limp and resigned as if he'd been filled with sawdust, came tumbling back into the real world, where he assumed the full proportions of his humanness again. He had a very tan face and rough hands. He reeked of alcohol. Even before we'd hit the ground, he'd blurted something in Chinese, and then repeated it as I held him in a tight bear hug, readying for a struggle that never came.
"I'm just joking," he implored. He had the supplicant, bedraggled demeanor of a man at loose ends. "I'm okay, thank you.…"
Shocked back into the world of the living, the green man didn't wait for the question; he just began talking, in a fit of logomania. "The reason I tried to kill myself," he blurted, "is because my father was in the army.…"
His story seemed disjointed, and more so because Susan was trying to do three things at once—translate, call Mr. Chen, who was not answering, and figure out how to get the attention of Mr. Shi, who was stationed back at the fort, casually smoking cigarettes. A crowd began to gather, an airless huddle. The man went on. "My father is 90 and very sick. We lost his documents in a fire, and we have no money to care for him. The government needs proof that he was in the army, but we are a family of soldiers. I was one, too.…"
Mr. Chen had said that people become innocent again on the bridge. They become simple and open in a way that they never otherwise were in real life. And here I was, bear-hugging a man in green coveralls named Fan Ping, trying to crush some spirit inside him that had opted to, in Mr. Chen's words, "dive downward." He was talking to me earnestly, though I didn't understand a word. He was a child, needing someone to understand. His eyes swelled, and two streams of water released over his smooth, rounded cheeks. I don't know, but it didn't seem like crying exactly. It was like something done less out of grief than reflex. With my arms around him, hands chained, I could feel his heart thudding into mine. His breath of stale spirits filled my lungs. When I looked down, my shoes were his, two terribly dirty, scuffed sheaths of cheap, disintegrating leather. We could barely stand as we swayed together.
Fan Ping said that he was 37 years old and that his mother had died three years earlier. He worked for a gas station, Sinopec, and made $400 a month. He was one of those known as a guang gun, or "bare branch," unmarried, a victim of demographics in a country where 20 million men went without wives. "What am I supposed to do now?" he said.
The crowd of onlookers registered their concern and curiosity. Some in the back were laughing, unsure of what indeed was transpiring, or just made nervous by it. I had an irrational flash of hating those people in the back, of wanting to lash out, but all that really mattered was keeping my body between Fan Ping and the railing, in case he made another lunge. Eventually Mr. Chen appeared and dismounted from his moped. On cue, the crowd parted while Mr. Chen stepped forward, invested with the power and understanding of all the nuances at play here. Fan Ping started his story again—army…sick father…dead mother…gas station…so sorry to try to kill self—and Mr. Chen asked me to let go of the man, something I wasn't at all inclined to do. Then he pulled out a camera and took Fan Ping's picture, which seemed, at best, like an odd way to begin and, at worst, like a major violation of the man's privacy. Then, glaring straight at Fan Ping, who stood slumped and dirty, with bloodshot eyes, Mr. Chen spoke.
"I should punch you in the face," Mr. Chen said. "You call yourself a family man… A son… Chinese? If your father hadn't been in the army, and if you didn't try to kill yourself just now, I'd punch you. You're not thinking—or are you just shirking your responsibility? I really would like to punch you now. Hand over your ID.…"
Fan Ping seemed utterly flummod, reaching into his pocket and fishing out his identification card. Mr. Chen made a show of studying it, then derisively handed it back—was this a diversion, part of a new therapeutic method?—and in the same brusque tone asked what in the world was he thinking, coming up here like this? Fan Ping replied that he wasn't thinking at all; he just didn't have the money necessary to care for his father—and that his life boiled down to this vast, sorrowful futility.
Mr. Chen sized him up again, with a withering look. I could see part of Fan Ping's blue sock poking through the worn leather of his shoe. "Yes," said Mr. Chen dismissively. "We all have our troubles."
Watching Mr. Chen face off with Fan Ping in that gray late afternoon was like watching twin sons of different mothers: They were both short and stout. Mr. Chen asked Fan Ping where he lived. A country village outside the city. Mr. Chen asked how he'd gotten to the bridge. By foot, from his job. The conversation went on like this for some time while slowly Mr. Chen's tone shifted from outrage and aggression to a more familiar, fraternal concern, even sweetness. "I promise you that there's nothing we can't fix," he said, "but first we have to get you off this bridge." Then later: "I'm here to help you." In his dishevelment, Fan Ping didn't seem capable of movement, as perhaps he hadn't entirely given up on the idea that had brought him here in the first place. And Mr. Chen intuited this. He moved in closer and clasped his hand, a special shake, a locking of pinkies that meant brotherhood, then didn't let go, dragging Fan Ping to the fort and a bus stop there while the crowd followed. He arranged for Fan Ping to meet him at his office first thing Monday morning. He wrote the address on a scrap of paper and stuffed it into Fan Ping's pocket. He punched the digits of Fan Ping's cell-phone number into his own.
"You promise you'll be there," Mr. Chen said.
"I will," said Fan Ping.
"Unless you try to jump off the bridge between now and then," Mr. Chen deadpanned. It wasn't quite a joke, but Fan Ping laughed, as did several in the crowd looking for some sort of release—and then Mr. Chen made it all okay by laughing, too.
Meanwhile, the student reporter from Shanghai grabbed me, tottering on high heels, and asked if she might conduct an interview. Not waiting for an answer, she began peppering me with questions, compensating for my lack of Chinese with her almost-English: "Do American engage in this so-called suicide event?"… "From bridges is always the favorite, no?"… "Does American—you—have fis for problem?"… "Do you also enjoy Sex and the City?"
I couldn't even pretend. My hands, which rarely shake, were shaking. And I floated from my body, watching Mr. Chen and Fan Ping walk ahead, watched—from some high, hovering angle—as Mr. Chen placed the man on a bus and Fan Ping squished down the aisle in his disintegrating shoes and took his place by the window, looking straight ahead. The bus gurgled, backfired, then lurched forward, gone in a plume of gray smoke. That's when some part of me came tumbling back down to myself. I turned and strode back out on the bridge to the spot where Fan Ping had readied to die. I came to the railing, peered down once more to the dark, roiling waters, and felt as if I might regurgitate my lunch noodles.
There would have been no way to survive that fall. And for some reason, standing there, I felt a sharp pang of loss, though no one had been lost. I felt I'd been a step too late, though I'd been one step ahead. It wasn't Fan Ping I was thinking about; it was all the other lives—within me and disparate from me—that had been lost. Yanking Fan Ping from the railing hadn't offered a stay of any kind; instead, it brought death nearer. Mr. Chen wasn't a caricature but a bearer of so much imminent grief. I was bound to him by a feeling Mr. Chen had elucidated for me in one of our talks, a feeling of standing in a spot like this on the bridge, after an incident like this, hovering between heaven and earth, "heart hanging in air."
Back at home, the months passed, and so the day-to-day reasserted itself. And yet sometimes, randomly, Mr. Chen appeared in my mind, standing guard at his station at the South Tower, scanning the crowd. And on those few occasions when I found myself describing what happened on the bridge to friends, I could hear my voice retelling the story of Fan Ping, and it sounded preposterous, even delusional. It sounded as if I might be a man of comical self-importance or full of conspiracies, the sort who wears a hat that reads They spy on you. Soon I stopped mentioning it altogether. After Fan Ping pulled away on the bus that day, I had joked with Mr. Chen about catching up to him on the big scoreboard of lives saved.
"It's 174 to 1," I told him. "Watch your back."
He smirked dismissively and said: "You're only given a half point for that one."
As it turned out he was right again. He already knew what I'd later find out. That is, if I'd ever imagined saving someone from a bridge, it probably would have been a fantasy bathed in altruistic light, in which I…SAVED…A…HUMAN…LIFE! But then it slowly dawned on me: I'd tried to stop Fan Ping merely so I wouldn't have to live with the memory of having watched him fall. My worry now was that he would somehow succeed in trying again.
So I contact Mr. Chen. He tells me that on the Monday morning after Fan Ping tried to kill himself—the morning that the two men were supposed to meet at his office—Mr. Chen arrived at work and his boss promptly fired him. He left the office building immediately and went to his station at the bridge, not so much because he was despondent but because that was where he felt he belonged. All the while, he dialed Fan Ping's number over and over again, but the phone was out of order. And remained that way, all these months later.
There's nothing to do now, says Mr. Chen, but wait for him to come back. Rest assured, he'll stop Fan Ping. Even as he's recently saved a father, and a few students, and a woman with a psychiatric problem. He knows what Fan Ping looks like. In broiling heat and blowing monsoon, he's out there, ever vigilant, waiting in his double duck-bill, scanning the crowd for Fan Ping—and all the others, too, who might possess thoughts of a glorious demise. He assures me he'll be waiting for them all—and you and me, as well—binoculars trained on our murky faces, our eyes sucked downward, trying to read the glimmer off the surface of the river below.
The only question remains: Can he reach us in time?Pilot Vanishing Point “Stormtrooper” – Overall: 7.0/10
It took me a few tries to find the VP that works best for me. This is the fourth VP I’ve had—the other 3 were all acquired secondhand, either in trade or bought as part of a lot. The first two I got rid of in response to Want-To-Buy ads. Later I got one of the special annual editions, but I wasn’t wild about quality of the finish—luckily I was able to sell it at the same price I bought it for.
Then, last year, the White and Black VP was released in the US. This pen has been around in Europe for a while, and is often referred to as the Stormtrooper VP. When I stumbled across the pen on sale I decided that this was the VP I wanted for my collection. One of my previous VPs had a custom stub which I liked quite a bit, so I decided to try this pen with a factory stub.
Appearance: 7/10
Pens can catch your eye for several reasons. There are pens in collection that grab my attention because if their beautiful material, their craftsmanship, and their simple artistry. The VP is not one of those pens. If the VP catches your eye it’s either for it’s odd looks, or it’s functionality. It’s not ugly by any stretch, but neither is it pretty. Even the special edition I had, was kind of flat. I suppose it difficult for a pen with a metal body to have much depth to the look of the material. As such, I think this pen looks best in solid colors. This particular one appealed to me because the stark white with black hardware looks like it was inspired by Star Wars’ Stormtroopers. Do I think it looks pretty? No. Do I think it looks sleek—maybe even cool? Yes.
Construction: 7/10
The clip of the VP—it seems like you either hate it, or it doesn’t bother you. I’m not gonna beat a dead horse, so I’ll just say I’m in the “doesn’t bother” camp—for the most part (and I’ll get to that). However this pen had a problem that none of the first three had. That problem caused me a few weeks of frustration, and lead me to reexamine my relationship with two different pen stores.
When this pen first arrived, there was a problem with the alignment of the nib—it was off kilter by somewhere between 5°-10°. With a normal pen I would just rotate my grip a tiny bit, but the clip placement on the VP makes that impossible. The nib is held in place by fittings inside what I’ll call the cap, and when I looked inside the pen the door that seals the pen shut was off-center and was causing the nib to rub against the door, which in turn caused ink to pool inside the cap if the nib was extended and retracted several times during a writing session.
Even though I reported this problem to the online store I bought it from, they refused to allow me to return or exchange the pen. They did offer to act as an intermediary between me and Pilot warranty service (which they said could take up to eight weeks), but as I’m perfectly capable of doing that myself, I didn’t feel they could be any help to me. Without naming the online store, I will say that because of this I doubt I will buy pens from them again—I may buy ink from them if I can’t find it elsewhere, but even that is doubtful.
Later the same week, while I was in a local stationery/pen store to pick up some Rhodia DotPads, the shopkeep struck up a conversation. I’ve not previously considered this shop for anything but paper, because in the past I’ve found the owner a little heavy-handed as a salesman, but this wasn’t the owner and they were less pushy. After a short discussion about my new VP, they gave a call to their Pilot representative and got the OK to switch out the cap section for me. Everything is fine with the new cap, and my local store (not to mention Pilot) has earned some new business.
This is the only VP I’ve had this problem with, but it’s also the only one I bought new, and it makes sense that a used pen wouldn’t have this issue, as the owner likely would have solved it already. It’s a solid pen, for sure, but the mechanics of the retractable nib, and the apparatus inside that hold everything in place, all seems a little prone to damage.
Filling: 7/10
My general score for a converter pen is a 7. When it comes to filling, this pen has some plusses and some minuses, which kind of cancel each other out.
Minuses: You have to remove the nib to fill it—it’s a mild inconvenience, but it’s still an extra step. Also, no matter which of the converters you choose—and there are three options—you don’t get much ink.
Plusses: While it’s an inconvenience to remove the nib for filling it does make it easier to fill from smaller bottles, and also makes it easier to clean off the nib.
Nib: 7/10
It’s hard to complain about an 18k gold nib for a pen in this price range, and basically I’m happy with it. It’s not the smoothest stub nib I’ve tried, but neither is it the worst. It does dry out faster than I would like, but as long as I keep writing it’s not an issue. I know some who have reviewed the stub nib have said that if you write at a shallow angle the nib has a tendency to skip a bit, but I was unable to replicate this problem.
Test Drive: 7/10
Writing with the VP is fine. It’s not an experience I’m in love with, but to me that’s never been the VP’s selling point. But the pen writes well enough that I forget about it and can just write. The clip placement and metal body mean it’s not the best pen for long stretches of writing, but for me it’s the perfect pen to have at the ready for notetaking in meetings.
Overall: 7.0/10
This isn’t one of those pens I keep in my collection because it’s a joy to write with. I like to keep a VP around because it’s unique, but moreover because it’s a crazy convenient way to keep a fountain pen at the ready, and even though it’s not a top-of-the-line writing experience it’s still a comfortable pen—with a stub—for a good price.The Houston Dynamo and San Jose Earthquakes drew 2-2 Tuesday morning at Oxnard College in Onxard, Calif. Macoumba Kandji and Will Bruin scored the goals for Houston as the Dynamo wrapped up their west coast training camp.
The Dynamo struck first in the 5th minute off of some great build-up play. To start the attack, Bobby Boswell sent the ball out wide to Kofi Sarkodie. The second-year defender turned and found Adam Moffat in the middle of the field. Moffat looped the ball to Bruin who beat Earthquakes defender Ike Opara to the ball and headed it behind the defense to Kandji. The Dynamo newcomer took one touch and fired the ball into the upper right-hand corner past goalkeeper Jon Busch.
Dynamo goalkeeper Tally Hall was forced into action in the 11th minute when former Dynamo striker Chris Wondolowski found himself on the end of a Rafael Baca cross. Wondolowski one-timed the cross from the six-yard box but Hall deflected the ball away for a corner kick.
The Earthquakes evened the match in the 30th minute. Wondolowski took advantage of a defensive lapse and dribbled at Hall. The San Jose striker beat Hall off the dribble, but hesitated on the shot, which allowed center back Geoff Cameron to sprint back and block his attampt. The ball caromed out wide, where Ramiro Corrales controlled the ball and sent it back into the box. This time, Wondolowski did not miss and he headed the equalizer past Hall.
Houston re-took the lead in the 51st minute. Rookie midfielder Eder Arreola took a touch around his defender and sprinted toward the San Jose penalty box. The UCLA product played the ball across the box and Bruin one-timed it into the net.
San Jose controlled the run of play in the second half and found their equalizer in the 78th minute. Akron product Anthony Ampaipitakwong snuck behind the Dynamo back line and received a pass from Khari Stephenson. Ampaipitakwong took one touch and poked the ball past second half goalkeeper Tyler Deric.
Houston finished its preseason trip to California with a 2-1-1 record. The Dynamo will return home and train Thursday and Friday before taking on Southern Methodist University in a scrimmage on Saturday. Kick off is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. at the Houston Amateur Sports Park.
Houston Dynamo vs. San Jose Earthquakes
February 14, 2012 – Oxnard College
Preseason Scrimmage
Scoring Summary:
HOU – Macoumba Kandji (Will Bruin) 5
SJ – Chris Wondolowski (Ramiro Corrales) 30
HOU – Will Bruin (Eder Arreola) 51
SJ – Anthony Ampaipitakwong (Khari Stephenson) 78
Houston Dynamo – Tally Hall (Tyler Deric 46), Kofi Sarkodie (Warren Creavalle 46), Geoff Cameron (Jermaine Taylor 46), Bobby Boswell (Nathan Sturgis 46), Corey Ashe (Oscar Recio 46), Emerson Sato (Brian Ownby 46), Adam Moffat (Josue Soto 46), Je-Vaughn Watson (Philip Aseweh 46, Luiz Camargo 67), Colin Clark (Eder Arreola |
Copenhagen. These terms cover the "royal territories" of the Oldenburgs as it was in 1460, excluding the "ducal territories" of Schleswig and Holstein. The administration used two official languages, Danish and German, and for several centuries both a Danish and German Chancery existed.[9]
The term "Denmark–Norway" reflects the historical and legal roots of the union. It is adopted from the Oldenburg dynasty's official title. The kings always used the style "King of Denmark and Norway, the Wends and the Goths" (Konge til Danmark og Norge, de Venders og Gothers). Denmark and Norway, sometimes referred to as the "Twin Realms" (Tvillingrigerne) of Denmark–Norway, had separate legal codes and currencies, and mostly separate governing institutions. Following the introduction of absolutism in 1660, the centralisation of government meant a concentration of institutions in Copenhagen. Centralisation was supported in many parts of Norway, where the two-year attempt by Sweden to control Trøndelag had met strong local resistance and resulted in a complete failure for the Swedes and a devastation of the province. This allowed Norway to further secure itself militarily for the future through closer ties with the capital Copenhagen. The term "Sweden–Finland" is sometimes, although with less justification, applied to the contemporary Swedish realm between 1521 and 1809. Finland was never a separate kingdom, and was completely integrated with Sweden, while Denmark was the dominant component in a personal union.
Colonies [ edit ]
c. 1800 Enlargeable map of Denmark–Norway and its possessions
Throughout the time of Denmark–Norway, it continuously had possession over various overseas territories. At the earliest times this meant areas in Northern Europe and North America, for instance Estonia and the Norwegian possessions of Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Iceland.
From the 17th century, the kingdoms acquired colonies in Africa, the Caribbean and India. At its height the empire was about 2,655,564.76 km2 (1,025,319 sq mi)[note 1]
India [ edit ]
Denmark–Norway maintained numerous colonies from the 17th to 19th centuries over various parts around India. Colonies included the town of Tranquebar and Serampore. The last towns it had control over were sold to the United Kingdom in 1845. Rights in the Nicobar Islands were sold in 1869.
Caribbean [ edit ]
Centred on the Virgin Islands, Denmark–Norway established the Danish West Indies. This colony was one of the longest-lived of Denmark, until it was sold to the United States in 1917. It became the U.S. Virgin Islands.
West Africa [ edit ]
In the Gold Coast region of West Africa, Denmark–Norway also over time had control over various colonies and forts. The last remaining forts were sold to the United Kingdom in 1850.
History [ edit ]
Origins of the Union [ edit ]
The three kingdoms then united in the Kalmar Union in 1397. Sweden broke out of this union and re-entered it several times, until 1521, when Sweden finally left the Union, leaving Denmark–Norway (including overseas possessions in the North Atlantic and the island of Saaremaa in modern Estonia).
Northern Seven Years' War [ edit ]
The outbreak of the Northern Seven Years' War in 1563 is mainly attributed[by whom?] to Denmark's displeasure over the dismantling of the Kalmar Union in the 1520s. When the Danish-Norwegian king Christian III (reigned 1534–1559) included the traditionally Swedish insignia of three crowns into his own coat of arms, the Swedes interpreted this as a Danish claim over Sweden. In response Erik XIV of Sweden (reigned 1560–1568) added the insignia of Norway and Denmark to his own coat of arms.
After Swedish king Erik introduced obstacles in an attempt to hinder trade with Russia, Lübeck and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth joined Denmark–Norway in a war alliance. Denmark–Norway then carried out some naval attacks on Sweden, which effectively started the war. After seven years of fighting, the conflict concluded in 1570 with a status quo ante bellum.
Kalmar War [ edit ]
Christian IV of Denmark
Because of Denmark–Norway's dominion over the Baltic Sea (dominium maris baltici) and the North Sea, Sweden had the intention of avoiding paying Denmark's Sound Toll. Swedish king Charles IX's way of accomplishing this was to try to set up a new trade route through Lapland and northern Norway. In 1607 Charles IX declared himself "King of the Lapps in Nordland", and started collecting taxes in Norwegian territory.
Denmark and King Christian IV of Denmark protested against the Swedish actions, as they had no intentions of letting another independent trade route open, Christian IV also had an intent of forcing Sweden to rejoin its union with Denmark. In 1611 Denmark finally invaded Sweden with 6000 men and took the city of Kalmar. On 20 January 1613, the Treaty of Knäred was signed in which Norway's land route from Sweden was regained by incorporating Lapland into Norway, and Swedish payment of the Älvsborg Ransom for two fortresses which Denmark had taken in the war. However, Sweden achieved an exemption from the Sound Toll, which had only previously been secured by Britain and Holland.
Aftermath of the Älvsborg Ransom [ edit ]
The great ransom paid by Sweden (called the Älvsborg Ransom) was used by Christian IV, among many other things, to found the cities of Glückstadt, Christiania (refounded after a fire), Christianshave, Christianstad and Christianssand. He also founded the Danish East India Company which led to the establishment of numerous Danish colonies in India.
Thirty Years' War [ edit ]
Not long after the Kalmar war, Denmark–Norway got involved in another greater war, in which they fought together with the mainly north German and other Protestant states against the Catholic states led by German Catholic League.
Christian IV sought to become the leader of the north German Lutheran states, however following the Battle of Lutter in 1626 Denmark met a crushing defeat. This led to most of the German Protestant states ceasing their support for Christian IV. After another defeat at the Battle of Wolgast and following the Treaty of Lübeck in 1629, which forbade Denmark–Norway from future intervening in German affairs, Denmark–Norways's participation in the war came to an end.
Torstenson War [ edit ]
Denmark–Norway Sweden The provinces of Jemtland, Herjedalen, Idre & Serna and the Baltic Sea islands of Gotland and Ösel, which were ceded to Sweden The province of Halland, ceded for 30 years. Treaty of Brömsebro, 1645.
Sweden was very successful during the Thirty Years' War, while Denmark–Norway was a failure. Sweden saw an opportunity of a change of power in the region. Denmark–Norway had a threatening territory surrounding Sweden, and the Sound Dues were a continuing irritation for the Swedes. In 1643 the Swedish Privy Council determined Swedish territorial gain in an eventual war against Denmark–Norway to have good chances. Not long after this, Sweden invaded Denmark–Norway.
Denmark was poorly prepared for the war, and Norway was reluctant to attack Sweden, which left the Swedes in a good position.
The war ended as foreseen with Swedish victory, and with the Treaty of Brömsebro in 1645, Denmark–Norway had to cede some of their territories, including Norwegian territories Jemtland, Herjedalen and Idre & Serna, and the Danish Baltic Sea islands of Gotland and Ösel. The Thirty Years' War thus began the rise of Sweden as a great power, while it marked the start of decline for the Danish.
Halland, occupied by Sweden for a 30-year period under the terms of the Peace of Brömsebro negotiated in 1645, was now ceded the Scanian lands and Båhus County were ceded Trøndelag and Bornholm provinces, which were ceded in 1658, but which rebelled against Sweden and returned to Danish rule in 1660 Treaty of Roskilde, 1658.
Second Northern Wars [ edit ]
The Dano-Swedish War (1657–1658), a part of the Second Northern War, was one of the most devastating wars for the Dano-Norwegian kingdom. After a huge loss in the war, Denmark–Norway was forced in the Treaty of Roskilde to give Sweden nearly half its territory. This included Norwegian province of Trøndelag and Båhuslen, all remaining Danish provinces on the Swedish mainland, and the island of Bornholm.
However, two years later, in 1660, there was a follow-up treaty, the Treaty of Copenhagen, which gave Trøndelag and Bornholm back to Denmark–Norway.
Royal absolutist state [ edit ]
In the aftermath of Sweden's final secession from the Kalmar Union in 1521, civil war and Protestant Reformation followed in Denmark and Norway. When things had settled down, the Rigsraad (High Council) of Denmark became weakened, and was abolished in 1660, the Norwegian Riksråd was de facto already abolished in 1537 (the Norwegian Riksråd was assembled for the last time in 1537) when king Christian III of Denmark–Norway did a coup d'état in Norway and made it a hereditary kingdom in a real union with Denmark. Norway kept its separate laws and some institutions, such as a royal chancellor, and separate coinage and army. Norway also had its own royal standard flag until 1748, after that the Dannebrog became the only official merchant flag in the union.[10] Denmark–Norway became an absolutist state and Denmark a hereditary monarchy, as Norway de jure had been since the Middle Ages. These changes were confirmed in the Lex Regia signed on 14 November 1665, stipulating that all power lay in the hands of the king, who was only responsible towards God.[11]
Scanian War [ edit ]
Denmark had lost its provinces in Scania after the Treaty of Roskilde and was always eager to retrieve them, but as Sweden had grown into a great power it would not be an easy task. However, Christian V saw an opportunity when Sweden got involved in the Franco-Dutch War, and after some hesitation Denmark–Norway invaded Sweden in 1675.
Although the Danish-Norwegian assault began as a great success, the Swedes led by 19-year-old Charles XI counter-attacked and took back the land that was being occupied. The war was concluded with the French dictating peace, with no permanent gains or losses to either of the countries.
Napoleonic Wars and end of the Union [ edit ]
During the French Revolutionary Wars Denmark–Norway at first tried to stay neutral, so it could continue its trade with both France and the United Kingdom, but when it entered the League of Armed Neutrality, the British considered it a hostile action, and attacked Copenhagen in 1801 and again in 1807. In the 1807 attack on Copenhagen the British army confiscated the entire Dano-Norwegian navy on the grounds that Denmark–Norway was about to launch an attack on Britain. The Dano-Norwegian navy had been the only navy left in Europe able to challenge the British navy after the destruction of the Spanish–French navy in the Battle of Trafalgar. The Dano-Norwegian navy was however not prepared for any military operation and the British soldiers found the Dano-Norwegian navy still in dock after the winter season. The Dano-Norwegians were more concerned about preserving their continued neutrality and the entire Dano-Norwegian army was therefore gathered at Danevirke in the event of a French attack, leaving Copenhagen vulnerable to a British attack. The British attack on Danish neutrality effectively forced the Dano-Norwegians into an alliance with Napoleon, and Denmark–Norway allied itself with France.
Denmark–Norway was defeated and had to cede the Kingdom of Norway to the King of Sweden at the Treaty of Kiel. Norway's overseas possessions were kept by Denmark. But the Norwegians objected to the terms of this treaty, and a constitutional assembly declared Norwegian independence on 17 May 1814 and elected the Crown Prince Christian Frederik as king of independent Norway. Following a Swedish invasion, Norway was forced to accept a personal union between Sweden and Norway, but retained its liberal constitution and separate institutions, except for the foreign service. The union was dissolved in 1905.
Religion [ edit ]
Denmark–Norway was among the countries to follow Martin Luther after the Protestant Reformation, and thus established Lutheran Protestantism as official religion in place of Roman Catholicism. Lutheran Protestantism prevailed through most of the union's life span.
There was however one other religious "reformation" in the kingdom during the rule of Christian VI, a follower of Pietism. The period from 1735 until his death in 1746 has been nicknamed "the State Pietism", as new laws and regulations were established in favor of Pietism. Though Pietism did not last for a substantial time, numerous new small pietistic resurrections occurred over the next 200 years. In the end, Pietism was never firmly established as a lasting religious grouping.
Legacy [ edit ]
Although the Dano–Norwegian union was generally viewed favourably in Norway at the time of its dissolution in 1814, some 19th century Norwegian writers disparaged the union as a "400-year night." Historians describe the idea of a "400-year night" as a myth that was created as a rhetorical device in the struggle against the Swedish–Norwegian union, inspired by 19th century national romanticist ideas. Since the late 19th century the Danish–Norwegian union was increasingly viewed in a more nuanced and favourable light in Norway with a stronger focus on empirical research, and historians have highlighted that the Norwegian economy thrived and that Norway was one of the world's wealthiest countries during the entire period of real union with Denmark. Historians have also pointed out that Norway was a separate state, with its own army, legal system and other institutions, with significant autonomy in its internal affairs, and that it was primarily governed by a local elite of civil servants who identified as Norwegian, albeit in the name of the somewhat distant King. Norwegians were also well represented in the military, civil service and business elites of Denmark–Norway, and in the administration of the colonies in the Caribbean and elsewhere. Norway benefited militarily from the combined strength of Denmark–Norway in the wars with Sweden and economically from its trade relationship with Denmark in which Norwegian industry enjoyed a legal monopoly in Denmark while Denmark supplied Norway with agricultural products.[12][13]
See also [ edit ]
Notes [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
Coordinates:Preki spent two years at Goodison Park
Former Everton winger Predrag 'Preki' Radosavljevic has announced he has accepted a coaching job "in the UK", but is yet to name the club.
The 52-year-old has left his role as coach of Sacramento Republic in the third division of US football.
The announcement saw British bookmakers install him as favourite for the Leicester City job.
"The opportunity ahead is a chance to challenge myself at the highest level of the game," said Preki.
Leicester are the only team in the Premier League and Football League currently without a manager.
Nigel Pearson was sacked in June, despite guiding the Foxes to 14th in the Premier League in 2014-15.
Serbian-born American Preki won 28 caps for the US football team after acquiring US citizenship in 1996.
He spent two years at Goodison Park after being signed by Howard Kendall in the summer of 1992 and made 25 starts for the Toffees, scoring four goals.
He then moved to Portsmouth for £100,000 but spent just one season at Fratton Park.
Preki spent the majority of his career in America, playing for indoor side Tacoma Stars and Kansas City Wizards in Major League Soccer.
He has managed Chivas and Toronto in the MLS and was named MLS Coach of the Year in 2007.Misfits have signed Team SoloMid's former CS:GO roster, the organization announced Saturday.
Related: TSM part ways with sgares following release of player-signed open letter
TSM released the roster earlier today, following weeks of conflict between the organization and former player Sean "sgares" Gares. Misfits have acquired the five players, as well as TSM's spot in the upcoming season of the ESL Pro League.
"I want to thank Ben and the entire Misfits organization for trusting in me and providing the five of us with a new home," sgares said in a press release. "Our new agreements with Misfits not only provide us with great support - we have also used the opportunity to work with Misfits to address and improve key industry issues that all players currently face. Our contracts with Misfits set new standards for players' protection and rights in areas like personal sponsorships, unreasonable benching procedures, and of course how our league participation is decided."
Misfits have been steadily expanding over the past year. The organization began as a League of Legends team, and has since added a Heroes of the Storm team, an Overwatch team, Hearthstone players and Super Smash Bros. players. Misfits recently entered an agreement with the Miami Heat that will see the NBA team handle promotion and marketing for the esports organization.
Related: Misfits owner and Miami Heat exec open up about their partnership and what both teams bring to the table
In a press release published earlier today, TSM stated that their relations with their CS:GO players had broken down over the past few weeks, as the players still wanted to play with sgares and voted against playing in a league run by the Professional eSports Association when given a choice between PEA and EPL.
ESL has released an official ruling regarding the roster’s EPL spot, stating that Misfits have also been given a spot in Season 5 of the EPL, per TSM's request. ESL ruled that in order to keep the spot, Misfits must use a majority lineup for their first 14 matches in the upcoming season.
Daniel Rosen is a news editor for theScore esports. You can follow him on Twitter.Recognizing faces corresponding to target individuals remains a challenging problem in video surveillance. Face recognition (FR) systems are exposed to videos captured under various operating conditions, and, since data distributions change over time, face captures diverge w.r.t. stored facial models. Although these models may be adapted when new reference videos become available, incremental learning with faces captured under different conditions may lead to knowledge corruption. This paper presents an adaptive multi-classifier system (AMCS) for video-to-video FR in changing surveillance environments. During enrolment, faces captured in reference videos are employed to design an individual-specific classifier. During operations, a tracker allows to regroup facial captures for individuals in the scene, and accumulate the predictions per track for robust spatiotemporal FR. Given a new reference video, the corresponding facial model is adapted according to the type of concept change. If a gradual pattern of change is detected, the individual-specific classifier(s) are adapted through incremental learning. To preserve knowledge, another classifier is learned and combined with the individuals previously-trained classifier(s) if an abrupt change is detected. For proof-of-concept, the performance of a particular implementation of this AMCS is assessed using videos from the Faces in Action dataset. By adapting facial models according to changes detected in new reference videos, this AMCS allows to sustain a high level of accuracy comparable to the same system that is always updated using a learn-and-combine approach, while reducing time and memory complexity. It also provides higher accuracy than incremental learning classifiers that suffer the effects of knowledge corruption.In October 2008, then-Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin warned that Putin, having been motivated by Obama's lack of response to the Russian invasion of Georgia, would proceed to invade Ukraine if then-Senator Obama was elected to the presidency.
After the Russian Army invaded the nation of Georgia, Senator Obama's reaction was one of indecision and moral equivalence, the kind of response that would only encourage Russia's Putin to invade Ukraine next.
Foreign Policy dismissed this warning as "strange" and "far-fetched."
As we've said before, this is an extremely far-fetched scenario. And given how Russia has been able to unsettle Ukraine's pro-Western government without firing a shot, I don't see why violence would be necessary to bring Kiev to heel.
Yesterday, Russia invaded the Crimean peninsula of Ukraine and seized control of two airports.
Seems as though Palin's prediction wasn't too far-fetched after all.EXCLUSIVE: The Greendale Community College gang will be coming back intact in the fall. I have learned that Sony Pictures TV, which produces Community, has picked up the options on all actors from the cult NBC comedy series for next season. That includes co-star Chevy Chase, who seemed noncommittal about his future on the show in the spring. “I probably won’t be around that much longer,” he said in an interview with the Huffington Post in April, around the time we broke the story about his feud with Community creator-executive producer Dan Harmon. Following Community‘s renewal by NBC for a fourth season last month, Harmon was replaced with new showrunners, David Guarascio and Moses Port. When a Community Comic-Con panel was announced yesterday, confirmed to appear were Joel McHale, Alison Brie, Yvette Nicole Brown, Gillian Jacobs and Danny Pudi. The list doesn’t not include Chase as well as fellow original regular cast member Donald Glover. It turns out Chase is out of town for the convention but will be back to work when Community starts production on Season 4 as will be all other regulars, McHale, Jacobs, Brown, Brie, Glover, Jim Rash and Ken Jeong. The series is riding high after scoring its first major award at the recent Critics Choice Television Awards, where it won best comedy series. More good news for the show came out of San Diego, where Community was moved up to the convention center this year.Scientists have created a one-way sound machine.
The device, called an acoustic circulator, breaks the fundamental principle that sound, and other types of waves, are a two-way street.
The findings, published today (Jan. 30) in the journal Science, could lead to the sound equivalent of a one-way mirror. With such a device, people can hear someone talking, but they themselves cannot be heard. [The 9 Biggest Unsolved Mysteries in Physics]
Wave nature
All waves — whether visible light, sound, radio or otherwise — have a physical property known as time reversal symmetry. What that means is that a wave sent one way can always be sent back.
"If I am able to talk to you, you should be able to talk to me back," said study co-author Andrea Alù, an electrical engineer at the University of Texas at Austin.
For radio waves, researchers figured out how to break this rule using magnetic materials that set electrons spinning in one direction. The resulting radio waves detect the difference in the material in one direction versus the other, preventing reverse transmission. As a result, transmission towers can broadcast the top 40 hits, without having the radio waves bounce back.
One-way sound
But so far, researchers hadn't figured out how to complete the trick for other types of waves.
To accomplish the feat with sound waves, which are pressure oscillations in the air, the team created a cavity loaded with tiny CPU (central processing unit) fans that spin the air with a specific velocity. As sound waves go through the cavity, they are routed through one of three pipes (think of a sea star with the cavity in the center and each of the pipes is one of the sea star's appendages), each of which has a microphone at the end.
The air is spinning in one direction, so the flow of air "feels" different to the wave in one direction versus the other, preventing backward transmission. As a result, sound waves can go in, but they can't go the other way. The result is one-directional sound.
So, for instance, the listener at the end of the first pipe may send a sound signal to the second pipe, but the first pipe can't hear sound from the second. The second pipe may be able to send a signal to the third pipe, but not receive one.
Many applications
The new technique could be used to create the sound equivalent of one-way glass. There are some obviously stealthy ways to use the method, such as in spying devices.
"I can listen to you, but you cannot detect me back, you cannot hear my presence," Alù told LiveScience.
But the principle could also potentially be used to create one-way light waves.
The findings will likely lead to many useful applications, said Sebastien Guenneau, a metamaterials researcher at the Institut Fresnel in France, who was not involved in the study
"I would be surprised if sound industries do not pick up this idea," Guenneau told LiveScience. "This could have great applications in sound insulation of motorways, music studios, submarines and airplanes."
Follow Tia Ghose on Twitter and Google+. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science.
Copyright 2014 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.For the politician, see Wilfrid Owen
Wilfred Edward Salter Owen, MC (18 March 1893 – 4 November 1918) was an English poet and soldier. He was one of the leading poets of the First World War. His war poetry on the horrors of trenches and gas warfare was heavily influenced by his mentor Siegfried Sassoon, and stood in stark contrast both to the public perception of war at the time and to the confidently patriotic verse written by earlier war poets such as Rupert Brooke. Among his best-known works – most of which were published posthumously – are "Dulce et Decorum est", "Insensibility", "Anthem for Doomed Youth", "Futility", "Spring Offensive" and "Strange Meeting".
Early life
Owen was born on 18 March 1893 at Plas Wilmot, a house in Weston Lane, near Oswestry in Shropshire. He was the eldest of Thomas and (Harriett) Susan Owen (née Shaw)'s four children; his siblings were Mary Millard, (William) Harold, and Colin Shaw Owen. When Wilfred was born, his parents lived in a comfortable house owned by his grandfather, Edward Shaw.
After Edward's death in January 1897, and the house's sale in March,[1] the family lodged in the back streets of Birkenhead. There Thomas Owen temporarily worked in the town employed by a railway company. Thomas transferred to Shrewsbury in April 1897 where the family lived with Thomas' parents in Canon Street.[2]
Thomas Owen transferred back to Birkenhead, again in 1898 when he became stationmaster at Woodside station.[2] The family lived with him at three successive homes in the Tranmere district,[3] They then moved back to Shrewsbury in 1907.[4] Wilfred Owen was educated at the Birkenhead Institute[5] and at Shrewsbury Technical School (later known as the Wakeman School).
Owen discovered his poetic vocation in about 1904[6] during a holiday spent in Cheshire. He was raised as an Anglican of the evangelical type, and in his youth was a devout believer, in part due to his strong relationship with his mother, which lasted throughout his life. His early influences included the Bible and the "big six" of romantic poetry, particularly John Keats.
Owen's last two years of formal education saw him as a pupil-teacher at the Wyle Cop school in Shrewsbury.[7] In 1911 he passed the matriculation exam for the University of London, but not with the first-class honours needed for a scholarship, which in his family's circumstances was the only way he could have afforded to attend.
In return for free lodging, and some tuition for the entrance exam (this has been questioned[citation needed]) Owen worked as lay assistant to the Vicar of Dunsden near Reading,[8] living in the vicarage from September 1911 to February 1913. During this time he attended classes at University College, Reading (now the University of Reading), in botany and later, at the urging of the head of the English Department, took free lessons in Old English. His time spent at Dunsden parish led him to disillusionment with the Church, both in its ceremony and its failure to provide aid for those in need.[9][10]
From 1913 he worked as a private tutor teaching English and French at the Berlitz School of Languages in Bordeaux, France, and later with a family. There he met the older French poet Laurent Tailhade, with whom he later corresponded in French.[11] When war broke out, Owen did not rush to enlist - and even considered the French army - but eventually returned to England.[8]
War service
On 21 October 1915, he enlisted in the Artists Rifles Officers' Training Corps. For the next seven months, he trained at Hare Hall Camp in Essex.[10] On 4 June 1916, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant (on probation) in the Manchester Regiment.[12] Initially Owen held his troops in contempt for their loutish behaviour, and in a letter to his mother described his company as "expressionless lumps".[13] However, his imaginative existence was to be changed dramatically by a number of traumatic experiences. He fell into a shell hole and suffered concussion; he was blown up by a trench mortar and spent several days unconscious on an embankment lying amongst the remains of one of his fellow officers. Soon afterward, Owen was diagnosed as suffering from neurasthenia or shell shock and sent to Craiglockhart War Hospital in Edinburgh for treatment. It was while recuperating at Craiglockhart that he met fellow poet Siegfried Sassoon, an encounter that was to transform Owen's life.
Whilst at Craiglockhart he made friends in Edinburgh's artistic and literary circles, and did some teaching at the Tynecastle High School, in a poor area of the city. In November he was discharged from Craiglockhart, judged fit for light regimental duties. He spent a contented and fruitful winter in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, and in March 1918 was posted to the Northern Command Depot at Ripon.[14] While in Ripon he composed or revised a number of poems, including "Futility" and "Strange Meeting". His 25th birthday was spent quietly at Ripon Cathedral, which is dedicated to his namesake, St. Wilfrid of Hexham.
Owen returned in July 1918, to active service in France, although he might have stayed on home-duty indefinitely. His decision to return was probably the result of Sassoon's being sent back to England, after being shot in the head in an apparent "friendly fire" incident, and put on sick-leave for the remaining duration of the war. Owen saw it as his duty to add his voice to that of Sassoon, that the horrific realities of the war might continue to be told. Sassoon was violently opposed to the idea of Owen returning to the trenches, threatening to "stab [him] in the leg" if he tried it. Aware of his attitude, Owen did not inform him of his action until he was once again in France.
At the very end of August 1918, Owen returned to the front line - perhaps imitating Sassoon's example. On 1 October 1918 Owen led units of the Second Manchesters to storm a number of enemy strong points near the village of Joncourt. For his courage and leadership in the Joncourt action, he was awarded the Military Cross, an award he had always sought in order to justify himself as a war poet, but the award was not gazetted until 15 February 1919.[15] The citation followed on 30 July 1919:
2nd Lt, Wilfred Edward Salter Owen, 5th Bn. Manch. R., T.F., attd. 2nd Bn. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in the attack on the Fonsomme Line on October 1st/2nd, 1918. On the company commander becoming a casualty, he assumed command and showed fine leadership and resisted a heavy counter-attack. He personally manipulated a captured enemy machine gun from an isolated position and inflicted considerable losses on the enemy. Throughout he behaved most gallantly.[16]
Death
Owen was killed in action on 4 November 1918 during the crossing of the Sambre–Oise Canal, exactly one week (almost to the hour) before the signing of the Armistice which ended the war, and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant the day after his death. His mother received the telegram informing her of his death on Armistice Day, as the church bells in Shrewsbury were ringing out in celebration.[8][17] Owen is buried at Ors Communal Cemetery, Ors, in northern France.[18] The inscription on his gravestone, chosen by his mother Susan, is based on a quote from his poetry: "SHALL LIFE RENEW THESE BODIES? OF A TRUTH ALL DEATH WILL HE ANNUL" W.O..[18][19]
Poetry
Owen is regarded by many as the greatest poet of the First World War,[20] known for his verse about the horrors of trench and gas warfare. He had been writing poetry for some years before the war, himself dating his poetic beginnings to a stay at Broxton by the Hill when he was ten years old.[21] The Romantic poets Keats and Shelley influenced much of his early writing and poetry. His great friend, the poet Siegfried Sassoon, later had a profound effect on his poetic voice, and Owen's most famous poems ("Dulce et Decorum est" and "Anthem for Doomed Youth") show direct results of Sassoon's influence. Manuscript copies of the poems survive, annotated in Sassoon's handwriting. Owen's poetry would eventually be more widely acclaimed than that of his mentor. While his use of pararhyme with heavy reliance on assonance was innovative, he was not the only poet at the time to use these particular techniques. He was, however, one of the first to experiment with it extensively.
Anthem for Doomed Youth
What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
Only the monstrous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons.
No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells,
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs, -
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.
What candles may be held to speed them all?
Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes.
The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,
And each slow dusk a drawing down of blinds. 1920[22]
His poetry itself underwent significant changes in 1917. As a part of his therapy at Craiglockhart, Owen's doctor, Arthur Brock, encouraged Owen to translate his experiences, specifically the experiences he relived in his dreams, into poetry. Sassoon, who was becoming influenced by Freudian psychoanalysis, aided him here, showing Owen through example what poetry could do. Sassoon's use of satire influenced Owen, who tried his hand at writing "in Sassoon's style". Further, the content of Owen's verse was undeniably changed by his work with Sassoon. Sassoon's emphasis on realism and "writing from experience" was contrary to Owen's hitherto romantic-influenced style, as seen in his earlier sonnets. Owen was to take both Sassoon's gritty realism and his own romantic notions and create a poetic synthesis that was both potent and sympathetic, as summarised by his famous phrase "the pity of war". In this way, Owen's poetry is quite distinctive, and he is, by many, considered a greater poet than Sassoon. Nonetheless, Sassoon contributed to Owen's popularity by his strong promotion of his poetry, both before and after Owen's death, and his editing was instrumental in the making of Owen as a poet.
Owen's poems had the benefit of strong patronage, and it was a combination of Sassoon's influence, support from Edith Sitwell, and the preparation of a new and fuller edition of the poems in 1931 by Edmund Blunden that ensured his popularity, coupled with a revival of interest in his poetry in the 1960s which plucked him out of a relatively exclusive readership into the public eye.[8] Though he had plans for a volume of verse, for which he had written a "Preface", he never saw his own work published apart from those poems he included in The Hydra, the magazine he edited at Craiglockhart War Hospital, and "Miners", which was published in The Nation.
There were many other influences on Owen's poetry, including his mother. His letters to her provide an insight into Owen's life at the front, and the development of his philosophy regarding the war. Graphic details of the horror Owen witnessed were never spared. Owen's experiences with religion also heavily influenced his poetry, notably in poems such as "Anthem for Doomed Youth", in which the ceremony of a funeral is re-enacted not in a church, but on the battlefield itself, and "At a Calvary near the Ancre", which comments on the Crucifixion of Christ. Owen's experiences in war led him further to challenge his religious beliefs, claiming in his poem "Exposure" that "love of God seems dying".
Only five of Owen's poems were published before his death, one in fragmentary form. His best known poems include "Anthem for Doomed Youth", "Futility", "Dulce Et Decorum Est", "The Parable of the Old Men and the Young" and "Strange Meeting". However, most of them were published posthumously: Poems (1920),The Poems of Wilfred Owen (1931),The Collected Poems of Wilfred Owen (1963),The Complete Poems and Fragments (1983); fundamental in this last collection is the poem Soldier's Dream, that deals with Owen's conception of war.
Owen's full unexpurgated opus is in the academic two-volume work The Complete Poems and Fragments (1994) by Jon Stallworthy. Many of his |
were occasionally unavailable because of a youth soccer practice. Getting there meant a short bus ride, a trip across the Upper Bay aboard the Staten Island Ferry, a quick shot on the 1 through Manhattan, and finally, that relative breeze of a seven-block walk.
Kevin Tanaka/AP
When practice ended, Ward and the Knights lugged their gear back to storage before trudging nearly a mile down 29th Street to a Bally’s Total Fitness near Penn Station for a lift and a shower. Clean but exhausted, they stumbled to classes at Globe, which often ended around 9 p.m. From there, it was a short walk to the 42nd Street station, a subway ride to the ferry, and finally, the slow float back to Staten Island. In all, it was a 24.5-mile round-trip commute—nearly three of those miles on foot—and around 200 minutes in transit over a five-day week.
“That’s why people quit,” Ward says. “They didn’t quit because the team sucks, or this or that. They quit because of the grind.” After two years of that grind, wide-open, slow-paced Champaign felt like a haven. “Here,” Ward says, “there was nothing but quiet.”
As he finishes the thought, Ward—an honest 6-foot-5 and a trim but sturdy 300 pounds, cloaked entirely in charcoal Illinois athletic gear—lifts his burger from its plastic red basket. Ranch and barbecue sauce spill out the sides of the bun. In junior college, players aren’t provided meals. Many of the players at Globe were broke, and finding a next meal wasn’t always certain. Bubba Burgers were the unaffordable item Ward craved enough to pilfer from the nearby grocery store.
Opinions of Ward as a player cover an expanse. His standout week at the Senior Bowl led Mel Kiper to project him as a first-round pick in February. Others see an inexperienced, position-less project that doesn’t deserve a thought in the first two rounds. Ward hasn’t paid much mind to any of the noise. Barely 22, with a patchy beard that betrays a soft but rumbling tenor, his past has purged him of self-doubt. Whatever concerns skeptics have voiced, none of them can touch the ones he’s already faced.
“Somebody complain about food, I’ve been through it,” Ward says. “Somebody complain about traveling, I’ve been through that. Somebody complain about not having a father, I’ve been through that. Somebody complain about violence or shooting, I’ve been through that too. I ain’t afraid of nothing. I’ve been through everything.”
* * *
Ward (No. 17) led the way for Globe Tech as a two-way star, playing tight end on offense. Courtesy of Globe Tech
52 Bus to St. George Ferry Terminal // Staten Island Ferry to Whitehall Terminal // 1 Train to 28th St.
Globe Tech’s players were scattered around the boroughs and New Jersey, but for two years, Ward lived with 19 teammates in neighboring two-story townhouses at 104 and 106 Townsend Avenue on Staten Island. A modest $3,000 rent was the appeal of each cream-colored, green-roofed building, where six players inhabited the upstairs with another four on the first floor.
The bus stop was only a few steps down the street, and with two lines running they never waited long. Rides cost $2.75, which many of them simply didn’t have every day. To ensure passage, they deployed an array of tactics. The simplest, because non-college students rode for free, was flashing an old high school ID. As Ward filled out his 6-5 frame, suspicion grew, and when the MTA issued specialized passes for high schoolers, the plan was scrapped. Some mornings, he’d grab a fistful of pennies and toss them in the change slot.
Free ferry rides provided a brief respite, but the real problem waited for them across the water. “We get off the ferry, and now, we have to worry about the train,” Ward says, before pausing. “That’s gonna be tricky.” Subway stations around Whitehall were lined with police, both MTA and NYPD. Initially, says Tyruiq Gordon, a fellow Philly native who was a year ahead of Ward at Globe, they would try to reason with workers, explaining they were willing to give what they had, even if what they had wasn’t enough. “For the most part, they were lenient toward us because of the situation,” Gordon says. “We weren’t just hanging around.” On days when that failed, players would get creative. Even at 280 pounds, Ward would slip into a turnstile with a teammate, conjuring two Metro Card swipes out of one. Like attacking a double team, the key to squeezing onto the subway was getting skinny. “It’s a technique going through them things,” Ward says. In times of desperation, the Knights were left with one final, undesirable option. “If you had to hop, then you hopped,” Gordon says of a move that could come with a $100 fine. “When it came down to it, you couldn’t miss practice or class.”
“You know the movie Warriors?” Ward asks. “We did the same thing.”
• BEHIND CLOSED DOORS FOR A COMBINE INTERVIEW: Jenny Vrentas got an unprecedented look as the Miami Dolphins interviewed a quarterback prospect.
Empty pockets hindered travel, but the hardest days were the ones that led to empty stomachs. Groceries came from a now-defunct Waldbaum’s around the corner. On his most desperate days, Ward would haul a duffel bag to the store and collect the cheap essentials—pancake mix, milk, bread—before paying, sneaking back inside, and snagging luxuries like hot dogs and french fries. “He [wouldn’t] eat for two days and not say anything to me,” says Cameron Chadwick, Globe’s head coach. “He was one of those kids, he wouldn’t ask you. He’d just go without.”
During Ward’s first season living at 104 Townsend there were three other players from Philadelphia and six from Hampton Roads, Va. Those shared roots created the earliest bonds, but it was hunger—both for food and a future—that ultimately fused them. Gordon and others showed Ward the way that year, and when they were gone, the mantle was his. “It’s not really teaching someone,” Ward says. “You just see it. We’ve got each other’s back.”
For Chadwick, Ward became another set of eyes when he couldn’t be around. If the house wasn’t clean or neighbors complained about noise, he knew to call his Pied Piper, the guy who rounded up players, got them fed and to practice every day. That year, fellow Philadelphian Tyrin Stone-Davis was 3,000 miles away at Pierce College in Los Angeles, but when he joined Ward at Illinois, he felt the same pull. “Just his presence, period,” Stone-Davis said of Ward’s influence. “He just leads by action, and people rally behind him.” Stone-Davis is nearly a year older than the man he now describes as his brother, but that never mattered. There was comfort to be found in Ward’s quiet ambition, and Stone-Davis clung to it. He still does. “I just feel safe around him,” Stone-Davis says. “He never lied to me. He’s never done me harm. I trust him. I love him. He wants the best for me.
* * *
Erick Rasco/SI/The MMQB
Walk from 28th St. to Manhattan Mini Storage (29th St. and 11th Ave.) to Chelsea Ballfields (28th and 10th)
The Chelsea Ballfields are a fenced-in artificial surface near the High Line, outfitted with a track, backstop, and soccer fields. And during Ward’s first season at Globe, in the fall of 2012, it’s where the team held most of its practices. Compared to the arduous walk from the storage unit to De Witt Clinton Park on 52nd Street in Hell’s Kitchen, home to spring practices that year, the two blocks felt like nothing to veterans like Gordon. When Chadwick ran into scheduling conflicts, he’d sometimes audible to Pier 40, at a field that adjoins a trapeze school, but that season Globe Tech football called two main locations home: practices in Chelsea, games at Union City High School in New Jersey, on a roof surrounded by a net to keep balls from plummeting off the side.
Next to the turf patch at the Ballfields sit a trio of basketball courts, much like the ones where Ward spent most of his childhood. Kareema Ward is a single mother with five children. “Jihad” was the name of a childhood classmate, and it would become the name of her first child. There was no religious connection at the time—Kareema didn’t convert to Islam until 11 years ago, long after Jihad was born—but her education as a Muslim has brought new meaning to his name. In her purse, she carries a piece of lined notebook paper with 17 highlighted Islamic phrases, a constant resource for lessons she’s still learning. She knows what most will think. They hear “Jihad,” all they imagine is decrees of holy war and violence. But jihad can also mean to strain, to strive, to persevere. Now, when Kareema hears her son’s name, she thinks of all he’s done in his own struggle.
Until age 14, he’d never played a down of organized football. Before his sophomore year at since-closed Edward Bok Technical High School, the basketball coach approached Frank Natale, then in his first-year as Bok’s head football coach, about a tall, muscular basketball player he thought would fit with Natale’s plans. That summer, a 6-foot-3, 240-pound Jihad Ward was getting snaps for the Wildcats at wide receiver and safety. “He was 6-4 at D-back wearing no. 84,” laughs Gordon, who played running back for nearby University that year. “He looked out of place.”
Apocryphal tales have emerged about Ward’s positional history, in the way they do about players who’ve spent time on the outskirts of college sports before ending up at a major program. He’s only played defensive line for three years is a tempting way to inflate Ward’s potential. It’s also not true. He spent his second season as a standup end in Natale’s 5-2 defense, and with an eye on getting Ward’s hand in the dirt, Bok transitioned to a 4-3 when he was a senior.
Ward was second-team All-City as a junior, but Division I interest ended before it could start when coaches learned about his grades. Natale ensures that Ward was a fixture in class, but still, his GPA hung just below 2.0. Chadwick, who’d been named Globe’s head coach the previous year, had history recruiting in Philadelphia, and eventually he and Natale got in touch. He made the trip to see Ward play at an all-star game at Lincoln Financial Field, but he’d been sold long before. Players built like that don’t land in junior college. A defensive end from the start at Globe Tech, Ward played well enough for his teammates to elect him a captain the spring following his freshman season.
• CONNOR COOK DEFENDS HIMSELF: The Michigan State quarterback’s first-person piece about those questioning his leadership skills.
Eight hundred fifty miles away, Bill Cubit was one of several members of the Illinois coaching staff scouring JUCO tape for defensive linemen. Poring through his Hudl account, Cubit, a Philadelphia native, came across a tape from a school he’d never heard of. He might have kept going if not for seeing his hometown next to the player’s name. A few plays on the grainy tape were all Cubit needed.
Cubit reached out to Ward through Illinois’s Twitter account and passed along his number. His first question after Ward called was a crucial one: American cheese or Cheez Whiz? Silence followed.
“On your cheese steak,” Cubit said.
A short pause.
“American cheese.”
Cubit was satisfied.
* * *
Until Ward came to Illinois that fall for his official visit, the only proof Cubit had that he even existed was shoddily recorded game footage and a voice on the other end of the phone. There was more evidence that the Loch Ness monster is real. The day before Illinois’ game against Wisconsin, a hulking figure walked into a banquet room at Champaign Country Club for the team’s Friday meal. “When he walked through the door, I was as relieved as anybody,” Cubit says. “And I turned to somebody and said, ‘Now that’s what they’re supposed to look like.’”
Signing day at Globe Tech: Jihad Ward and mom Kareema. Courtesy of Cameron Chadwick (2)
A handful of schools pursued, but Illinois is where he felt wanted most. Along with a reprieve from life in New York, Ward yearned for people who cared. He didn’t always have them growing up in Philadelphia. When he was 17, a paternity test revealed that the imprisoned man he thought to be his father was not. Jihad eventually did get in touch with his dad, and when his family threw a party to celebrate his acceptance to Globe, he extended an invitation. The man arrived with the smell of beer lingering on his breath and handed his son a congratulatory $20 bill. Ward hasn’t seen him since.
In Philadelphia, distrust and dismissal seeped into all of life’s cracks. With Cubit at Illinois, there was support, a shared vision. “He told me the other day, ‘You can’t feel money,’” Kareema says. “But you can feel when someone loves you.”
Ward’s first padded practice in Champaign was the second day of the team’s fall camp. He knew how established, pedigreed Division I might view a JUCO castoff, and from the start, he wanted to announce his presence. A broader goal came with it, though. “When I do a rep against people, when I get off the ball, people feel me,” Ward says. “I don’t say much, but people feel me. “You’re going to feel how I felt for those two years, through my whole life.”
Practice started with an inside run drill, the linemen, linebackers, and backs gathered on one side of the field. On the first snap, Ward knifed into the backfield and buried running back Donovonn Young into the turf. Stone-Davis was across the indoor facility with the rest of the wide receivers. “All I heard was Wooooo! Woooo!” Stone-Davis says. “Everybody just turned their head and looked.” What they saw was Ward, letting out an out-of-character roar in Young’s face as he was peeled off the ground. “He felt like he’d arrived,” Stone-Davis says.
• FINDING DANNY WATKINS: The bizarre football life of an Eagles first-round bust who was built for the game, but born for something else.
Illinois was thin on the defensive line, and co-defensive coordinator Tim Banks says the staff did all they could to get Ward ready to play early that season. “I think we knew after the first practice,” Banks says. “This kid was freakish, in terms of his movements. And he went hard.” By the fourth game of the season, an injury made Ward one of the Illini’s starting defensive ends.
He remained there all year, earning Honorable Mention All-Big Ten along the way, but when new defensive line coach Mike Phair arrived the following spring, he quickly developed grander plans. Like many who’d only seen him on film, Phair was jarred by Ward’s size in person.
He saw a player that even at 6-foot-5 had the flexibility to maintain pad level and keep leverage. Throughout the spring, he experimented with Ward inside, where the quickness and length that allowed him to survive on the edge became an even more significant advantage against interior offensive linemen. “He’s dangerous there,” Phair says. “I thought he could really cause some problems for an offense. And I thought he did a really good job learning how to play those spots inside.” A bump to tackle was just another course in Ward’s rapid defensive line education. Those practices would be his only spring football experience in major college football, and that lack of background is what has teams intrigue about his room for growth. “I’m just now learning techniques and schemes,” Ward says. “Getting off the ball, getting vertical, those types of things.”
By the time Illinois played Iowa in its sixth game of the season, Ward was playing a considerable portion of his snaps at defensive tackle, and that week is when Phair saw it all coalesce. Ward finished that game with 11 tackles, including nine solo. In years past, players that appeared to fall between the cracks of positional designations were downgraded for it. Now, with stars like Muhammad Wilkerson, Calais Campbell, and Jurrell Casey blurring lines and erasing ballcarriers, versatility is en vogue. Phair spent five years as an NFL defensive line coach before arriving in Champaign, and when looks at Ward, he sees an instant pro. “It won’t surprise me when he plays right away for whoever drafts him,” Phair says.
* * *
Outside the Globe Institute of Technology, 500 Seventh Avenue, just west of the intersection with 38th Street. Erick Rasco/SI/The MMQB
Walk from Bally’s Total Fitness to Globe Institute of Technology (38th St. and 7th Ave.)
Globe’s entrance is on 38th Street. Wedged between two stores specializing in rhinestones and beads, “Garment Center Capitol” is carved into the stone above the door. When Cubit visited, following Illinois’s 2013 season, he thought he was lost. Ward’s thoughts were even blunter: “I was like, ‘This is the school?’”
The school is three floors of beige walls, with a few rows of computer paper reading “Welcome to Globe Institute of Technology” taped behind a receptionist’s desk acting as a banner. The rounded letters are filled in with black marker. It’s a tough sell for head coach Cameron Chadwick, and he knows it.
Chadwick is from Union, N.J. A high school star, poor grades made junior college his only outlet after graduation. He landed at Nassau Community College, and from his housing in Hempstead, the trudge to the Garden City campus was more than 3.5 miles. After two seasons, he transferred to Rutgers, where he played defensive back under head coach Terry Shea. Three years with NFL Europe’s Prague Panthers followed, and after a short stint in real estate, Chadwick felt the pull of coaching. He was hired as Globe’s defensive coordinator in 2008 before finally taking the head job in 2011. “I feel like this is where I belong,” Chadwick says. “I was [these players] 20 something years ago.”
The main sales pitch for Globe Tech is two-prong. Prong 1 starts—and ends—with the chance to attend school in New York City. Prong 2 is about how much it costs. Last season, Globe’s opponents included Stevenson College, Dean College, and Albright College. The average yearly tuition for those three schools is $33,000 a year. Lackawanna and Albright are considerably more affordable, but neither gets to Globe’s annual asking price: $11,000.
Chadwick has New York City as a draw in recruiting, though the city comes with some challenges. Since Ward left, the coach has found more suitable housing for his players in Jersey City. Erick Rasco/SI/The MMQB
Getting players to campus is a start, but keeping them is far from a certainty. In those days, with the trek to and from Manhattan, Chadwick estimates that he lost about the half the players he’d recruited before the season. “You take an 18-year-old kid straight out of high school, stick him in the heart of New York and say, ‘OK, now you have to do everything yourself,’” Gordon says. “It was definitely a shock.” The travel was a deterrent for some of Ward’s teammates, but what sent many of them scurrying was learning that a portion of their credits wouldn’t pass NCAA compliance. Following his freshman year, Washington, Tennessee, Kentucky and Illinois all showed interest in Ward, but some balked at Globe’s accreditation.
Chadwick ensured that all they needed was additional course materials, and the concerns would be alleviated, but Ward saw it as another rejection. He was devastated. All those hungry nights, all the cunning work to make his way onto the train, all his success on the field, it had been in vain. “It really hurt me because I busted my ass to be where I was,” Ward says. “I was so excited that I had a full scholarship somewhere.” Chadwick did what he could to calm the unrest, and in time, Illinois was able to accept enough of Ward’s credits to accept him. After coming to Globe Tech with a 1.8 GPA, he left with a 3.4, and he’s on track to finish his degree at Illinois in sports management this spring.
Conference room 409, where Ward signed his letter of intent, has been unchanged since. An old Dell desktop sits in one corner, a black file cabinet in another. Two posters—an eagle for “Leadership” and group of cyclists for “Perseverance”—hang on adjacent walls. A blue Globe Tech banner fills out another, behind the long table where Ward put pen to paper. Documenting it all was Chadwick with a cell phone, the signing day cameras a world away. “After we signed him, [Jihad] must have thanked me for five, six weeks, for giving him the opportunity,” Cubit says.
Even now, as Ward spends more time with former college stars entrenched in the same stretch of their lives, he can’t believe what he hears. He never says anything, content to keep his head down and his mouth closed as he plugs away. Quietly, he’s incredulous. “It’s a regular day to them,” Ward says. “It’s not a regular day to me. I’d never had a practice on no college football field, in a big stadium.” He says the moment he arrived at Illinois, he knew this was the future. The hardest days were behind him. But even now, short clips will land in Cubit’s text messages, of Ward alone in the practice facility. “He could be a $100 million man, and he’d still feel like he’s worth a penny,” says Stone-Davis. “That’s Jihad.”
* * *
Ben Hider/Getty Images
Walk from Globe Tech to 42nd Street/Times Square // 1 Train to Whitehall Terminal // Staten Island Ferry to St. George Ferry Terminal
Tourists lingered in Times Square long after the 9 p.m. let-out time for Globe’s classes, but the worst of the noise was long past. After another adventure to secure a seat on the train, Ward arrived at Whitehall Terminal and waited for the next ferry back to Staten Island. Sitting on the hard plastic seats of the ferry, he’d pass the Statue of Liberty, softly lit from below as a few straggling tourists gathered near the window to snap a picture.
“Like I tell everybody,” Ward says, “I just want peace at the end of the day.”
He found it at the end of every night in New York, but at Illinois, he discovered it in every aspect of his day. He knows football has changed has life, but he doesn’t deny he’s the one that allowed it to.
“There was so much stuff happening in my life. There’s always something trying to break you down,” he says. “But I made it through.”
The only sound on the ferry was the low hum of the engine. It was a calming churn. Staring out the window, he saw the soft light on the Lady to which so many began anew. When he looked into the sky, he saw hope.A New Jersey man is trying to get a lawsuit against Wal-Mart reinstated for damages he says he suffered after a teenager hijacked a store intercom and announced that "all black people must leave the store."
A federal judge in October dismissed Donnell Battie's $1 million claim against Wal-Mart, saying the company should not be responsible for "isolated, random events."
The teen took over the intercom and made the announcement at Wal-Mart's Washington Township store in March 2010.
Customers, who were shopping in the store at the time, told NBC10 the teen came over the PA system and calmly announced: "Attention Wal-Mart customers: All black people leave the store now."
Battie's lawyer, John Klamo, tells the Courier-Post his client was emotionally distressed and the announcement resulted in "substantial sickness."
In the original lawsuit, the Winslow, N.J. man claimed Wal-Mart was negligent in failing to control access to the store's intercom.
A Wal-Mart spokesman says the company has upgraded its intercoms to prevent future takeovers.
The teen who made the announcement was charged with bias intimidation. Authorities arrested the 16-year-old boy after he bragged about his actions online. Washington Township police said they were notified about information he posted to his Facebook page and on YouTube.
Copyright Associated PressI have a few Waifu’s I know you’re only supposed to have one, but then I just love so many characters I just can’t choose! But then I will admit there are some I love more than others, but I do still categorize them as Waifu! Follow me on Twitter to chat about Waifu’s! @gsc_mamitan
Speaking of Waifus, today we’re looking at Inori Yuzuriha from Guilty Crown! I ADORE THIS CHARACTER!! The lead singer of Egoist (within Guilty Crown) and an integral part of Funeral Parlor!
While Inori never wears a Yukata in the series, the design is perfect for her and really is something she would pick!
Keeping with the motif of goldfish that her original outfit is based on, she’s wearing a yukata in a very lovely shade of orange with goldfish as her motif!
Her face is simple with a tiny hint of a smile!
All the details are perfect down to her traditional shoes!
I love Inori! She’s an amazing character with the voice of an angel! If you haven’t seen Guilty Crown, I highly urge you to check it out! The music is fabulous!! Inori was released April of 2014 so you will have to check our partner shops to see if she is in stock!
-Mamitan <3EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New York Giants' defense faced two traditional pocket passers in the first two weeks of the season.
This coming Sunday will provide a very different challenge.
Big Blue will have to deal with arguably the most unique quarterback in the NFL, Cam Newton, when the Giants take on the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. And the Giants' coaches and players offered plenty of compliments regarding Newton on Thursday.
"With his combination of size, strength and speed, you'd be hard-pressed to find another guy (like him), not only a quarterback but maybe athlete," Giants safety Ryan Mundy said of Cam Newton. Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images
"With his combination of size, strength and speed, you’d be hard-pressed to find another guy (like him), not only a quarterback but maybe athlete," safety Ryan Mundy said. "He’s definitely one of a kind."
Newton stands 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds, with a strong arm, but also plenty of foot speed at his disposal. The 24-year-old is now in his third season in the NFL, and Giants defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka said Newton has shown improvement since entering the league.
"He’s definitely gained some ground," Kiwanuka said. "Everybody knows about his speed -- you know when he escapes the pocket that he can still look down the field, and he can make people miss. Our job will be to push the pocket, get people up in his face and make sure we get him down on the ground."
Giants head coach Tom Coughlin and defensive coordinator Perry Fewell said they've spent extra time preparing to face mobile quarterbacks like Newton since OTAs back in the spring. In fact, Fewell said they watched lots of college football film this offseason, looking for ideas to contain the option offense. "The college game is now coming to the NFL," Fewell said. "It was helpful."
"We’ve studied in the offseason and studied a lot of these option-type quarterbacks and we have a plan," Coughlin said. "We haven’t really been tested in that area, but we have worked in training camp on responsibilities. I’m confident we’ll have a guy in the right place, hopefully at the right time."
The Giants' defense didn't have much success against Tony Romo and Peyton Manning in Weeks 1 and 2. New York is giving up 372.5 yards per game, 20th in the NFL, and has given up 77 points, ranking them dead-last.
That said, the Panthers are 0-2 as well. Newton has been OK -- completing 37 of 61 passes (60.7 percent), with three touchdowns and one interception. But the Panthers are third-to-last in the league in passing yards, with just 354.
The Giants have faced Newton before, last September, and the results were impressive. New York pounded Carolina, 36-7, in Charlotte. Newton threw for 242 yards, but had three interceptions, and just 6 rushing yards on six attempts.
The Giants are hoping for a similar result this time around and sound confident. The results could be telling, considering they have several more games against mobile quarterbacks on the schedule.
"We’re definitely more prepared," Kiwanuka said. "I think we have the ability to recognize it more on the field and get the job done."Check out the exciting titles that are included on the WWE Home Entertainment 2013 DVD/Blu-ray release schedule.
Title Release Date WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2012 1/15/13 The Best of Raw & SmackDown 2012 01/29/13 The Best of WCW Monday Nitro Volume 2 02/12/13 Royal Rumble 2013 02/26/13 Bret "Hit Man" Hart: The Dungeon Collection 03/05/13 Elimination Chamber 2013 03/19/13 For All Mankind: The Life & Career of Mick Foley 04/16/13 The Best of In Your House 04/30/13 WrestleMania 29 05/14/13 Top 25 Rivalries 05/28/13 Extreme Rules 2013 06/18/13 Best of War Games 06/25/13 TBD PPV 07/16/13 ECW Unreleased Vol. 2 07/30/13 Money In The Bank 2013 08/13/13 Best of MSG 08/27/13 Midsouth 09/10/13 SummerSlam 2013 09/17/13 Triple H (Biography) 09/24/13 Goldberg (Match Comp) 10/08/13 Night of Champions 2013 10/15/13 Money In The Bank Anthology (Match Comp) 10/29/13 Over the Limit 2013 11/05/13 History of WWE 11/19/13 Hell in a Cell 2013 11/26/13 Raw 20th Anniversary Box Set 12/03/13 Survivor Series 2013 12/24/13 Best WWE PPV's 12/31/13
All titles and release dates are subject to change.The Quabbin Reservoir is the largest inland body of water in Massachusetts, and was built between 1930 and 1939. Today, along with the Wachusett Reservoir, it is the primary water supply for Boston, some 65 miles (105 km) to the east as well as 40 other communities in Greater Boston. It also supplies water to three towns west of the reservoir and acts as backup supply for three others.[1] It has an aggregate capacity of 412 billion US gallons (1,560 GL) and an area of 38.6 square miles (99.9 km2).
Structures and water flow [ edit ]
Quabbin Reservoir water flows to the Wachusett Reservoir using the Quabbin Aqueduct. The Quabbin watershed is managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, while the water supply system is operated by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority. The Winsor Dam and the Goodnough Dike form the reservoir from impoundments of the three branches of the Swift River. The Quabbin Reservoir is part of the Chicopee River Watershed, which in turn feeds the Connecticut River.
The Quabbin Spillway, which follows part of Quabbin Hill Road in Belchertown, allows water to bypass the Winsor Dam and join the Swift River when the reservoir is full.
In 1947, the Massachusetts Legislature authorized the construction of the Chicopee Valley Aqueduct to deliver Quabbin water to three communities in Western Massachusetts: Chicopee, South Hadley, and Wilbraham. In 1951, with the Quabbin-Wachusett system sufficient to meet foreseeable needs, the Cochituate Aqueduct was abandoned, and the Framingham Reservoir system was placed on emergency stand-by. The present Lake Cochituate is the so-called Framingham Reservoir and now serves as a major swimming and boating resource but is no longer part of the potable water supply.
History [ edit ]
Demand for water exceeds local supplies [ edit ]
Metropolitan Boston's demands for fresh water began to outstrip its local supplies in the early part of the nineteenth century. Many possible sources of water were explored, including groundwater and rivers, but none were considered adequate in quantity and cleanliness to meet the needs of the rapidly growing city. After several years of controversy, the Massachusetts General Court (the official name of the state legislature) authorized the construction of the Cochituate Aqueduct to bring water to Boston from Lake Cochituate in Wayland and Natick.
This established three important policies, which remain in force today:
Public, rather than private, ownership of the public water supply system. Use of upland reservoirs, with gravity-fed rather than pumped supply systems. Watershed protection, rather than filtration, as the primary mechanism of ensuring wholesome supplies.
By 1875, with demand again on the verge of exceeding supply, the Boston Water Board was established to take over the operations of the Cochituate Water Board, construct five new reservoirs on the Sudbury River in Framingham, Massachusetts, and a new Sudbury Aqueduct to deliver that water to the city.
Recommendation for establishment and related construction [ edit ]
In 1895, the Massachusetts Board of Health issued a report analyzing population and water-use trends, and recommended the creation of a Metropolitan Water District, serving several suburban communities in addition to Boston, and the construction of two new reservoirs: one on the Nashua River northeast of Worcester, and one in the Swift River Valley.
The General Court acted to establish the Metropolitan Water District, including 26 communities within ten miles (16 km) of the Massachusetts State House, later in 1895. The Wachusett Reservoir was completed in 1908. The Board of Health study had anticipated that Swift River water would be required by 1915, but this prediction had proven overly pessimistic. The introduction of mandatory water metering in Water District communities, and other efforts to reduce waste and inefficient uses, made it possible to delay construction of new water sources until the 1930s.
Frank E. Winsor was chief engineer for the Metropolitan Water District from 1926 until his death in 1939. He was closely involved in the design and construction of Winsor Dam, Goodnough Dike and the Quabbin Reservoir. Winsor Dam is named for him.[2] He had previously been chief engineer for the building of the Scituate Reservoir in Rhode Island.
A 1922 study officially endorsed the Swift River Valley as the next extension of the water system and created the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC), now the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority (MWRA), to oversee the construction and maintain the system after its completion. In 1926, construction began on the first stage of the project, a tunnel connecting Wachusett Reservoir with the Ware River. This is called the Ware River Diversion. During the 1930s, this tunnel was extended to the Swift River. The complete tunnel is now known as the Quabbin Aqueduct.
Opposition [ edit ]
Although the project was enthusiastically supported by lawmakers in the Boston area, it was opposed by residents of the affected towns. The state of Connecticut sued Massachusetts, claiming waters that were rightfully meant to flow into the Connecticut River, and subsequently through their state, were being illegally diverted. The lawsuit was unsuccessful, but Massachusetts was still bound by discharge minimums set under the regulatory authority of the Secretary of War over navigable waters.[3]
Reservoir formed [ edit ]
Before the reservoir’s construction, there was a hill in Enfield called Quabbin Hill and a lake in Greenwich called Quabbin Lake. Named for a Native American chief called Nani-Quaben, meaning "place of many waters",[citation needed] these became the basis for naming the new reservoir. The Quabbin was formed by inundating the Swift River Valley, a drainage basin lying entirely within the state, by damming the river and a col, through which Beaver Brook would have otherwise provided another outlet for its water. When construction on the dam began in the mid-1930s, the Swift River was redirected from its riverbed through a diversion tunnel. On August 14, 1939, that tunnel was sealed with rock. Over the next seven years, the waters of the Quabbin Reservoir slowly rose behind the newly completed Winsor Dam, an earth-filled structure 2,640 feet (800 m) long, rising 170 feet (52 m) above the riverbed, and the slightly smaller Goodnough Dike. The water gradually submerged the roads that had linked the towns. It swallowed all but the peaks of about 60 hills and mountains, transforming Prescott Ridge into Prescott Peninsula. The Quabbin Reservoir was full, for the first time, in June 1946.
During the time in which the reservoir was forming, the eventual bed of the reservoir was used as the Quabbin Reservoir Precision Bombing and Gunnery Range. The range was used by planes from both Hanscom Army Air Field and Westover Army Air Field.
Towns disincorporated [ edit ]
|
, Va. --- Petersburg Mayor Samuel Parham announced a press conference at 4 p.m. Tuesday, but he said little about the forensic audit underway to ferret out any possible fraud within the city government.
Interim City Manager Tom Tyrrell previously said the forensic team was focused on nine areas of the city government, including the treasurer’s office.
"The treasurer is always going to be the subject of a forensic audit because that's where the money is," Tyrrell said.
Petersburg Treasurer Kevin Brown, who is in his second term, was interviewed Monday evening.
"I answered some questions upstairs and now they're going into my office to make sure that what I said was correct," Brown said, who showed confidence despite the circumstances.
"I don't have any reason to believe I am part of the blame," he said.
At the Tuesday press conference, the mayor said that "everyone is innocent until proven guilty."
He also called for the resignation of the treasurer.
"We really haven't had a discussion," Brown said, also adamant that he hasn't stolen anything.
Last August, CBS 6 reported that Petersburg's financial crisis involved more than $18 million of unpaid bills after historic over-spending that started in 2012.
"Petersburg didn't drive itself into the financial mess that it's in, into this crisis, it got here somehow, and we need to figure out how it got here so we can avoid that in the future, but also hold people accountable," Tyrrell said.
A former FBI Agent with 25 years of forensic audit experience heads the independent forensic audit team so Tyrrell said taxpayers should feel satisfied with whatever they find.
"We feel confident if we give a clean bill of health to a department or constitutional office then there's nothing there," Tyrrell said.
Tyrrell said he expects the team to finish reviewing the Treasurer's books Monday night, and the city will take whatever action is appropriate depending on the findings.
The mayor said he hopes to release the audit's findings as soon as possible.Ruby: pass by value or pass by reference?
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When developers switch to a new language, that's one of the questions they try to figure out: does it pass arguments by value or by reference? Ruby has a quite interesting answer to that question so let's find out how it works.
First of all, let's try to understand what does it mean at all.
Pass arguments by value
This example is pseudo code that should show the main idea:
function changeValue(int val) { val = val + 1; return val; } int foo = 14; changeValue(foo); // returns 15 foo; // still 14
foo variable has the initial value of 14, then we pass foo to changeValue function which supposed to change it. It should increment it by one. As we can see from results, changeValue returns 15, but foo remains unchanged.
Every variable has its own address in memory. Let's try to simplify the entire presenation of memory and visualize it:
As we can see the value of foo lives in square #2 of memory. Languages that pass arguments by value copy value of the passed variable to a new address. When we called changeValue(foo) it copied value of foo to a new address:
So when we call val = val + 1 it changes the value of slot #7 of memory. The value that lives in slot #2 ( foo ) remains the same. Keep in mind that I simplified the way memory works just to show the concept :)
Pass arguments by reference
When languages pass arguments by reference, it means that they pass the memory address (a pointer to the memory location) of the variable to a function.
func main() { foo := 10 changeValue(&foo) fmt.Println(foo) // 20 } func changeValue(val *int) { *val = 20 }
As we can see we initialized foo with value of 10, then passed address of that value ( &foo ) to function changeValue. Function changed the value that lives on that address to 20.
Ruby
x = 10 def change_value(val) val = 20 end puts x # 10 change_value(x) puts x # 10
Value of x is still 10, even after the call to change_value. Seems like Ruby uses pass by value approach, right? Well, consider this example:
x = '10' def change_value(val) val << '20' end puts x # 10 change_value(x) puts x # 1020
Value of x was changed by change_value method!
Ok, to figure out what's going on we should understand how assignment works and how Ruby passes objects to methods.
Assignment and object_id
In Ruby, each object has unique object id, to get that id we can use object_id method:
nil.object_id # => 8 "foo".object_id # => 70174082708580
Here is an example from object_id method description:
Object.new.object_id == Object.new.object_id # => false (21 * 2).object_id == (21 * 2).object_id # => true "hello".object_id == "hello".object_id # => false "hi".freeze.object_id == "hi".freeze.object_id # => true
Let's try to play a little bit more with this concept to understand how it works:
10.object_id # 21 a = 10 # object_id: 21 a = 20 # object_id: 41 b = a # object_id of b: 41
Ok, as we can see from the example, the same integer value has the same object_id. We can display it like this:
Where variables are just labels that hold the reference to the actual object. Here is what happens when we assign a new value to a variable:
a = 20 # object_id: 41 b = a # object_id for b: 41 a = 10 # object_id: 21
That explains why change_value doesn't change initial value:
x = 10 puts x.object_id # => 21 def change_value(val) puts val.object_id # => 21. Still referencing the same value val = 20 puts val.object_id # => 41. Referencing another value, not related to `x` end change_value(x)
There is one important note in the documentation for object_id :
Immediate values are not passed by reference but are passed by value: nil, true, false, Fixnums, Symbols, and some Floats.
Ok, let's try the same trick with non-immediate value, let's try hash:
h = {} puts h.object_id # => 70190696114000 def add_pair(hash) puts hash.object_id # => 70190696114000 hash[:foo] = 'bar' puts hash.object_id # => 70190696114000 end add_pair(h) puts h.inspect # {:foo=>"bar"}
What's interesting that even if you assign it to a new variable inside a function, It will still refer to the same object:
arr = [1,2] def add_element(arr) puts arr.object_id # 70101999166940 my_array = arr puts my_array.object_id # 70101999166940 my_array << 3 end add_element(arr) puts arr.inspect # [1, 2, 3]
To me, this behavior feels like "pass by reference".
Mutating and Non-Mutating methods
One thing that I should mention, that when we call the method we should understand if it mutates the original object, or returns a copy of an object with changed state.
Let's see example:
def compact_array(arr) arr.compact end arr = [1,nil,2] compact_array(arr) puts arr.inspect # [1, nil, 2]
In this case compact_array used method Array#compact which doesn't mutate original array. If we check documentation it says:
Returns a copy of self with all nil elements removed.
So it returns a copy of self. Original array remains the same.
If we switch to compact! method, it will change original array:
def compact_array!(arr) arr.compact! end arr = [1,nil,2] compact_array!(arr) puts arr.inspect # [1, 2]
It's good to know that in Ruby everything that mutates self, usually has! at the end of method name. upcase!, capitalize!, compact!, etc.
Usually, this behavior described in the documentation. Either it mutates self or returns a copy.
Another example:
def change_str(str) puts str.object_id # => 70232513267740 str = str + 'bar' puts str.object_id # => 70232513267320 end s = 'foo' change_str(s) puts s # => foo
change_str didn't concatenate 'bar' to 'foo'. Why? Because if we check the documentation for Strgin#+ it says:
Returns a new String containing other_str concatenated to str.
That's why we have a different value of object_id after concatenation. If we check the documentation for << (alias concat ) we will see:
Concatenates the given object to str
Let's try:
def change_str(str) puts str.object_id # => 70151978493860 str.concat('bar') puts str.object_id # => 70151978493860 end s = 'foo' change_str(s) puts s # => foobar
It worked this time because concat mutates self.
If you want to avoid mutations, you can pass the copy of the object to function using dup or just freeze the object.
I know that this topic was discussed many times and from what I've seen there is no clear answer to this question. It was my try to explain how it works, so if you have any ideas on improvements I'm always seeking for that. Let me know.
Also, I can recommend reading these 3 (1, 2, 3) articles. I've got a lot of inspiration from those.
Thanks for reading.
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Follow @makagonEvery single day, we are getting closer to a horrific global water crisis. This world was blessed with an awesome amount of fresh water, but because of our foolishness it is rapidly disappearing. Rivers, lakes and major underground aquifers all over the globe are drying up, and many of the fresh water sources that we still have available are so incredibly polluted that we simply cannot use them anymore. Without fresh water, we simply cannot function. Just imagine what would happen if the water got cut off in your house and you were not able to go out and buy any. Just think about it. How long would you be able to last? Well, as sources of fresh water all over the globe dry up, we are seeing drought conditions spread. We are starting to see massive “dust storms” in areas where we have never seem them before. Every single year, most of the major deserts around the world are getting bigger and the amount of usable agricultural land in most areas is becoming smaller. Whether you are aware of this or not, the truth is that we are rapidly approaching a breaking point.
If dramatic changes are not made soon, in the years ahead water shortages are going to force large groups of people to move to new areas. As the global water crisis intensifies, there will be political conflicts and potentially even wars over water. We like to think of ourselves as being so “advanced”, but the reality is that we have not figured out how to live without water. When the water dries up in an area, most of the people are going to have to leave.
And yes, it will even happen in the United States too. For example, once Lake Mead dries up there is simply no way that so many people are going to be able to live in and around Las Vegas.
Right now, most of us take for granted that we will always have access to an unlimited amount of clean water.
But when you take a hard look at the data, it quickly becomes clear that everything that we have always taken for granted about water is about to dramatically change.
That following are 25 signs that a horrific global water crisis is coming. The first 12 facts are about the United States, and the last 13 are about the rest of the world….
#1 Today, the United States uses approximately 148 trillion gallons of fresh water a year.
#2 According to the U.S. government, 36 U.S. states are already facing water shortages or will be facing water shortages within the next few years.
#3 Since 1998, the level of water in Lake Mead has plunged by more than 50 percent. Lake Mead supplies about 85 percent of the water used in Las Vegas, and at this point the lake has 5.6 trillion gallons less water than it used to have. Lake Mead is falling so fast that some believe that the Hoover dam could actually stop producing electricity in a few years. Needless to say, that would be a total disaster for that entire region of the country. In addition, if things continue at the current pace, it is being estimated that Lake Mead will run completely dry some time around the year 2021.
#4 According to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. interior west is now the driest that it has been in 500 years.
#5 The Ogallala Aquifer, which is a massive underground lake that stretches from South Dakota all the way to Texas, is rapidly drying up. The Ogallala Aquifer is believed to be the largest body of fresh water in the world, and right now it is being drained at a rate of approximately 800 gallons per minute. Right now it covers approximately 174,000 square miles, and since the 1950s we have drained enough water from it “to half-fill Lake Erie“. Once upon a time, the Ogallala Aquifer had an average depth of about 240 feet, but today the average depth is just 80 feet. If something is not done, we will definitely see a return of the Dust Bowl days of the 1930s. We need to start listening to the experts. Just consider what David Brauer of the Ogallala Research Service had to say when asked about the future of the Ogallala Aquifer….
“Our goal now is to engineer a soft landing. That’s all we can do.”
#6 A federal judge has ruled that the state of Georgia has very few legal rights to Lake Lanier. Lake Lanier is the main water source for the city of Atlanta. Millions more people are expected to move into the Atlanta area in the coming years, and this is creating an absolute nightmare for city officials.
#7 It is estimated that California only has a 20 year supply of fresh water left.
#8 It is estimated that New Mexico only has a 10 year supply of fresh water left.
#9 Things have gotten so dry in Arizona that now giant “dust storms” have been blowing through the city of Phoenix.
#10 Texas is has experienced one of the driest stretches that it has ever seen. Right now, approximately 81 percent of the state of Texas is experiencing “exceptional drought” conditions, and wildfires have burned an astounding 3.6 million acres in the state.
#11 Approximately 40 percent of all U.S. rivers and approximately 46 percent of all U.S. lakes have become so polluted that they are are now considered to be too dangerous to fish in, swim in or get drinking water from.
#12 Eight states in the Great Lakes region have signed a pact banning the export of water to outsiders – even to other U.S. states.
#13 It is being projected that by the year 2030, global demand for water will be 40 percent higher than it is today.
#14 Worldwide demand for fresh water tripled during the last century, and is now doubling every 21 years.
#15 According to USAID, one-third of the population of the earth will be facing severe or chronic water shortages by the year 2025.
#16 Of the 60 million people added to the world’s cities every year, the vast majority of them live in impoverished areas that have no sanitation facilities whatsoever.
#17 It is estimated that 75 percent of the surface water in India is now contaminated by human and agricultural waste.
#18 If you can believe it, according to a UN study on sanitation, far more people in India have access to a cell phone than to a toilet.
#19 In the developing world, 90 percent of all wastewater is discharged completely untreated into local rivers, streams or lakes.
#20 Every 8 seconds, somewhere in the world a child dies from drinking dirty water.
#21 Due to a lack of water, Saudi Arabia has given up on trying to grow wheat and will be 100 percent dependent on wheat imports by the year 2016.
#22 In northern China, the water table is dropping one meter every single year because of drought and overpumping.
#23 Incredibly, a new desert the size of Rhode Island is created in China every single year because of drought and overpumping.
#24 In China, 80 percent of all major rivers have become so horribly polluted that they do not support any aquatic life at all at this point.
#25 Collectively, the women of South Africa walk the equivalent of the distance to the moon and back 16 times a day just to get water.
To learn more about the coming global water crisis, check out the short video posted below….
Right now, more than a billion people around the globe do not have access to safe drinking water.
That number is going to keep increasing.
Without enough fresh water, people cannot grow enough food. Global food prices are already starting to skyrocket, and the coming global water crisis certainly is not going to help matters.
A massive, massive disaster is on the horizon. The era of gigantic amounts of cheap food and “unlimited” amounts of clean water is over.
A horrific global water crisis is coming.
You better get ready.Despite the industry’s expansion throughout 2016 it remains a challenge to find a job in esports. This is slowly but surely beginning to change however, and in addition to more jobs being created, one reason is the emergence of more industry focused jobs portals. There are esports jobs out there, it’s just a case of knowing where to look.
To save you a job, we’ve compiled a list of the biggest focused platforms here with a word from each of the company’s founders.
TEO Careers (formerly Esports Careers)
As a part of Esports Observer and parent company esports business solutions, Esports Career has relocated to the TEO site and comes up trumps on Google SEO with search term ‘esports jobs’. Within the past four weeks it has posted jobs from the likes of ESL, Kinguin, WWG and more.
The recently redesigned layout gives you the ability to include voluntary roles, and switch between full-time,part-time and freelance quickly and easily. It’s a strong resource and is backed by esports entrepreneur Jens Hilgers meaning solid connections with the industry endemic companies looking to expand their teams.
Chris Hana, The Esports Observer CEO, said: “Esportscareer.org began life in 2015 as the first dedicated portal which has now merged with the TEO site. This integration offers a business audience to both recruiters and applicants.
“We don’t scrape jobs. Every job posted on TEO Careers is in cooperation with companies or submitted by users. We are proud to have helped to successfully fill several vacancies by matching applicants with employers through our site.”
ReKT Jobs
Backed by SierraMaya360, ReKT launched a two prong approach in esports in the autumn of 2016. This consisted of an esports agency and a comprehensive and professional jobs platform.
It strays a little outside of pure esports and into gaming at times which is no bad thing in our book as it adds a more diverse range of jobs. At the time of writing there are paid roles with Mic., Activision, HyperX, and Supercell with positions ranging from editorial, to illustration, marketing and producer. It’s a smart platform and one anybody wishing to work in esports or gaming should visit.
There are also internships, and Rekt lists its partners as ESL, Riot Games and GameCo amongst others.
Amish Shah, Partner at SierraMaya360, said: “ReKTJobs was created by a founder with 20 years experience in recruiting with startups (msearchllc.com) that has also invested in an esports team and examined the industry to figure out the best way to solve the hiring problem in esports. We have hundreds of jobs, hundreds of companies and will be relaunching a new Rev/Biz model that will make every team, organisation and company that use the platform and continue to be a dominant player in January.
“Our UI/UX is also the best looking and that we have been told experience from a user side has been better than the rest. We have had more traffic and jobs filled in less than 3 months than any other site out there so the proof is in the pudding.
“It also helps that we have rektuniv.com, our sister company, which is aimed at students looking for internships and jobs. In 2017 we will scale and grow and be the go to site for esports careers.”
Jobs in Esports (JiE)
A solo project from German businessman Patrick Bachmann, Jobs in Esports comes up second with a Google search of ‘esports jobs’. The most recent positions posted are with DreamHack, and it has worked with Fnatic, Kinguin, HyperX, HitBox, MLG and more.
Upon signing up candidates can choose to do so via Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin (or via email) which scores points and will appeal to the vast majority for whom any time saving device in online job hunts is a blessing. The site’s design needs some TLC but with the range of jobs that were posted around late autumn it undoubtedly has the capacity and connections to be a strong and worthwhile portal for those seeking to work in esports.
Patrick Bachmann, Founder of JiE, stated: “JiE is a private project of my own creation. I’m an esports veteran with roots going back to 2001.My hobby is bringing esports to a new level. With JiE my goal is bringing a new and professional HR to esports.”
Esports Force
Esports Force is a start up but despite this has built a dedicated and intuitive platform with Ryan Littlefield at the helm. It posted six roles in December and it’s set to grow in and beyond the new year.
One aspect of the platform we’re particularly fond of is the live chat feature which pops up and asks if you need any help or guidance. This is a nice touch and may reduce the clinical and often dull nature of job hunting online.
Ryan Littlefield, Cofounder and CEO of Esports Force, said: “Where we differentiate ourselves from everyone else is that we are a esports recruitment firm specialising in consultancy and executive search for esports companies. We work with employers to search and recruit the best talent in the esports industry for their company.
“Our platform allows people searching for careers to find the best careers in the industry with a dedicated and passionate recruitment team there to help!”
WASD Jobs
WASD Jobs is integrated with mainstream jobs boards such as Linkedin and Indeed which will be an attractive feature for employers. Its featured jobs section at the time of writing includes positions with Riot Games, Youtube and WWG.
Its current focus seems to be on positions in the United States. WASD Jobs has an intuitive and simple platform which means it’s easy enough to browse the jobs but it lacks integration with Linkedin or social when registering an account.
Mack O’Neill, Founder of WASD Jobs, said: “I started the website as an easy access point for people interested in the gaming industry. As we all know, esports is a fast growing industry that is still unknown to a lot of individuals. I’ve personally been gaming my entire life and want young individuals, who like myself, can find a career in something that they have a genuine passion for.
“I want young adults to be like “F#ck You Dad, I found a job in the video game industry.” As for employers posting jobs, it is ridiculously expensive across the board. WASD isn’t just a job board. We offer job listing aggregation to all the other top job boards. Post on WASD and it goes to Zip, Indeed, LinkedIn, etc. for half the price it would normally cost you. Nobody else is really doing that which I think sets me apart from the competition.
“My biggest problem right now is companies aren’t offering enough internships. Part of the reason it is so hard to get involved is because the community as a whole is so tight knit. When I talk with potential clients, I always try to get them to at least think of a couple of internship ideas. Whether it’s paid or unpaid, the community can offer so much to esports. I strongly believe companies offering internships will pave the way for the future of esports.
For me, WASD is a way to provide a viable career path for young adults who have a passion for the esports industry.”
Special Mention…
World eSport
Marc Berthold and the team have created an esports and gaming industry focused social network. This is a move away from Linkedin with a focus on professionals in these areas; should it take off it’ll be an excellent resource to connect with others; both those working and seeking new opportunities. One specification it has is that, in addition to all manner of jobs in esports, it is aimed at players who are looking for teams, and vice versa.
You can read our interview with cofounder Marc here.Move over, James Earl Jones — CNN has a new spokesperson.
Fox News contributor Lauren Ashburn made a shocking admission Sunday that she gets her breaking news from her network’s competitor.
“If I do want to know about news, I turn to CNN because it is 24/7!” Ashburn said candidly.
Also read: Daily Download Founder Lauren Ashburn Follows Howard Kurtz to Fox News
Appearing on MediaBuzz, Ashburn was commenting on host Howard Kurtz’s observation that CNN has focused so much attention on the the missing Malaysian airplane, it’s opened the door for misleading speculation.
“CNN is well equipped to cover this kind of story because of its big international footprint,” Kurtz said. “But at the same time, CNN is covering almost nothing else. And that’s translated for good ratings for CNN …”
Ashburn went on to compliment the “amazing news resources” CNN has at its disposal to cover the missing plane, allowing Fox News’ rival to take their coverage “to the next level.”
Watch more of Ashburn’s comments below:After netting twice in FC Bayern München's 2-0 UEFA Champions League Group A victory against Manchester City FC, striker Mario Gomez told UEFA.com that the Bavarians' magnificent current form is down to more than just his own impressive goalscoring feats.
"We kept another clean sheet and scored goals in attack, so we're in good shape," the Germany international told UEFA.com. Gomez has now scored a remarkable 11 goals in his last seven competitive outings, but emphasised a solid defence will prove equally important in his side's quest for domestic and European silverware.
"Normally in the Bundesliga the team which concedes the fewest goals wins the title and I think that's the usually the case in the Champions League as well," said the 26-year-old. Indeed, Bayern were the highest scorers in Germany's top flight last term with 81 goals but ultimately finished third, ten points behind Borussia Dortmund, who conceded just 22.
This year the four-time European champions appear to have struck the right balance under experienced new coach Jupp Heynckes; Tuesday night's victory was their tenth straight success and their tenth consecutive clean sheet.
After chasing the game early on, the German league leaders moved through the gears as the interval approached. "We had a few problems in the opening 15 to 20 minutes but after that we managed to dominate," explained Gomez, who crucially ensured his side's most potent spell did not go unrewarded.
Stunned by Bayern's quickfire double, the visitors struggled to respond following the restart and coach Roberto Mancini reacted with defensive substitutions to limit the damage. "It must be difficult being 2-0 down against a strong team like us that keeps the ball as well as we do," said Gomez.
City defender Micah Richards conceded that the result was probably a fair reflection of the two teams' performances: "I thought we played very well in the first half, but overall Bayern were the better side and deserved the win." The marauding right-back, who was involved in his side's only real sniff of goal through Edin Džeko four minutes in, also found time to praise man of the match Gomez: "I'd heard about his record and that he was a bit of a 'fox in the box'. Hopefully he can keep doing well, but obviously not against us next time."
While Richards and his colleagues go back to the drawing board ahead of their home clash against Villarreal CF on 18 October, Bayern have laid the foundations for a very successful campaign ahead. Top of the standings both domestically and in Europe, the Bavarians are nonetheless mindful that plenty can change in one of the most evenly-matched groups in this season's UEFA Champions League, as Gomez noted: "We've got off to a good start, but we haven't achieved anything yet."If you have been following project management lately, you might have come across agile project management methodology. According to Pulse of Profession report, 75% of agile organizations met their business goals. Moreover, 65% projects are completed before the deadline and 67% inside the budget.
On the other hand, companies that did not use agile methodology managed 56% goal achievement rate while 40% finished on time and 45% completed inside the budget. This stat clearly reflects the impact agile project management methodology could make on project success rates. In this article, we highlight some of the reasons why you should use agile project management methodology.
What is Agile Project Management Methodology?
Agile project management is an iterative methodology, which is ideal for dynamic working environments and makes quick delivery of the products possible. Agile project management methodology focuses on bringing continuous improvements, gives flexibility and ensures delivery of high-quality results before the deadline.
Speed and Agility
According to Access Group survey, 62% project managers list time management as their biggest challenge in project management. In today’s dynamic project management environment, there is always a need for speed. That is what agile project management methodology is good at. Not only does agile give you a first mover advantage but also help you maintain your advantage with regular releases thanks to iterative nature of the methodology. You can deliver a prototype and improve on it.
High-Quality Final Product
With testing tightly integrated into the agile methodology, you can be rest assured that the final product you deliver meets the quality standards. More importantly, you can conduct regular inspections, which gives your team members a glimpse into the loopholes so it is easier to correct them before delivery. You can easily get over all the issues that could have a negative impact on the quality of projects.
Flexibility to Change
There is nothing more frustrating for your team members than constantly changing project requirements. You can easily resolve this issue by using agile project management methodology. It gives you the liberty to make changes to the project on the fly. Unlike other project management methodologies, you can adapt according to the changing requirements.
Transparency and Visibility
Another benefit of using agile project management methodology is that all the stakeholders are fully aware of the project progress. With clear visibility, none of the stakeholders are kept in the dark. As a result, clients and other stakeholders know what to expect from the project. This prevents unrealistic expectations issue many project managers have to deal with. It also saves you from rework and making frequent changes.
Easy To Control Costs
Standish Group CHAOS report shows that, 32% projects are completed within the budget and time. If you use the agile methodology as the preferred project management method, then you can easily keep your cost under control. Agile methodology lets you implement new changes at minimal cost. Even if the project scope grows out of proportion, costs remain fixed that is one of the highlights of agile project management methodology.
Better Client Engagement and Satisfaction
What really made agile project management methodology stands out from other project management approachess is client engagement. Active participation of the clients throughout the project is necessary for this process. Collaboration and cooperation between all stakeholders results in effective project management, thanks to this project management methodology. When clients get the product he or she wants, customer satisfaction level increases automatically.
Feedback on Every Iteration
Project managers following other project management approaches struggle when it comes to feedback. This is not the case with project managers using agile. Quick feedback on every iteration is a hallmark of agile project management methodology. It helps your team to bring constant improvements in every phase of the project, resulting in the refined final product. When you deliver a polished final product to the client, their satisfaction level increases manifold.
Proper Risk Management
By following agile project management methodology, you can easily minimize the risk of total project failure. The reason is that you must have a working prototype from the initial phase in agile. You can anticipate risks and take preventive measures to secure your project from any damage. Agile methodology is great when it comes to adjusting according to client’s requirement. Hence, projects following an agile path usually fulfill customer needs.
Enhances Your Productivity
With better collaboration, easy to follow schedules and improved integration, you can easily get the job done before the specified deadline. Agile methodology helps you in efficiently prioritizing tasks. If you have to make few changes, you can do it easily without wasting time due to flexible agile process. All this translates into higher levels of productivity, which will only benefit your project and your company.
Continuous Revenue Generation
Due to incremental nature of the agile model, features are delivered after the completion of each iteration.This opens new revenue streams for the company. Initial stage account for the big percentage of revenues but this iterative-based model ensures continuous cash flow. This is not a possibility with other project management methodologies. At the end of the day, that is what your company really wants.
Conclusion
If you want to reap the aforementioned benefits of agile project management methodology then you will have to learn how to use it effectively. Agile project management helps you to be more flexible, reduce risks, improve productivity, create a revenue stream and reduce costs.
After reading this article, you might think of switching to agile. It will be a wise decision especially in today’s dynamic project management environments that demand quick results. If you think of any other positive of agile project management methodology, feel free to share it with us in the comments section below.Officials with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety are reviewing all the state’s personalized license plates after the recent discovery of one that was seen as offensive toward Muslims.
That plate, which read “FMUSLMS,” was issued in the central Minnesota city of Foley. The plate was revoked after a picture of it was posted on social media, and Gov. Mark Dayton said he was appalled that it had been issued at all.
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Minnesota Public Radio News reported that now all of the state’s 98,564 vanity license plates are being reviewed to see if they violate state law. The law says personalized plates may not be of an obscene, indecent or immoral nature.
Department of Public Safety officials are also reviewing their process for approving personalized license plates.
An application for the “FMUSLMS” plate was issued by a deputy registrar’s office in Foley and reviewed by Driver and Vehicle Services — a division of the DPS — before the plate was issued in June.
DPS said the plate, which was issued for a 1987 Chevrolet pickup truck, was ranked No. 1 among three choices for a personalized plate. The other two choices on the application form were “PETALOL” and “8LUGTHG.”
A notation on the form said the applicant indicated that all three choices represented the names of “musical bands he is in.”Republican presidential candidates Jeb Bush and Sen. Marco Rubio in Boulder, Colorado, on Oct. 28, 2015. Photo by Rick Wilking/Reuters
Jeb Bush’s campaign has been pronounced dead about 100 different ways by almost every media outlet. This is great and funny. Is it true? So far only Bush seems to think he’s in excellent shape. “It’s not on life support,” Bush said Thursday of his campaign following his poor debate performance on Wednesday night. “We have the most money, we have the greatest organization. We’re doing fine.” The first two claims may check out. The last one is dubious.
Hounding Jeb Bush is America’s most enjoyable hobby, but OK, OK: He’s not dead. There’s still plenty of time until voting begins, and if he can catch some sort of break—like Hillary Clinton’s campaign did with the first Democratic debate and the week that followed—all of those advantages he has in endorsements, organization, and outside money will be there waiting for him. He doesn’t need to drop out anytime soon. Though, again, we hope everyone keeps asking him when he’ll drop out, because it’s amusing to see Jeb! get all worked up.
The rise of Marco Rubio is a real head-scratcher for Team Bush. The gathering consensus that Rubio is the candidate to beat officially congealed into the prevailing conventional wisdom following’s Rubio’s latest sharp debate performance. This seems like one of those rare, smart conventional wisdoms, in that Rubio also has plenty of outside money, is ideologically similar to Bush but perhaps a touch more conservative, and most importantly, good at politics.
Unless things change fairly soon, Bush and his advisers will have to make a difficult decision: How hard do they want to go after Rubio? Do they want to do everything in their power to destroy the figure who’s viewed by more and more of the Republican intelligentsia as the party’s best hope against Clinton? Or will they bow out relatively early if Rubio is in position to become the nominee? The choice may not be Bush’s in the end: The party may make that decision for him.
The signals coming from Bush’s organization now point largely to the “destroy Rubio at all costs” option, in grand Bush family tradition. What a coincidence on Thursday that just as the media was tucking itself in with Rubio, a 112-slide Bush strategy PowerPoint mysteriously “leaked” to the presses. Near the front of the presentation are several slides devoted to Rubio, “A Risky Bet.” Among the bulletin points: Rubio has “no accomplishments, negating hit against Hillary Clinton,” nor, “outside of lobbying and legal consulting,” does he have any “credible experience beyond government.” Rubio has “never been in charge of anything larger than two dozen people.” The slide also pounces on certain ethical lapses, such as his “misuse of state party credit cards, taxpayer funds, and ties to scandal-tarred former Congressman David Rivera.” And most luridly: “Those who have looked into Marco’s background in the past have been concerned with what they have found.”
The |
up the ambiguity, saying that “under present law, gift tax applies to transfers to… 501(c)(4) organizations.” It also would require organizations receiving large contributions to notify donors of their potential gift tax liability. Organizations that fail to provide the notice would be liable for a penalty of 50% of each reportable transfer.
The Cantwell provision doesn’t appear likely to pass anytime soon. But it is likely the opening shot in a much bigger conflict over campaign finance…By Krishna Pokharel and Paul Beckett
[This Wall Street Journal investigation is being published in serialized form. A new chapter will be posted each morning this week on India Real Time. Read chapter two, three, four, five and six.]
Our story begins in 1949, two years after India became an independent nation following centuries of rule by Mughal emperors and then the British.
What happened back then in the dead of night in a mosque in a northern Indian town came to define the new nation, and continues to shape the world's largest democracy today.
The legal and political drama that ensued, spanning six decades, has loomed large in the terms of five prime ministers. It has made and broken political careers, exposed the limits of the law in grappling with matters of faith, and led to violence that killed thousands. And, 20 years ago this week, Ayodhya was the scene of one of the worst incidents of inter-religious brutality in India’s history.
On a spiritual level, it is a tale of efforts to define the divine in human terms.
Ultimately, it poses for every Indian a question that still lingers as the country aspires to a new role as an international economic power: Are we a Hindu nation, or a nation of many equal religions?
CHAPTER ONE
The Sarayu river winds its way from the Nepalese border across the plains of north India. Not long before its churning gray waters meet the mighty Ganga, it flows past the town of Ayodhya.
In 1949, as it is today, Ayodhya was a quiet town of temples, narrow byways, wandering cows and the ancient, mossy walls of ashrams and shrines.
The town’s residents included both Muslims and Hindus. But most noticeable were the Hindu holy men known as sadhus, with painted foreheads, long beards and loose robes. They flocked there, as they do today.
Copyright: The British Library Board Details of an 18th century painting of Ayodhya.
Hindu scriptures say Ayodhya is the birthplace of Lord Ram, making it one of the religion’s holiest places. (Ayodhya means “unconquerable” in Sanskrit.)
Among the sadhus, back then, was Abhiram Das, a muscular priest with a strong voice, a severe visage and a quick temper, according to two of his surviving disciples. In his mid-40s, he had arrived in the town 15 years before from the countryside of Bihar, to the east, they say.
He revered Ram. And, his disciples say, he made it his mission to restore Ram to the exact place he believed the god had been born: a site then occupied by a mosque called the Babri Masjid.
The mosque was named after the Mughal ruler, Babar, whose troops had built it more than 400 years before. Inside, the mosque had space for about 90 people to pray, according to two elderly Muslims in Ayodhya. Verses of the Koran were written on the walls inside. On the minbar, or pulpit, under the central dome was inscribed in Persian: “Place for the angels to descend.”
The complex had two courtyards, ringed by a perimeter wall and separated by a wall with a railing. In the outer courtyard was a small wooden platform with an idol of Ram where Hindus worshipped.
A map of India showing Ayodhya.
Abhiram Das wanted to establish Ram inside the building itself. He was not alone in his quest: a movement of sadhus dedicated to that goal was gathering momentum.
They claimed the mosque had been built from the ruins of an ancient temple to the Hindu god, which Muslims disputed. The site had been an occasional flashpoint for violence between the two communities in the past.
Abhiram Das told his disciples that he had a recurring dream that Ram made an appearance under the building’s central dome, the two disciples said.
One day in mid-1949, the sadhu repeated his vision to the city magistrate in neighboring Faizabad, the city which oversees the administration of Ayodhya.
His words immediately struck a chord with the magistrate, Guru Dutt Singh, according to an account given by Mr. Singh's son, Guru Basant Singh. Mr. Singh’s reply, his son said: "Brother, this is my old dream. You are having it now; I am having it for a long time.”
The two men started to talk about how a statue of a young Ram might be surreptitiously put in a Muslim place of worship, Mr. Singh’s son said.
The use of idols marks one of the great differences between Hinduism and Islam. Islam strictly prohibits idol worship because God, to its followers, is an invisible and indivisible entity. Hinduism holds that God can exist in many forms and devotees worship idols as mediums to God. So a statue of Ram itself would be a deity.
There are various versions of what transpired a few weeks later. Many Hindus have come to believe that it was a miracle. Mr. Singh’s son, speaking in detail for the first time about those events, said it was, rather, a carefully-planned plot to return Ram, in the view of his father and Abhiram Das, to the deity’s place of birth.
**
At the time, India as a country was only two years old, its promise as a fledgling democracy challenged by the fact that it was rent in two – geographically, demographically, socially, emotionally -- by the Partition that created the Muslim nation of Pakistan in the territory’s northwest and northeast.
The migration of many Muslims to Pakistan consolidated the Hindu majority in the new India. Muslims comprised 24.4% of India’s population in 1941; they were down to 10% of post-Partition India a decade later, according to census data.
Jawaharlal Nehru, the country’s first prime minister, was striving to stabilize the new country. He was determined to establish India as a secular nation that respected the religious beliefs, or lack of them, of all its citizens.
Click here for an overview of key players in chapter one.
“All of us, to whatever religion we may belong are equally the children of India with equal rights, privileges and obligations,” he said in a message to the nation when India became independent on Aug. 15, 1947.
Still, many Hindus felt aggrieved about Pakistan’s creation and the choice given to Muslims to move or stay. They used a term that would be repeated countless times over the following decades: Muslim “appeasement.”
Even within Nehru’s Indian National Congress party, there were many who supported the drive to make India a Hindu-dominated country. Some in Congress were actively involved in the formation of the All India Hindu Mahasabha, a conservative Hindu political party, several years before.
The party opposed the creation of Pakistan and blamed Congress for it. The man who killed Mahatma Gandhi in early 1948, Nathuram Godse, was an activist of the Hindu Mahasabha. He was hanged in November 1949.
Partition had little effect in Ayodhya, though. Many Muslims stayed, maintaining a cultural mix that had existed for hundreds of years.
Muslim artisans made many of the idols that Hindu devotees worshipped in the temples. Hindu priests bought clothes and flowers for temple statues from Muslim vendors. One temple in Ayodhya even had a Muslim manager.
“Why would we leave our country?” said Mohammad Hashim Ansari, a local tailor, who was then in his late 20s. “We belong to this land.”
**
Guru Dutt Singh, the Faizabad city magistrate, was tall and obstinate, with a neatly-trimmed moustache. He graduated from Allahabad University in what was then the United Provinces; today, it is in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
He joined the Provincial Civil Services but, his son said, refused to kowtow to his colonial masters. He insisted on wearing a self-fashioned turban in contrast to the hats favored by the British.
Singh Family Guru Dutt Singh, Faizabad city magistrate in 1949.
During a posting to Bareilly, when he first met one of his superiors, Michael Nethersole, the British man asked him: “Why don’t you wear a hat?”
“Why don’t you wear Indian headgear?” Mr. Singh retorted, according to his son.
Yet Mr. Singh also demanded respect for rank: He scolded his son for cheekily referring to Mr. Nethersole, as “Leather Sole” because “He is, after all, a district magistrate,” his son recalled being told. Mr. Nethersole’s descendants couldn’t be traced.
In his duties, which included preventing riots, Mr. Singh sought to be even-handed about religion, his son said. At times, he told Hindus that he would lock them up if they created trouble.
At other times, he called Muslims for consultation and said, “I consider you as my younger brothers; I’m your elder brother and we both belong to Mother India,” his son said.
What Mr. Singh considered his neutrality at work, however, fueled his resentment at what he saw as “the appeasement of minorities” – Muslims, in other words -- his son said.
His father was not in favor of the creation of Pakistan. But once it existed, he believed, “If a country has been made for you, you should all go there,” his son said.
Mr. Singh was a devout Hindu, eschewing alcohol and maintaining a vegetarian diet. He visited Ayodhya at least annually, staying in a guest house at a temple. Since college days, Ram had been his religious focal point.
Ram is one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu, who is part of Hinduism's holy trinity: Vishnu is the protector; Brahma is the creator; Shiva is the destroyer.
According to Hindu scriptures, Ram was born in Ayodhya tens of thousands of years ago. He was the eldest son of the Hindu King Dasharath of the Solar Dynasty, so-called because the monarchs were believed to be descendants of the sun. Ram is revered as "maryada purushottam," an excellent man of honor.
Paul Beckett/The Wall Street Journal A Ram shrine at an Ayodhya ashram.
It was to Ayodhya that Ram returned from exile after rescuing his wife, Sita, from the demon god Ravan in Sri Lanka, according to an ancient Sanskrit version of the Ramayan, the Hindu text about Ram's life.
Benevolently, Ram ruled over his kingdom from Ayodhya, becoming the epitome of good governance, the Ramayan says. And, in the twilight of his life, he was said to walk through a door in Ayodhya directly to heaven.
As Mr. Singh aged, his conviction grew that he wanted to put Ram back where he believed he belonged, his son said. He thought Muslims should yield the Babri Masjid.
“He used to have this tussle in him that ‘While I so much respect their religion, why don’t they reciprocate?’” his son said.
In the mid-1940s, Mr. Singh met K.K. Nayar, an administrator in the national Indian Civil Service, Mr. Singh’s son said. The service was a precursor to today’s Indian Administrative Service and the two men were stationed in the same city.
Mr. Nayar was from Kerala in the south. He was erudite and more soft-spoken than Mr. Singh. The two men found common cause in their reverence of Ram and their desire to take action, Mr. Singh’s son said. Both men were also sympathetic to the Hindu Mahasabha, the conservative Hindu political party, but refrained from actively supporting it because of their government jobs, he said.
Together, the men asked the official in charge of appointments in the United Provinces to post them at the same time to Faizabad, which administered Ayodhya, according to Mr. Singh’s son.
Mr. Singh moved there in 1948 as city magistrate. Around the same time, Mr. Nayar moved there as district magistrate, the most senior administrative post in the district. Both men are now deceased. Mr. Nayar’s son declined to be interviewed.
**
The Singhs moved into Lorpur House, a yellow, British-era mansion. Starting in mid-1949, Mr. Singh, Mr. Nayar, Abhiram Das and other local officials met there to plan how to install Ram in the Babri Masjid, according to Mr. Singh’s son.
As the family’s only child, Guru Basant Singh was then about 15 years old. He said he was in charge of serving tea and water at the meetings and at times hid behind the door to listen in on the planning.
The meetings were held in secret after sunset, he said. A Hindu servant was posted at the door with instructions to tell any visitors that his father was resting.
His version of events is confirmed by Mahant Satyendra Das, one of Abhiram Das’s surviving disciples, who is now the government-appointed head priest at the site of the mosque.
Dharam Das Abhiram Das in the later days of his life.
He joined Abhiram Das in 1958. That year, the sadhu gave him a detailed account of events, said Mr. Das, who recalled their discussion in an interview. (The two men share a surname but were not related.)
“Top district officials” including K.K. Nayar and Guru Dutt Singh, worked with Abhiram Das on how the idol might be put in the Babri Masjid, which was locked and guarded, Mr. Das said the sadhu told him.
One guard, a Hindu, took the afternoon and evening shift. Another guard, a Muslim, took night watch, Mr. Das said he was told.
The Hindu guard agreed to let Abhiram Das and a small group of sadhus sneak into the mosque with an idol of Ram during his watch, Abhiram Das told his disciple, adding: “We took the Hindu guard into confidence by telling him about the virtues he will earn by being part of this extremely holy work.”
The Hindu guard would then hand over the keys to the Muslim guard at midnight, as usual, Mr. Das said the sadhu told him.
On the other hand, the Muslim guard was "briefed" by Guru Dutt Singh and K.K. Nayar "what he had to do," according to Guru Dutt Singh's son. He was threatened with his life if he did not cooperate, Mr. Singh's son said. The guards and their descendants couldn't be traced.
The statue of Ram would be about seven inches tall, made of eight metals, and would depict an infant – a “Ram Lalla” – befitting the place of his birth.
Both Mr. Singh, the city magistrate, and Mr. Nayar, the district magistrate, knew how furious Nehru and the government in New Delhi would be if the mosque was infringed upon, said Mr. Singh’s son. They both decided that they would resign rather than obey any order to remove the statue, he said.
Other details fell into place and the meetings ended around October 1949, according to Mr. Singh’s son. Now, the planners had to await their moment.
In late November 1949, religious friction in Ayodhya was on the rise. Sadhus and devotees of Ram lit sacred fires outside the mosque and read from the Ramayan as they listened to speeches about how Ram should be returned to his birthplace. Members of the crowd scuffled with local Muslims.
The planners, said Mr. Singh’s son, set their date for soon after: The night of Dec. 22, 1949, a Thursday.
“We decided that since the country has now got political liberation, we should also liberate the birthplace of Lord Ram,” Abhiram Das told Mr. Das, the latter said.
**
In the chill of the north Indian winter, the Hindu guard ended his shift that night. But before he left, as planned, Abhiram Das and two other sadhus gained access, Abhiram Das told his disciple.
When the Muslim guard came for his round of duty, the Hindu guard handed over the keys. Around 3 a.m., an auspicious time in Hinduism, Abhiram Das and the other sadhus started ringing small bells inside the mosque. They lit a lamp and sang to the tiny idol that was placed on the pulpit under the central dome: "God appeared, compassionate and benevolent," the sadhu told his disciple.
The Muslim guard made a statement to local authorities soon after that at around 3 a.m. he saw the area under the central dome bathed in a golden light, according to Mr. Singh’s son and others. He said the light illuminated a tiny figure of Ram that seemed to have appeared by itself.
The Muslim guard's “revelation” and the statement had been planned in advance to appear to bear witness to a religious miracle, said Mr. Singh’s son.
Bindeshwari Prasad, a sadhu living in Ayodhya, was there that night, the youngest of a group of sadhus camped outside, he said in an interview at the red-brick ashram where he now lives. He described the events in mystical terms.
Paul Beckett/The Wall Street Journal Bindeshwari Prasad, a sadhu who still lives in Ayodhya.
“I and other people sleeping there that night saw Ram Lalla in our dreams; we all woke up at 3 in the morning,” Mr. Prasad said, his voice a whisper and his skin stretched like bark on his aged body. He claimed they could see the idol on the floor through the railings.
Abhiram Das was there, he recalled. The lock to the mosque was broken and the group of sadhus entered. “We went near the Lord and sang religious hymns and worshipped him,” said Mr. Prasad.
Armed constables, alerted to what was happening, shot a few rounds in the air, Mr. Prasad said. A bullet grazed his abdomen, he said, pointing to the spot. He said another sadhu took a bullet in the toe.
Mr. Singh’s son said the police had instructions only to fire in the air, as part of the planning his father and the others had done.
Back at Lorpur House, Guru Dutt Singh was kept informed of what was happening by two messengers who worked in a bicycle relay from Ayodhya to Faizabad to convey the latest news, his son said.
Mr. Singh, in turn, entrusted a Hindu employee in the household to take hand-written messages to K.K. Nayar with a special order to give the missives only to him. “That was how they communicated,” said Mr. Singh’s son.
When the officials realized the statue had been successfully installed, and the mosque was filled with sadhus, Mr. Singh and Mr. Nayar took a car to the site, according to Mr. Singh’s son and Mr. Prasad.
Later that morning, Mr. Singh offered prayers, or puja, in Lorpur House, his son said: “I don’t know what he said but it is my understanding that he was telling God, ‘Let happen what has been happening.’”
Then Mr. Singh imposed an order that prohibited the gathering of large groups of people in Ayodhya. But he made it clear to police that they were not to obstruct Hindus, his son said.
After, Mr. Singh left his Faizabad home for nearby government accommodation where visiting officials stayed. He gave instructions that if anyone inquired about his whereabouts, they were to be told he was “out of station,” his son said.
Word spread quickly to neighboring communities. Thousands of Hindu devotees came to see the idol in the mosque.
Abhiram Das helped whip up enthusiasm. That day, Dec. 23, he visited a local school. Rajendra Singh, the son of a local officer of the Hindu Mahasabha, the conservative Hindu party, was a pupil then.
“Lord Ram has appeared! Lord Ram has appeared!” he recalled Abhiram Das saying.
**
There was a dissident voice among the local sadhus. Akshaya Brahmachari was about 35 years old at the time and a devotee of Ram.
Meera Behen Akshaya Brahmachari with his disciple Meera Behen, right, in an undated photo.
He also was a local Congress party officer who defended the rights of Muslims to remain in India “as equal citizens” rather than move to Pakistan, according to a disciple, Meera Behen, who was then a high school student.
There was rising friction in town that day as loudspeakers announced “the appearance of God, exhorting all Hindus to come for audience,” Mr. Brahmachari wrote in a memorandum a few months later. But local officials, including K.K. Nayar, showed no interest in removing the idol or defusing the situation, he wrote.
He added: “Communal poison was spread in an organized manner and the attitude of the officials gave the idea to the people that either the Government wanted all that to happen, or they had completely given in to the communalists.”
TOMORROW: The fight to keep the idol in the mosque and the legal battle that ensued.If you go on Google Maps and ask for driving directions from San Francisco to Salvador, Brazil, you get a discouraging response: "Sorry, we could not calculate directions from "San Francisco, CA" to "Salvador, Bahia, Brazil."
But that didn’t stop Ben Oude Kamphuis, a hardcore Dutch soccer fan and Hulk Hogan look-alike, from hopping into his orange 1955 Chevy truck, Old Nellie, and going on the road trip of a lifetime to the World Cup.
“The whole experience has been mind-blowing,” Oude Kamphuis, 52, told me via Skype recently from a pit stop in Urcos, Peru. “It all started four years ago when the Dutch lost in the [World Cup] final to Spain. That was the third time I cried, the third time we lost in the final. I’m like, ‘You know what? I’m driving Old Nellie down to Brazil. It looks like the Dutch can’t get it together, so I might as well go myself.’”
On January 15, Oude Kamphuis took time off from his job working with disabled children and adults in a San Francisco city gardening program and turned the key on Old Nellie. He hasn’t stopped driving since, making his way down Baja California, taking a Mexican ferry from La Paz to Mazatlán, wending through Mexico and Central America, sending his car on a boat from Colón, Panama to Cartagena, Colombia (since there are no roads in Panama’s Darién National Park), and then navigating the Andes through Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.
As of Thursday night, Oude Kamphuis e-mailed to say he was on the outskirts of Brasília, the Brazilian capital.
His goal? Get to Salvador in time to see his beloved Netherlands play Spain in the World Cup on June 13. “My birthday is on June 7, and I’d like to have my ass on the beach in Bahia on the 7th,” he said. “That’s what I’m shooting for.”
I found out about Oude Kamphuis from Matt Tomaszewicz, one of his friends in San Francisco, who said Ben was one of a kind. And he’s right. On his remarkable trip, Oude Kamphuis has delivered donated soccer shoes in towns along the way and stopped to speak in schools about using soccer to fight racism and discrimination. Hundreds of people on the journey have signed their names on Old Nellie, which is modified with a special area in the back where Oude Kamphuis often sleeps.
“Today I did a little talk for a school with the kids talking about racism and discrimination through football,” he told me last week. “Going through all the Central and South American countries, my big thing is ‘through football we become one.’
“Everyone drives next to Nellie and they wave, Stop! Stop! Stop!” he continued. “I’m like, ‘No, man, I can’t stop, or I’ll never get to Brazil!’ It’s been a football experience but with the message of, ‘Hey, we’re all the same people, you know, we’re all in this planet together.’ Hopefully through football we can make the world a better place.”
It’s hard to know which is a more arresting sight: Old Nellie, which still has its original 1955 engine, or Oude Kamphuis, who’s 6-foot-7 and likes to wear a bright orange get-up with wooden Dutch shoes. But there’s no denying that he has a magnetic personality wherever he goes.
“To me, it’s such a warm experience if you go on your own,” he said. “People have an easier way to come up to you. If you’re on your own, you have to talk to people. If I need directions, which I do on a regular basis—I don’t have GPS, just a AAA map, and I get my ass lost in the mountains quite a bit—then I’ve gotta go out and talk. I love it.”
Driving any car through Central and South America is no small challenge, and that’s even more true with Old Nellie.
“There’s no suspension on that thing. It’s just a solid block of metal,” he said. “In Mexico I’d say, ‘Amigo, how far from Mazatlán to Puerto Vallarta?’ And they’d say, ‘No worries, amigo, it’s direct, like eight hours.’ And it takes me three frickin’ days to get there. It’s been like that all along. I thought I’d be in Brazil way earlier. But with the mountains and some of the gravel roads I travel, I can barely go 10 miles an hour, because it shakes. But it’s doable. I’ve just gotta take my time.”
Oude Kamphuis has stopped to take in some famous sights, like Machu Picchu in Peru, but the main things he’ll remember from his journey are the people he has encountered. “In the U.S., everyone tells you, ‘Don’t go into Mexico, you’re going to get your ass killed, people are bad, blah blah blah,’” he said. “But from the day I entered Mexico from the border, and all the way to here, over four months now, people have been amazing. People have fed me, people have helped me, people say, ‘Come in my casa.’ It’s been a hell of a ride, but all positive.”
What is Oude Kamphuis going to do with Old Nellie once he gets to Salvador?
“I loved the truck already before I left, but it’s kind of become a part of me, you know what I mean?” he said. “It definitely has made more people smile than I can tell you. So I’m going to put it on a boat, I think. Drive it to a harbor town and put it on a boat and ship it back to the Bay Area. I’ve gotta fly back and go back to work in mid-July.”
Oude Kamphuis was running out of juice on his phone, so I didn’t want to keep him on the Skype connection too long from South America. But he sounded optimistic about the remainder of the drive ahead.
“I’m pretty much at the end,” he said. “I made it through the Andes and all the way down to [Brazil]. It’s pretty flat, but the distances are long to find another town again. I’m aiming for Brasília, then I go northeast to Salvador. And then the Dutch play the Spaniards on the 13th!”Embarking on the journey to make an EDH deck in each color combination has led me to grinding halt on what to do with red/white. Most of the commanders available feel too similar in only revolving around combat, so I had the idea to try to make a traditional control deck in non-traditional colors.
So this is the result of my feeble attempt at brewing up a control style deck For RW.
Any feedback or suggestions with what direction to take the deck in are greatly appreciated!
Notable synergies/combos:
Mistveil Plains + Sunforger is the base idea for the control aspect of the deck, as it allows for re-usage of the limited suite of controlling spells available to RW. Orim's Chant has the potential to lock decks without instant speed interaction out of the game, while Lapse of Certainty and Master Warcraft help to keep people off of threats/answers and attack steps.
The deck runs two main infinite combos, which help close out games after the control package is established. The first of which is Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker + Restoration Angel for infinite hasty 3/4 fliers. The second one is Dualcaster Mage + Heat Shimmer which similarly makes infinite swinging bodies. I've also included Karmic Guide and Reveillark as value creatures that can also potentially be made into an infinite damage loop with goblin bombardment out.
The main area I feel needs to be improved/refined is how the deck generates card advantage, as red and white are the worst colors in this regard and make a traditional control strategy difficult. Included in the deck are the Land Tax + Scroll Rack card advantage engine, all-star Skullclamp, and some more clunky CA sources like Staff of Nin and Tamiyo's Journal. However, because of some of the synergies built into the deck, it can be painful to have cards line up without a CA engine going (like Eldrazi Displacer without an ETB creature, or Heat Shimmer without Dualcaster Mage).LOS ANGELES, CA — As Iron Man 3 makes its US premiere today, super hero movies are more ubiquitous than ever. Marvel Studios will be releasing at least 8 films over the next two years, and the Superman reboot has already been given an Oscar based on its trailer alone.
Unfortunately, one superhero has been left out of all the filmscreen fervor.
“I think they’re just waiting for the perfect script,” said Arthur Curry, alias Aquaman, from his small apartment in Watts. “They don’t want to waste such a titanic opportunity. They need something that will really make a splash.”
When we contacted our studio sources, however, all of them said they weren’t interested in making a movie about “the fish guy.”
“The guy can breath underwater. Big whoop. He became irrelevant when they invented scuba gear,” said one executive. “Oh, and the talking to dolphins thing? Yeah, real fucking useful when terrorists are attacking D.C.”
Still, Curry remains optimistic.
“I bet they’re just fishing for a gritty origin story,” he said, totally unironically. “They can use whatever they want, I don’t mind. I don’t even remember my own backstory, to be honest. All I know is that I wear green gloves and a shirt made of orange fish scales.”
“But I’m not married to those!” he added quickly after noticing our microphone.
As of press time, there are still no plans to develop an Aquaman movie.
AdvertisementsMedia playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Col Gaddafi in Green Square, Tripoli. Dr Ramadan Buraiki, Qurnya newspaper, describes the mood on the streets
At least 24 people have been killed in anti-government protests in Libya in recent days, rights activists say.
Many others were wounded in the clashes between security forces and protesters, the US-based Human Rights Watch said.
Protests continued overnight with thousands on the streets of the eastern city of Benghazi, where there is now a heavy military presence, witnesses said.
Large protests are uncommon in Libya, where dissent is rarely allowed.
Pro-democracy protests have recently swept through several Arab nations, with the presidents of Tunisia and Egypt forced from power amid growing unrest.
Funerals
The BBC's Jon Leyne in Cairo says violent confrontations are reported to have spread to five Libyan cities in demonstrations so far, but not yet to Tripoli, the capital, in any large numbers.
Image caption Protests have also taken place in the UK
Our correspondent says the reports reflect an extremely tough government response, including the use of gunfire and even denying supplies to hospitals.
Funerals of some of those killed are expected to be held on Friday in Benghazi and al-Bayda, which correspondents say could spur more protests.
Activists set up camps in al-Bayda after Thursday's "Day of Rage" protest against the government, witnesses said.
Eyewitnesses believe that the death toll could be even higher, our correspondent says.
Activists supporting Libya's leader, Muammar Gaddafi, have also been out on the streets in Tripoli, chanting pro-government slogans in Green Square.
Col Gaddafi briefly visited the square in the early hours of Friday, according to images aired by state TV, AFP news agency reports.
BENGHAZI Libya's second-largest city with some 670,000 residents
Has history of antagonism with Col Gaddafi since 1969 coup
Many relatives of inmates allegedly killed at Abu Salim prison in 1996 live in city
Hit world headlines with HIV infection trial involving Bulgarian nurses and Palestinian doctor in 1998
In Benghazi, an eyewitness said that most protesters went home by 0500 local time (0700 GMT) after running battles with police in several districts overnight.
A source in the city told the BBC that "several" peaceful protesters who had stayed put overnight in front of the courthouse were forcibly removed in the very early hours on Friday by a large number of police.
They have now reportedly been taken to a detainment facility in Gwarsha, about 10km (6 miles) outside the city.
Correspondents say the city was calm on Friday morning, but there are an enormous number of security personnel on the streets.
It seems to be in preparation for what they fear will be an even bigger demonstration today after Friday prayers, correspondents say.
A resident who lives on Benghazi's main thoroughfare, Nasser Street, told Reuters on Friday morning the city was much quieter than the night before.
"Last night was very hard, there were a lot of people in the street, thousands of people. I saw soldiers in the street," he said.
"I heard shooting. I saw one person fall down (from a gunshot wound)."
'Internet blocked'
Activists had used social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter to call for Thursday's "Day of Rage".
Human Rights Watch says hundreds of peaceful demonstrators had taken to the streets in al-Bayda, Benghazi, Zintan, Darna, and Ajdabiya.
It quotes witnesses as saying the Libyan security forces shot and killed demonstrators in efforts to disperse the crowds.
Image caption Col Gaddafi has ruled Libya since 1969
A doctor from Jalla hospital in Benghazi told the BBC that by 0300 on Friday, 15 dead bodies had arrived, including a 13-year-old boy.
All had been killed by gunshot wounds, the doctor said.
Six police cars in front of Jalla hospital were set alight by angry parents and relatives of victims and the injured, according to an eyewitness on Friday.
One protester, speaking to the BBC late on Thursday, said he had seen three demonstrators killed in al-Bayda.
"The police are using their guns... I have a video which shows the police shooting people but the government has blocked the internet in al-Bayda. We are asking the authorities to unblock the internet service.
"The biggest problem now is that doctors are not treating the injured and so they die. It's a crime," he said.
Col Gaddafi is the Arab world's longest-serving leader, having ruled oil-rich Libya since a coup in 1969.
The Middle East has recently seen a wave of protests fuelled by discontent over unemployment, rising living costs, corruption and autocratic leaderships.
This began with the overthrow of Tunisia's leader, Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, in January. Protests in Egypt then lead to the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak.
In recent days there have also been anti-government demonstrations in Yemen, Bahrain, and Iran.Article is in Dutch, translation below courtesy of /u/Kinbaku_enthusiast
Monday afternoon Mark Jongeneel received a distressing phonecall. His mother. Two policemen had just visited and were looking for him, but they didn't explain why. Now they were going to Mark's office: he owns a debt-collection company. Wat could be going on? "I was drunk saturdaynight, I recalled". But he could remember everything of that night.
"You twitter a lot, don't you?" the police said, when they were sitting in his office. "We have received orders to ask you to watch your tone. Your tweets could be perceived as inciting.
Tuesdaynight in Sliedrecht there was a meeting about an asylumcenter in the region. In the days leading to this meeting, Mark Jongeneel placed a couple of tweets. Like: "The college of Sliedrecht has a proposal to receive 250 refugees in the coming 2 years. What a bad plan! #kominverzet" (#letusresist). Earlier he had also tweeted: "We won't let this happen, will we?
Police state
The last months the police has been visiting more people at home who on social media wrote things negatively about asylum centers. In october in Leeuwarden, there was a home visitation to about twenty opposers of asylum centers. In Enschede the cops visited those sympathetic to the asylum center alerts. (I think they mean people that follow @azc_alert, a twitter account of the platform focused on getting more space for citizens to have "inspraak" and create a more humane asylum center policy. Inspraak = a dutch concept for being allowed to discuss and have some input into decisions) In Kaatsheuvel, at least three villagers received a house visit from the police because they aired critical views on the coming of a emergency-reception or because they owned a page on social media regarding asylum issues.
With the house visits the police is trying to make people aware "what the effect of a post or tweet can be on the internet", says a spokesperson of the national police. With ten "realtime intelligence-units", groups of digital directers spread around in the country, facebook pages and twitter accounts are being monitored. Attention is being paid to posts that go "too far".
Cities too direct the police. That happened to Jongeneel. The spokesperson of the city Sliedrecht explains that they wanted to make clear dat a possible physically present demonstration would be "fine", but it |
Fudge Aug 19 Just my opinions here (moderating is a pain in the ass) But look at how this thread starts out – it’s hard not to call this harassment. But the bad part is that, because the thread is alive now and was allowed to flourish, doing anything about it plays into his narrative: “And yet all video game outlets, from GiantBomb to Kotaku to Destructoid to the Escapist to Reddit all the way through to 4chan’s /v/ do their continual best efforts to simply not bring this up, both in official outlets and, in the cases of GB and /v/, by deleting threads about it, or in the case of Reddit downvoting it and making the links not work.” Also it violates of The Escapist Code of Conduct: Don’t Be a Jerk This rule trumps any other. Any loophole you think you’ve found in any other rule is covered by this one. If you make our forums a less pleasant place to be, we don’t want you here and we have no problem revoking your account. Here are a couple of the things you should stay away from: Flaming Calling people names (or groups who may visit The Escapist), this includes calling others a troll. Calling another user a troll is always an infraction. Trolling Posting inflammatory, extraneous or off-topic messages with the primary intent of provoking readers into an emotional response or otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion. Offensive Posts Please read what you wrote before you post it and think if anyone else could find it offensive. Rants You can disagree with whatever you like but using large amounts of obscene language and CAPS is against our policies. We are sure you can find another way to voice your opinion without being aggressive, regardless of whom it is directed at. Ban Jumping If you post on multiple accounts after being permanently banned, suspended, on probation, or warned both of your accounts will be automatically banned. Targeted Harassment & Bullying Following a user from thread to thread, insulting and harassing specifically them, or sending repeated harassing private messages, is cause for elevated penalties starting with a probation. James Fudge Managing Editor, GamePolitics.com Ben Kuchera Aug 19 Yeah, I’m really confused and saddened that this is even a conversation. Jason Schreier Aug 19 “Kotaku employee who reviewed her game, Nathan Grayson” This is not true. “EDIT: Oh, and then there’s the fact that the blog post by Nathan Grayson has apparently been taken down. They’re seriously trying to hide it, from my point of view.” This is also not true. Nathan has never reviewed or written about Depression Quest for Kotaku. Ben Kuchera Aug 19 I mean, if nothing else now we KNOW the post contains demonstrably untrue things about real people. Serious allegations. Is THAT enough to get you to consider taking it down? What does it take before the Escapist says “Maybe we shouldn’t be giving this a home.” greg.tito Aug 19 Correct, Jason. I made a point to call that out in my own comment to the thread. I don’t think factual errors in a forum post on the internet, however, are a huge area of concern for me. The conversation may be distasteful to some of us, but I don’t know if the answer is to delete the thread. The Escapist is not giving harassment a home, but allowing civil discussion on a matter that people are emotional about. As long as it stays within our rules of conduct, and yeah James I don’t think anything stated has violated the rules you posted, then pushing this down would only serve my own tastes and opinions. That’s not what a public forum is designed to be, in my opinion. Greg Tito dancstarkey Aug 19 Most of the time, I feel like I inhabit a relatively civil part of the internet. But when I was looking through these comments, threads, and everything else… wow…? Kyle Aug 19 Display images in this post - Always display images from Kyle - Always display images in Game Journalism Professionals You’re involved in video games, Daniel, so I’m really not sure why you thought that. -KO dancstarkey Aug 19 My comments are never THAT bad. The worst of it is when people go after my relatives or my partner, but that’s still not terribly common. Plus I’m a huge optimist.? Kyle Aug 19 Display images in this post - Always display images from Kyle - Always display images in Game Journalism Professionals Even if you inhabit a pocket of relative civility within the sphere of “video game discussion on the Internet,” (as I think I do as well) you have to realize the shitshow that is our broader “video game” corner. -KO dancstarkey Aug 19 I get that, but some of the things I saw on the chan line of sites was… disproportionately awful.? On Tue, Aug 19, 2014 at 10:44 AM, Kyle Orland <kyle….@gmail.com> wrote: Even if you inhabit a pocket of relative civility within the sphere of “video game discussion on the Internet,” (as I think I do as well) you have to realize the shitshow that is our broader “video game” corner. -KO On Tue, Aug 19, 2014 at 11:41 AM, Daniel Starkey <dancs…@gmail.com> wrote: My comments are never THAT bad. The worst of it is when people go after my relatives or my partner, but that’s still not terribly common. Plus I’m a huge optimist. On Tue, Aug 19, 2014 at 10:39 AM, Kyle Orland <kyle….@gmail.com> wrote: You’re involved in video games, Daniel, so I’m really not sure why you thought that. -KO On Tue, Aug 19, 2014 at 11:37 AM, Daniel Starkey <dancs…@gmail.com> wrote: Most of the time, I feel like I inhabit a relatively civil part of the internet. But when I was looking through these comments, threads, and everything else… wow… Ben Kuchera Aug 19 Display images in this post - Always display images from Ben Kuchera - Always display images in Game Journalism Professionals Really disappointed in that response, Greg. But I’m going to end the discussion on it here to maintain civility. greg.tito Aug 19 Display images in this post - Always display images from greg.tito - Always display images in Game Journalism Professionals Thanks, Ben! Feel free to message me in private if you want to continue the discussion. Greg Tito Kyle Aug 19 Display images in this post - Always display images from Kyle - Always display images in Game Journalism Professionals “disproportionately awful” is kind of the motto of large swaths of the Internet video game community, unfortunately… -KO Andy Eddy Aug 19 My two cents: This is barely a game-industry story, no matter how some people want to frame it. This is a story about a person who happens to be in the game industry and their personal relationships (no matter how it may weave back into “the industry” and however poor the person’s judgments may have been) and public expose of private materials by that person’s partner as revenge, so I don’t think we, as games press, should support furthering the story by commenting, editorializing or even allowing others to ruminate on it. Something to ask yourself: How would you feel if it was about you. You’re in the game industry…do you then deserve to have your whole personal life available to the world just because you’re, in some sense, a public figure? (What’s Zoe’s best move here…ignore it while it spreads like a tabloid story or respond to it to defend yourself and risk being part of its spread? It’s a no-winner, kids…) Do, then, your fellow game journos have a right to talk about you, because they’re reporters of all that has to do with games and you’re part of “games”? Maybe dig deeper into your past because they can and because gamers demand to know all of it? Okay, now what if it was your son or daughter or brother or sister? Personally, there are some lines I don’t think we should cross, and I’ve endeavored during my career to not go into those areas just for hit counts or reader numbers or “because people want to know.” Why is this a “story”? Just because she’s a game developer? Maybe the dev/journalist relationship is something that could spark some talk, but even then…is it really a story that we have to put names to? Is it news to talk about the relationships/sex lives of industry participants just because they’re industry participants? And is it then something we should allow discussion about in our forums? My answer would be, no. [Greg, the above was general observation on the initial post and subsequent discussion, so I don't want you to feel singled out...but on that topic specifically, I think you should close and yank that thread. Whatever legitimate discussion in there is just a fragment of what I see as public scrutiny (read: vilification) of this girl and her bad *private* decisions. It's off-topic and, I think, should be out of bounds. Please...] A E On Tuesday, August 19, 2014 9:00:41 AM UTC-7, greg.tito wrote: Thanks, Ben! Feel free to message me in private if you want to continue the discussion. Greg Tito On Tue, Aug 19, 2014 at 11:59 AM, Ben Kuchera <b…@polygon.com> wrote: Really disappointed in that response, Greg. But I’m going to end the discussion on it here to maintain civility. greg.tito Aug 19 I definitely agree with everything you wrote, Andy. That’s exactly why I didn’t choose to cover it as news. Whatever is happening is very far outside the realm of what I consider to be interesting. I may write an editorial about the issues beneath the accusation, but others have done that better than I could have already. The threads in question have been in our off-topic forum since this morning – we’ve merged and moderated the threads extensively. The Escapist is set up a bit differently than some other outlets in that we have a large forum community which operates separately from the editorial side of things, although I do have oversight. I agree there are statements and opinions in that thread which I disagree with, but that’s true of a lot of the world. I could be easily justified in shutting it down, however, I think removing the ability for public discourse is the opposite of creating an environment for growth and learning. I don’t feel that keeping a thread open constitutes endorsing the opinions within, and allowing people to discuss the issues might actually do some good and change some minds. But perhaps I am being too optimistic in this specific case. I waver between cynical neutral evil and bleeding heart chaotic good pretty regularly. Greg Tito On Tue, Aug 19, 2014 at 12:39 PM, Andy Eddy <vidg…@gmail.com> wrote: My two cents: This is barely a game-industry story, no matter how some people want to frame it. This is a story about a person who happens to be in the game industry and their personal relationships (no matter how it may weave back into “the industry” and however poor the person’s judgments may have been) and public expose of private materials by that person’s partner as revenge, so I don’t think we, as games press, should support furthering the story by commenting, editorializing or even allowing others to ruminate on it. Something to ask yourself: How would you feel if it was about you. You’re in the game industry…do you then deserve to have your whole personal life available to the world just because you’re, in some sense, a public figure? (What’s Zoe’s best move here…ignore it while it spreads like a tabloid story or respond to it to defend yourself and risk being part of its spread? It’s a no-winner, kids…) Do, then, your fellow game journos have a right to talk about you, because they’re reporters of all that has to do with games and you’re part of “games”? Maybe dig deeper into your past because they can and because gamers demand to know all of it? Okay, now what if it was your son or daughter or brother or sister? Personally, there are some lines I don’t think we should cross, and I’ve endeavored during my career to not go into those areas just for hit counts or reader numbers or “because people want to know.” Why is this a “story”? Just because she’s a game developer? Maybe the dev/journalist relationship is something that could spark some talk, but even then…is it really a story that we have to put names to? Is it news to talk about the relationships/sex lives of industry participants just because they’re industry participants? And is it then something we should allow discussion about in our forums? My answer would be, no. [Greg, the above was general observation on the initial post and subsequent discussion, so I don't want you to feel singled out...but on that topic specifically, I think you should close and yank that thread. Whatever legitimate discussion in there is just a fragment of what I see as public scrutiny (read: vilification) of this girl and her bad *private* decisions. It's off-topic and, I think, should be out of bounds. Please...] A E On Tuesday, August 19, 2014 9:00:41 AM UTC-7, greg.tito wrote: Thanks, Ben! Feel free to message me in private if you want to continue the discussion. Greg Tito On Tue, Aug 19, 2014 at 11:59 AM, Ben Kuchera <b…@polygon.com> wrote: Really disappointed in that response, Greg. But I’m going to end the discussion on it here to maintain civility. – … Chris Dahlen Aug 19 FWIW – I think this is disgusting, and not worth any space from any outlet. The guy who wrote that post sounds deranged. We’ve all had our hearts broken in our twenties but most of us just complain to our friends. I can’t imagine sending an internet mob against anyone I’ve ever dated no matter how bent I was about it afterwards. I won’t criticize the Escapist and I’m actually impressed by how well the thread was self-policing (for the one page that I read), but if I were still running a venue, I would steer far away from this. It’s cruel to Zoe Quinn and to many other people who relate to this. And it feeds the worst instincts of the audience instead of finding a way to maybe show them the light and help them be a little better, and more mature. We were talking yesterday about that Bro Team guy and his adventures as a video creator. One of the reasons he acts like a child, makes the videos that he does, and cracks jokes about his “boyhole” is that nobody was around to tell him to grow up. Guys like that are the ones who are circling around Quinn for all their own pathetic reasons. We should work against that, in even the smallest ways, rather than permit it. Greg Tito – … Chris Dahlen Aug 19 Also, I’m just reminded of the recent Polygon opinion pieces where they shut the comments off altogether. Commenting on somebody else’s website or forum is a privilege, not a right. If you’re going to be a shitbag, you don’t get to contribute..com/d/opto … Kyle Aug 19 Silver lining: Quinn is getting a bunch of new Patreon patrons today, apparently: http://www.patreon.com/zoe -KO On Tue, Aug 19, 2014 at 2:54 PM, Chris Dahlen <saveth…@gmail.com> wrote: – Chris Dahlen http://www.savetherobot.com http://twitter.com/savetherobot – le.com/group … Ryan Smith Aug 19 Wow, this whole thing makes me feel very old. Lordy. So, I definitely don’t think anyone’s sex life should be news and I certainly wouldn’t write about it on a site. But quick question: how did some of you decide to publish the Josh Mattingly story from earlier this year: that appeared to be based on a private conversation about sex. Where do you see the line being drawn? And how do you guys feel about the Snapchat CEO’s emails from college being a story? I was also wondering if when some of you published stories about Zoe Quinn’s harassment — did you actually ask for evidence of said harassment or just go by what she wrote on Twitter. -KO – < … Sarah LeBoeuf Aug 19 Uh pretty big difference between “a private conversation about sex” and sexual harassment, which is what the Mattingly situation was. – <div dir=” … Jason Schreier Aug 19 If you don’t see the differences between a story about a journalist sending crude sexual messages to a game developer and a story about a game developer allegedly cheating on her boyfriend, I’m not sure what to tell you. On Tue, Aug 19, 2014 at 3:08 PM, Ryan Smith <ryansmi…@gmail.com> wrote: … Ben Kuchera Aug 19 So you’re comparing writing about someone who sexually harassed a female developer, which is a disgraceful way to act, and covering someone who is being victimized to the point of not feeling safe in her home? Is that a real argument you’re trying to make? – –Ryan Smith Twitter: @RyanSmithWriter – u … Ryan Smith Aug 19 Hold on to your hats. I wasn’t equating the two at all. I was just asking where you guys draw the line. – Sarah LeBoeuf Writer – Visit this group a … Kyle Aug 19 Between the harassers and the victims of harassment. – <br … Jason Schreier Aug 19 I don’t know why you think there’s a line to be drawn. “Reporter at moderately-known games website sends sexually explicit messages to game developer who doesn’t want them” is a story. “Game developer allegedly cheats on her boyfriend” is not. That seems pretty simple to me. ailto:Ga … Ben Kuchera Aug 19 That line doesn’t require a lot of thought. It’s incredibly simple. … Ryan Smith Aug 19 I’m just asking where the line is drawn at publishing messages that were private that have become public because someone posted them on the web. Josh Mattingly’s sexual harassment of the game dev (which is super terrible) doesn’t appear to be part of an interview, it appears to be informal chat made public. The Snapchat CEO’s emails became a big story not too long ago, and it was because private emails were made public. There’s also the case of Anthony Weiner’s sexually explicit messages. Surely it’s not all black and white when it comes to these stories. scribe@googleg … Brandon Justice Aug 19 Personally, I’m just trying to get over the silver lining” bit. Like, really? … dancstarkey Aug 19 The line is whether or not it serves a legitimate public interest. In theory, you can run any story you wish if you have editorial control. You also have the ability to say whatever the hell you want. But you don’t arbitrarily tell a someone to fuck off for saying “have a nice day”. There is no line because interactions, morality, and all that are complex and multi-faceted. It simply requires you to attempt to consider the consequences of your actions and determine if they will bring a net positive or a net negative about.? … Kyle Aug 19 Please don’t take my post to in any way suggest that what’s happening to Quinn is good or desirable. Just trying to draw *anything* positive from what’s been a real depressing day/issue. -KO … dancstarkey Aug 19 Also I realize I made a mistake by saying “the line is” followed by “there is no line” I meant to say something clever and borked it.? On Tue, Aug 19, 2014 at 2:49 PM, Mr. Man <jokeont…@gmail.com> wrote: … James Fudge Aug 19 Display images in this post - Always display images from James Fudge - Always display images in Game Journalism Professionals The only thing we haven’t talked about is the copyright take down against a YouTuber that has been alleged. That is what I was originally interested in, but there’s too much bullshit in between that I would have to write about (naked pictures, false accusations against a journalist, jilted ex-boyfriend)… … Devin Connors Aug 19 This thread is getting awfully nippy… Britton Peele Aug 19 Display images in this post - Always display images from Britton Peele - Always display images in Game Journalism Professionals On the copyright claim on YouTube: Supposedly (and I’m by no means an expert, but I believe in TotalBiscuit said this over the weekend) it would be relatively easy for someone to claim they’re Zoe and file a copyright claim against a video, whether they’re actually Zoe or not. So I think even if everything else is set aside, that instance alone is too muddled to make an issue of at the moment. As for the controversy as a whole, I’ve refrained from saying much either publicly or privately because I’m friends with Nathan, as he was a fellow Dallasite before moving to California. So anything I’d say on social media anyway would be shouted down by the idiots saying, “But you’re biased because you know the guy!” as if people can’t have legitimate opinions about people they know. But my stance is: This should never, ever have been a “thing.” Shame on the alleged ex-boyfriend for starting this whole mess. Even if every word of what he says is true, there is absolutely no justification for making this stuff public and dragging people through the mud just because you feel you’ve been screwed (justifiably or not). On the same note, I agree 100% that this is not a “news story” that anybody should cover. It has absolutely no relevance. Even the “corruption of a journalist” angle is completely irrelevant as Nathan as never “reviewed” Depression Quest either on Kotaku or elsewhere. The fact that some people online want this to be such a huge deal over a free game I think says a massive deal about where their own agendas actually lie, and their deceitful spread of misinformation is disgusting. On the topic of allowing forum discussion to take place: I totally see where both Greg and others are coming from. On one hand, it’s something people are obviously going to talk about anyway, so in a way it’s kind of nice to have somewhere where a somewhat controlled discussion can take place — one that tries to step in and stop people from getting too out of line. On the other hand, I totally see the point that the thread itself is already out of line and shouldn’t exist. I’m not sure I agree that either solution is the 100% clear cut answer in this case, and I don’t envy Greg for having to make the call. — Britton Peele, Writer Twitter: @BrittonPeele www.brittonpeele.com … Andrew Groen Aug 19 I had a thought. Maybe a bad one. You tell me: I remember a few years back when Patrick Klepek hit on some tough circumstances we all pitched in to get him a “feel better” gift. Anybody think something like that could be appropriate to address the circumstances that have been forced upon Zoe? Even if it’s not monetary. Maybe a signed, joint letter of support from the Game Journo Pros. I know she’s not a member of the group like Patrick was, but I do know that this is part of a broader theme of the industry losing talent to the toxic culture. And that’s our business. In my mind, it’s a joint show of solidarity to match the trolls’ joint show of force. … dancstarkey Aug 19 As the person I’m going to assume is the most irrationally optimistic person here, I like this idea. Small bits of kindness can do a lot, even when found in oceans of shit.? oogle.com/group/GameJournoPros” target=”_ … Mike Futter Aug 19 Display images in this post - Always display images from Mike Futter - Always display images in Game Journalism Professionals This seems like an absolutely terrible idea. Hey, Zoe, we’re a bunch of strangers who don’t know you, but in case you were wondering, we’re aware of your dirty laundry. Feel better! – James Fudge Managing Editor, GamePolitics.com – … Kyle Aug 19 Display images in this post - Always display images from Kyle - Always display images in Game Journalism Professionals I like the signed letter of support idea. Even better if we can get some developers in on that. Anyone want to volunteer to draft something? -KO – James Fudge Managing Editor, GamePolitics.com – – <b … dancstarkey Aug 19 I could. I owe her one actually. She gave me some really good advice when my partner was being… pretty heavily harassed. It’d be nice to return the favor.? … Andrew Groen Aug 19 @Michael There is an ocean of distance between “hi we’re strangers and we’re aware of your dirty laundry” and “Hi, we’re your colleagues, and we appreciate the work you do for our community. Illegitimi non carborundum.” Besides, I don’t think ignoring the problem or pretending we don’t know is an effective strategy here. Personally, I think telling someone you know about their troubles and support them anyway is one of the best things you can do for someone. The last thing I think we want is Zoe thinking she’s under attack *alone.* The brain has a way of convincing you that silent people are against you. I’d also suggest that – if others think the letter is a good idea – we should do this entirely under the radar, organizing it through word-of-mouth and email rather than Twitter. I made the mistake earlier of publicly voicing support and in doing so drawing more attention to the issue. I’d rather not make that mistake again. <br … Jason Schreier Aug 19 As sympathetic as I am to the horrible harassment Zoe faced, I think this incident has raised enough questions about the incestuous relationship between press and developers already… … Mike Futter Aug 19 Display images in this post - Always display images from Mike Futter - Always display images in Game Journalism Professionals I would prefer not to be associated with this. It feels wrong to me. I think it feels very off to reach across the fence from journalist to subject in this way. I prefer professional distance, especially given the accusations being levied at us from outside. … Britton Peele Aug 19 I’m with Jason and Michael on this one, no offense to those behind the idea. — Britton Peele, Writer Twitter: @BrittonPeele www.brittonpeele.com … Adam Rosenberg Aug 19 Display images in this post - Always display images from Adam Rosenberg - Always display images in Game Journalism Professionals I’m with Futter. This situation is awful, but it’s not the place of anyone here to get involved on any level. The best thing we can all do at this point is drop it and let the involved parties sort things out on their own. script:” target=”_blank” … Scott Nichols Aug 19 Yeah, I’m in the same boat as Jason, Mike, Britton, and Adam. If people who are personally friends with her want to reach out then that seems appropriate, but doing so as individuals seems more appropriate than as a group. As a bonus, if your goal is to counter the hate she’s receiving with positivity, I bet 100 letters of support would feel better to receive than 1 letter of support with 100 names. E-mail / Jabber / GChat / MSN: kyle.. … Adam Rosenberg Aug 19 I just want to add to what I said earlier, since I couldn’t really get into it in a post punched into my iPhone and this is something I feel pretty strongly about. The idea doesn’t sit right with me because this whole situation is so much more complex than someone being unreasonably harassed by the Internet. Let’s just review the sequence of events really quick: 1- Zoe has a relationship that, whatever the reason may be, ends badly. 2- Zoe’s wounded ex goes on a very public tirade in which he airs piles and piles of alleged dirty laundry. 3- The Internet Harassment Squad goes ballistic and rains a shitstorm down on Zoe. #3 really, really sucks, objectively speaking. But what about everything that led to it? That’s where things get sticky. This is some straight-up relationship drama, just spilled out across a larger canvas. Who are any of us to say what’s true and what’s not in the alleged facts that have been laid out? And say some of the ex’s allegations ARE true: Is it right to send a message that indirectly validates the shitty behavior he described? Would Zoe even feel comfort at such a gesture, considering it amounts to a reminder of the public embarrassment she’s had to stare down with this whole affair being dragged into a public setting? I’m not raising these questions to judge or cast blame; I haven’t even read most of what was written (nor will I). I’m just making a point here. Harassment of the sort Zoe’s had to deal with is NEVER okay, and I feel for her, but there are too many external factors. It’s just plain inappropriate for a group of relative strangers to offer up what amounts to a reassuring pat on the back. This is the very definition of a personal matter, and I’m sure Zoe has a support network that she’s leaning on right now to help her through. Y’all are gonna do what you’re gonna do, but I think you really need to give some serious consideration to exactly who you’d be serving here by sending a group note. … Kyle Aug 20 Going off of Adam’s list, I’d say I really don’t care about the truth of the personal allegations about Zoe’s private life, which really has no bearing on anything. The only portion of the allegations I might care about are the ones dealing with “corruption” of game journalism, but from everything I’ve seen those seem totally off base with no basis of facts behind them. That being said, I do see everyone’s point about it being somewhat inappropriate for a group of relative strangers to send a public note of support. Elsewhere, ICYMI: - Vice decided that silence was not the right way to handle this: http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/zoe-quinn-slut-shaming-the-feminist-conspiracy-and-depression-quest - John Walker has a great blog post about the Internet hate machine and how it works (where he refutes some of the specific claims against Grayson too): http://botherer.org/2014/08/20/how-internet-hate-mobs-work-and-why-its-so-insidious/ Key quote from the last: “Even today, I’ve seen very few games journalists say anything. I think most people believe that keeping their head down, “not giving it the oxygen of publicity”, is the best plan. Which is not the case. Every voice added to the chorus singing back against this stuff makes a significant difference. The faked crowd feels smaller when a real crowd starts condemning them. And crucially, it is not up to men to defend women who are being attacked. It’s up to men to join the voices of those who condemn the attack itself, while celebrating the woman being targeted. (And to be clear, retweeting someone else’s saying it is not the same thing at all.)” … Mike Futter Aug 20 So we find ourselves between the victim saying that she doesn’t want it discussed and a crusader shaming those of us who honor those wishes. Cool. I’ll be over here writing about the gaming industry, to which this is completely unrelated. On the topic of allowing forum discussion to take place: I totally see where both Greg and others are coming from. On one hand, it’s something people are obviously going to talk about anyway, so in a way it’s kind of nice to have somewhere where a somewhatcontrolled discussion can take place — one that tries to step in and stop people from getting too out of line. On the other hand, I totally see the point that the thread itself is already out of line and shouldn’t exist. I’m not sure I agree that either solution is the 100% clear cut answer in this case, and I don’t envy Greg for having to make the call. … James Fudge Aug 20 No offense to Walker, but he didn’t post that on Rock, Paper, Shotgun. When he does i’ll be more than happy to consider following his lead. Until then i’ll (sincerely) admire and respect his impassioned personal stance on the matter. … Susan Arendt Aug 20 Count me out of the letter, for a wide variety of reasons. On Tuesday, August 19, 2014 9:43:18 AM UTC-4, Kyle wrote: If you are behind on the appalling doxxing attempt against her overnight, read this first: http://pastebin.com/v4DGSQqR The very first paragraph of that statement: “This has nothing to do with games and is not a matter of legitimate public interest, but is simply a personal matter. I would hope and request that the games press be respectful of what IS a personal matter, and not news. This is explicitly about my private life, which has been regrettably forced into the public and framed by people who pose a threat to my safety and well being as well as that of the people I love. I would hope that the effort people have gone through to dress it up as anything more would not be enough to have those who see it for what it is take the bait.” I understand where Quinn is coming from, and want to respect her desire for privacy. At the same time, I do feel that there is some legitimate public interest in a game developer being attacked by “the internet.” At the same time as *that*, I don’t want to in essence reward the jerks doing this by giving their “issue” any attention at all (I’m not even going to give the bullshit “journalism ethics” excuse for these attacks the time of day. Even if there is any merit to those accusations, the sickening facts of these attacks easily overwhelms it) But then there’s this, from Quinn’s statement: “I have forfeited [my privacy] by being a “public figure” in a small community, while those who delight in assailing me hide behind their keyboards and a culture that permits it, beyond reproach.” That “beyond reproach” part is bugging me, because I would LOVE to use my platform to reproach this kind of behavior… but that would go against Quinn’s valid and understandable desire not to have this personal matter publicized by the media. So what’s to be done? Maybe we should just stick to Twitter to boost the signal on this one, rather than our “front pages.” (Quinn seemed initially OK with people retweeting her statement (https://twitter.com/TheQuinnspiracy/status/501644035593748481) but then she took down the original Tumblr post, so who knows). Maybe we should get a public letter of support going around decrying these kinds of personal attacks, signed by as many sympathetic journalists/developers as we can. Maybe we should just use this as an excuse to give more attention to her work… I know I’ve been meaning to review Depression Quest since its Steam release. Very interested to hear what others think on this. – … Kyle Aug 20 Re: [GameJournoPros] Re: Zoe Quinn Some thoughts from Klepek, for those still following along at home: http://patrickklepek.tumblr.com/post/95293807754/im-sure-youve-been-asked-already-but-how-do-you-feel -KO – – – Senior Gaming Editor, Ars Technica: <a href=”http://arstechnica.com/gaming/” target=”_blank” … Matthew Hawkins Aug 20 Re: [GameJournoPros] Re: Zoe Quinn Same here. Matt Hawkins | @fortninety – – … mike.rougeau Aug 20 Re: [GameJournoPros] Re: Zoe Quinn Ditto (though I doubt it really needs to be said – I’m guessing no one is going to start adding other people’s “signatures” indiscriminately?) / Mike Rougeau / Freelance Writer / Los Angeles / @roguecheddar / Same here. Matt Hawkins | @fortninety – … dancstarkey Aug 20 Re: [GameJournoPros] Re: Zoe Quinn I think that’s dead. I told Zoe I was sorry for the crapstorm, thanked her for being a kind person in the past. She said thanks and now I’m done.? … Kyle Aug 20 Re: [GameJournoPros] Re: Zoe Quinn Display images in this post - Always display images from Kyle - Always display images in Game Journalism Professionals Yeah, no one seems to be making any sort of group letter, and even if they were no one would be included on it without their consent I am sure. People should feel free to reach out to Zoe individually if they feel. -KO … Kyle Aug 20 Display images in this post - Always display images from Kyle - Always display images in Game Journalism Professionals A more official, non-tweeted response from Totilo: http://kotaku.com/in-recent-days-ive-been-asked-several-times-about-a-pos-1624707346 On Wednesday, August 20, 2014, Kyle Orland <kyle….@gmail.com> wrote: Yeah, no one seems to be making any sort of group letter, and even if they were no one would be included on it without their consent I am sure. People should feel free to reach out to Zoe individually if they feel. -KO On Wed, Aug 20, 2014 at 2:26 PM, Daniel Starkey <dancstarkey@gmail.com> wrote: I think that’s dead. I told Zoe I was sorry for the crapstorm, thanked her for being a kind person in the past. She said thanks and now I’m done.? On Wed, Aug 20, 2014 at 1:20 PM, Michael Rougeau <mike.rougeau@gmail.com> wrote: Ditto (though I doubt it really needs to be said – I’m guessing no one is going to start adding other people’s “signatures” indiscriminately?) / Mike Rougeau / Freelance Writer / Los Angeles / @roguecheddar / On Aug 20, 2014, at 11:02 AM, Matt Hawkins <matt@fort90.com> wrote: Same here. Matt Hawkins | @fortninety On Aug |
-Wilt or Oscar division -- they were the triple-double gods -- the most any player has had was 17, by Magic Johnson. Michael Jordan had a season with 15. The most LeBron James has had in a campaign was seven.
"Beast mode," Thunder guard Dion Waiters said of Westbrook. "That's what he does. He plays hard. He plays every game like it's his last. We expect that from him. We know how hard he's going to go out there and play, and when he rebounds like that, it gets everybody going, too."
Westbrook has always rebounded abnormally well for a guard, and most of that is because of his relentless never-stop nature. But he actually has a reason now for getting more aggressive on the defensive glass, seeing it as a catalyst to creating more easy offensive opportunities.
"I learned over the summertime whenever I rebound and start the break, it's better for our team," Westbrook said. "It gives the opposing team problems when I'm able to do that and push the break and get us easy points."
The Thunder certainly didn't hum along against the 76ers, struggling early to find an offensive flow before finally breaking loose with a 9-0 run -- sparked by guess who? -- to end the third quarter. It wasn't an encouraging performance for OKC, outside of the fact Westbrook didn't shoot particularly well, and Serge Ibaka finished 4-of-12 from the field, missing a number of clean midrange looks. Had three or four more gone down, Westbrook's line would've been that much more ridiculous.
The good news is the Thunder have to weather only a brief non-Durant storm, the primary help being a softened schedule, starting with Philadelphia on Friday. But no matter, the Thunder should be in fine shape. Uncaged and unfiltered Russell Westbrook has been unleashed again, if only for a week.Today’s patch contains all of the changes that I talked about in the previous test server update as well as a few events. The longest running one will end on April 26 so we can expect the 14th anniversary patch to hit that day!
Here’s the other world selection screen for this patch.
Here’s the MapleStory Update Info Centre video for this patch.
Growth Path Improvements
Theme dungeon and area quests below level 100 have been modified.
The following areas will be adjusted. Fairy Academy Ellinel Kerning City – Swamp Riena Strait Perion – Land of Boars Mushroom Castle Sleepywood Orbis El Nath Edelstein – Leben Mine Ariant Helisium
Some longer theme dungeons have had their total play time decreased.
. Quest completion experience and difficulties have been adjusted.
and have been adjusted. The number of monsters summoned in field maps have been increased.
Area medal quests have been added. When you complete all the quests in Kerning City’s Swamp, Orbis, or Ariant areas, you’ll receive a new medal.
(Lv. 45) Swamp Troubleshooter
(Lv. 70) Above the Clouds’ Helper
(Lv. 90) Ariant Culture Expert
Some content’s beginning level limits have been changed. However, if you have already begun them on lower level characters, you can continue to complete them.
FriendsStory (level 100 or higher)
(level 100 or higher) Black Heaven (level 120 or higher)
(level 120 or higher) Heroes of Maple (level 135 or higher)
Mu Lung Dojo
Some of the items sold by Lao have had their costs adjusted.
So Gong’s Gloves (75,000 points → 70,000 points)
(75,000 points → 70,000 points) Expert’s Gloves (60,000 points → 50,000 points)
(60,000 points → 50,000 points) Expert Apprentice’s Gloves (40,000 points → 30,000 points)
(40,000 points → 30,000 points) Mu Lung Dojo Unidentified Belt Box (3,000 points → 2,000 points)
(3,000 points → 2,000 points) Mu Lung Dojo Unidentified Glove Box (3,000 points → 2,000 points)
(3,000 points → 2,000 points) Mind and Body Training Centre Entry Charms 30 minutes (2,000 points → 1,500 points) 1 hour (3,500 points → 3,000 points) 3 hours (10,000 points → 8,000 points) 6 hours (18,000 points → 15,000 points) 12 hours (30,000 points → 28,000 points)
Training Dummy Summoning Bags (3,500 points → 2,500 points)
Some of the items sold by Lao have been adjusted.
NEW! Mind and Body Training Centre Entry Charm (9 Hours) [22,000 points]
Mind and Body Training Centre Entry Charm (9 Hours) [22,000 points] NEW! Mind and Body Training Centre Entry Charm (24 Hours) [54,000 points]
Mind and Body Training Centre Entry Charm (24 Hours) [54,000 points] REMOVED! Training Dummy Summoning Bag (Oak 75%)
Training Dummy Summoning Bag (Oak 75%) REMOVED! Training Dummy Summoning Bag (Oak 25%)
Training Dummy Summoning Bag (Oak 25%) REMOVED! Training Dummy Summoning Bag (Straw 100%)
Training Dummy Summoning Bag (Straw 100%) REMOVED! Training Dummy Summoning Bag (Straw 75%)
When you leave the Mind and Body Training Centre, you will now receive another Entry Charm based on the remaining time on your original Charm.
All gloves acquired from Mu Lung Dojo have been changed to Lucky Items, meaning they can count towards any set effect. This will also apply to gloves that you currently have.
Game Related
The item drop rate increase formula has been changed.
Item drop rate increasing effects will now be applied at the same time instead of being applied in a certain order based on the source’s type.
will now be instead of being applied in a certain order based on the source’s type. For some items, quest items, and event items, drop rate increasing effects will now only be partially applied.
,. The drop rate of Core Gemstones has been increased.
The effects of Union’s Luck and Wealth Acquisition Elixirs have been increased. Union’s Luck: 30% item drop rate → 50% item drop rate Wealth Acquisition Elixir: 10% item and meso drop rate → 20% item and meso drop rate
and have been increased.
When Star Force Enhancement cost discount events and MVP/PC Room discounts are applied at the same time, the pre-discount cost will now show the original cost.
This change was made to reduce confusion as previously, the pre-discount cost would show the event-discounted price. The discounted price will be calculated the same as before, the event discount then the MVP/PC Room discount.
In Floors 2~8 of The SEED, monsters will no longer drop mesos.
An error where you could enter the boss Von Leon even if your party members were on another channel has been fixed.
Skill Related
The cooldown reduction potential on Hat equipment has been changed. Now, if a skill has a 10 second cooldown or less, only a percentage of the potential’s cooldown reduction will apply.
The following errors have been fixed.
An error where Dark Knight’s Lamancha Spear would not appear to other characters when used has been fixed.
would not appear to other characters when used has been fixed. An error where Dark Knight’s transparency would be changed after using Beholder Impact in the Torrential Zone has been fixed.
in the Torrential Zone has been fixed. An error where Shadower’s Shadow Assault could hit Mimics has been fixed.
could hit Mimics has been fixed. An error where the contaminated area and real damage area created by Cannon Shooter’s ICBM were different has been fixed.
were different has been fixed. An error where some of Wild Hunter‘s summoned jaguar’s attacks’ damage would not apply has been fixed.
Skill Changes
All Jobs
Hero’s Will/Nova Hero’s Will/Erda’s Will: now gives immunity to status conditions for 3 seconds after using the skill
Dual Blade
Chains of Hell: damage has been increased from 105% → 150%, number of hits has been decreased from 10 → 7
Mercedes
Final Shot: can now be activated by pressing the basic attack key after using Charge Drive
can now be activated by pressing the basic attack key after using Charge Drive High Kick Demolition: can now be activated by pressing the ↑ arrow key + basic attack key after using Charge Drive
can now be activated by pressing the ↑ arrow key + basic attack key after using Charge Drive Rolling Moonsault: can now be activated by pressing the ↓ arrow key + basic attack key after using Charge Drive
Zero
Limit Break: cooldown reduction boost has been increased Level 25: Consumes 50 Time Force. Deals 775% damage 5 times on up to 15 enemies. Enemies hit will be binded for 10 seconds, and based on the damage done, the bind duration will be increased up to 100%. For 42 seconds, your skill cooldowns (except skills not affected by cooldown resets) will decrease (240% → 250% ) faster, your attack speed will be increased by 2 stages, your final damage will be increased by 35%, and all nearby enemies will be slowed. After the skill ends, all enemies affected by Limit Break will take an additional 20% of the damage they took during the skill 15 times. Cooldown: 240 seconds.
cooldown reduction boost has been increased
Kinesis
Ultimate – Train: now requires level 10 Ultimate – Deep Impact
Quest Related
The following errors have been fixed.
An error where the ‘Final Shout Towards Victory’ quest’s completion conditions and description did not match has been fixed.
An error where Luminous’ ‘Making the Protector Robot’ quest would take more materials than stated upon completion has been fixed.
Cash Shop Related
The April Royal Hair Coupon has been added and will be sold from March 23 to April 19. It includes the new Tangle Hair for females and the new Earl Grey Hair for males.
The Trendy Royal Face Coupon has been updated, with the new Bbabam Face for both males and females.
The Ruti pets (including Pink Ruti, Mint Ruti, and Purple Ruti) will be on sale from March 30 to April 26. They also come with Pet Dye Coupons so you can make them any colour you want!
The Gold Apple items have been updated with new special rewards.
They can now give Chaos Pink Bean rewards, new chairs (like the Frog Pond Chair and Cherry Blossom Picnic Chair), new ridings (like the Honey Cat Riding and Tall Balloon Riding), and Magnificent Souls.
The Royal Style Coupon will be on sale from March 30 to April 19 and contains many new items, including the Frog Raincoat set, the Filled Flower Pot, and the Catch Hamji! weapon.
It also contains the new Special Label: the Cherry Candy set. If you collect all 5 pieces of the set, you’ll receive the Tangle Cherry Chair.
The Master Label set is still the same, the Master Snow set.
For April Fool’s Day, a few items have been added to the Cash Shop.
The Change Royal Hair Coupon and Change Royal Face Coupon will be on sale from April 1 at 12 pm until April 5. These are very special as they give male hairs/eyes to female characters and vice versa!
In addition, the April Fool’s Masquerade Sets will be on sale during this period. They are special because unlike the regular Elizabeth/Napoleon sets, they have no gender restrictions!
The Maple Is Real event will take place from April 1 at 12 pm to 11:59 pm. During this event, a new package will be on sale in the Cash Shop.
The I’ll Give You Everything Package costs 6,500 Cash and gives 1 Red Cube, 1 Black Cube, 1 Maple Royal Style Coupon, 1 Masterpiece, and a 6,500 Maple Points Voucher. Basically, it’s free! You can only buy it once per Nexon ID, with Nexon Cash, and you must be level 100 or higher.
Event Related
Sweet Dash: The Honey
The Sweet Dash: The Honey event will run from March 30 to April 12.
The first part of the event is an attendance check! Each day, you must kill 2,000 monsters to get a stamp. Each day that you get a stamp, you’ll receive a prize.
Pendant of the Spirit (7 days, can be time-extended in non-Reboot worlds) Special Medal of Honor 2,000 Scroll Traces 2 Craftsman’s Cubes Special Medal of Honor Storm Growth Potion Selective 8 Slot Expansion Coupon 50% Epic Potential Scroll Gold Potential Stamp 2 Meister’s Cubes Honey is Falling medal (30 all stats, 2,000 HP/MP, 10 attack/magic attack, 10% boss damage/defense ignore, stats expire in 14 days) Damage Skin Storage Slot Expansion Coupon Personality Growth Potion Honey Honey Bee Damage Skin
The second part of the event includes a variety of special benefits that will be active for the entirety of the event.
Elite Monsters will appear 2x as frequently.
will appear. Runes’ experience buff effects will be increased by 100%.
will be increased by. Sudden Missions will appear more frequently and the daily clear limit will be increased by 2x.
will and the will be. Flame Wolf will award 2x the experience.
The last part of the event is a bunch of special decorations all over Maple World.
Multi Kill and Combo Kill effects have been changed to have sweet honey decorations.
and effects have been changed to have sweet honey decorations. Runes ‘ appearances have been changed to have honey decorations.
‘ appearances have been changed to have honey decorations. Elite Monsters‘ appearances have been changed to Cracked Honey Pots.
Sunday Maple
The Sunday Maple event will take place on April 2, April 9, April 16, and April 23. On each of these days, various benefits will take place.
On April 2, the following benefits will be active:
Road of Vanishing’s daily quests will award 2x the Symbols.
will award Chew Chew Island’s Hungry Muto quest will award 2x the Symbols.
quest will award. Lacheln’s Dream Breaker will award 2x the coins, and the daily coin limit will be increased by 2x.
will award, and the daily coin limit will be increased by 2x. Polo and Fritto’s quests will award 1.5x the experience.
On April 9, the following benefits will be active:
50% discount on the Honour cost to reset Ability.
on the Honour cost to. Burning Fields will increase in stages faster and will decrease in stages slower.
will increase in stages faster and will decrease in stages slower. Burning Fields‘ maximum stage will be increased from 10 to 15.
On April 16, the following benefits will be active:
Receive 4 2x Experience Coupons (30 minutes) [once per world]
[once per world] An additional Combo Orb will be created every 99 Combo.
On April 23, the following benefits will be active:
30% discount on the cost to Star Force enhance items.
on the cost to items. 5x the chance to get Magnificent Souls when trading in 10 Soul Fragments.
when trading in 10 Soul Fragments. When hunting, 2 Elite Monsters will be summoned at once.
Colourful Maple
The Colourful Maple event will run from March 30 to April 26. Each week of this event, various colourful benefits will take place!
From March 30 to April 5, the following benefits will be active:
Ghost Park 2x experience from killing monsters Receive 1 2x Experience Coupon (30 minutes) if you clear Ghost Park [limit of 1 per day per character]
Meisterville Receive 3 Infinite Fatigue Drinks when you login, which heal 70 Fatigue each [limit of once per character] 2x mastery from all creations in Meisterville 2x mastery from mining/herb collecting 2x the Empathy from mining 2x the Insight from herb collecting
From April 6 to April 12, the following benefits will be active:
Monster Collection 2x the chance to register a new monster Expeditions’ required times will be decreased by 50% You can purchase Mystery Monster Eggs from the Mileage Shop Note: You can purchase up to 5 Eggs. The first will cost 1,000 Mileage and the price will go up by 500 Mileage each time.
Evolving System 3x experience from killing monsters 2x drop rate of Evolving Coins You can purchase the Evolving Damage Skin (900 coins) and the Selective Evolving Personality Elixir (50 coins, limit of 5 per day) from the Evolving Coin Shop
From April 13 to April 19, the following benefits will be active:
Maple Union 2x the coins from daily quests (additional coins from this event will not be reflected in the Union Ranking) 50% discount on the coins required to increase your Maple Union rank
Dimension Invade 2x experience from killing monsters 2x the number of Supply Boxes
From April 20 to April 26, the following benefits will be active:
Monster Life Receive a 7 Gem Voucher Ticket every day (limit of 1 per day per Maple ID) 2x farm experience from completing the tutorial quests 2x the Waru creation rate/storage limit on all buildings 2x the chance to succeed at combing Special Monsters Free automatic Waru collection
Mu Lung Dojo 2x the acquired points (not including Ranking points) 2x experience from the Mind and Body Training Centre You can purchase the So Gong Training Dummy Summoning Sack or the Kemdi Training Dummy Summoning Sack for 5,000 points
Making Girlfriends and Boyfriends Project
The Making Girlfriends and Boyfriends Project event will take place on April 1, from 10 am to 11:59 pm.
The gist of this comic is that GM Sori is trying to interview someone to see where they’re going to go on a date this weekend. The passing-by Mapler (in a furious rage) said she should ask if they have a girlfriend first.
Then Kemdi appears and tells him not to worry. He’s going to introduce him to the love of his life!
How does this story end? You’ll have to login during the event and accept the event quest to find out.
AdvertisementsThink you need the budget of the military or a megacorporation to make an exoskeleton for heavy lifting? Nope -- all you need is some standard parts and the know-how to put them together. James Hobson (aka The Hacksmith) has finished a homemade robotic suit whose pneumatic cylinders let him curl 171.5 pounds' worth of cinder blocks with relative ease. While it's not the most sophisticated setup, it's only running at half pressure and could potentially double the load with a compressor upgrade. There's a work log at the source link if you're eager to see how this project came to be. With that said, you'll want to be cautious about trying this yourself -- there aren't any leg supports so far, and those blocks aren't exactly harmless. If you're like me, you'll probably feel safer watching Hobson's demo video below.Cloak yourself in pockets of sealed air with the Bubble Wrap Suit. This two-piece costume features a hooded jacket with a velcro closure and elastic waistband pants. And yes, the entire outfit is made from bubble wrap. Bubble Wrap Suit fits most adults.
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We are black-plague serious: This is 100% real.
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Answer: We believe that any child over 5 feet tall will fit into the Bubble Wrap Suit.Secretary of State Rex Tillerson cut short his recent visit with South Korean officials due to "fatigue," the Korea Herald reported on Friday.
According to the newspaper, the top U.S. diplomat did not have lunch or dinner with South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn during his visit.
The Korea Herald noted that Tillerson spent several hours meeting with Japanese officials, which included dinner meetings.
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The secretary of State reportedly did hold talks with both South Korean officials regarding the threat posed by North Korea's nuclear program.
Tillerson warned in remarks Friday that the U.S. "policy of strategic patience" with North Korea is over, saying the Trump administration would not rule out military action.
"All options are on the table," Tillerson said.
South Korea will likely see a significant change to its leadership in the coming weeks after the Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye in March.
The country must now hold a vote on a new leader within 60 days of the ruling.About The Author Kat Neville is a freelance Canadian web designer (living in the UK) who is constantly coming up with too many ideas for new websites. She also loves arts and … More about Kat…
What Makes A Great Cover Letter, According To Companies?
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Ah, the dreaded cover letter. Boring to write, difficult to get right, and you’re usually preoccupied by other things (such as the portfolio and resume, which are also really important). Unfortunately, your cover letter is a company’s first exposure to you, and it determines whether your application is trashed or fast-tracked to the company’s to-hire list.
Ah, the dreaded cover letter. Boring to write, difficult to get right, and you’re usually preoccupied by other things (such as the portfolio and resume, which are also really important). Unfortunately, your cover letter is a company’s first exposure to you, and it determines whether your application is trashed or fast-tracked to the company’s to-hire list.
The status of the cover letter is changing in the Web industry. While a well-formed cover letter still has a place, some companies believe that Web folk who rely on this archaic tool never make it to the next round. But what do I know? Let’s hear instead from some great Web and design agencies to get their advice on creating a great cover letter!
Further Reading on SmashingMag:
The Old Way: Copy, Paste… Personality-Free
Anyone who has ever recruited for a job has received “that letter.” And it’s always the same: usually a “Dear Sir/Madam,” followed by some generic schpiel about how the applicant will fit in well with the company, no matter what the role or company. The text is boring, as if copied from a “How to get a job” pamphlet from 1980. The companies I spoke to overwhelmingly hated form letters. So, first and foremost, personalize your email or letter. Secondly, tailor the letter to that company. Here is the advice of some companies on personalizing cover letters.
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No Sirs or Madams!
Addressing an actual person is so important. This was by far the most passionately made point by every company I spoke with. Companies want to know that you have taken the time to personalize your email. If you can’t find a name to address (which happens 10% of the time) or you’re not sure whom to address, at least use something like, “To the creative director at [company name]” (don’t forget to get the title and company right before sending!).
We trash generic inquiries (i.e. form letters) automatically. If you don’t care to put in a little effort to tailor your communication to my company, I sure don’t care to read it. Why do you want to work for Particular instead of some other company? How did you find us? Some indication that you’ve read the Particular or Matter websites is a good start. — Ash Arnett, PARTICULAR
I want to click delete if I see "Dear Sir/Madam" or "To whom it may concern." If you actually read our blog and mention one of the posts in your email, I know that you actually took the time to determine whether you liked what our organization is about or whether you just added our email address to your Bcc field. It's not hard to find out who you're talking to if you actually take time to browse our website. — Josh Cramer, Cramer Dev
The worst thing someone could do is send over a generic copy-and-pasted email in which they've just changed your name or company name. You'd be amazed how many people do this. It's an instant turn-off. You find people referencing things that have nothing to do with your company or any sort of job role you have available. — Andy Ashburner, Caffeinehit
Bcc Is Not Your Friend
We’ve all done it. We want to save time, so we mass email many people by “secretly” blind-copying them. Friends don’t really like it that much to begin with, so what makes you think a company would take you seriously?
Technology gives you power to Bcc 100 email addresses or more at a time. That is dangerous. Sadly, too many applicants send one email that is clearly being posted to many agencies and is not personalized at all. For me, getting a good job is not a numbers game. From greater effort springs reward. I can still remember the intros of all the people I hired. — Mark McDermott, Codegent
Really? You’re Real?
Showing personality, showing that you haven’t just copied the cover letter of your “Web designer” template, scores big points with employers. Demonstrating personality with real examples makes you even more real.
We look for clues that begin to reveal the candidate’s personality based on the tone and voice of the letter, as well as layout (which is actually more important to see in their resumes for some of the more design-oriented roles we have). — Boris Chen, Extractable
For a CSS designer, rather than just hearing you say, "I'm crazy about CSS," we're looking for your blogging or tweeting about the latest CSS3 developments and seeing you active in communities and forums. A prime example is that some of our team members are ALA authors or even have been on Smashing Magazine. Those things show you're passionate. — Dave Rosen, XHTMLized.com
Structuring Your Cover Letter
Cover letters are your first contact with employers, so getting the length and content right is important. Most companies agree that you should include some links to your work, and definitely follow any instructions that they put in the job advertisement!
You’ve Got 20 Seconds… Short and Sweet, Please!
Any Web design agency worth its salt is too busy these days. They have to beat off new clients with a stick. Remember that talented people are busy people, and most Web people have the attention span of a gnat. The Web is all about scanning, so make your cover letter adhere to the standards you apply to Web writing. Every word counts!
First, we’re busy people. We have a ton of projects and clients to manage, which generally means that we’re starved for time. This lack of time and volume of resumes means we don’t spend a good deal of time reading the emails or cover letters of every applicant (sorry, but it’s true). We’re not interested in verbose cover letters. In fact, just a line or two of copy in the email along with a link to the portfolio is plenty. Witty is fine, so is professional. — Geoff Teehan, Teehan+Lax
I look for short and sweet with a touch of personality in a covering email. But the most important thing by far is the first impression I get after clicking the link to see the applicant's website. The covering emails of both Kevin and André were strong: Hello, My name is Kevin John Gomez. I'm a web designer currently living in Brooklyn. I saw your post on Krop and you guys look like a really cool outfit... definitely a group I'd love to be a part of. Just thought I'd say hello and give you some of my information. My portfolio/blog: www.kevinjohngomez.com My online resume: www.kevinjohngomez.com/resume (let me know if you'd like a PDF) Anyway... nice work guys... keep it up. Kevin Hello Noam, I've just seen your job posting at Krop.com. I thought it might be interesting to drop you a line: www.dresouzax.com The easiest and fastest way to get me and my portfolio introduced. Cheers, André Souza — Noam Sohachevsky, Mint Digital
[Cover letters] have been replaced by email messages that must convey in two to three sentences the reason for your inquiry, your specific desired position within my firm, a phrase about your experience level, a link to your work samples and a sense of your personality. — Heather Olson, Larsen
Give Your Best Examples
Give examples of your work, but only the best. There’s no need to show 20 samples when 5 are good and 15 decent. This goes back to the time factor: remember, you have just 20 seconds to impress them. Give them your best, and if they want more, back it up with a portfolio. And don’t forget how much you hate receiving 10 MB attachments.
Generally, we won’t look beyond three websites that people have done (unless they are all good), so just serve a sample of your best. For JavaScript programmers, we ask that they include samples of… one or two short snippets of functions, along with an explanation of why they’re proud of that code. — Dave Rosen, XHTMLized.com
Thank God that the "creative period" for cover letters—when people sent their applications on CD roms (which never worked), linked to inventive portfolios (that always crashed) and so on—seems to be over and done with. — Claus Sølvsteen, Partner at Peytz & Co.
When we ask for design samples, we actually mean a link or a very small PDF, not twelve 20-MB files created in Corel Draw. — Scott Johnson, Rock Creek Strategic Marketing
If You Get Instructions, Follow Them!
Sometimes, job postings ask for something specific. They may ask, “What makes you passionate” or any other of a million questions. The employer does care about your answer (so make sure yours reflects well on your), but they often include the question to weed out those who can’t read or follow directions.
When we write job ads, we try to include some specific instructions, just to see whether the applicant makes an effort to follow them. So, for example, we might ask for a CV/resumé in PDF format and request a description of how the applicant meets the job spec. It’s amazing how many applicants don’t follow these simple instructions: many will send CVs in Word format or won’t even attempt to explain why they’re suited to the job. — Jonathan Kahn,Together London
We ask for six things from all our candidates: a catchy subject line, their top three skills, their best teamwork tactic, a URL, a resume and a reason why they want to work at ZURB. We ask for these things because we really want to see them. It's also a litmus test to see if the candidate can follow directions. We want people to follow directions, but we also like rule-breakers when it makes sense. — Bryan Zmijewski, ZURB (creator of Notable App)
If you’re available by phone, let them know. If you’ve sent out 1,000 applications, though, you risk getting a phone call in which you have no recollection of who they are or what you wrote in your cover letter to them.
Include relevant contact info (phone, cell, email, Twitter, etc.). Make sure you use a Gmail address (or something else professional-looking). You don’t want to be using a Hotmail address like sexy_stud_forever@hotmail.com. — Ryan Cash, Marketcircle
Words Score You Points
While not all companies expect you to be an expert writer, many want you to submit an adequately crafted cover letter. Overwhelmingly, companies agreed that spelling mistakes would cause them to look negatively on you, so you have no excuse. If you don’t have the writing skills, or the language is your second, find a friend or hire someone to help you.
“Your a Good Companie!” Why Spelling and Grammar Mistakes Will Bury You
I’m a stickler for spelling and grammar (if any errors are in this article, color my face red!), and I hate to admit that I do judge people by their writing abilities. Unfortunately, for weak writers, the employer’s first impression comes from your cover letter. If they notice an error, your application is already halfway to the bin.
The basics need to be right. Well written, good grammar, no spelling mistakes (people who can write well are always viewed in a positive light). Enthusiasm needs to shine through. Solid typography, nicely laid out, showing organization and flair, but nothing too fancy (as befits our own company style). We’re also happy if the cover letter is online rather than on paper. Really, it’s all about attention to detail and good writing. — Rich, Clearleft
Sweat the details of the wording itself. We can see pretty quickly whether you've made an effort, and we'll infer from that how much effort you would make when working with us. I think it's impossible to overstate how important good writing skills are for a Web design professional; the cover letter is your big opportunity. — Jonathan Kahn, Together London
Spell-check, spell-check, spell-check… Did I mention spell-check? — Mark McDermott, Codegent
Kisses of death: Typos, bad type, no personality, generic paper. — Justin Ahrens, Rule 29
Don’t Look Desperate
You may be desperate for the job, but your cover letter shouldn’t show it. You’ll scare them, and they’ll wonder why you have been having so much trouble finding work. You don’t want warning bells to sound in the introduction!
For speculative inquiries, an attractive cover letter explains what you’re about and why you’re interested in working with us. A small compliment helps us to understand what turns you on, although I don’t recommend flattery! Also, be careful with “I’m in need of work”-type wording, because no one wants to employ someone who’s desperate. The most attractive cover letters show the applicant’s confidence in their ability, a passion for a certain type of work, and genuine interest and excitement at the prospect of working with us. — Jonathan Kahn, Together London
Know The Company
A form letter does not usually have any information about the company being applied to. But taking the time to research the company and find common points of interest makes an impression. It shows you care about the company and that you think you will fit in.
Knowing the company also helps you set the tone of the letter, allowing you to inject personality that relates you to the company. Here are some more thoughts from the companies themselves!
What Does the Company Do?
Ask yourself what makes this company great and what it’s proud of. Getting in the employer’s state of mind makes it easier for you to sound as if “you would be a good fit” for the team!
What usually makes me want to meet people is if they’ve demonstrated that they understand their audience. This is crucial because it’s what we ultimately get paid to do. In this case, the audience is me. Do they understand who we work for and what we do? If all we do is campaign work for shoe companies, then showing me your latest intranet design isn’t a great idea. Do they use language that shows that they did a little homework? We say a lot on our website, and someone who takes the time to read it and adopt a style or language that’s appropriate to my business will stand out. — Geoff Teehan, Teehan+Lax
What makes a cover letter stand out? This is probably not a sexy answer, but not as obvious as you might think: take a second to learn something about the company you're submitting a resume or portfolio to. Is there a particular project or client you'd like to handle? Did one of us say something on a blog that you strongly agree or disagree with? Anything other than a generic form letter. Those are depressing to get and depressing to throw away. Yet amazingly, so many job seekers just blindly fire them off. — Rob Robinson, Mess Marketing
Make It as Good as the Company You’re Applying to
So, you want to work for the best agency in the city? In the world? Think about what kind of cover letter would impress it. Maybe more is required than a cover letter: you have to aim as high as the agency does.
This whole gig is about first impressions, isn’t it? Clients hire us because we have an amazing staff of designers who get people to say, “Hey, cool site.” And our developers build one-of-a-kind functionality that keeps visitors engaged and coming back. |
Facebook. They’re trying to reach out to as many people as possible. They’re hoping someone knows something.
“Please let us know you’re okay,” said her mom.
She was last seen driving her 2006 charcoal grey, four-door Toyota Corolla. Authorities say the car has tinted rear windows.
Family says calls to Kristen’s cellphone go straight to voice mail.
If you have any information — or if you seen Ghilardi — please call Santa Clarita Sheriffs immediately.How can we connect solar photovoltaics (PV) directly to railways to power electric trains? That’s the question my charity 10:10 and researchers at Imperial College’s Energy Futures Lab are trying to answer.
Electric trains are by far the best long distance transport mode when it comes to carbon emissions – at least when their electricity comes from renewable sources like solar or wind.
But the UK’s ageing power network poses a significant challenges to any bid to decarbonise road and rail that relies on the grid. There are now swathes of the British countryside where it is impossible to plug in any new solar, wind or hydropower without being hit with a whopping bill for the full costs of local network reinforcement.
Faced with this constraint, and squeezed by government subsidy cuts, UK solar developers have started to focus on ways to generate power directly for consumption, rather than exporting it to the grid. With the right customers, solar developers can offer lower tariffs than the grid, while still earning more for their power than they would get from exporting it.
Brighton gears up for new fleet of solar-powered buses Read more
Solar giant Lightsource, for example, recently signed a 25 year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Belfast airport that underwrote a neighbouring £5m solar farm, using a private wire to supply a quarter of the airport’s electricity needs.
Why solar and trains are perfect match
As an industrial client with high on-site daytime energy use and a structural reason to stay put, Network Rail has all of the features needed to support this kind of approach.
The UK’s electrified rail routes have all of the features needed to support this kind of PPA-based renewable development, and more. Network Rail is the UK’s single largest electricity consumer, with internal decarbonisation targets and a strong incentive to reduce operational energy costs. Alongside Transport for London (London’s largest electricity consumer), these companies spend around £500m every year on traction power for their trains.
There are already over 5,500km of electrified tracks in the UK, with a major electrification programme building or converting hundreds more over the coming decades.
Early indications suggest it should be possible to connect virtually anywhere on the approximately one-third of this network that uses the direct current (DC) traction power system, unlocking access to thousands of potential new sites that have previously been out of bounds to new renewables.
What’s more, the universe apparently wants this to happen: the standard operating voltage of the third and fourth rail DC routes is 630v-750v, while the standard output voltage of a solar PV array tends to be between 600v and 800v.
This serendipity makes the engineering challenge of connecting the two look very manageable, and the likely cost of the power interface equipment competitive with typical grid connection costs.
Conversion of renewable DC to grid alternating current (AC) results in something like 3% of the electricity being wasted, so supplying DC power direct to trains saves that loss too. Some of these DC routes already suffer from “under-powering”, meaning train operators cannot add more passenger capacity to these routes because the grid cannot supply the extra electricity needed to power the trains. At scale, our innovation could solve this problem as well.
World's biggest floating solar farm powers up outside London Read more
Solar trains in India
While our project has been driven by the UK context, direct connection of solar to railways will be a world first that has far wider potential application. Globally, most city metros around the world run on rail systems at 750V. If connection to AC overhead lines also proves viable through our work, then the market potential goes well beyond city metros.
For instance, analysts have identified inadequate distribution and transmission infrastructure as a key obstacle to realising India’s aggressive target of 100GW of solar PV capacity by 2022. But India already has over 25,000km of electrified tracks, and an electrification target of 2,000km of new tracks every year.
If our innovation means India can power its railways directly with trackside solar then we will have made a huge contribution to the global project to keep fossil fuels in the ground.
In the UK, if our feasibility study proves successful, the next step will be to prove the concept with a handful of real-world pilot projects. For this, we’re working with members of the Community Energy South umbrella group of renewable energy co-operatives to identify promising sites where they could install a megawatt or two of trackside solar.
Our vision here is to bring local people, commuters and rail employees together to crowdfund investment in these pioneering projects, sharing the financial rewards of progress in the low carbon transition as widely as possible.
Sign up to be a Guardian Sustainable Business member and get more stories like this direct to your inbox every week. You can also follow us on Twitter.Robert Griffin III should win the Heisman Trophy. From Baylor’s first game this year, when he shredded Gary Patterson’s vaunted TCU defense for 359 yards and five touchdowns, Griffin has consistently been the best performer in college football. He’s only a couple of yards shy of 4,000 for the season, he’s set an NCAA record for passing efficiency, and the former track star has rushed for 644 yards and nine touchdowns just for good measure. (Keep in mind “track star” isn’t just a way to say he’s fast; Griffin is literally a track champion.) Oh, sure, stats are stats — what matters is whether he’s a winner, right? Well, he won nine games at Baylor, a team that hasn’t done that since 1986. But is he clutch? Oh yeah, that. He’s clutch.
Let’s look at Griffin’s first touchdown this past weekend, which came in a 48-24 maelstrom delivered on a Texas team that led the Big 12 in total defense. On the second play of the game, Griffin hit his top target, inside receiver Kendall Wright for a 59-yard score.
On this play, Texas lined up in a Cover 2 look with two deep safeties back, but the key for Baylor began in the backfield. Baylor faked one of its best run plays, the “inverted veer.” Many think the play is like the zone read, but it’s not the same. Instead, the line leaves the defensive end or outside rusher (here, a linebacker) unblocked while the running back, the dangerous Terrance Ganaway, takes a wide path toward the outside. The quarterback reads the defensive end, and if he stays put or flies into the backfield, the quarterback simply hands the ball off. But if the end widens for the running back, the quarterback keeps it and runs a power play inside behind a pulling guard. It was Cam Newton’s best play at Auburn last season.
By showing this look, both Texas safeties find themselves peering into the backfield, particularly Blake Gideon. Wright helps sell the run by running (or “stemming”) his pass route inside rather than immediately running straight down the field.
The result of the run action and Wright’s inside release is that Gideon, the near safety, is way too close to the line of scrimmage to be an effective deep-pass defender. At this point, Griffin knows he should be able to hit the deep ball, he just needs to figure out where to place it. That depends on where the safeties are located.
From the wide view you can see Gideon has no chance, because he was fooled by the run action, while the far safety has widened so far to the opposite sideline that he is not in position to help on the deep pass to Wright. This might have been his responsibility — he might have expected Gideon to cap Wright’s deep route and prevent him from getting free — but in any event, that’s not Griffin’s concern. What is his concern is that his pass protection has broken down a bit, but no matter: He shuffles in the pocket, buys a little time, and throws one of those beautiful deep passes.
The result: 7-zip, Baylor. I hope the other result is that Griffin takes home the Heisman. But as Matt Hinton recently noted, whether he wins or not, Griffin is undoubtedly the best to ever put on a Baylor uniform, and, ultimately, that’s the most impressive — and meaningful — distinction of all.
Previously by Chris Brown:
LaMichael James’ 58-Yard Touchdown
Quarterbacking Made Simple
LSU and the Speed Option
Chris Brown runs the website Smart Football. Follow him on Twitter at @smartfootball.
Read more of The Triangle, Grantland’s sports blog.
Contact us at triangle@grantland.comAn extrasolar planet has been found by observing subtle changes in a star’s position in the sky for the first time. The technique, called astrometry, is best suited to finding planets at great distances from their stars, complementing more common techniques, which tend to turn up planets orbiting their stars at close range.
The planet’s star is also the lightest known to host a planet, and researchers hope other such discoveries will shed light on how common planets are around low-mass stars, which far outnumber their higher-mass cousins.
Most of the 350 or so known exoplanets have been discovered by the so-called radial velocity technique. Stars and planets actually orbit each other around their common centre of mass, and this method looks for telltale shifts in a star’s light spectrum that indicate the star is wobbling due to an orbiting exoplanet.
Another popular technique looks for periodic dips in a star’s brightness that occur when an orbiting planet passes in front of, or transits, its star.
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Both of those techniques are most sensitive to planets that orbit their stars at close distances. That’s because massive, close-in planets cause the most dramatic changes in a star’s velocity, measured in the radial velocity technique, and planets on tight orbits transit their stars more often than do planets orbiting farther away, making detections easier to confirm.
Now, astronomers led by Steven Pravdo of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory have discovered the first planet found using the astrometry technique, which was first used to hunt for extrasolar planets 50 years ago. The method searches for tiny changes in the position of a star in the sky as it moves due to an orbiting exoplanet.
‘Like a teeter-totter’
The technique is sensitive to finding planets far away from their stars. “With astrometry, you can picture it like a teeter-totter,” says David Charbonneau, a planet hunter at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. “The star is very massive and the planet is low mass, so the way you get a big wobble is by putting a planet way out on the other end of the balance beam.”
“The star is going to execute a circle on the sky because it’s do-si-do-ing with an unseen planet,” he continues. “The size of that circle is bigger if the planet is farther out, so it’s easier to measure.”
Indeed, even though the newly found planet lies relatively far away from its star, measuring changes in the star’s position was difficult.
Several times a year for the past 12 years, Pravdo and JPL colleague Stuart Shaklan bolted an instrument with a 16 megapixel CCD onto the 5-metre Hale Telescope at California’s Palomar Observatory. After observing the positions of 30 stars over that time, they spotted tiny changes in the position of one star that showed it had a planet. The detection was equivalent to measuring the width of a human hair from a distance of about 3 kilometres.
Small and cool
The newly found planet, which weighs about six times as much as Jupiter, orbits a type of low-mass star called a red dwarf.
Dubbed VB 10, the star lies about 20 light years away from Earth and weighs about one-twelfth the mass of the sun. It is so small and cool that the newfound planet, called VB 10b, gets very little heat from the star, even though it lies about as far away from the star as Mercury lies from the sun.
“We found a Jupiter-like planet at around the same relative place as our Jupiter, only around a much smaller star,” said Pravdo in a statement. “It’s possible this star also has inner rocky planets.”
Red dwarf planets
Pravdo says astronomers may be able to find any such planets, adding that Europe’s Very Large Telescope may be able to detect them with the radial velocity technique.
He adds that this discovery will shed light on how common planets are around low-mass red dwarf stars, which are the most abundant type of star in the galaxy. “The statistics are not as well known as for the solar-type systems,” Pravdo told New Scientist, adding that fewer than 10 red dwarfs have so far been found to host planetary systems.
If planets do turn out to be common around red dwarfs, “that would be really exciting”, he says. “Since more than seven out of 10 stars are small like this one, this could mean planets are more common than we thought.”
Proposed space missions, including NASA’s Space Interferometry Mission and Europe’s Gaia probe, would use the astrometry technique, with SIM hunting for planets slightly larger than Earth.
Journal reference: Astrophysical Journal (forthcoming)An e-commerce company co-owned by celebrity consumer advocate Eddie Hobbs has reported accumulated losses of more than €680,000 in accounts just filed to the Companies Office.
Mr Hobbs (53) is a shareholder and director of Treatdrop Limited, which is an online coupon creation and distribution business. He is also listed as its chief financial officer on the company’s website.
Losses at the firm increased by €29,367 last year and stood at €681,679 at the end of 2015, according to the latest accounts. The company owed €288,689 to its creditors and had a cash balance of €62,122 on 31 December last.
Treatdrop Ltd has two directors: Mr Hobbs and 36-year-old web entrepreneur, Paul Shiels. The accounts show that one of the directors is employed by the firm and was paid remuneration of €56,647 last year.
Podcast - GAA on TV3?
Mr Shiels is described as the co-founder, chief executive and chief engineer of the company on its website. The Dublin-based entrepreneur holds about 39 per cent of the company’s shares.
A further 39 per cent of the shares are co-owned by Mr Hobbs and his wife, Mary Feehily-Hobbs; while the author and financial adviser also co-owns an additional 1.5 per cent of the company with two other parties.
Online platform
Treatdrop Ltd was set up in September, 2012 with the aim of designing and operating an online platform that enables consumers to purchase vouchers for goods and services globally, according to company documents.
The firm’s website states that the online platform has been built by “a team of seasoned entrepreneurs and developers from the payment, marketing, technology and mobile industries”.
These include Mr Hobbs, Mr Shiels and Danuta Gray, the former chief executive of mobile communications giant, Telefonica O2.
The newly filed accounts for Treatdrop Ltd show that the €288,689 owed to creditors of the firm include €10,298 in relation to taxation and €5,093 in respect of bank loans and overdrafts. Mr Hobbs is owed €126,850 by the company.This review article considers the question of whether or not levodopa is toxic in Parkinson's disease (PD). l-dopa is the most effective symptomatic treatment for PD and has provided benefit for millions of patients. However, there has been a longstanding concern that l-dopa might be toxic and accelerate neuronal degeneration and clinical progression as a consequence of reactive oxygen species generated by the drug's oxidative metabolism. In vitro, l-dopa can induce degeneration of dopaminergic neurons, but it is not clear that the effects of the drug on cultured dopamine neurons reflect what happens in the PD brain. In vivo, l-dopa has not been demonstrated to have toxic effects on dopamine neurons in normal, dopamine-lesioned, or oxidatively stressed animal models, but none of these models precisely replicates the PD condition. Clinical trials have tested the effect of l-dopa on clinical progression and have not demonstrated any findings indicative of toxicity. However, the symptomatic and long-duration effects of the drug could mask ongoing neuronal degeneration. Furthermore, l-dopa induces a greater decline in imaging measures of dopaminergic function than placebo or dopamine agonists, consistent with toxicity. Pathological studies have not demonstrated evidence of accelerated loss of dopamine neurons, but prospective and properly controlled studies with stereological unbiased counting have not been performed. Thus, although there is no hard evidence to suggest that l-dopa is toxic in PD patients, the issue has not been fully resolved. It is generally recommended that physicians continue to use l-dopa, but in the lowest dose that provides satisfactory clinical control.
© 2014 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.In a recent analysis of a quarter million endpoint devices in 40 enterprises, every single corporate network showed evidence of a targeted intrusion but most of the activity was not yet at the most-dangerous data exfiltration stage.
"No matter how small the network we looked at, no matter what industry, we always found some indicators of a targeted attack," said Wade Williamson, director of product marketing at Vectra Networks.
The company offers network monitoring technology that looks for traces of behaviors that indicate malicious activity. This is Vectra's second edition of its post-intrusion report, and includes nearly twice as many companies as the previous report. The companies analyzed range from mid-sized firms with less than 1,000 users up to large companies with 50,000 users or more, and include both existing customers of Vectra as well as prospects getting this kind of scan for the first time.
According to Williamson, what the report shows is that every single network has some threats that sneak by perimeter defenses.
Vectra classifies these threats into behavioral categories.
The first phase, which accounts for 32 percent of the detected threats, is the command and control phase, where the attackers are just starting to get their first foothold, and the infections communicate back to their controllers.
Not all of this activity is automated.
"A lot of times, you need to put real fingers on keyboards as you're in the process of digging deeper into the network," said Williamson. "Maybe I grabbed some user credentials, can I log into this system or that system. I'm directing the attack."
After this point, the attack can progress in a couple of different ways.
One is to set up a botnet. According to Vectra, 18 percent of the active identified threats are engaged in this type of behavior. The vast majority of these, 85 percent, were engaged in click fraud, 5 percent were used for brute-force attacks against other targets, and 4 percent for outbound denial-of-service attacks.
Another path for attacks is to progress further into the enterprise. For the attacks, the next stage is reconnaissance, which accounts for 13 percent of threat activity, followed by lateral movement, which accounts for 34 percent of activity.
The majority of lateral movement activity, 56 percent, consists of brute-force attacks. Next, at 22 percent, is automated replication, followed by Kerberos attacks, which use stolen credentials and account for 16 percent of lateral movement activity.
While the number of botnet-related threats increased just about proportionately with the increase in networks analyzed, the growth in reconnaissance behaviors was nearly four times higher, and the growth in lateral movement was almost seven times higher.
The last stage, data exfiltration, is the most dangerous to the enterprise, but accounts for just 3 percent of the activity detected.
That gives enterprises a window of opportunity to detect and clear out these attacks before they do damage -- but also explains why attackers can spend months inside a corporate network before they are caught.
Williamson warned, however, that just because 3 percent of attacks are in the exfiltration phase, doesn't necessarily mean that the average intrusion campaign spends very little time on exfiltration.
"It's not necessarily proportional to time," he said. "Once they get an exfiltration channel set it up, they can leave it open to steal data for a long while."
Vectra also analyzed ways the attackers stayed hidden.
The most common technique attackers used to hide their communications was fake browser activity, at 36 percent, and newly-generated domains, used 25 percent of the time. The anonymous TOR network was used 14 percent of the time, followed by external remote access at 13 percent.
Techniques used least frequently include pulling instructions, stealth HTTP posts, hidden HTTPS tunnels, malware updates, peer-to-peer networks, and hidden HTTP tunnels.
Hidden tunnels in particular are difficult to detect, since attackers can embed coded messages in text fields, headers, or other session parameters of otherwise normal traffic. To make detection even harder, the attackers can take advantage of encrypted traffic.
"We are able to identify hidden tunnels within this encrypted traffic without having to decrypt it," said Williamson.
Vectra does this by analyzing behavioral patterns.
It turns out, he added, that attackers prefer to hijack encrypted channels.
For example, encrypted HTTPS communications are preferred more than two to one over unencrypted HTTP for command-and-control communications.
The best news in this year's report is that the percent of threats that were involved in exfiltration -- 3 percent -- was about half of that seen last year.
But that could be because Vectra customers used the analysis of their networks to shut down the attacks before they hit that stage.
"They're using us to spot and identify the threats that are getting past the upstream security," said Williamson. "They will take this information and use it to respond to the threats."
Vectra did not break out the numbers for networks that they were analyzing for the first time.
This story, "Report: Every company is compromised, but most infections not yet at critical stage" was originally published by CSO.2 SHARES Share Tweet
“Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty”
Oath Keepers is now launching a Trucker Division, which we are calling the Oath Keepers Highway Recon Team (HRT). The purpose is to harness patriotic American truckers (and other professional drivers) as patriot eyes and ears on the nation’s roadways. This nation is facing dangerous times ahead, and we need the great patriots who drive our roads to help us collect and disseminate information and intelligence on what is happening, and help us coordinate effective response and aid to our fellow Americans in need. Recent events such as the flooding in Louisiana underscore the dire need for this program. It would have been great to be able to send some relief supplies by having a trucker with some extra room in his trailer pick them up along his route, and deliver them to LA.
Who can join? The Oath Keepers Trucker HRT membership is open to all current and former truck drivers, hot shot drivers, delivery drivers, bus and limo drivers and anyone else with a CDL, as well as full-time, or long distance RV’ers. Truckers are patriots, and many are former military, police, or other first responder veterans. If you are on the road, we want you on our team, even if you’re not prior service. Join Now
Truckers are on our roads everyday, and see everything that goes on, and whenever there is any critical incident or emergency in this nation, there will be truckers nearby. We will train truckers on how to gather information reliably, how to do a good S.A.L.U.T.E. report (Size, Activity, Location, Unit, Time, Equipment), how to take good pictures, and what to look for when out on the road, and in return, we will take good care of our truckers and their families.
Membership Benefits:
Access to OK Trucker HRT only communication and intel systems. When a trucker joins Oath Keepers, they will be connected to other Oath Keepers truckers, to our growing network of local and state Oath Keepers chapters, to our intelligence and communications teams, and to our leadership at each level. You will be given access to an Oath Keepers members-only (and password protected) Zello OK Trucker chat channel for the region of the U.S. you live in and those regions you travel through regularly. Zello is a smart phone app that functions like a walkie talkie and is available for Andriod and iOS.
Here is a map of the regions:
You will also be given access to a National OK Trucker Zello channel, and a separate tip line you can call or text to provide info.
Through Zello, you’ll be able to network with other Oath Keepers Truckers on the road, and share information on natural and man made disasters, civil unrest, and other unusual occurrences.
Once you join, you’ll also have access to our our exclusive members only forum, where you’ll be able to get further information and training on Zello. Only members will be given the password to get in to the Zello channels.
OK HRT Truckers will be given the option of receiving critical alerts by text message on their cell phone (to be used only for real emergency alerts for each region). Those who don’t want text alerts can opt out.
SPECIAL TRAINING: Trucker members will also be connected to our growing nationwide network of HAM radio communication experts and intelligence experts, to receive exclusive training in emergency communications and intelligence oriented information gathering. They will also be taught how to protect themselves and their rigs, and critical “preparedness” skills to weather any disaster out on the road, and emergency medical skills, as part of our Community Preparedness Team (CPT) Program.
FAMILY SAFE and TRUCKER SAFE:
Family Safe: All our Trucker members and their families will be considered critical personnel and protected personnel. In exchange for you being willing to serve as patriot eyes and ears on the road, we will open our Family Safe program to you and your family, so that if you are stranded far from home during an emergency (natural or man-made) you will know that our local Oath Keepers chapters near your family will consider it a duty to make sure your family is safe (the same kind of protection we offer to local police, fire, EMT and other first responder families). The reality is, no first responder is going to be able to go out and do their job unless their family is safe, and the same is true for our patriot truckers. We want you to be able to stay on the roads, doing your critical job as long as you can. Therefore, we will task our local Oath Keepers and Community Preparedness Teams (CPT) with considering your family to be high priority protected personnel. Once you join, you will need to connect with the nearest Oath Keepers chapter and CPT, and coordinate with them with the information they will need to communicate and coordinate with your family to protect them from any predatory criminals and give them aid and shelter during emergencies. Trucker Safe: If an OK Trucker HRT member is stuck in an emergency far from home, that trucker can contact a local Oath Keepers chapter and CPT for assistance and shelter for the trucker and for his or her rig, again, against either natural or man-made threats such as rioters, looters, and predatory criminals. You may recall what happened to trucker Reginald Denny during the 1992 LA “Rodney King” Riots, or the recent robbing of drivers, looting of their trucks, and burning of cargo on I-85 during the Charlotte, NC riots.
Historically, Truckers Are Attacked During Riots, Looting, and “Failure of Civility” Civil Unrest
Once you join, we will need you to let us know your most common route, so we can put you in touch with local Oath Keepers chapters and CPTs along that route (we are developing a roster of active CPTs in each state, so you can contact those closest to you along your route, when you need help).
We are so concerned about where our nation is headed, that we are working night and day to develop a well connected network of Oath Keepers from the national level, to the regional (multi-state) level, to the state, county, and town level, all connected with both “grid up” and “grid down” methods of communication and coordination.
This is a critical component of the Oath Keepers mission. You can join the Trucker HRT without having prior military or law enforcement experience. Serve as patriot eyes and ears, working closely with our intelligence teams at the national, regional, and state level to gather vital intelligence information and reporting potential critical incidents.
Most importantly you will be a valued member of the Oath Keepers team when it comes to collecting critical information as you drive the highways and roads of our great country.
We will teach you how to collect the information that will be used to generate actionable intelligence.
Help make America strong again from the bottom up! Join the Oath Keepers Trucker Highway Recon Team (HRT) today!
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For the Republic,
Stewart Rhodes
Founder and President of Oath KeepersImage: Flickr/makelessnoise
Receiving the wrong type of blood during a transfusion can be a fatal mistake. But what do you do when you have type A blood flowing through your veins, but the hospital only has type B on hand? A newly developed enzyme could change that type B blood into type O, what's known as a "universal" blood type, allowing for a successful emergency transfusion.
A and B blood types are distinguished by their antigens: carbohydrate chains that coat the red blood cell. Type O, however, has no antigens, which allows it to be transferred even to people with A or B type blood, according to the American Red Cross. Type O blood is also the most common blood type, but type O patients can't accept anything but their own type, so producing more type O blood will be a boon for just about everyone. (As long as we're not producing the stuff in futuristic factories, anyway.)
To transform one type of blood to another, researchers at the University of British Columbia developed an enzyme that, once introduced to donated blood, can quickly strip the cells of their antigens, making them type O. A paper describing their work was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
"This idea has been around for a number of years, but the problem has been that the enzymes that are known to be able to remove antigens from blood cells are really not efficient at all," David Kwan, lead author of the paper, told me. "It hasn't been practical to do this on any kind of scale that would be useful for clinical applications. We've developed a method to improve the efficiency of these enzymes."
The approach involved randomly mutating the enzyme's genes, Kwan said, for several generations, only selecting the more efficient versions as they went along. "It's like evolution in nature, but it's done in a lab," Kwan said. The final product was 170 times more efficient than the enzyme they started with
The idea of changing one blood type to another using special enzymes was pioneered by a scientist named Jack Goldstein in the 1980s. Since then, researchers have attempted to identify the right enzymatic approach to creating a universal blood supply, often citing the lack of efficient enzymes that would make the technique cost-effective and quick as a barrier.
With this new enzyme, the dream of making blood transfusions safer by changing blood types on the go is closer to becoming a reality.Well, that’s a bizarre video huh? I had my internet detective hat on the other day. I was searching for footage of Judge playing in high school. Gathering some gifs of him stuffing kids in basketball.
While also making his free throws. Dude’s 6’7″!
I was happy to find those but then the internet does what the internet does and led me to the above video. Aaron Judge fake dying in a drinking and driving accident. Cops telling his parents the news. Hospital crews zipping him up in a body bag (do you think they had to special order a body bag for him?) Weird. Super weird find.
For those still completely in the dark. This video is part of an event called Every 15 Minutes that some High Schools do. It’s basically a scared straight about drinking and driving. They pick a handful of kids and stage them getting into a drunken driving accident. Then the whole school watches as they lay there in the wreckage and watch the real-time response time of the ambulance and police. It’s morbid. It’s sad. It’s weird.
But Aaron Judge was the best person this High School could have chosen to die. No brainer decision. He’s literally a giant. He’s a three-sport all-star. He was probably both prom King and Queen. If that guy dies, then the school takes notice. If it was me who died, people would be like, “ah shit, who?” But Aaron Judge dies and the whole state probably mourns him. So not only did Aaron Judge bash home runs, block shots, and break tackles, he also saved lives. He’s a super human.
Also, that was a good acting job by his parents. They were pretty sad about their son fake dying. They were much happier when he for real got drafted.
So here’s to Aaron Judge, a should be football player that is mashing home runs for the Yankees right now, who also saved lives in High School.
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Snap | StoreHow could he have answered a question? The first, surely, would be how his new promise to work tirelessly for Julia Gillard's victory over Tony Abbott at the next election squared with his declaration over recent days that she couldn't beat Abbott. Still, the appearance before the press of the vanquished after every leadership challenge is a ritualised thing — a path down which every loser must walk (with the spectacular exception of Mark Latham after the election of 2004, who kicked a photographer, damned the world and wrote the most vitriolic diary in Australian political history). Rudd stuck to the copy book. 2.05pm: For all those on Twitter not following the Prime Minister's press conference, she has sent out a message rallying the online forces:
Meanwhile, The Age Political Editor Michelle Grattan has filed this analysis, saying now that Rudd has been vanquished, the hard work starts. Julia Gillard and her troops have blown Kevin Rudd out of the water with a campaign that used all the political force her backers could muster. The caucus overwhelmingly ignored the polls giving Rudd the advantage over both the PM and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott. MPs were driven by a combination of loyalty, hatred of Rudd and the judgment that overthrowing a second PM in less than two years would get them into worse trouble than ever. But what now, amid all the talk of "unity"? 1.58pm: Anthony Albanese, who publicly showed the strains of the Labor leadership struggle with an emotional address declaring his support for Kevin Rudd on the weekend, has been graceful in defeat.
This political drama is over and you [the public] are back at centre stage where you should properly be. 1.45pm: Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is on now, getting his word in before Question Time starts at 2pm. He has described today's events as a stay of execution for Julia Gillard, rather than a political victory. "The challenge for this PM is to finally run a competent government. It's pretty clear based on what we have already seen that nothing will change.
"We are a great country, but we are a great country that is being let down by a bad government. Only the coalition can give Australia the stable and competent government that it needs. "The clear answer from today is the only way we can get real clarity is from an election. I think the prime minister of this country should be chosen by the people and not by the faceless men. One thing is certain at the moment - the people of Australia do not own the government. Mr Abbott raises eyebrows by claiming, against the constent "Dr No" allegations levelled against him by the government, that he is "a model of positivity" compared to the actions of the Labor party in the past week.
"I have no confidence in this prime minister. There are 72 Coalition members of the Parliament who have no confidence in the prime minister. There are now 31 members of the caucus who have no confidence in this prime minister. "I am formally requesting the independents to state their positions, whether they have confidence in this PM." Greens Leader Bob Brown is also holding a hastily convened press conference ahead of Question Time, where he mentions that he has already sent Julia Gillard a card congratulating her for her win today. Well isn't that sweet!
1.29pm: "Any more questions?" the press gallery erupts and Julia Gillard exits stage left with a cheeky grin. Fighting Julia was definitely back in the house and keen to, as she said, get on with the job. 1.19pm: More from Ms Gillard. She has promised to announce a ministerial reshuffle in coming days to permanently fill the Foreign Affairs portfolio previously occupied by Kevin Rudd: "We have come together before and we will do so now. At the end of the day as Labor people we are driven by a common purpose. "I want to say to Kevin Rudd for the days that lie beyond, as a nation as a Labor party we must honour his achievements as PM. "He's been an amazing advocate of Australia's interest on the world stage.
"As for now Dr [Craig] Emerson will act as minister for foreign affairs." And a seemingly rushed and slightly testy Ms Gillard was keen to get the leadership issue behind her as soon as possible: "I absolutely believe that united we can win the next election and I am determined that in the 2013 election we will do so. "I feel impatient, I want to get on with the job of building this nation's future."
1.10pm: An unusually punctual Julia Gillard is up now. "Australians have had a gutful of seeing us focus on ourselves. Today I want to say to Australians one and all, this issue, the leadership question is now determined. "I have today received the overwhelming endorsement of my Labor colleagues. "I can assure you that this political drama is over and you [the public] are back at centre stage where you should properly be." 1.01pm: Julia Gillard is up shortly now - about 1.10pm - and is expected to rally the troops to begin presenting a unified image, in stark contrast with the brutal bickering of the past week.
In our latest piece of breaking analysis, Sydney Morning Herald Political Editor Peter Hartcher writes that Labor has overwhelmingly stood by the factions and rejected the will of the people. For a political party that has |
Perceptual learning is learning better perception skills such as differentiating two musical tones from one another or categorizations of spatial and temporal patterns relevant to real-world expertise as in reading, seeing relations among chess pieces, knowing whether or not an X-ray image shows a tumor.
Sensory modalities may include visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, and taste. Perceptual learning forms important foundations of complex cognitive processes (i.e., language) and interacts with other kinds of learning to produce perceptual expertise.[1][2] Underlying perceptual learning are changes in the neural circuitry. The ability for perceptual learning is retained throughout life.[3]
Examples [ edit ]
Basic sensory discriminations [ edit ]
Laboratory studies reported many examples of dramatic improvements in sensitivities from appropriately structured perceptual learning tasks. In visual Vernier acuity tasks, observers judge whether one line is displaced above or below a second line. Untrained observers are often already very good with this task, but after training, observers' threshold has been shown to improve as much as 6 fold.[4][5][6] Similar improvements have been found for visual motion discrimination[7] and orientation sensitivity.[8][9] In visual search tasks, observers are asked to find a target object hidden among distractors or in noise. Studies of perceptual learning with visual search show that experience leads to great gains in sensitivity and speed. In one study by Karni and Sagi,[3] the time it took for subjects to search for an oblique line among a field of horizontal lines was found to improve dramatically, from about 200ms in one session to about 50ms in a later session. With appropriate practice, visual search can become automatic and very efficient, such that observers do not need more time to search when there are more items present on the search field.[10] Tactile perceptual learning has been demonstrated on spatial acuity tasks such as tactile grating orientation discrimination, and on vibrotactile perceptual tasks such as frequency discrimination; tactile learning on these tasks has been found to transfer from trained to untrained fingers.[11][12][13][14] Practice with Braille reading and daily reliance on the sense of touch may underlie the enhancement in tactile spatial acuity of blind compared to sighted individuals.[15]
In the natural world [ edit ]
Perceptual learning is prevalent and occurs continuously in everyday life. As our perceptual system adapts to the natural world, we become better at discriminating between different stimuli when they belong to different categories than when they belong to the same category. We also tend to become less sensitive to the differences between two instances of the same category.[16] These effects are described as the result of categorical perception. Categorical perception effects do not transfer across domains.
Infants, when different sounds belong to the same phonetic category in their native language, tend to lose sensitivity to differences between speech sounds by 10 months of age.[17] They learn to pay attention to salient differences between native phonetic categories, and ignore the less language-relevant ones. In chess, expert chess players encode larger chunks of positions and relations on the board and require fewer exposures to fully recreate a chess board. This is not due to their possessing superior visual skill, but rather to their advanced extraction of structural patterns specific to chess.[18][19]
Extensive practice reading in English leads to extraction and rapid processing of the structural regularities of English spelling patterns. The word superiority effect demonstrates this—people are often much faster at recognizing words than individual letters.[20][21]
In speech phonemes, observers who listen to a continuum of equally spaced consonant-vowel syllables going from /be/ to /de/ are much quicker to indicate that two syllables are different when they belonged to different phonemic categories than when they were two variants of the same phoneme, even when physical differences were equated between each pair of syllables.[22]
Other examples of perceptual learning in the natural world include the ability to distinguish between relative pitches in music,[23] identify tumors in x-rays,[24] sort day-old chicks by gender,[25] taste the subtle differences between beers or wines,[26] identify faces as belonging to different races,[27] detect the features that distinguish familiar faces,[28] discriminate between two bird species ("great blue crown heron" and "chipping sparrow"),[29] and attend selectively to the hue, saturation and brightness values that comprise a color definition.[30]
Brief history [ edit ]
The fact that with huge amounts of practice, individuals can reach impressive perceptual expertise, whether in wine tasting, fabric evaluation or musical preference, has been well acknowledged for centuries, along with the prevalent idiom that "practice makes perfect". The first documented report, dating to the mid-19th century, is the earliest example of tactile training aimed at decreasing the minimal distance at which individuals can discriminate whether one or two points on their skin have been touched. It was found that this distance (JND, Just Noticeable Difference) decreases dramatically with practice, and that this improvement is at least partially retained on subsequent days. Moreover, this improvement is at least partially specific to the trained skin area. A particularly dramatic improvement was found for skin positions at which initial discrimination was very crude (e.g. on the back), though training could not bring the JND of initially crude areas down to that of initially accurate ones (e.g. finger tips).[31] William James devoted a section in his Principles of Psychology (1890/1950) to "the improvement in discrimination by practice".[32] He noted examples and emphasized the importance of perceptual learning for expertise. In 1918, Clark L. Hull, a noted learning theorist, trained human participants to learn to categorize deformed Chinese characters into categories. For each category, he used 6 instances that shared some invariant structural property. People learned to associate a sound as the name of each category, and more importantly, they were able to classify novel characters accurately.[33] This ability to extract invariances from instances and apply them to classify new instances marked this study as a perceptual learning experiment. It was not until 1969, however, that Eleanor Gibson published her seminal book The Principles of Perceptual learning and Development and defined the modern field of perceptual learning. She established the study of perceptual learning as an inquiry into the behavior and mechanism of perceptual change. By the mid-1970s, however, this area was in a state of dormancy due to a shift in focus to perceptual and cognitive development in infancy. Much of the scientific community tended to underestimate the impact of learning compared with innate mechanisms. Thus, most of this research focused on characterizing basic perceptual capacities of young infants rather than on perceptual learning processes.
Since the mid-1980s, there has been a new wave of interest in perceptual learning due to findings of cortical plasticity at the lowest sensory levels of sensory systems. Our increased understanding of the physiology and anatomy of our cortical systems has been used to connect the behavioral improvement to the underlying cortical areas. This trend began with earlier findings of Hubel and Wiesel that perceptual representations at sensory areas of the cortex are substantially modified during a short ("critical") period immediately following birth. Merzenich, Kaas and colleagues showed that though neuroplasticity is diminished, it is not eliminated when the critical period ends.[34] Thus, when the external pattern of stimulation is substantially modified, neuronal representations in lower-level (e.g. primary) sensory areas are also modified. Research in this period centered on basic sensory discriminations, where remarkable improvements were found on almost any sensory task through discrimination practice. Following training, subjects were tested with novel conditions and learning transfer was assessed. This work departed from earlier work on perceptual learning, which spanned different tasks and levels.
A question still debated today is to what extent improvements from perceptual learning stems from peripheral modifications compared with improvement in higher-level readout stages. Early interpretations, such as that suggested by William James, attributed it to higher-level categorization mechanisms whereby initially blurred differences are gradually associated with distinctively different labels. The work focused on basic sensory discrimination, however, suggests that the effects of perceptual learning are specific to changes in low-levels of the sensory nervous system (i.e., primary sensory cortices).[35] More recently, research suggest that perceptual learning processes are multilevel and flexible.[36] This cycles back to the earlier Gibsonian view that low-level learning effects are modulated by high-level factors, and suggests that improvement in information extraction may not involve only low-level sensory coding but also apprehension of relatively abstract structure and relations in time and space.
Within the past decade, researchers have sought a more unified understanding of perceptual learning and worked to apply these principles to improve perceptual learning in applied domains.
Characteristics [ edit ]
Discovery and fluency effects [ edit ]
Perceptual learning effects can be organized into two broad categories: discovery effects and fluency effects.[1] Discovery effects involve some change in the bases of response such as in selecting new information relevant for the task, amplifying relevant information or suppressing irrelevant information. Experts extract larger "chunks" of information and discover high-order relations and structures in their domains of expertise that are invisible to novices. Fluency effects involve changes in the ease of extraction. Not only can experts process high-order information, they do so with great speed and low attentional load. Discovery and fluency effects work together so that as the discovery structures becomes more automatic, attentional resources are conserved for discovery of new relations and for high-level thinking and problem-solving.
The role of attention [ edit ]
William James (Principles of Psychology, 1890) asserted that "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.".[32] His view was extreme, yet its gist was largely supported by subsequent behavioral and physiological studies. Mere exposure does not seem to suffice for acquiring expertise.
Indeed, a relevant signal in a given behavioral condition may be considered noise in another. For example, when presented with two similar stimuli, one might endeavor to study the differences between their representations in order to improve one's ability to discriminate between them, or one may instead concentrate on the similarities to improve one's ability to identify both as belonging to the same category. A specific difference between them could be considered'signal' in the first case and 'noise' in the second case. Thus, as we adapt to tasks and environments, we pay increasingly more attention to the perceptual features that are relevant and important for the task at hand, and at the same time, less attention to the irrelevant features. This mechanism is called attentional weighting.[36]
However, recent studies suggest that perceptual learning occurs without selective attention.[37] Studies of such task-irrelevant perceptual learning (TIPL) show that the degree of TIPL is similar to that found through direct training procedures.[38] TIPL for a stimulus depends on the relationship between that stimulus and important task events[39] or upon stimulus reward contingencies.[40] It has thus been suggested that learning (of task irrelevant stimuli) is contingent upon spatially diffusive learning signals.[41] Similar effects, but upon a shorter time scale, have been found for memory processes and in some cases is called attentional boosting.[42] Thus, when an important (alerting) event occurs, learning may also affect concurrent, non-attended and non-salient stimuli.[43]
Time course of perceptual learning [ edit ]
The time course of perceptual learning varies from one participant to another.[11] Perceptual learning occurs not only within the first training session but also between sessions.[44] Fast learning (i.e., within-first-session learning) and slow learning (i.e., between-session learning) involves different changes in the human adult brain. While the fast learning effects can only be retained for a short term of several days, the slow learning effects can be preserved for a long term over several months.[45]
Explanations and Models [ edit ]
Receptive field modification [ edit ]
Research on basic sensory discriminations often show that perceptual learning effects are specific to the trained task or stimulus.[46] Many researchers take this to suggest that perceptual learning may work by modifying the receptive fields of the cells (e.g., V1 and V2 cells) that initially encode the stimulus. For example, individual cells could adapt to become more sensitive to important features, effectively recruiting more cells for a particular purpose, making some cells more specifically tuned for the task at hand.[47] Evidence for receptive field change has been found using single-cell recording techniques in primates in both tactile and auditory domains.[48]
However, not all perceptual learning tasks are specific to the trained stimuli or tasks. Sireteanu and Rettenback[49] discussed discrimination learning effects that generalize across eyes, retinal locations and tasks. Ahissar and Hochstein[50] used visual search to show that learning to detect a single line element hidden in an array of differently-oriented line segments could generalize to positions at which the target was never presented. In human vision, not enough receptive field modification has been found in early visual areas to explain perceptual learning.[51] Training that produces large behavioral changes such as improvements in discrimination does not produce changes in receptive fields. In studies where changes have been found, the changes are too small to explain changes in behavior.[52]
Reverse hierarchy theory [ edit ]
The Reverse Hierarchy Theory (RHT), proposed by Ahissar & Hochstein, aims to link between learning dynamics and specificity and the underlying neuronal sites.[53] RHT proposes that naïve performance is based on responses at high-level cortical areas, where crude, categorical level representations of the environment are represented. Hence initial learning stages involve understanding global aspects of the task. Subsequent practice may yield better perceptual resolution as a consequence of accessing lower-level information via the feedback connections going from high to low levels. Accessing the relevant low-level representations requires a backward search during which informative input populations of neurons in the low level are allocated. Hence, subsequent learning and its specificity reflect the resolution of lower levels. RHT thus proposes that initial performance is limited by the high-level resolution whereas post-training performance is limited by the resolution at low levels. Since high-level representations of different individuals differ due to their prior experience, their initial learning patterns may differ. Several imaging studies are in line with this interpretation, finding that initial performance is correlated with average (BOLD) responses at higher-level areas whereas subsequent performance is more correlated with activity at lower-level areas[citation needed]. RHT proposes that modifications at low levels will occur only when the backward search (from high to low levels of processing) is successful. Such success requires that the backward search will "know" which neurons in the lower level are informative. This "knowledge" is gained by training repeatedly on a limited set of stimuli, such that the same lower-level neuronal populations are informative during several trials. Recent studies found that mixing a broad range of stimuli may also yield effective learning if these stimuli are clearly perceived as different, or are explicitly tagged as different. These findings further support the requirement for top-down guidance in order to obtain effective learning.
Enrichment versus differentiation [ edit ]
In some complex perceptual tasks, all humans are experts. We are all very sophisticated, but not infallible at scene identification, face identification and speech perception. Traditional explanations attribute this expertise to some holistic, somewhat specialized, mechanisms. Perhaps such quick identifications are achieved by more specific and complex perceptual detectors which gradually "chunk" (i.e., unitize) features that tend to concur, making it easier to pull a whole set of information. Whether any concurrence of features can gradually be chunked with practice or chunking can only be obtained with some pre-disposition (e.g. faces, phonological categories) is an open question. Current findings suggest that such expertise is correlated with a significant increase in the cortical volume involved in these processes. Thus, we all have somewhat specialized face areas, which may reveal an innate property, but we also develop somewhat specialized areas for written words as opposed to single letters or strings of letter-like symbols. Moreover, special experts in a given domain have larger cortical areas involved in that domain. Thus, expert musicians have larger auditory areas.[54] These observations are in line with traditional theories of enrichment proposing that improved performance involves an increase in cortical representation. For this expertise, basic categorical identification may be based on enriched and detailed representations, located to some extent in specialized brain areas. Physiological evidence suggests that training for refined discrimination along basic dimensions (e.g. frequency in the auditory modality) also increases the representation of the trained parameters, though in these cases the increase may mainly involve lower-level sensory areas.[55]
Selective reweighting [ edit ]
In 2005, Petrov, Dosher and Lu pointed out that perceptual learning may be explained in terms of the selection of which analyzers best perform the classification, even in simple discrimination tasks. They explain that the some part of the neural system responsible for particular decisions have specificity, while low-level perceptual units do not.[36] In their model, encodings at the lowest level do not change. Rather, changes that occur in perceptual learning arise from changes in higher-level, abstract representations of the relevant stimuli. Because specificity can come from differentially selecting information, this "selective reweighting theory" allows for learning of complex, abstract representation. This corresponds to Gibson's earlier account of perceptual learning as selection and learning of distinguishing features. Selection may be the unifying principles of perceptual learning at all levels.[56]
The impact of training protocol and the dynamics of learning [ edit ]
Ivan Pavlov discovered conditioning. He found that when a stimulus (e.g. sound) is immediately followed by food several times, the mere presentation of this stimulus would subsequently elicit saliva in a dog's mouth. He further found that when he used a differential protocol, by consistently presenting food after one stimulus while not presenting food after another stimulus, dogs were quickly conditioned to selectively salivate in response to the rewarded one. He then asked whether this protocol could be used to increase perceptual discrimination, by differentially rewarding two very similar stimuli (e.g. tones with similar frequency). However, he found that differential conditioning was not effective.
Pavlov's studies were followed by many training studies which found that an effective way to increase perceptual resolution is to begin with a large difference along the required dimension and gradually proceed to small differences along this dimension. This easy-to-difficult transfer was termed "transfer along a continuum".
These studies showed that the dynamics of learning depend on the training protocol, rather than on the total amount of practice. Moreover, it seems that the strategy implicitly chosen for learning is highly sensitive to the choice of the first few trials during which the system tries to identify the relevant cues.
Consolidation and sleep [ edit ]
Several studies asked whether learning takes place during practice sessions or in between, for example, during subsequent sleep. The dynamics of learning are hard to evaluate since the directly measured parameter is performance, which is affected by both learning, inducing improvement, and fatigue, which hampers performance. Current studies suggest that sleep contributes to improved and durable learning effects, by further strengthening connections in the absence of continued practice.[44][57][58] Both slow-wave and REM (rapid eye movement) stages of sleep may contribute to this process, via not-yet-understood mechanisms.
Comparison and contrast [ edit ]
Practice with comparison and contrast of instances that belong to the same or different categories allow for the pick-up of the distinguishing features—features that are important for the classification task—and the filter of the irrelevant features.[59]
Task difficulty [ edit ]
Learning easy examples first may lead to better transfer and better learning of more difficult cases.[60] By recording ERPs from human adults, Ding and Colleagues investigated the influence of task difficulty on the brain mechanisms of visual perceptual learning. Results showed that difficult task training affected earlier visual processing stage and broader visual cortical regions than easy task training.[61]
Active classification and attention [ edit ]
Active classification effort and attention are often necessary to produce perceptual learning effects.[58] However, in some cases, mere exposure to certain stimulus variations can produce improved discriminations.
Feedback [ edit ]
In many cases, perceptual learning does not require feedback (whether or not the classification is correct).[55] Other studies suggest that block feedback (feedback only after a block of trials) produces more learning effects than no feedback at all.[62]
Limits [ edit ]
Despite the marked perceptual learning demonstrated in different sensory systems and under varied training paradigms, it is clear that perceptual learning must face certain unsurpassable limits imposed by the physical characteristics of the sensory system. For instance, in tactile spatial acuity tasks, experiments suggest that the extent of learning is limited by fingertip surface area, which may constrain the underlying density of mechanoreceptors.[11]
Relations to other forms of learning [ edit ]
Declarative & procedural learning [ edit ]
In many domains of expertise in the real world, perceptual learning interacts with other forms of learning. Declarative knowledge tends to occur with perceptual learning. As we learn to distinguish between an array of wine flavors, we also develop a wide range of vocabularies to describe the intricacy of each flavor.
Similarly, perceptual learning also interacts flexibly with procedural knowledge. For example, the perceptual expertise of a baseball player at bat can detect early in the ball's flight whether the pitcher threw a curveball. However, the perceptual differentiation of the feel of swinging the bat in various ways may also have been involved in learning the motor commands that produce the required swing.[1]
Implicit learning [ edit ]
Perceptual learning is often said to be implicit, such that learning occurs without awareness. It is not at all clear whether perceptual learning is always implicit. Changes in sensitivity that arise are often not conscious and do not involve conscious procedures, but perceptual information can be mapped onto various responses.[1]
In complex perceptual learning tasks (e.g., sorting of newborn chicks by sex, playing chess), experts are often unable to explain what stimulus relationships they are using in classification. However, in less complex perceptual learning tasks, people can point out what information they're using to make classifications.
Applications [ edit ]
Improving perceptual skills [ edit ]
An important potential application of perceptual learning is the acquisition of skill for practical purposes. Thus it is important to understand whether training for increased resolution in lab conditions induces a general upgrade which transfers to other environmental contexts, or results from mechanisms which are context specific. Improving complex skills is typically gained by training under complex simulation conditions rather than one component at a time. Recent lab-based training protocols with complex action computer games have shown that such practice indeed modifies visual skills in a general way, which transfers to new visual contexts. In 2010, Achtman, Green, and Bavelier reviewed the research on video games to train visual skills.[63] They cite a previous review by Green & Bavelier (2006)[64] on using video games to enhance perceptual and cognitive abilities. A variety of skills were upgraded in video game players, including "improved hand-eye coordination,[65] increased processing in the periphery,[66] enhanced mental rotation skills,[67] greater divided attention abilities,[68] and faster reaction times,[69] to name a few". An important characteristic is the functional increase in the size of the effective visual field (within which viewers can identify objects), which is trained in action games and transfers to new settings. Whether learning of simple discriminations, which are trained in separation, transfers to new stimulus contexts (e.g. complex stimulus conditions) is still an open question.
Like experimental procedures, other attempts to apply perceptual learning methods to basic and complex skills use training situations in which the learner receives many short classification trials. Tallal, Merzenich and their colleagues have successfully adapted auditory discrimination paradigms to address speech and language difficulties.[70][71] They reported improvements in language learning-impaired children using specially enhanced and extended speech signals. The results applied not only to auditory discrimination performance but speech and language comprehension as well.
Technologies for perceptual learning [ edit ]
In educational domains, recent efforts by Philip Kellman and colleagues showed that perceptual learning can be systematically produced and accelerated using specific, computer-based technology. Their approach to perceptual learning methods take the form of perceptual learning modules (PLMs): sets of short, interactive trials that develop, in a particular domain, learners' pattern recognition, classification abilities, and their abilities to map across multiple representations. As a result of practice with mapping across transformations (e.g., algebra, fractions) and across multiple representations (e.g., graphs, equations, and word problems), students show dramatic gains in their structure recognition in fraction learning and algebra. They also demonstrated that when students practice classifying algebraic transformations using PLMs, the results show remarkable improvements in fluency at algebra problem solving.[56][72][73] These results suggests that perceptual learning can offer a needed complement to conceptual and procedural instructions in the classroom.
Similar results have also been replicated in other domains with PLMs, including anatomic recognition in medical and surgical training,[74] reading instrumental flight displays,[75] and apprehending molecular structures in chemistry.[76]
See also [ edit ]The Flash star Grant Gustin posted the trailer to Twitter (see below), telling fans to watch Arrow's finale on Wednesday for a sneak peek at The Flash -- a sentiment the trailer itself reiterates. Presumably (as predicted), the 75 seconds added to Arrow will accommodate the first look, be it a trailer, a post-credits scene or some variation on the two.
The brief look at The Flash doesn't actually show Barry Allen himself -- just Oliver Queen as Arrow, in a field in the middle of nowhere, seeing the ground being disturbed, followed by a blur of motion that leads to the logo. Could this mean that the pilot for The Flash features a cameo (or more) by Arrow himself? We'll almost certainly find out more over the next couple of days -- and this likely cements the idea that Arrow star Stephen Amell's teased Facebook reveal will be Flash-related.
Check out the tweet and the Arrow trailer below.Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently held a rally at the airport in the northern Turkish city of Trabzon. During his speech, the crowd started chanting: “Armenian bastards cannot deter us.” Erdogan did not warn or condemn the crowd as they repeated their ugly slogans.
Garo Paylan, an Armenian MP from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), launched a criminal complaint through his lawyer, Levent Piskin, against those who organized the rally on October 15 and those who shouted the slogan for “public incitement to hatred and hostility towards and denigration of the Armenian people.”
“The fact that Erdogan stayed silent and did not stop the slogans has facilitated the targeting of Armenians,” said the petition, which continued: “Paylan has seriously been impacted by these slogans and has been exposed to threats and insults by people encouraged by the slogans.”
Paylan said that Erdogan, Suleyman Soylu (the Turkish minister of interior), and Veysel Eroglu (the minister of forestry and water affairs) were present at the rally, “as eyewitnesses” to the incident.
Turkey not only still aggressively denies the 1915 Armenian genocide, but also continues to insult the survivors of the genocide for their Armenian identity. And this tradition dates back to the founding phase of the Turkish Republic in 1923.
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder and first president of Turkey, declared on March 16, 1923, in a speech to the Adana Turkish Merchant Society:
"The Armenians have no right whatsoever in this beautiful country. Your country is yours, it belongs to Turks. This country was Turkish in history; therefore it is Turkish and it shall live on as Turkish to eternity.... Armenians and so forth have no rights whatsoever here. These bountiful lands are deeply and genuinely the homeland of the Turk."
This denialist, discriminatory, and degrading policy regarding Armenians is still alive and well in Turkey.
Erdogan himself, during an interview broadcast on Turkish TV in 2014, referred to Armenians as “ugly.”
The Clarion Project reported that since August of last year, military curfews have been imposed on several predominantly Kurdish towns in southeastern Turkey. “While Turkish security forces destroyed the town of Cizre in September, 2015, they announced on a loudspeaker to the local Kurdish population: ‘Armenians are proud of you; you are all Armenians. You are Armenian bastards.’
“The Human Rights Association of Turkey (IHD) also reported that the police announced to the Kurds of Cizre that they were ‘Armenian sperms.’
“None of the police officers or soldiers responsible for these announcements has been brought to account, apparently because they acted in accordance with the official line of the Turkish regime.”Furnaces for sapphire glass production
This year however, the aforementioned Korean tech giants might be forced by the industry to reconsider their decision. With numerous other gadget manufacturers putting a lot of thought into making sapphire glass feasible, and with Apple already operating the sapphire glass processing plant in US, Arizona, LG and Samsung are supposedly going to jump on the sapphire display bandwagon sooner rather than later.
Apple is leading the way in the adoption of sapphire, with the company producing the material in limited quantities in its new Arizona plant. A portion of this material is expected to land in the iPhone 6 and possibly the iWatch as a scratch-resistant display material. According to Korean media reports (via GforGames ), both Samsung and LG are showing renewed interest in sapphire following Apple's early success in manufacturing the material.LG and Samsung allegedly explored the feasibility of using sapphire in their phones last year, but rejected the material due to the high cost of production. Now that Apple is moving forward with the material, Samsung and LG are reevaluating their earlier decisions, reaching out to sapphire glass manufacturers and requesting product samples for examination.Sapphire may be a critical component of Apple's rumored iWatch, providing an outer scratch-resistant layer to the wrist-worn device. Recent rumors also suggest Apple may incorporate a sapphire crystal display into its upcoming iPhone 6. A recent research note from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests the initial supply of sapphire displays could be limited, forcing Apple to use the material only in select high-end models of the upcoming handset.The late carpet entrepreneur Des Kelly
The late Des Kelly was deeply involved in volunteering for a homeless charity in Dublin, which only his family and close friends knew about during his lifetime.
Known as 'The Carpet Man', Mr Kelly (75) passed away suddenly in the early hours of yesterday at his home in Dunboyne, Co Meath.
Volunteering to help the homeless was his "one great passion" in recent years, according to friends.
Long-time pal and work colleague Paul O'Farrell, an accountant with the family business, explained Mr Kelly felt blessed to have been so successful and always wanted to give back.
Popular
He volunteered with the Morning Star Hostel for the homeless on North Brunswick Street, but kept the work below the radar during his life.
"It's probably a side of him that is the least well known, but he was working with the Morning Star Hostel for many, many years.
"Des always cared deeply about homelessness, long before the current crisis that we're in and the current media attention," Mr O'Farrell said.
"He felt he had a good life and was blessed by all the success he had. He wanted to give back.
"He worked on a very hands-on basis. He would go down and dish out food, or help with organising the finances, if that's what was needed.
"It's not something he talked about that much, though his close friends would have known about it," Mr O'Farrell explained.
Mr Kelly started dealing in second-hand carpets in the 1960s and eventually built up Des Kelly Interiors, which operates 13 shops and has around 100 staff.
"He was a father figure to us. Des was very well liked by his staff and in the community," Mr O'Farrell said.
"We have been getting phone calls of condolence all day."
The respected businessman had eight children with his wife Youlanda - Matthew, Desmond, Denise, Gregory, Gillian, Yolanda, Orlando and Gerardo.
The family was deeply affected by his wife's death from cancer in 2013.
"I think that would have had a deep impact on him. She was his rock and she was with him all along. The family were only just coming to terms with her death," Mr O'Farrell said.
Mr Kelly was also well known for supporting his local League of Ireland team, Bohemian FC.
Backing
In a statement, the team thanked Mr Kelly for his support and financial backing over the years.
"Des had an extremely close relationship with the club for many years and gave us incredible backing as main sponsor for nearly a decade.
"Everyone at Bohs would like to extend our deepest sympathies to Des' family," it said.
Mr Kelly passed away suddenly in the night.
Mr O'Farrell said it came as a shock and was unexpected and described his friend and a fit and healthy man.
Mr Kelly's remains are reposing at his home today from 2pm until 7pm and from 11.30am to 3pm tomorrow, with funeral mass being held on Monday at noon at the Holy Trinity Church, Ratoath.
The family has requested donations in lieu of flowers to the Morning Star and Regina Ceoli hostels.May 10, 2015
So, I recently wanted to broadcast a nonstandard tx and didn’t want to wait for full blockchain sync on my dev machine.
I knew that Eligius supports the Free Tx Relay Policy, and that I’d sent them nonstandard txs before, but all the IPs I could find weren’t accepting connections. Finally I found 68.168.105.168 and was able to connect and broadcast the message. Later I realised you can search getaddr.bitnodes.io for ‘eligius’ to find nodes.
This is a great start, but we still need to send the transaction. By default Bitcoin Core does not relay transactions that:
Are nonstandard
Contain outputs not in the current UTXO set
At this point we are going to need to compile a version of Bitcoin Core. We will need to address the above two problems to broadcast a transaction. The second problem is included so we don’t have to download the whole blockchain, allowing us to relay pretty much anything.
The first section of code to change is IsStandard() in script\standard.cpp. Source Link. The quickest way to fix this is add a return true; at the top of the function like so:
bool IsStandard(const CScript& scriptPubKey, txnouttype& whichType) { return true; vector<valtype> vSolutions; if (!Solver(scriptPubKey, whichType, vSolutions)) <snip>
Sweet, now all transactions are standard for our node. The next part is to relay transactions even when we can’t validate the outputs they spend. When troubleshooting before I ran into this error message being thrown. To avoid more debugging I figured the best thing to do was just rip the whole block of code out. That is to say this:
<snip> bool fHaveChain = existingCoins && existingCoins->nHeight < 1000000000; if (!fHaveMempool &&!fHaveChain) { // push to local node and sync with wallets CValidationState state; bool fMissingInputs; if (!AcceptToMemoryPool(mempool, state, tx, false, &fMissingInputs,!fOverrideFees)) { if (state.IsInvalid()) { throw JSONRPCError(RPC_TRANSACTION_REJECTED, strprintf("%i: %s", state.GetRejectCode(), state.GetRejectReason())); } else { if (fMissingInputs) { throw JSONRPCError(RPC_TRANSACTION_ERROR, "Missing inputs"); } throw JSONRPCError(RPC_TRANSACTION_ERROR, state.GetRejectReason()); } } } else if (fHaveChain) { throw JSONRPCError(RPC_TRANSACTION_ALREADY_IN_CHAIN, "transaction already in block chain"); } RelayTransaction(tx); <snip>
Becomes this:
<snip> bool fHaveChain = existingCoins && existingCoins->nHeight < 1000000000; RelayTransaction(tx); <snip>
So, all that’s left to do is compile bitcoind, run it with -connect=68.168.105.168, wait for the connection to initialize (which can be checked with bitcoin-cli getpeerinfo ) and then sendrawtransaction when you’ve confirmed the connection. If all goes well the tx will appear in the next eligius block!
7 KudosJudging by these three stories from the last twenty-four hours or so, there's still a fair number of folks out there who really do want to repeal the twentieth century and travel back to the good old days of the nineteenth.
First, there's the always amusing/pathetic GOP congressman Steve King, who says an "urban" President Obama is presiding of "slavery reparations" by supporting a settlement in a discrimination case between the USDA and black farmers:
On Monday night, he suggested that President Obama, as a senator, may have been prejudiced to help the black farmers. "Figure this out, Madame Speaker: We have a very, very urban Senator, Barack Obama, who has decided he's going to run for president, and what does he do?" King said. "He introduces legislation to create a whole new Pigford claim." He then said the claims -- which stem from discrimination against black farmers in the 1980s and 1990s -- are "slavery reparations." "We've got to stand up at some point and say, 'We are not gonna pay slavery reparations in the United States Congress,'" he said.
Next up, we've got Judson Phillips, the president of Tea Party Nation, who apparently believes that only people who own property should be allowed to vote:
PHILLIPS: The Founding Fathers originally said, they put certain restrictions on who gets the right to vote. It wasn’t you were just a citizen and you got to vote. Some of the restrictions, you know, you obviously would not think about today. But one of those was you had to be a property owner. And that makes a lot of sense, because if you’re a property owner you actually have a vested stake in the community. If you’re not a property owner, you know, I’m sorry but property owners have a little bit more of a vested interest in the community than non-property owners.
And last but certainly not least, we've got perhaps the most bizarre story of the bunch: apparently, some southerners are celebrating the one hundred fiftieth anniversary of the their secession from the United States:
ATLANTA — The Civil War, the most wrenching and bloody episode in American history, may not seem like much of a cause for celebration, especially in the South. And yet, as the 150th anniversary of the four-year conflict gets under way, some groups in the old Confederacy are planning at least a certain amount of hoopla, chiefly around the glory days of secession, when 11 states declared their sovereignty under a banner of states’ rights and broke from the union. The events include a “secession ball” in the |
wax. Ever.
You can still do the same things. You can still run, jump, shoot and interact with quest givers. There is no mechanical difference. It's just that now you have globular appendages rather than pectorals, tufts of dirt sticking out of a joint rather than arms or legs. Though it's considerably more appealing to be able to play as a futuristic soldier, the parallel still stands. Male players already have the luxury of playing as something designed to be more identifiable than that; it's not too much to ask developers to give the other half of the population the same opportunity. And, besides, there's also the simple question of, 'Why the hell not?' Not too long ago, the Pentagon opened up a myriad of front-line jobs that have been previously off-limits to the female population - a belated move, perhaps, if you take into account the fact that many countries already allow women to risk life and limb for their homeland. Given the fact that such elements do exist in the real world, why shouldn't I be able to play as a woman in Ghosts? It's practically un-Constitutional.
Books, movies, radio dramas and many of the other forms of entertainment predating video games have done an exemplary job at being rather inclusive in comparison. One of my favorite cartoon characters of all time is Garrett Miller from the Extreme Ghostbusters, a wheelchair-bound adrenaline junkie who was physically fitter than anyone else in the cast. Disabled character that people can empathize with and rejoice in? It's totally been done before, bro and we can totally do it again. Female models in Call of Duty: Ghosts might not be a big thing but it's a good thing. Having a large fraction of the world's population recognized in some capacity is never bad.
To put it another way, the one common denominator that we all share is a lifespan measured in decades. Unless you luck out, chances are that when you're old and decrepit, you're going to find yourself shelved in favor of the younger generation's interests, forgotten in the wake of the wider demographic. When that time comes, the importance of requited attention will probably hit home.
Who cares if you can play a girl in Call of Duty: Ghosts?
You should, honestly.CHICAGO, Ill. (Friday, Jan. 3, 2014) – The Chicago Fire Soccer Club announced Friday that goalkeeper Sean Johnson and forward Mike Magee have been selected by the United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Jurgen Klinsmann to participate in the annual January training camp at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. from Jan. 6 – Feb. 1.
After six days in California, a 23-player group will head to Sao Paulo from Jan. 13-25 to give the players and staff a dry run of the upcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. The team will then return to the U.S. Soccer National Training Center.
The four-week training camp will culminate with an international friendly against to Korea Republic on Saturday, Feb. 1 at the StubHub Center at 4:00 p.m. CT. (ESPN2/WatchESPN/UniMas).
A Lilburn, Ga. product, Johnson made his international debut Jan. 22, 2011 against Chile at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Johnson earned his first start for the U.S. Men’s National Team and earned the shutout in a 0-0 draw with Canada at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, Texas Jan. 29.
The 24-year-old ‘keeper has been capped four times and last summer competed in the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup, earning the shutout in the 1-0 win against Costa Rica on July 16 in the final group match of the tournament. The U.S. would go on to defeat Panama 1-0 in the final, winning the Gold Cup for the fifth time.
In four seasons as a professional, Johnson has made 100 Regular Season appearances for the Men in Red, earning 21 shutouts and making 325 saves while tallying a 41-33-26 career record.
The reigning Volkswagen MLS Most Valuable Player, Magee earns the call after a breakout season for the Fire. Magee joined the Fire in a trade on May 25 from the LA Galaxy. In 22 games with the Men in Red, Magee scored 15 goals and tallied four assists.
Prior to joining the Fire, Magee scored six goals with the LA Galaxy, bringing his season total to 21 goals, just one shy of Vancouver Whitecaps FC forward Camilo Sanvezzo, the 2013 MLS Golden Boot winner.
The eleven-year MLS veteran earned his first career MLS All-Star nomination when he was named to the 2013 MLS All-Star Fan XI and faced Italian Serie A side AS Roma in July. In 2013, Magee was also named to his first career MLS Best XI.
A U.S. Youth International, Magee participated in the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship in the United Arab Emirates. The Chicago native has yet to make his senior international debut.
U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION
GOALKEEPERS (4) : Tally Hall (Houston Dynamo), Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS (10) : Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders FC), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Clarence Goodson (San Jose Earthquakes), Michael Harrington (Portland Timbers), Chris Klute (Colorado Rapids), Chance Myers (Sporting Kansas City), Shane O’Neill (Colorado Rapids), Seth Sinovic (Sporting Kansas City), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)
MIDFIELDERS (8) : Eric Alexander (New York Red Bulls), Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Benny Feilhaber (Sporting Kansas City), Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake), Dax McCarty (New York Red Bulls), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)People sit in a bus as they await evacuation to Russia from Donetsk, Ukraine. (Alexander Ermochenko/European Pressphoto Agency)
Fighting raged in eastern Ukraine ahead of a planned cease-fire, amid increasing doubts over the workability of a day-old peace deal.
The battle between Russian-backed rebels and Ukrainian government forces appeared to be intensifying before the cease-fire that is set to go into effect at the start of Sunday, as both sides battled for advantageous positions. At least 28 people were reported killed since Thursday.
The violence came as leaders gave starkly different interpretations of what had been agreed to during the marathon negotiations in Minsk, Belarus, raising questions about how long any truce would last.
Among the issues were the status of the front lines, freedom for a politically important Ukrainian army aviator in Russian custody and a promised Ukrainian amnesty for the separatist rebels.
The deal had been seen as a last chance to avoid an even broader confrontation between the rebels and Ukrainian forces. Fighting had spiked since mid-January, sweeping away the remnants of a peace agreement reached in September and claiming hundreds more lives in a conflict that has become Europe’s bloodiest since the Balkan wars of the 1990s.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says that his country is still a long way from peace and that there are no guarantees a cease-fire will take hold. (Reuters)
But with such major disagreements, leaders warned that even if the cease-fire goes into effect, the deal reached after 15-hour talks in the Belarusan capital may soon break down.
“Nobody has a firm confidence that the Minsk agreements will be observed,” Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Friday at a speech in the training center of the Ukrainian national guard. “We are still far from peace, but we hope that it is a way toward de-escalation.”
At least 5,400 people have been killed in the 10-month-old conflict, according to U.N. estimates. More than 1 million people have been displaced.
Key questions were left unresolved in the 13-point peace deal, including the status of the vital Ukrainian-held railway hub of Debaltseve, where pro-Russian rebels have nearly surrounded as many as 8,000 Ukrainian troops.
Intense battles were taking place there Friday, both sides reported, as they tried to establish or hold advantageous positions before their weapons were to fall silent Sunday.
U.S. officials on Friday accused Russia of stepping up supplies of munitions in eastern Ukraine, even as the clock was ticking toward the cease-fire. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Russia had deployed
“a large amount” of artillery, multiple-rocket launchers and air defense systems around Debaltseve, activities that she characterized as contrary to the spirit of the accord signed this week in Minsk.
“We are confident that these are Russian military, not separatist systems,” she said.
1 of 63 Full Screen Autoplay Close March 3, 2015 Tuesday March 2, 2015 Monday Feb. 21, 2015 Saturday Feb. 19, 2015 Feb. 18, 2015 Wednesday Feb. 14, 2015 Saturday Feb. 9 to Feb. 10, 2015 Skip Ad × Violence continues in eastern Ukraine View Photos Fighting between government forces and pro-Russian separatists has worsened since a tenuous cease-fire failed. Caption As part of the cease-fire, government forces and rebels swapped prisoners. March 5, 2015 An elderly woman walks to a bus stop in Donetsk, Ukraine, a stronghold for pro-Russian rebels. The neighborhood, close to the city's airport, has seen heavy shelling over the past months. John MacDougall/AFP/Getty Images Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue.
The United States was joined by Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Britain, along with the presidents of the European Council and the European Commission, in a joint statement Friday saying they remain concerned about the situation in Ukraine, in particular in view of the fighting around Debaltseve. “We urge all sides to adhere strictly to the provisions of the Package and to carry out its measures without delay,” starting with the cease-fire Sunday, the statement said.
Even aspects of the deal that appeared relatively clear fell into dispute Friday.
On Thursday, Poroshenko jubilantly declared that a female Ukrainian helicopter navigator held by Russia would soon be freed under a plan to release all prisoners of war. Nadiya Savchenko has become a folk hero in Ukraine. But a Kremlin spokesman threw cold water on the idea of her release Friday, saying that Savchenko was still under investigation.
“She is not an illegally held person, she is not a POW, she is not a hostage. She is under investigation in strict accordance with current legislation,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agencies. Separately, a top judicial official said that courts had no plan to release her.
And although Kiev agreed in the deal to issue an amnesty to those who took part in pro-rebel actions, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin told parliament Friday that the pardon would not extend to rebel leaders because of a September law excluding those who had committed “grave crimes.”
Rebels said that was a sign that the Ukrainian government was already backing away from the deal. “We will only be ready for unconditional compliance with the Minsk accords if Kiev complies with them, too, if no one shoots us,” rebel spokesman Eduard Basurin told the Interfax news service. He said seven civilians had been killed in rebel-held territory the previous day.
Ukrainian military spokesman Andriy Lysenko said that 11 soldiers had been killed and 40 wounded in fighting in the same period. He also said that pro-Russian forces had stepped up their use of drones for battlefield surveillance and that they appeared to be targeting infrastructure before heavy weaponry is to be pulled back at least 30 miles under the terms of the cease-fire.
A pro-Kiev militia also said that a tank battle was underway east of the Ukrainian-held port city of Mariupol, where militiamen are reported to have tried to gain ground from rebel fighters in recent days.
Separately, at least 10 civilians were killed on the Ukrainian side of the fighting, regional authorities said, including a child and an adult in the government-held city of Artemivsk. The city has been relatively free of fighting for months, and it has been a triage site for wounded soldiers and evacuees from the besieged town of Debaltseve, about 30 miles away. It was not immediately clear who was responsible.
Carol Morello in Washington contributed to this report.WASHINGTON — President Trump's pick to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs is promising to meet veterans' health care needs and says dismantling the beleaguered agency or making wide-scale firings isn't the answer.
During the campaign, Trump described the VA as "the most corrupt" and "probably the most incompetently run" of all federal agencies.
But as nominee David Shulkin, the VA's top health official, prepared for a Senate hearing Wednesday, the 57-year-old physician was suggesting more modest changes. He was expected to face tough questioning about any plans to work more closely with the private sector and about a persistent backlog in processing disability claims.
"VA is a unique national resource that is worth saving, and I am committed to doing just that," Shulkin said in prepared remarks obtained by Associated Press. "There will be far greater accountability, dramatically improved access, responsiveness and expanded care options, but the Department of Veterans Affairs will not be privatized under my watch."
Rebootcamp Recommendations
Shulkin, who would be the first nonveteran to lead the government's second-largest agency, said it was unfortunate that "a few employees" may have tarnished the VA's reputation.
Trump wants to fire and discipline VA employees, have a commission investigate wrongdoing and create a 24-hour White House hotline to register complaints about the agency.
The VA has nearly 370,000 employees and an annual budget of nearly $167 billion.
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Shulkin would be the lone ex-Obama administration official serving in Trump's Cabinet. As secretary, he would take over amid a conservative push to privatize government services and partisan battles over Trump's nominees.
"It will be disappointing if Dr. Shulkin defends the status quo — veterans who took President Trump's campaign promises about VA reform seriously will be immediately concerned," said Mark Lucas, executive director of conservative Concerned Veterans for America.
Shulkin is generally supported by the largest veterans' organizations, who have praised steps begun under President Barack Obama to address the VA's problems. They oppose greater privatization as a threat to the viability of VA medical centers, which they see as better suited to treat battlefield injuries such as post-traumatic stress disorder.
As undersecretary of health for the agency, Shulkin manages a system responsible for 9 million military veterans in more than 1,700 facilities. He was given responsibility for improving wait times for medical care following the 2014 scandal at the Phoenix VA medical center. Veterans waited months for care even as VA employees created secret waiting lists and other falsehoods to cover up delays.
In his prepared testimony, Shulkin did not rule out closing underused VA facilities and said he would explore "public-private partnerships" to avoid building new medical centers that cost too much or take too long to build. There were widely reported cost overruns at the VA hospital in Aurora, Colorado.
Shulkin also cited Obama administration efforts to combat high rates of suicide by hiring more psychologists and psychiatrists, but he did not specify staffing plans amid Trump's current federal hiring freeze. An estimated 20 veterans take their own lives every day.© Provided by The Hill Two presidential electors to colleagues: Dump Trump
Two Democratic members of the Electoral College have launched a campaign to keep President-elect Donald Trump from entering the White House, according to a new report.
Washington's Bret Chiafolo and Colorado's Michael Baca hope at least 37 of their GOP colleagues will abandon Trump and force the House into picking the next president instead, Washington's Bret Chiafolo and Colorado's Michael Baca hope at least 37 of their GOP colleagues will abandon Trump and force the House into picking the next president instead, Politico said Monday
Politico said the pair's so-called "Moral Electors" movement has already found one backer in Washington's Robert Satiacum.
"This is a longshot," Chiafolo told Politico in a phone interview Monday. "It's a hail Mary. However, I do see situations where - when we've already had two or three [Republican] electors state publicly they didn't want to vote for Trump. How many of them have real issue with Donald Trump in private?"
Politico said neither Baca nor Chiafolo is seeking the election of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.
Both vowed they would encourage GOP electors to write-in either Gov. John Kasich (R-Ohio) or 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney instead.
The House would choose from among the top-three vote getters should enough electors reject Trump's claim to the White House.
Politico noted Politico noted the 538 members of the Electoral College are scheduled to gather in their various state capitals and formally vote for president Dec. 19.
Baca and Chiafolo are seeking 37 other electors to halt Trump due to the Republican's results in the Electoral College vote last week.
Trump Trump claimed 290 electoral votes to Clinton's 228, and currently leads in Michigan, which awards another 16.
Michigan would boost Trump's total to 306 electoral votes if all electors there go his way, well past the 270 threshold required for the presidency.
Politico added it could find only one GOP elector on record considering a break with Trump, his party's nominee.
Texas's Art Sisneros, a Libertarian activist, on Monday said he remains "undecided" but state party leaders and fellow GOP electors are pressuring him to go with Trump.
Twenty-nine states have laws mandating their electors support the victor of their state's popular vote, though Politico acknowledged none has ever been challenged or enforced.Complaint filed in US accuses Venezuelan exiles of sowing economic chaos through website DolarToday which tracks black market value of bolivar
Venezuela’s central bank has filed suit in the US against a website widely used to track the plummeting black market value of the country’s currency.
In an unusual complaint filled with images, high-flown language and even links to journalists’ personal websites, the bank alleged that managers of the site DolarToday are committing cyberterrorism and sowing economic chaos. The suit seeks to shut down the operation and exact monetary damages.
“How far will some go to enrich themselves? Would they go so far as to hurt their own countrymen?” the suit asks in its opening clause.
The complaint against shadowy figures it describes as Venezuelan exiles living in the United States is adorned with screenshots, historical photographs and stock images of cash.
Backers of DolarToday named in the suit could not immediately be reached for comment.
Venezuela tightly controls the legal exchange of its currency, the bolivar, using a byzantine three-tier system meant to subsidize key imports with advantageous exchange rates. But many people use the parallel black market, where the value of the local currency has been plummeting.
DolarToday, which tracks currency trades along the Colombian border, has become a ubiquitous tool to check the value of the parallel market. The site is often blocked in Venezuela, but many people in the smartphone-crazed country use the site’s app to check the black market rate throughout the day.
In addition to sending out alerts when the rate crashes to new lows, the site provides a steady stream of negative news out of the socialist-governed country, and posts jubilant banner headlines when members of the ruling party get into trouble.
The government says the site is publishing fake rates, intentionally driving the value of the bolivar down by creating the false impression the currency is bleeding value faster than it actually is.
On Friday, the site was posting a value of 820 bolivars to the dollar, down from 790 bolivars to the dollar earlier in the week. That’s compared to the official rates of 6.3, 13.5 and 200 bolivars per dollar.
Economists believe Venezuela is suffering from the world’s highest inflation. The bolivar has lost about 90% of its value on the black market during the past year, according to DolarToday numbers.CLOSE Video | Lynn's Paradise Cafe sells off merchandise.
Martin's BBQ Joint, a whole hog enterprise fired with hickory wood, debuts in Louisville near Springhurst and plans to invade Barrett Avenue come fall.
Martin's BBQ Joint will open in the fall of 2017 in the Highlands. (Photo: Martin's BBQ Joint)
A barbecue chain, Martin's BBQ Joint, will take over the "world of swirl" on Barrett Avenue in the long-vacant former home of Lynn's Paradise Cafe next fall.
But first, Pat Martin's whole hog barbecue restaurant opens Thursday in the former Indian Springs Golf Club off Westport Road opposite the Springhurst shopping complex.
Pitmaster Martin’s Tennessee-style barbecue has been celebrated on the Food Network, the Travel Channel and the Today Show, growing to four locations in five years from a rural home outside Nashville.
In the iconic location where Lynn's Paradise Cafe reigned, Martin's BBQ partner Josh Bleidt said he saw an opportunity.
"I figured if we are going to come into the city and do something, what better place to put our roots," Bleidt said Wednesday.
For now, Bleidt said he's more concerned with getting the Springhurst location up and running, where 175-pound hogs will rotate on a spit above a hickory wood-fired pit behind the bar overlooking the former Indian Springs golf course. The restaurant is located at 3408 Indian Lake Drive.
"We cook our food fresh every single day, which means that sometimes we run out. Yep, that's right," Martin said on the restaurant's Facebook page.
Bleidt, a past president of the Louisville chapter of the Kentucky Restaurant Association, said he befriended Martin in a poker game at his first restaurant in Nolensville, Tenn.
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The meat cooks on wood, not gas, inside the restaurant with four smokers in addition to the hog spit. There are no microwaves or freezers, either, Martin added.
Lynn's Paradise Cafe, the kitsch-packed, storied home of meatloaf, crab queso and ugly lamps, closed in June 2014. Martin's BBQ Joint is leasing the building from the restaurant group that purchased the former Lynn's Paradise Cafe, Bleidt said.
Jere Downs can be reached at (502) 582-4669, JDowns@Courier-Journal.com and Jere Downs on Facebook.
►READ MORE: Excellence 'dimmed' at The Oakroom | Review
►READ MORE: The Eagle brings fried chicken to the Highlands
►RELATED: Recently closed restaurants in Louisville
Read or Share this story: http://cjky.it/2fZDXaRThe minions are in China, laughing all the way to the bank.
It was a good week in China for Hollywood, as "Ender's Game" also pulled in a muscular $10.96 million in its first six days.
In a strong weekend for Hollywood in China, Universal and Illumination Entertainment's Despicable Me 2 took a better-than-expected $15.37 million in its first three days, dominating the weekend in the world's second biggest film market.
The movie showed on 81,517 screens with 2.47 million viewers, and average ticket prices ran at $6.20, according to data from Entgroup.
PHOTOS: China Box Office 2013: The Top 10 Movies
The movie has defied expectations on many levels.
It scored $4 million on Friday (Jan. 10), giving it the best opening-day gross for an animated film since Ice Age: Continental Drift in 2012. The movie was delayed over a distribution row, so many viewers had likely already seen pirated versions, but they still clearly wanted the big-screen magic. And the first Despicable Me wasn't even released in China.
The film's strong weekend performance in China pushes its worldwide total to nearly $937 million.
Meanwhile, in second place, the Harrison Ford-starring adaptation of Orson Scott Card's sci-fi novel Ender's Game took $10.96 million in its opening six days, showing on 110,947 screens with 2.1 million admissions.
That's a powerful showing when you consider it took $28 million in its opening weekend in the U.S.
Jackie Chan's action thriller Police Story 2013 took another $8 million to bring its cumulative total to $81.17 million after 20 days on release.
STORY: China's Feng Xiaogang Calls Critics of Latest Film 'Cultural Nazis'
The Hong Kong-China collaboration, which was released in 3D and Imax formats, was still showing on 94,549 screens, and admissions were 1.27 million.
Feng Xiaogang's comedy Personal Tailor took another $5.25 million to bring its cume to $112.54 million, showing that a critical pasting and an aggrieved response on China's Twitter-style Weibo isn't necessarily box office poison.
Derek Kwok's action thriller As the Light Goes Out took $4.77 million for a cume of $10.41 million.
The Hong Kong romantic comedy Hello Babies, directed by Vincent Kok and aimed squarely at the Chinese New Year market, which is slowly kicking off, took $2.51 million in its opening two days.
Teng Huatao's Up in the Wind, a dramatic comedy about a young magazine writer finding her bearings in Nepal, took another $2.25 million for a total of $11.78 million.
In its first full week, the fantasy movie The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones was in eighth place, taking $1.6 million to bring its total to $4.26 million, followed by Anton Megerdichev's Russian disaster movie Metro, which saw revenues of $1.09 million its opening weekend.
Rounding out the top 10 was Legendary: Tomb of the Dragon, directed by Eric Styles, which took another $710,000 to bring its total to $5.45 million.For a while now, a certain subset of authenticity-obsessed nostalgic NES player has been disappointed with noticeable color-matching issues and blurriness evident in Nintendo's official Virtual Console NES re-releases on the Wii, Wii U, and 3DS. That problem led many to worry that the recently announced NES Classic Edition mini-console would suffer from the same issues.
Today, though, Nintendo released an online trailer for the $60 plug-and-play system. Amid a lot of '80s style marketing glitz, the video briefly showed some NES Classic Edition games in action, displaying what seems to be much crisper and more accurate HD emulation of the NES cartridges you remember.
You can see the improvements directly in the above gallery, with the NES Classic version on the left and the Wii U Virtual Console version on the right (images were sourced from official Nintendo trailers whenever possible to avoid issues with capture fidelity). As you can see, the NES Classic Edition versions are altogether brighter and crisper, with solid colors and well defined corners on the square pixels. It's the kind of high-fidelity ROM recreation that players on PC-based emulators are already used to, but Virtual Console players may be surprised by it (especially if they last played these games through the low-definition output of the Wii).
Of course, you could argue that these overly sharp pixels are actually doing a disservice to games that were originally displayed on fuzzy CRT screens with scanlines and phosphor-induced motion blur. While there's something to that argument, Nintendo's previous official NES emulation efforts ended up just looking muddy rather than authentically "retro."
It's hard to see the NES Classic Edition as anything other than an improvement (assuming the final hardware matches the "Product Under Development" shots shown in this trailer). Still, we're holding out hope that Nintendo also includes some sort of advanced image filtering options for players who want to try to truly recapture the gaming imagery of their youth.Submitted by Jim Quinn of The Burning Platform
Mass Delusion - American Style
“Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one.” – Charles Mackay - Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds
The American public thinks they are rugged individualists, who come to conclusions based upon sound reason and a rational thought process. The truth is that the vast majority of Americans act like a herd of cattle or a horde of lemmings. Throughout history there have been many instances of mass delusion. They include the South Sea Company bubble, Mississippi Company bubble, Dutch Tulip bubble, and Salem witch trials. It appears that mass delusion has replaced baseball as the national past-time in America. In the space of the last 15 years the American public have fallen for the three whopper delusions:
Buy stocks for the long run Homes are always a great investment Globalization will benefit all Americans
Bill Bonner and Lila Rajiva ponder why people have always acted in a herd like manner in their outstanding book Mobs, Messiahs and Markets:
“Of course, we doubt if many public prescriptions are really intended to solve problems. People certainly believe they are when they propose them. But, like so much of what goes on in a public spectacle, its favorite slogans, too, are delusional – more in the nature of placebos than propositions. People repeat them like Hail Marys because it makes them feel better. Most of our beliefs about the economy – and everything else – are of this nature. They are forms of self medication, superstitious lip service we pay to the powers of the dark, like touching wood….or throwing salt over your shoulder. “Stocks for the long run,” “Globalization is good.” We repeat slogans to ourselves, because everyone else does. It is not so much bad luck we want to avoid as being on our own. Why it is that losing your life savings should be less painful if you have lost it in the company of one million other losers, we don’t know. But mankind is first of all a herd animal and fears nothing more than not being part of the herd.”
Stocks for the Long Run
The book Stocks for the Long Run was written by Jeremy Siegel in the mid-1990′s. The premise is that if you just buy and hold stocks over a 20 to 30 year period, you will always make money. This was exactly what the Wall Street witch doctors ordered. They pounded this message into the brains of every American incessantly in their advertising campaigns, literature and propaganda. It became an unquestioned truth. Just one problem. It isn’t the truth. Valuations matter. The Dow Jones was at the same level in 1982 as it was in 1966. On an inflation adjusted basis, the Dow did not get back to the 1966 level until 1990. That is 24 years of no return in the stock market. The American public ignored the true facts and piled into equities during the late 1990s. The result was one of the greatest examples of mass delusion in history. The internet bubble drove the NASDAQ market to a peak of 5,048 in March 2000. Today it sits at 2,180. Ten years after the bubble burst, the NASDAQ is still down 57% from its peak.
Delusional Americans all over the country believed in the new internet paradigm. Fools thought “bricks and mortar” retailers were dead. Morons quit their jobs so they could get rich day trading. Wall Street hucksters took advantage of this hysteria by attaching.COM to every ridiculous IPO they shilled to the American public. Wall Street knew these companies were pieces of crap, but they churned out the IPOs as quickly as possible while the getting was good. The Wall Street oligarchs made billions and the delusional American public got screwed. You would think that average Americans would have learned their lesson after this experience. They did not. They continued to buy into the Wall Street lies about stocks being a sure path to riches. The fact is that the S&P 500 is currently at the same level it was in March 1998. On an inflation adjusted basis, it is 25% below the level of 1998. You don’t hear this information on CNBC because the oligarchs that control the media need the delusion to continue in order to harvest more riches from the ignorant masses.
Home Sweet Home
“The continuing shortages of housing inventory are driving the price gains. There is no evidence of bubbles popping.” – David Lereah – Chief Economist for National Association of Realtors – 2005
“We’ve never had a decline in house prices on a nationwide basis. So, what I think what is more likely is that house prices will slow, maybe stabilize, might slow consumption spending a bit. I don’t think it’s gonna drive the economy too far from its full employment path, though.” – Ben Bernanke – 2005
“House prices have risen by nearly 25 percent over the past two years. Although speculative activity has increased in some areas, at a national level these price increases largely reflect strong economic fundamentals.” - Ben Bernanke – 2005
Why was it that two supposedly brilliant, highly trained economists, with countless degrees and high paying positions could be so very wrong? Were they just mistaken or were they purposefully encouraging a national delusion? With the bursting of the internet bubble in 2000 – 2002, Americans immediately proceeded to the next bubble. Alan Greenspan was an almost God like figure in the early 2000s. He had “saved” the economy countless times during his 15 year reign of terror at the Federal Reserve. When he spoke, the American people listened. After the internet bubble and 9/11, he proceeded to reduce interest rates to 1% for an extended period of time. He then gave the all clear sign to Americans to take out adjustable rate mortgages. Lastly, Mr. Free Markets decided that banks and mortgage brokers could police themselves. The result was the greatest housing bubble in US history and a near collapse of the worldwide financial system.
Sane economists like Robert Shiller saw it for what it was. He calmly pointed out that home prices had pretty much tracked inflation for over 100 years. A 100% increase in home prices over the course of 3 years was irrationally exuberant. He was scorned and ridiculed by the delusion propagators at the NAR, the cheerleaders on CNBC, the Wall Street money changers, the Federal Reserve stuffed suits, and the corrupt politicians in Washington DC. The usual drivel about positive demographics, low interest rates, strong income growth, and limited land to develop were spewed out by the corporate media complex. The beneficiaries of this mass delusion were the Wall Street banks that created mortgage products and derivatives faster than Obama spreads our wealth around.
Mass delusion is always encouraged by those who benefit most from the mass delusion. David Lereah has admitted that he lied about the housing bubble because he was employed by realtors. Realtors made millions in commissions. Appraisers made millions in fees by inflating appraisals. Mortgage brokers made millions by encouraging people to lie on mortgage applications. Wall Street whores made billions by creating toxic packages of mortgages and selling them to Irish nuns, old ladies and clueless municipal administrators. The ratings agencies made hundreds of millions in fees for slapping AAA ratings on toxic derivatives. Politicians got rich from political “contributions” from Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Wall Street, and the NAR. Any reasonable human being could look at the chart above and see that this would end badly, but Americans wanted to be deluded. They choose to believe. The housing market has now been falling for five years, with another five years to go. Ben Bernanke has reduced interest rates to zero. I wonder how that will work out.
Who Benefited from Globalization?
“It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.” – Mark Twain
From the time that Bill Clinton signed the NAFTA agreement in 1994, globalization has been touted by those in power as beneficial to all Americans. How could free markets and free trade be a bad thing? Corporate America, Wall Street, and the mainstream corporate media have blared the propaganda of globalization benefits from their loudspeakers. In theory, globalization appears to be a positive concept. It describes a process by which regional economies, societies, and cultures have become integrated through a global network of communication, transportation, and trade. The truth is that globalization is not inherently good or inherently bad. The idea is that each country has its own strengths and weaknesses. Each country will take advantage of their strengths and rely on other countries to help mitigate their weaknesses. This will result in increased trade, a larger world market, and economic progress for all. One small problem. Trade is not really free. Every country on earth protects various industries. Every country on earth manipulates their currency in order to get an edge. Every country on earth invokes tariffs to protect their national interests.
Bill Bonner and Lila Rajiva address the difficulties of globalization and “free trade” in Mobs, Messiahs and Markets:
“Unfair trade is yet another of the dodgy slogans festooning the spectacle of globalization like tinsel slithering around a pole dancer. How can different regulations and practices in different countries constitute unfairness? Isn’t the essence of trade that different countries have different things to offer – whether cheap labor, or better technology, or more bountiful natural resources, or more welcoming business environments? If all countries had exactly the same things to offer each other, there would be no reason to trade at all. But what “fair” trade advocates are really advocating, of course, is unfair trade! They want to make sure their foreign competitors divest themselves of the very advantages that they bring to trading.”
“We notice, for instance, that when Americans in Detroit lose jobs to other Americans in California, they might grumble a bit. But, by and large, they accept |
does taste good out of the bottle – just maybe not exactly how you would expect.
Vape wise, it isn’t too bad, throat hit is pretty good and vapor is OK. It vapes like a high PG juice to me which is OK I guess.
I would recommend this one, but you need to be careful if ordering directly from them, and also maybe get it in a smaller size rather than a huge fat bottle, as I could see this not being for everyone, but I really do like it.
Read the full review
#1 Alien Visions: Boba’s Bounty
This week’s winner, and by a wide margin, is Boba’s Bounty by Alien Visions. Here’s what they say about it:
A smooth and mysterious tobacco blend with just the right hint of sweet.
I really wasn’t sure how to handle this one since I was kind of late to the party on it. Boba’s Bounty practically has its own cult following, and it’s pretty obvious that it is a top notch juice without any real need for further review on my part.
The top 2-4 this week were all very close and could have been arranged in almost any order, but Boba’s is really on another level.
It’s interesting because they classify this as a tobacco flavor, because that’s the one thing I don’t think it provides much of. Taste wise, I think it tastes a lot like raisin bread without the cinnamon. There’s a very clear raisin/plum like flavor on the inhale and kind of a warm medium-brown flavor on the exhale. There’s maybe a little rum flavor mixed in there, but there isn’t any real sourness or tang to this juice. It is super, super smooth.
It’s hard to describe, because there’s nothing else out there that is even close. This is a pure, original vape flavor and the accolades it has won are definitely warranted.
When I first got this in and had a chance to try it, I wanted to find some faults and try to peel away at some of the crazy hype surrounding it, but there were just no holes in it at all. It really is as good as the hype, and it really is an outstanding flavor that is totally worthy of being an all day vape.
The only notable thing about it, is that it’s likely not going to be what you are expecting at all. The hype is crazy, but this is a very mellow juice. You might not think much of it right away, but it will quickly grow on you and be the flavor you’re constantly reaching for. It never gets old.
At a paltry 12mg, it still hits good, and produces ample amounts of vapor. If I were going to order again, I would for sure get it in higher nic level, but if you’re not a throat hit junkie like me, 12mg will likely keep you very happy.
The only negative to making this an all day vape is that it is expensive, and you never know if there’s going to be a shortage of it. Other than that, it is rock solid in every aspect and totally worthy of a win in this week’s battle.
Highly recommended. Everyone should try it at least once.
Read the full review
The Bottom Line
I had to review Boba’s and get it out there at some point, so I’m glad that’s over now. It’s hard to put such a good quality and esteemed juice up against random juices from all over the place and I’m glad I won’t have to do that again.
I didn’t put Boba’s in the Tobacco Battle last week because frankly I don’t think of it as a tobacco flavor at all, and while it is probably better than every single juice I reviewed last week, it wouldn’t have made any sense to put it up against them because it’s just in a complete league of its own.
Aside from that, I was actually pleasantly surprised by Ms. T’s after hearing some bad things, and Vapedudes showed a lot of promise even though I didn’t find their Pineapple Upside Down Vape to be very accurate.
This week is another fairly busy holiday week, but I should still have a slew of new juices for next week’s battle.
Stay tuned.NHL: Red Wings at Lightning 3-20-2015
The Detroit Red Wings and Darren Helm have more than their share of fans in Tampa Bay, much to the dismay of the home team.
(The Associated Press)
DETROIT - Tampa Bay is like a home away from home for the Detroit Red Wings.
Whenever the Original Six club plays at Amalie Arena the place is packed with Red Wings fans. There's so much red in the stands some have referred to the Lightning's home as Joe Louis Arena South.
The Lightning apparently deal with a similar situation whenever the Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens and - believe it or not - the Winnipeg Jets visit town.
Enough is enough, say the Lightning. Come playoff time - and there's a chance the Red Wings could meet Tampa Bay in the first round - the Lightning are restricting ticket sales to Florida residents, the Tampa Tribune reported.
Any fans who purchase tickets by credit card without a Florida address will have the sale canceled and will be issued a refund.
"We don't feel the need to apologize for doing our best to create a home atmosphere for our season ticket members and our team,'' team spokesman Bill Wickett told the Tampa Tribune,
This move might prove futile, since many Red Wings fans who attend Lightning games actually live in Florida.
In addition, only Lightning attire will be allowed in the Chase Club during playoff games.
-- Download the Detroit Red Wings on MLive app for iPhone and Android
-- Follow Ansar Khan and Brendan Savage on Twitter
-- Like MLive's Detroit Red Wings Facebook pageIs it hot in here, or is that just the Los Angeles Rams' executive suite?
Nine weeks are in the books. NFL teams have a body of work. And for some, it's officially time to panic.
In this edition of the Schein Nine, we spotlight nine teams potentially in the throes of panic, ranking them by cause for concern (most to least) and breaking them into three categories:
FULL-SCALE PANIC
1) Minnesota Vikings
The wheels have fallen off. And you had to see this coming over the last few weeks, even before Sunday's debacle against Detroit. This is why I never took the cheese on the Vikings being a juggernaut.
Injuries to the starting quarterback, All-Pro running back and numerous offensive linemen have driven the Viking ship off the edge of the Earth. Norv Turner's midseason resignation was startling and problematic. Norv has been one of the best offensive coordinators in the NFL over the last three decades and had worked wonders early this season, despite having been dealt quite a challenging hand.
Sunday, four days after Turner's stunning exit, Minnesota experienced the low point of its season thus far. (And that's saying something, considering the Vikes had been steamrolled by the Bears on "Monday Night Football" just six days prior.)
Minnesota blew a fourth-quarter lead -- at home -- after going ahead 16-13 with 23 second left. Mike Zimmer's defense allowed Matthew Stafford to put his team in position to tie the game, courtesy of a 58-yard bomb off the leg of Matt Prater. And then Stafford, who continues to play his best in crunch time, shredded the Vikings' defense in the opening drive of overtime. Golden Tate ended the game with a 28-yard catch-and-backpedal-and-run touchdown that left multiple would-be tacklers in its wake.
The bloom is off the rose in Minnesota. The Vikings just dropped their third straight game, suffering their first loss ever at the beautiful new U.S. Bank Stadium. And while they remain in first place by a half game at 5-3, the 5-4 Lions are breathing down their necks.
The panic meter is off the charts in Minnesota. But there is good news...
2) Green Bay Packers
P-A-N-I-C.
No, my guy Aaron Rodgers can't say R-E-L-A-X after a home loss to the inferior Colts. I long held out belief that the Packers eventually would emerge as the cream of the NFC North crop. But injuries have hit and Ted Thompson's paper-thin roster just can't handle it.
Every time you think that the Packers are about to go on a run this season, they stall. The Colts -- who had just been blown away by a Nick Foles-led Chiefs team in Indianapolis -- stormed Lambeau, returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown and never relinquished the lead. The final score of 31-26 doesn't tell the whole story, as Indianapolis led 31-13 midway through the fourth quarter. Yes, Rodgers led a furious comeback attempt in the final nine minutes, but it was too little, too late. In the postgame, Rodgers called out his team for the "unacceptable" effort, especially as it pertained to the slow start.
"I don't understand it -- this is what we get paid to do, is to bring it every week," Rodgers told the assembled press. "I hope the guys would say that I bring it every week. I mean, I love this game and I bring the energy. I'm not a 'rah-rah' guy, but I'm a focused, enthusiastic player. And I just... I don't know what the lack of juice was. You kind of felt it over the entire sideline. We didn't have the same kind of enthusiasm and encouragement that we had the previous two weeks. So we gotta look deep in the mirror there, 'cause that's just not acceptable."
It's a bad brew in Wisconsin right now.
3) Philadelphia Eagles
The panic meter is on red. And it should be.
I love Carson Wentz. He's going to be a star in this league. But he's still a rookie and didn't play well in a 28-23 loss to the Giants that dropped Philly to 4-4. (Don't forget: The Eagles were one of the NFL's big stories through September, starting at 3-0 with fine quarterback play and a stifling defense.)
OK, I'm certainly not gonna put all of this on the first-year signal caller. Frankly, I blame offensive tackle Lane Johnson, who is in the midst of a 10-game suspension for violating the league's policy on performance enhancing drugs. His absence has derailed the Wentz Wagon -- and the Eagles' season. And the aformentioned defense has given up 57 points in the past two weeks (yielding a whopping 460 yards of offense to the Cowboys in the Week 8 loss).
And really, Sunday's loss was largely on Doug Pederson. Twice in the second quarter, the first-year head coach eschewed a field goal... only to get stuffed on fourth-and-short. Think those six points could've come in handy in a five-point loss? Way too aggressive. And running the read option with Wentz? That's amateur hour.
In the wide-open NFC, that's a terrible loss to a division rival -- allowing the Giants, hardly a juggernaut, to improve to 5-3. And while I loved the Wentz draft pick, I was dubious on the Pederson hire. His in-game decisions confirm my skepticism.
ALARMING... BUT PREDICTABLY SO
4) Los Angeles Rams
In the first episode of "Hard Knocks" back in August, Jeff Fisher famously ranted about being done with the 7-9 garbage. Except he used a different word than garbage. And he might not even hit 7-9, with Los Angeles running the losing streak to four on Sunday.
The Rams (3-5) wrongly gave up everything to get the top pick in the draft and wrongly picked Jared Goff over Carson Wentz. And Goff has yet to see the field in the regular season. And Case Keenum is dreadful. And star running back Todd Gurley has become a non-factor.
And how Jeff Fisher holds a job, I will never know.
5) New York Jets
In the wake of a 27-23 loss at Miami -- a defeat that dropped the Jets to 3-6 -- one thing is abundantly clear: The season is over.
Sheldon Richardson and Muhammad Wilkerson, two of the key cogs on a previously celebrated D-line, are missing quarters for disciplinary reasons. The special teams are anything but. The coaching is hardly inspiring.
Ryan Fitzpatrick threw a jump ball in the end zone -- to two Dolphins. Oh, and that was after he was picked by a 335-pound defensive tackle. There is no good reason for Fitzpatrick to play quarterback ever again for the Jets. The Fitzmagic act is over. See what else you have in Bryce Petty and Co.
It's over for Gang Green. A sixth straight playoff-free season is happening.
6) San Francisco 49ers
I don't want to overstate the Niners' most recent grotesque loss, but perhaps San Francisco should fold the franchise and sell ice cream.
The Niners are devoid of talent. They can't stop the run. They don't employ a legit NFL quarterback. And it was always backwards and irresponsible that the team fired the great Jim Harbaugh because he couldn't play nice in the sand box with some coworkers. Remember when the Niners were a consistent Super Bowl contender? It was only a few years back. Seems like a century ago. Meanwhile, Harbaugh has Michigan in the thick of the national title hunt. Interesting.
The panic meter is in the abyss, on planet delusional.
7) Jacksonville Jaguars
Gus Bradley is 14-42. Great guy, bad coach. You can fire the offensive coordinator or bring in a quarterback guru to work with Blake Bortles on mechanics, but it's all akin to putting lipstick on a pig.
These Jaguars were offseason darlings. After Sunday's loss to Kansas City, they're 2-6 and one of the biggest disappointments in football. Jacksonville needs a major makeover, starting with a new coach. But does a legit head-coaching candidate want to hitch his wagon to Bortles?
8) Cleveland Browns
They are winless and, having passed on Wentz in April's draft, clueless. There's no panic. Just sadness -- a factory of it.
Looking at the remaining schedule, you have to consider 0-16 a distinct possibility.
Hopefully LeBron winning a title (and being in position to win another one) and the Indians' amazing overachievement eases the pain.
If the Browns ever win a game, will J.R. Smith take his shirt off?
DOWN, CERTAINLY NOT OUT
9) Pittsburgh Steelers
For a while, it looked like the Steelers would win the AFC North going away and could be in position to be the team that loses by 17 to the Patriots in Foxborough on Championship Sunday.
Now? Pittsburgh looks lost.
Was Ben Roethlisberger truly ready to return from surgery? It didn't look like it in Sunday's loss at Baltimore. The weapons on offense were neutralized, the defense gave up big plays (what's new?) and the Ravens won this heated rivalry game yet again. John Harbaugh's team has now taken the last four games between these two teams -- and six of the past seven.
I still think the Steelers will win the division, so the panic meter isn't off the charts here. But for the time being, it appears Mike Tomlin has lost his grip on this team, which has underachieved thus far in 2016. And if Ben isn't healthy or being asked to do too much...
Follow Adam Schein on Twitter @AdamSchein.I’ve been side-eyeing kombucha for a while. The devotees I know guzzle it like holy water, bragging about better bowel movements and superman-like immune systems. Still, I was skeptical of spending $4 a pop on any drink, let alone a trendy beverage without a lot of research to back up the raves. Could a fermented tea really be a miracle in a glass bottle, or is it just an overhyped sip parading as a health drink?
Like any good reporter, I decided to give the elixir a weeklong taste test, downing one kombucha a day to see what would happen. The results surprised even a cynic like me. Here’s what I discovered.
It actually tastes pretty great.
I love all things acidic (vinegar on fries, yes please!) and while many consider kombucha’s sweet-tart taste a turnoff, for me it was love at first sip. You can thank fermentation for the slightly vinegary taste, but different flavors can tame the tang.
First-timers can ease in with a sweeter brew — think strawberry, mango, honey, or blood orange. Diehard drinkers will be more apt to try new brands and bold flavors like beet, rose, and lemon cayenne.
It nixed my soda cravings.
Don’t judge me, but I love Diet Coke. In fact, if I hit up a pizza joint with free refills, I can’t stop myself from going back for more. But a strange thing happened after I started sipping kombucha: My Diet Coke urges vanished.
That’s good news if you're a soda addict. Made by adding a culture of bacteria and yeast to tea, sugar, added juices, and flavors, kombucha has a short ingredient list and a surprisingly low sugar count (only 2 to 8 grams per 8-ounce serving) compared to the 39 grams of sugar in a can of regular Coke. There are even cola- and root beer-flavored kombucha brews that mimic the fizz and flavor of sodas.
I got a B-vitamin buzz.
sveta_zarzamora Getty Images
Full disclosure: I’m a cheap drunk. Half a beer on an empty stomach and I’m giddy. Interestingly enough, kombucha gave me the same slightly smiley temperament — but in a different way. The brew not only contains B vitamins and antioxidants, but it also has trace amounts of alcohol due to the fermentation process.
Let me contextualize that: The store-bought stuff rings in below.05% alcohol (home-brewed kombucha can go higher), which is why it’s not sold as an alcoholic beverage and perfectly safe to drink and drive. The bevvy of B vitamins in kombucha could also explain my happy state, as they’ve been shown to fight depression and stabilize moods.
My bathroom routine improved.
I’m not one to poop and tell, but you can’t talk about kombucha and not talk number two. So here it goes: I’m a drink-my-morning-coffee-and-hit-the-loo kind of gal, but three mornings into my kombucha kick and I didn’t need caffeine to kick start things; they happened all on their own.
Kombucha, when raw and unpasteurized, is rich in probiotics — the healthy gut bacteria associated with heart health, lower rates of anxiety and depression, fewer yeast infections, weight management, boosted immunity, and, you guessed it, improved digestive health.
My teeth felt fantastic.
After my first kombucha of the week, my mouth had that fresh-from-the-dentist feeling. It was as if all those effervescent bubbles cleaned away the plaque and gave my gums a healthy hug. And with each bottle thereafter, I got that same fresh-mouth feeling.
I was convinced kombucha was doubling as Listerine, but when I did some digging online, I found little proof. But we do know that you need the right balance of oral microbes to keep bad breath and gum disease at bay — something kombucha could be providing.
In the end, I felt forever converted. And even though the jury is still out on kombucha’s hard-and-fast health benefits, the drink's gut-friendly bacteria and antioxidants makes it a good alternative to other, more sugary drinks. You should still watch the labels, though.
"Make sure you’re looking for options that offer 2 grams of sugar or less per 1 cup serving," says Jaclyn London, MS, RD, Nutrition Director at the Good Housekeeping Institute. "Since kombucha is made through a fermentation process, it’s necessary to have a little sweetener in there, but some varieties are lower in the sweet stuff than others."PBS says it is "shocked" by the allegations and "immediately suspending distribution" of the Charlie Rose Show. CBS News said it will immediately suspend Rose. Bloomberg is also right away suspending the Charlie Rose show from airing on Bloomberg TV and radio. "We are deeply disturbed to learn of these allegations," the company said in a statement.
One accuser, Kyle Godfrey-Ryan, worked as Rose's assistant in the mid-2000s and says he used to appear naked in front of her and make sexually explicit phone calls to her. She says she complained to Rose's assistant, who brushed the accusations aside as "Charlie being Charlie." When she told a friend about Rose's alleged behavior, she says, he fired her.
Rose's response:
"In my 45 years in journalism, I have prided myself on being an advocate for the careers of the women with whom I have worked. Nevertheless, in the past few days, claims have been made about my behavior toward some former female colleagues.
"It is essential that these women know I hear them and that I deeply apologize for my inappropriate behavior. I am greatly embarrassed. I have behaved insensitively at times, and I accept responsibility for that, though I do not believe that all of these allegations are accurate. I always felt that I was pursuing shared feelings, even though I now realize I was mistaken.
"I have learned a great deal as a result of these events, and I hope others will too. All of us, including me, are coming to a newer and deeper recognition of the pain caused by conduct in the past, and have come to a profound new respect for women and their lives."When I quit my job to freelance write full-time, I was most worried about money, obviously. But in very close running for second place was the fear that working from home would officially transform me into a hermit, and that it might erode my already-somewhat-shaky social skills. But here I am, almost six months into full-time WFH, and I feel … fine? The feelings of isolation and loneliness I dreaded never really materialized.
Working from home is becoming more common — in 2016, 43 percent of Americans said they spent at least some time working remotely — and the research shows that people who work from home at least part-time are happier than their full-time in-office counterparts. “Happiness” is a fairly abstract thing to measure, but Nicholas Bloom, a professor of economics at Stanford University, persuasively argues that the single best measure in this case is a company’s retention rate. In a 2015 study, Bloom found that a Chinese travel agency was able to reduce its turnover rate from 50 percent (a rate which Bloom calls fairly standard in the U.S.) to 25 percent, just by allowing employees to work from home up to four days a week. This may be great news from employers and employees alike, but what about life outside of work? What does working from home full-time — or even part-time — potentially do to our social lives, and our relationships with people in and outside the workplace?
Perhaps unsurprisingly to anyone who’s ever sat next to an at-work nail clipper, most people don’t seem to mind not seeing their co-workers in person. Studies show there is “no difference in relationships with co-workers, and some improvement in overall relationships with supervisors,” says Jeffrey Stanton, a professor of information studies at Syracuse University. The somewhat obvious reason for this, he explains, is that communication tools “have gotten so much better that it’s not hard now to keep a relationship going with someone you depend on, even if they’re not physically located in the same spot you are.” But Stanton suspects much of our greater satisfaction in working from home is due to autonomy, and perhaps these communication tools — like Slack and Google Hangouts — allow us to maintain relationships with the co-workers we actually want relationships with, while granting us greater freedom to ignore those we don’t. Slack allows you to create private chat rooms, which (while potentially risky from a security perspective) may encourage friendly co-workers to talk more openly, and personally, with one another. And if you don’t want to participate on the miles-long email thread about the company softball outing? You can just mute it.
Likewise, most employees feel better about their relationships with their managers when they’re allowed to work from home at least part of the time. Maintaining a manager/report relationship may, in fact, be easier on both parties, at least emotionally, when done remotely — communicating primarily over email, Slack, or Google Hangout allows the report to set boundaries that may not be possible in person, like deciding when she is and is not available to chat, and may allow managers to convey feedback more precisely (and with less fear of how it will be received). Managers who allow their reports to work from home are displaying their trust in those employees, which may make those employees more likely to want to please their managers. Plus, it’s just nice not to feel watched all the time. “A supervisor would have a harder time micromanaging a remote employee because of the relative lack of visibility into the remote worker’s moment-by-moment activities,” adds Stanton.
It’s not just work relationships that benefit from working from home, either: “Telecommuting seems to reduce work-family conflict,” says Stanton. Parents who work from home can often be more available to their children, and the same is true of partners in long-term relationships. As far as one’s relationships with those who live outside one’s actual home, Stanton suspects that working from home may make people more aware of the need to strengthen external social bonds. Someone who attends in-person meetings and makes office small talk all day may feel too exhausted for extra socializing when the workday is done, whereas someone who spent the day alone may feel extra motivated to seek it out. “A lot of people get at least part of their social circle from work,” says Stanton. “Remote workers might respond to this dilemma by strengthening their ties with local friends.”
For people embarking on a full-time work-from-home career (or maybe for those who’ve gotten a bit too used to it), Stanton suggests the same sort of things your mom might suggest you do when you complain about being single: Explore a hobby, join a club, volunteer. Making friends gets harder as you get older, and working from home may reduce your opportunities to do so organically. The good news is that it will likely make you try harder to meet and spend time with people you do care about, and that’s at least half the battle.SMU WR Trey Quinn Named a National Player of the Week
SMU wide receiver Trey Quinn has been named The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award National Player of the Week for the eighth week of the college football season.
Quinn became the first player in this century to register at least 15 receptions in three consecutive games as he had 17 catches for a career-high 186 yards in SMU's 31-28 win at Cincinnati. Quinn's 17th catch against the Bearcats was a 28-yard reception in overtime on fourth-and-26 to set up the deciding field goal, and he had three receptions for first downs on a fourth-quarter drive that put the Mustangs ahead 28-20. Quinn, who accounted for 11 of SMU's 26 first downs for the game, enters this week as the national leader in receptions (10.1 per game) and is fifth nationally in receiving yards (110.4 ypg).
Trey Quinn is a graduate of Barbe High School in Lake Charles, LA.
Week 8 Honorable Mentions:
RODNEY ANDERSON, RB, OKLAHOMA
Sophomore
Katy, TX (Katy HS)
19 carries - 147 yards, TD | 4 catches - 30 yards, TD
W 42-35 @ Kansas State
KENNY HILL, QB, TCU
Senior
Southlake, TX (Carroll HS)
19/26 - 278 yards, 5 TD | 22 yards rushing
W 43-0 vs. Kansas
BAKER MAYFIELD, QB, OKLAHOMA
Senior
Austin, TX (Lake Travis HS)
32/41 - 410 yards, 2 TD, INT | 9 carries - 69 yards, 2 TD
W 42-35 @ Kansas State
J'MON MOORE, WR, MISSOURI
Senior
Missouri City, TX (Elkins HS)
11 catches - 174 yards, TD
W 68-21 vs. Idaho
PATRICK TAYLOR JR, RB, MEMPHIS
Sophomore
Humble, TX (Atascocita HS)
14 carries - 39 yards, 4 TD | 3 catches - 21 yards
W 42-38 vs. Houston
The content contained in this release was provided by the Tyler Chamber and SPORTyler. The award is meant to recognizes the top offensive player in Division 1 football who also exhibits the enduring characteristics that define Earl Campbell: integrity, performance, teamwork, sportsmanship, drive, community, and tenacity; specifically tenacity to persist and determination to overcome adversity and injury in pursuit of reaching goals. In addition, the nominee must meet one or more of the following criteria: born in Texas and/or graduated from a Texas High School and/or played at a Texas-based junior college or four year D1 Texas college.Bill Pugliano / Getty
Home prices were down nearly 20% at the end of last year, according to two new reports. But there is plenty of further room to fall, say economists who forecast where the housing market is headed. The median sales price of existing homes fell to $175,400 in December, down 15.3% from a year earlier, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). And the S&P/Case-Shiller index shows that home prices in 20 cities fell 18.2% in November compared with the year before. Both measures make houses about as expensive as they were in 2004.
And we're probably not done yet. "Our outlook is that home prices will continue to fall, bottoming by the end of this year, but it won't be until the end of 2010, maybe even 2011, that we'll see steady price gains," says Celia Chen, an economist at Moody's Economy.com. Chen and her colleagues predict that home prices, as measured by Case-Shiller, are due to drop some 30% from their early-2006 peak. We're only about two-thirds of the way there. (See pictures of Americans in their homes.)
That forecast, gloomy as it is, still assumes the government is able to create economic-stimulus and foreclosure-prevention programs that work. If not, then home prices could be expected to fall even further. Major layoffs there are more each day keep downward pressure on home prices, since people without jobs are less likely to buy a house, or even to make the payments on the one they have. Foreclosures exacerbate the problem, as banks tend to sell repossessed properties on the cheap. December saw a surge in existing-home sales, especially out West, but 45% of those were distressed sales at discounted prices, according to NAR. (See which country has the best stimulus plan.)
Beyond the state of the economy, the problem is that in many markets, houses still cost too much. Housing consultancy Zelman & Associates compared what houses cost with how much people earn and found plenty of markets including Seattle; Miami; Norfolk, Va.; Philadelphia; Los Angeles; and Salt Lake City where homes would have to shed at least 30% more in value to get back to being as affordable as they have been historically.
Not all economists agree that housing is so overvalued, and some markets in the Zelman analysis come up as underpriced (Indianapolis and Dallas, among them). But in a way, that doesn't matter. "In a lot of places, I think, housing is fairly valued, but we overshot on the way up, and it's very likely we'll undershoot quite a bit on the way down," says Patrick Newport, an economist at the analytics shop IHS Global Insight. His firm's forecast is for another 10% to 15% drop in NAR's median sales price before things start turning around next year and that's assuming the economy begins growing again in the second half of 2009.
We may have sobered up, but there's still the hangover to work through.
See pictures of TIME's Wall Street covers.
See pictures of the global financial crisis.Burning coal is nasty business, concentrating all kinds of toxic metals and resulting in potentially deadly fly ash. That's why stretches of the Emory and Clinch rivers in Tennessee essentially died when flooded with coal ash slurry two years ago.
Now imagine that happening on an apocalyptic scale: millennia-long volcanic eruptions setting on fire--even exploding--massive coal deposits in present day Siberia. That's what some scientists think may have set off the Permian mass extinction some 250 million years ago.
Roughly 90 percent of all ocean life died as a result. It was the end for ammonites and trilobites. Life itself may have barely survived the most devastating mass extinction event known to science, hence its name: the "Great Dying." And the reason could be coal ash, according to new research published in Nature Geoscience. (Scientific American is part of the Nature Publishing Group.)
Canadian geologists have found evidence of coal char--"remarkably similar to modern coal fly ash" in their own words--in ancient Arctic rocks. Given the toxic impact of modern coal fly ash on aquatic ecosystems, the scientists suggest that the massive coal conflagration may have created toxic marine conditions the world over.
Of course, humanity is currently setting off the sixth mass extinction event in Earth's history. And a big part of that is from burning coal, both the CO2 it releases that then causes climate change as well as all that fly ash. We may just be following Mother Nature's ancient recipe.
—David BielloThe Government of Canada is delivering on its commitment to renew the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) fleet and providing our uniformed men and women with the equipment they need to do their important work. The Joint Support Ship (JSS) project is part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy’s (NSS) non-combat vessels package, with an estimated project budget of $2.3 billion.
Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards Co. Ltd. is completing the Initial Design Review of the proven, off-the-shelf ship design from ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems Canada. In December 2015, Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards Co. Ltd. was awarded the Long Lead Items contract to engage suppliers and select the equipment, including the propulsion systems and generators, needed to finalize the design and to build the JSS.
As a next step to bring the design to production readiness, the JSS Design & Production Engineering (D&PE) contract was awarded to Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards Co. Ltd. This component is valued at approximately $230 million. The signing of the JSS D&PE contract will incorporate state-of-the-art Canadian capabilities and ensure the continued development of the design, technical and procurement specifications associated with the JSS project. This includes the development and finalization of the ship build plan (including the test, trial, and build strategy), the required manufacturing content, and the finalization of the 3-D product model. At the conclusion of the JSS D&PE contract, the JSS design will be ready for production and construction.
The JSS project will build two ships with an option for a third one. The first ship is scheduled for delivery in 2021. The second ship is expected to be delivered in 2022.
The two JSSs will be the long-term replacement of the more than forty-year-old Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment vessels, Protecteur-class, which have been taken out of service. Both ships will provide core replenishment, limited sea-lift capabilities and support for operations ashore. Construction of the JSS by Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards Co. Ltd. is expected to begin in 2018 after the completion of the Offshore Fisheries Science Vessels (OFSV) and the Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel (OOSV).
As part of the NSS’s non-combat package, Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards Co. Ltd. has committed to investing 0.5% of the value of all resulting contracts into the Canadian marine sector in the areas of Human Resources, Supply Chain Development, and Technology Development.
In 2016 alone, Seaspan awarded NSS contracts worth close to $200 million to 383 Canadian companies, 94% of which were small and medium sized enterprises.
The Government is committed to an open, fair and transparent procurement process, while obtaining the best possible value for Canadian taxpayers.Founded in 1910 Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil is one of the oldest private boarding schools in Switzerland. It is located 1,350 metres (4,430 ft) above sea level on the Swiss Alps of Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland. The college provides a full boarding education for students from over 60 different nationalities aged 11–18 years old. Owned by the de Meyer family until 2010, the school then passed into the Nord Anglia Education family of schools. Nord Anglia Education is responsible for 43 international schools located across 15 countries, with a total of 37,000 students.
Beau Soleil was, in 2016, listed by The Daily Telegraph as "One of the Most Exclusive Schools in the World".[4]
Curriculum [ edit ]
Beau Soleil offers two distinct, parallel systems: a French Section[5] and an International Section.[6] The programme of studies offers academic subjects On the weekends the students can go out to town. Or they can sign up to go somewhere but some weekends on Saturday there is Acemedics and challenges. During the year they have 7 challenge for example 10 km run in the mountain, ski races generally things along those lines. The school is quite sporty but are also academic. They have two uniforms one for Monday that is fancy attire and from Tuesday to Friday it's more causal but it's still uniform. After when class is finished you may wear your own clothes also on the weekends.
Accreditation [ edit ]
Swiss [ edit ]
CAIBS's (upper) secondary education (Middle and High School) is not approved as a Mittelschule/Collège/Liceo by the Swiss Federal State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).[7]
International [ edit ]
Campus [ edit ]
Collège Alpin Beau Soleil Entrance
Beau Soleil was Founded in 1910
The student body numbers about 240 students from more than 40 nationalities.[8] The campus is set around one main building dating from the school's founding in 1910, but has been expanded and modified, with now 6 |
11.2 IP, 11 H, 7 R (4 ER), 2 HR, 7 BB, 9 K
Osuna could need more time in Rookie-ball, but he’s young and has promise. Most importantly, he’s the son of Antonio Osuna.You all expected it, and now it has come to pass: Oracle has killed off the OpenSolaris development project.
There was never any need for the OpenSolaris governing board to commit ritual suicide — they were going to be ignored to death just the same.
A lengthy email sent out to the Solaris development team by Mike Shapiro (distinguished engineer, Solaris kernel development), Bill Nesheim (vice president of Solaris platform engineering), and Chris Armes (director of Solaris revenue product engineering software) of Oracle was outted in an abridged form here by OpenSolaris kernel programmer Steve Stallion. Subsequently, Alasdair Lumsden, one of the key members of the OpenSolaris community, posted the full internal message on the OpenSolaris forums.
In short, the Oracle executives said that the open source, community-driven OpenSolaris project as conceived and built by Sun Microsystems five years ago is dead. Get over it.
Instead of OpenSolaris being coded well ahead of the commercial Solaris release that it will eventually become, Oracle is doing a 180-degree turn: now the only open source version of any future Solaris stack will come after the commercial product ships.
"We will distribute updates to approved CDDL or other open source–licensed code following full releases of our enterprise Solaris operating system," the Oracle executives wrote in the memo. "In this manner, new technology innovations will show up in our releases before anywhere else. We will no longer distribute source code for the entirety of the Solaris operating system in real-time while it is developed, on a nightly basis."
Anyone downstream from Oracle that is consuming Solaris source code for their own distributions or amusement will continue to be able to do so, much as Oracle waits for Red Hat to finish its Enterprise Linux releases and versions, and then makes its own snapshots, replacing logos and such to make Oracle Enterprise Linux. So the OpenSolaris-based distros from Nexenta, Belenix, and SchilliX can continue to base themselves on CDDL-licensed Solaris code, but they are passive recipients of whatever Oracle cooks up, and not part of the development process as that Solaris code is being created.
With one caveat: if you are a strategic technology partner with Oracle, then you can get a special pass from the Oracle Technology Network that will give selected partners access to in-development Solaris source code and binaries and, where appropriate, make changes to the source code. Like, for example, if you are Intel. And maybe no one else.
"All such partnerships will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis," the Oracle executives explained, "but certainly our core, existing technology partnerships, such as the one with Intel, are examples of valued participation."
Oracle says that it will continue "active open development" of Solaris, including upstream contributions such as in the Gnome, X11, IPS packaging, Apache, OpenSSL, and Perl projects. Oracle will not open the kimono on future Solaris developments as it did during the OpenSolaris project, but will provide documentation and technical design information through the Oracle Technical Network. "We can at any time make a specific decision to post advance technical information for any project, when it serves a particular useful need to do so." Or, this being Oracle, not.
And if you were thinking that those free Solaris binaries were going to last, forget it.
"All of Oracle's efforts on binary distributions of Solaris technology will be focused on Solaris 11. We will not release any other binary distributions, such as nightly or bi-weekly builds of Solaris binaries, or an OpenSolaris 2010.05 or later distribution," the execs wrote. "We will determine a simple, cost-effective means of getting enterprise users of prior OpenSolaris binary releases to migrate to S11 Express."
Oracle is setting up a Solaris 11 Platinum Customer Program, giving key customers direct engineering involvement and feedback into Solaris 11. And, ironically, Oracle is inviting the OpenSolaris community members to participate.
"We will be asking all of you to participate in this endeavor, bringing with us the benefit of previous Sun Platinum programs, while utilizing the much larger megaphone that is available to us now as a combined company," the Oracle memo ended. "We look forward to everyone’s continued work on Solaris 11. Our goal is simply to make it the best and most important release of Solaris ever."
And to have complete control and pump some money out of it, like Sun should have done to avoid being eaten by Oracle, IBM, or anyone else.
John Fowler, the executive vice president of Oracle's Server and Storage Systems group, said earlier this week in a webcast explaining Oracle's server, storage, and operating system strategies, that Solaris 11 was due to be launched in 2011. The graphical roadmap pegged it to around the second half of 2011, and Fowler said an early-adopter program for Solaris 11 would kick off before the end of the year.
Fowler never mentioned any of these changes in the Solaris development process during his 35-minute presentation, and didn't answer questions that might require him to. When contacted by The Reg on Friday, Oracle declined to comment on the executives' email.
Now the ball, it would seem, is in the court of former Sun and Oracle software developer Garrett D'Amore and his Illumos project. Illumos, launched last week, seeks to be a new open source development community to work on the core OS/Network guts of what was once called OpenSolaris. D'Amore said he didn't want to fork OpenSolaris, but Oracle may have just forced his hand. ®Clashes that killed 12 people in China's western region of Xinjiang were caused by "terrorists", Chinese state media report, citing police.
Six people were shot dead by police and six were killed in explosions in Xinjiang's Aksu prefecture on Friday, state media said.
Xinjiang, home to the Muslim Uighur minority group, sees sporadic clashes.
Verifying reports from the region is difficult because the information flow out of Xinjiang is tightly controlled.
Authorities traditionally blame extremists for outbreaks of violence, while Uighur activists point to tight Chinese control as a cause of tensions.
Uighurs and Xinjiang Uighurs are ethnically Turkic Muslims
They make up about 45% of the region's population; 40% are Han Chinese
China re-established control in 1949 after crushing short-lived state of East Turkestan
Since then, large-scale immigration of Han Chinese
Uighurs fear erosion of traditional culture
State-run news agency Xinhua said explosions took place at a hair salon and market on Friday afternoon.
After the blast, police shot six suspects, while another six died when they set off explosives, the news agency said, adding that five other people had been arrested.
Xinhua news agency described the incident as "organised, premeditated terrorist attacks". But the report gave no reason why the hair salon and the market were targeted.
Dilxat Raxit, a spokesman for exiled Uighur group the World Uighur Congress, suggested that the protests were sparked by anger at the salon because it was a front for a brothel.
"The forced repression and provocation is the real reason for the confrontation," he said in a statement.
'Disturbing pattern'
Meanwhile, on Saturday, Chinese state media reported that Ilham Tohti, a Beijing-based scholar from the Uighur ethnic group, was being investigated for "separatist activities".
Image copyright AP Image caption Mr Tohti is an economist at a university in Beijing
The outspoken scholar, who is known to be critical of China's ethnic policies, has been detained since 16 January.
The US State Department said his detention appeared "to be part of a disturbing pattern of arrests and detentions of public interest lawyers, Internet activists, journalists, religious leaders and others who peacefully challenge official Chinese policies and actions".
Xinjiang has experienced several violent clashes in recent months, and its unrest has been linked to other attacks in China.
In December, 16 people were killed in a riot in a village near the city of Kashgar, and another eight were killed later that month in Yarkland county.
In late October, five people were killed when a car ploughed into a crowd and then burst into flames in Beijing's Tiananmen Square.
Beijing called the incident a terrorist attack inspired by Xinjiang-linked extremists. Three people who died inside the car were identified by police as Xinjiang Uighurs.Occupy Wall Street and the other anti-capitalist forces could find no greater inspiration than the Industrial Workers of the World; the IWW, one of the most influential organizations in U.S. history, that was founded in Chicago in 1905 by a band of fiercely dedicated idealists.
The Wobblies, as they were called, battled against overwhelming odds. Their only real weapon was an utter refusal to compromise in a single-minded march toward a utopia that pitted them against the combined forces of government and business.
Their weapon, their goals, the power of their opponents, the imperfect world about them made it inevitable that they would lose. But this is not to say the Wobblies failed because they didn¹t reach their goal of creating One Big Union to wage a general strike that would put all means of production in the hands of workers and transform the country into a Cooperative Commonwealth of Workers.
To say the Wobbles failed would be to misinterpret the history of the Wobbly battle that left the world, as few battles leave it, a little less imperfect.
You need not believe in the simple Marxism and direct action techniques of the Wobblies to appreciate their great contribution to democracy, to union theory and practice, to folk music and literature, to the American idiom.
The IWW was founded by a group of socialists and dissident union organizers as an alternative to the American Federation of Labor, which they saw as an elitist and racist handmaiden of the capitalist class that controlled the economy. They denounced the AFL for ignoring the racially and ethnically mixed mass of unskilled workers in favor of the far fewer skilled and semi-skilled white craftsmen who were organized into separate unions according to their crafts.
The Wobblies would bring all workers, all of them members of the working class, into the One Big Union regardless of their race, nationality, craft, or work skills.
Wobbly organizers crisscrossed the country on freight trains to spread their message. They mounted street corner soapboxes in many cities, often battling police and vigilantes who tried to silence them. They organized lumberjacks, mine workers, farm workers, factory and mill hands. They led strikes.
The speeches, the written statements, and the songs of the Wobblies were powerful, simple, direct, and moving. So were the cartoons, posters, and other material that filled the IWW’s tremendous outpouring of publications, among them a dozen foreign-language newspapers that were distributed among the many unskilled immigrants from European nations where unions had goals similar to those of the IWW.
Much of what was said and sung and written is still with us, a century later. Probably most important are the brilliant insights of the IWW¹s chief leaders, Bill Haywood and Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, and the songs of famed IWW martyr Joe Hill, those simple satirical rhymes set to familiar melodies that focused workers on a common body of ideals.
You¹ve probably heard at least one of Hill’s songs. Remember?
You will eat, bye and by
In that glorious land above the sky
Work and pray, live on, hey
You¹ll get pie in the sky when you die
The IWW legacy goes far beyond words and song. There’s still much of value that we can draw from its history, sadly including what the IWW¹s ultimate fate tells us about how excessively undemocratic our government can be if left unchecked.
The Wobblies’ refusal to support U.S. entry into World War I and their refusal to abandon strikes and other organizational activities during the war were used as an excuse by officials at all levels of government to side with employers. They called out troops and police to attack non-violent IWW strikers and raid IWW offices. They encouraged vigilantism and lynchings and generally raised public hysteria against ‘IWW terror’ that allegedly hampered the war effort.
After the war ended in 1918, officials seized on the IWW’s open support for the Bolshevik revolutionaries in Russia as an excuse to crush Wobbly strikes and organizing efforts by mass arrests and imprisonment of strikers and IWW leaders for engaging in “Bolshevik conspiracies.”
The IWW was all but destroyed. Membership shrank steeply and steadily, to the point that today the organization has only a relative handful of members, most of them employed at coffee shops, bookstores, and other small businesses, their message spread primarily via websites.
Make no mistake, though. Employers did make some concessions in response to the IWW, and the very example of the Wobblies, their spirit of protest, their tactics, their history, and their courage continue to inspire labor and political activists worldwide.
As author Joyce Kornbluh notes in her magnificent IWW anthology, Rebel Voices, the Wobblies made an indelible mark on the American labor movement and American society, laying the groundwork for later mass unionization, inspiring the formation of groups to protect the civil liberties of dissidents, prompting prison and farm labor reforms, and leaving behind a genuine heritage of industrial democracy.
Photo: IWW flags at an anti-war demonstration in Seattle. Joe Mabel/WikipediaOpinion by Candida Moss, special to CNN
(CNN) - It’s that time of year again: the time when chocolate comes in pastels, cherry blossoms start to bloom and well-marketed religion exposés are released to the world.
In other words, it’s Easter.
Among the rash of sensationalist stories we can expect through the season, the annual “Easter was stolen from the pagans” refrain has sprouted again just in time for Holy Week.
Don’t believe the hype.
Perhaps most misinformed theory that rolls around the Internet this time of year is that Easter was originally a celebration of the ancient Near Eastern fertility goddess Ishtar.
This idea is grounded in the shared concept of new life and similar-sounding words Easter/Ishtar. There’s no linguistic connection, however. Ishtar is Akkadian and Easter is likely to be Anglo-Saxon.
Just because words in different languages sound the same doesn’t mean they are related. In Swedish, the word “kiss” means urine.
But the biggest issue for Christians is the claim that Jesus’ resurrection - the faith’s central tenet - might have pagan roots.
Even apart from whether or not Jesus actually rose from the dead, many Christians claim that the very idea is unique.
There are other biblical examples of people being raised from the dead – think of Jesus raising Lazarus. But those people went on to die again. Only Jesus was raised from the dead to live forever.
But there’s a problem: Pre-Christian religions are replete with dying and rising gods.
Dionysius, most commonly thought of as the Greek god of wine, is one such example. He was lured to his death by the Titans, who then boiled and ate him. He was revived by his grandmother, and from his ashes humanity was formed, the Greeks believed.
Farther afield, Osiris – an Egyptian god-king who became ruler of the realm of the dead – was slaughtered before being brought back to life by Isis.
A similar story is found in the case of the Greek goddess Persephone, the daughter of the harvest goddess Demeter. Persephone was carried off to the underworld by the love-struck Hades. Because she ate pomegranate seeds in the underworld, she was permitted to leave only for six months a year.
Her annual resurrection is a metaphor for the changing of the seasons, and many scholars think that stories about dying and rising deities are essentially explanations for the coming of winter.
Then there’s Mithras, an ancient Iranian deity popular among Roman soldiers.
Among the many claims made about Mithras are that he was born on December 25, that adherents to his cult practiced baptism, and that he died and was resurrected.
The connections between Christ and Mithras are further amplified by the fact that the church of St. Clement, near the Colosseum in Rome, is built on top of an ancient Mithraeum.
The list goes on, and I’ll admit it’s a bit unsettling.
That's why the accusations that Christians “stole” the Resurrection from the Pagans is so popular and rhetorically powerful.
If, as many Christians claim, Christianity’s against-the-odds success is in some way proof of its authenticity and truth, then what does it say that parts of its truth were stolen from religious movements that no longer exist?
Spiritual “Manifest Destiny” looks less persuasive when extinct religious traditions supplied the backbone for the modern-day Church.
But there are ways around some of these problems.
Lumping all of these stories of dying and rising gods into a single category obscures important differences between them. Some of those who rose as gods, for example, were mere human beings prior to their return. Jesus, in contrast, was divine before his death, according to Christian theology.
Also, some of the parallels between the traditions come from a later period (post-Christianity) or are completely unsubstantiated. The arguments about Mithras and Jesus, for example, have completely fallen apart in the past 50 years because there simply isn’t enough ancient evidence to support them.
We should also ask whether the fishermen who followed Jesus around Palestine would have known about (much less adopted) stories from ancient Egyptians and Babylonians.
Greek and Roman mythology circulated widely on coins, but would the followers of Jesus who first claimed that Jesus was resurrected have known these stories in great detail?
Perhaps, perhaps not.
On the other hand, many Christians claim that Jesus’ death and resurrection is subtly different from that of other ancient deities and, thus, that the resurrection of Jesus was a wholly new idea.
The problem is, these apologists are one archeological discovery away from disaster. In the meantime, they are trying to pry Christianity apart from other late antique religions in order to protect it.
Perhaps the real problem here is with the idea of uniqueness.
As the University of Chicago scholar Jonathan Z. Smith showed, there’s a huge ideological and religious investment in the idea that Jesus was unique.
But there doesn’t have to be. Just because one idea is influenced by another idea doesn’t mean that its meaning is determined by the chronologically prior idea.
The Founding Fathers may have been influenced by Greek classical tradition, but this doesn’t mean that we should interpret the Constitution in light of Aristotle. You can recognize both the importance and innovation of the Constitution and its roots in ancient European civics.
Rather than battening down the hatches and looking for other signs of uniqueness, Christians need to think about how meaning relates to tradition.
Christians didn’t steal Easter, but it probably wasn’t a wholly new idea, either.
Candida Moss is the author of the “Myth of Persecution” and “Ancient Christian Martyrdom” and professor of New Testament and early Christianity at the University of Notre Dame. The views expressed in this column belong to Moss.Power Film Inc. is a developer and manufacturer of thin, flexible solar modules. The company designs, manufactures and retails their products in Ames, Iowa–a quality made-in-USA product.
Last year, at the Dayton Hamvention, PFI’s booth was very popular. Why? Their sale of small, rollable and foldable solar panels, absolutely perfect for field use, drew crowds of hams, DXers, campers, and/or frequent travelers. Needless to say, sales were brisk.
While browsing their website recently (just for fun), I came across their PowerShade™ Solar Field Shelters. They’re available in 1 kilowatt and 2 kilowatt versions at 15.4 V or 30.8 V. Wow…
This paneled tent is primarily focused at the military market. Perhaps exclusively. And I readily admit, it would be overkill for QRPers, even for a multi-op QRP Field Day. After all, aren’t we about “less is more”–?
But is it wrong for me to fantasize about this wonderful 2 kW creation? A tent-topper that sucks in Sol’s readily-available energy and, with the assistance of a battery bank, produces enough juice to fuel several QRP rigs?
I dunno. I’m too busy fantasizing to care…!Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) is slamming President Trump Donald John TrumpHouse committee believes it has evidence Trump requested putting ally in charge of Cohen probe: report Vietnamese airline takes steps to open flights to US on sidelines of Trump-Kim summit Manafort's attorneys say he should get less than 10 years in prison MORE’s son-in-law, White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, after he apparently failed to answer congressional questions about one of his family company’s buildings.
Lieu's Thursday statement, he said, came after Kushner refused to answer a letter that sought a response by Tuesday.
“I led my colleagues in asking two simple questions: did Mr. Kushner have any discussions with foreign nationals about 666 Fifth Avenue? And, if so, did Mr. Kushner discuss anything related to helping finance, purchase, or assist with the debt on 666 Fifth Avenue? These are straightforward questions but we still haven’t received an answer,” Lieu said. “What is Mr. Kushner hiding?”
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Lieu and twelve other members of Congress wrote to Kushner last week seeking information about the Kushner Companies property in Manhattan.
“We are concerned that you may be leveraging your White House position to seek financial assistance for 666 Fifth Avenue, which according to various reports has at least $1.2 billion in debt of which more than half is owned by Kushner Cos.,” the lawmakers wrote in the letter.
Kushner Companies bought the 666 Fifth Avenue property for $1.8 billion in 2007. Before resigning his role at the company to join Trump’s White House, Kushner introduced a $7.5 billion plan to redevelop the skyscraper and reportedly pursued foreign investments in the project, including from a Chinese firm.
In March, Congressional Democrats raised concerns over a proposed deal between Kushner Companies and Chinese-based Anbang Insurance Group to invest in the building, saying the potential deal could raise a “clear conflict of interest” for Kushner. The deal fell apart after both companies severed talks in late March.Billionaire Paul G. Allen will donate $100 million to fight Ebola, the philanthropist and co-founder of Microsoft announced Thursday. This will quadruple his earlier promise to donate $26 million to various nonprofit groups and government agencies fighting the most deadly outbreak of the virus ever recorded.
He is one the largest individual donors to tackle the disease, which has killed nearly 5,000 people in West Africa and infected nearly 10,000, according to the World Health Organization. The promise of significant relief funds comes as more people are quarantined and placed on “watch lists,” and the country works to contain the disease and prevent another outbreak on American soil.
A Connecticut family of six was quarantined after traveling in West Africa, West Haven Mayor Edward O’Brien said late Wednesday.
They don’t have any symptoms of Ebola, NBC News reported, but under the executive orders signed by Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy this month, anyone who has been travelling in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea must quarantine themselves for 21 days and take their temperature twice daily. The family will be monitored by public health workers, who will phone twice daily to check for signs of the disease.
RELATED: Ebola aid group worries about delays and staffing shortfalls
This is the latest Ebola containment effort that’s affected hundreds across the country who are being monitored by the authorities, told to stay home, or prohibited from travelling. While a week has passed since the last diagnosis and more and more high-risk healthcare workers have been cleared, many Americans still remain on edge as the deadly virus ravages West Africa.
In Ohio, 164 are still under the Center for Disease Control’s watch and three are under quarantine; in Texas, more than 100 are being monitored.
Newly released graphic showing remaining Ebola contacts under surveillance and days left @CDCgov pic.twitter.com/UE7DMSQ1sQ — Judge Clay Jenkins (@JudgeClayJ) October 22, 2014
It will be weeks until those in America who are being watched are free from the restrictions put in place to preemptively curb possible spread of Ebola. Starting Monday, the CDC will also begin monitoring anyone who has traveled in the three West African countries hardest hit by the Ebola outbreak for the full virus incubation period, 21 days. That new measure will add hundreds more to the CDC’s watch lists.
Experts say this kind of contact tracing is key to protecting the U.S. from more cases of Ebola, but across the country, Americans are struggling with the implications of quarantines and anxiety that the disease could spread quickly.
There have been instances of forced, medically unnecessary quarantines and ostracizing due to Ebola panic: Rwandan students in New Jersey are being told to stay home for three weeks, despite the fact that Rwanda is thousands of miles from the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak. In Mississippi, a school principal who visited Zambia (even farther away from the outbreak than Rwanda) is prompting parents to keep their students home. A family who had traveled to Ethiopia — which is across the continent and considered East Africa — to adopt a child was ostracized by fellow parents despite the fact that Ethiopia has fewer cases of Ebola than the U.S.
Meanwhile, states are rushing to prepare themselves.
In Illinois, both the state and the city of Chicago have launched Ebola-related preparation forces, readying hospitals for the possible handling of Ebola cases. On Wednesday, the governor also announced that he would signed an executive order creating a task force with the state’s Department of Public Health, “to further strengthen our ability to respond to Ebola,” a release said. One of the five airports passengers from Ebola-stricken nations may travel through is in Chicago.
Texas, ground zero for the American outbreak, has also hurried to create testing, treatment, and preparedness protocols and facilities, with Gov. Rick Perry speaking regularly and updating the public about their efforts.'Buffy' Star's Arrest I Was Sexually Abused and Depression Made Me Lose It in FL
'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' Star Nicholas Brendon's Arrest -- I Was Sexually Abused... And Depression Made Me Lose It in FL
EXCLUSIVE
"Buffy the Vampire" star Nicholas Brendon blames his recent string of arrests on a deep depression... brought on by memories of being sexually abused as a child.
Brendon came on TMZ Live on Monday to explain why he was arrested Friday night in Tallahassee after trashing a hotel room in a drunken rage -- and revealed he's been dealing with his depression by drinking in excess and taking prescription meds.
He admits it's time for a better approach -- and says opening up about being a victim of sexual abuse... is a start.
Brendon was arrested last February for a similar drunken incident, and in October for allegedly assaulting guests at an Idaho hotel.
Watch this clip... looks like he's searching for answers.App company Uber is getting a lot of attention in Ottawa, but at least one cab driver isn’t too worried.
“It depends what the public thinks about their safety.... It’s your life, you make your choice,” said Daniel Simil, 38, who has been driving a taxi for about two years, renting his taxi plate from its owner and working almost every night.
People will have to make up their minds about how insurance for taxis and Uber drivers compares, for example, Simil said. He’s also following government responses, not only in Ottawa, but throughout the world where regulators are trying to crack down on the company for not following taxi rules.
But since UberX started up in Ottawa earlier this month at least one other taxi driver, who asked not to be named, has gone against taxi union and Uber rules to work for both at the same time. Faced with bills of almost $2,000 each month to operate a taxi, the driver said he was only left with about $1,300 to take home in September, and even less after buying gas.
“This is a way I was going to make extra money,” said the driver. He stopped driving for Uber after a few days. “It’s a very good app. It’s wonderful. But the thing is it’s still against the law.”
So how do taxis and Uber compare for customers and drivers?
Price
Taxi: The city now sets fares at $3.45 for the first 150 metres, $0.16 for every extra 86 metres and $0.16 for every 24 seconds of waiting time. Earlier this year, Ottawa’s taxi union said it wanted a fare increase of seven per cent. But Susan Jones, the general manager of emergency and protective services for the city, said that won’t go to committee until at least June 2015.
Uber: Regular prices for Uber include a $2.30 base fee, $1 “safe rides” fee, $0.90 per kilometre and $0.30 per minute. Like taxis, which Uber says it’s 40 per cent cheaper than, there is some variation according to traffic. The app doesn’t accept tips. Then there’s surge pricing. It means there’s a higher fee when there’s a shortage of drivers compared to demand. “If there’s a certain area of the city that a lot of people are requesting rides and there are not enough drivers on the platform, our algorithm notifies our partners that surge is in place,” Uber spokeswoman Lauren Altmin said. That situation hasn’t happened yet in Ottawa.
Insurance
Taxi: The city requires drivers to have $2 million in commercial insurance, although Jones said the industry standard is actually $5 million. The insurance covers both drivers and passengers. This can cost drivers about $7,000 annually, said Hanif Patni, chief executive of Coventry Connections. “They have to have it,” he said. “They couldn’t possibly drive for us (otherwise), because we check this continuously.”
Uber: How insurance works for Uber drivers in Ontario is creating some confusion. Pete Karageorgos, director of consumer and industry relations for the Insurance Bureau of Canada, said there’s a “grey area” around what kind of insurance drivers need to carry, particularly whether commercial insurance is necessary. Uber spokeswoman Altmin said drivers should check their personal insurance policies, although “every ride on the UberX platform in Canada is backed by that $5-million contingent auto liability insurance” covering the driver, customer and pedestrians. That insurance kicks in from when the trip is accepted until it ends, she said.
Pay
Taxi: Earnings vary by the number of hours drivers work and the fees they pay. Someone renting or leasing a plate could make in the range of $25,000 to $30,000 a year if they work six days a week, Patni said, adding drivers who own their plates and cars make more than $50,000. Taxi union president Amrik Singh, who owns his own plate but works through Blueline, said earnings vary significantly by time of year and that they have been hurt lately by federal job cuts.
Uber: Drivers were guaranteed $20 per hour during Uber’s free period in Ottawa, which ended last weekend. Exactly how much a driver makes in the future will be variable, “It’s kind of earning an income on their own flexible schedule,” Altmin said, adding that in Chicago UberX drivers earn almost double the minimum wage. Uber says it will be taking 20 per cent of each fare here in Ottawa.
Tax
Taxi: Self-employed cab drivers must have a HST number and collect the 13 per cent from their fares, Singh said. Taxi drivers whose fares are regulated by the province or municipality are required to register with the Canada Revenue Agency for GST/HST purposes and to charge GST/HST on their fares, a CRA spokeswoman said.
Uber: The CRA spokeswoman said she couldn’t provide a conclusive response about whether Uber drivers need to pay HST without specifics. When passenger transportation fares aren’t regulated by the province or municipality, drivers are only required to register and charge GST/HST if their worldwide annual taxable revenues exceed $30,000, she said. Altmin said drivers are responsible for complying with “all relevant taxes and regulations” required by law.
Training
Taxi: Ottawa taxi drivers have to go through a 30-day course at Algonquin College that covers customer service, geography, the bylaw and accessibility, Jones said.
Uber: The company says its drivers learn how the app works through training and videos.
Vehicle
Taxi: Taxis can be a maximum of eight years old. They’re inspected once a year if they’re less than four years old or twice a year if they’re older. There can’t be any damage and there needs to be a spare tire in the car.
Uber: Vehicles, which aren’t inspected by the company but must be photographed for Uber’s files, can’t be more than 10 years old and in good condition. “Our rideshare partners are responsible for maintaining and ensuring inspections are conducted in accordance with local laws,” Altmin said, adding feedback through the app means customers can flag any vehicle concerns.
Security
Taxi: Drivers have a police record check and need to provide a recent provincial driving record. When something does go wrong, Patni said, his company works with the police to retrieve ride data and photos from the cab camera. Patni said a case in the past year, involving a driver allegedly abusing a woman, GPS information was retrieved quickly.
Uber: The company says it does local and RCMP police record checks. “The Uber platform has unprecedented safety and accountability built into the app,” Altmin said, in part because both the driver and customer see information about each other and can rate each other. Altmin also pointed out that no cash is exchanged during an Uber trip, because the system uses credit cards.
Accessibility
Taxi: Taxi brokers are required to provide accessible service. “If they can’t provide the accessible taxi cab service that’s being requested they have to call up another one,” Jones said. Drivers are trained on providing accessible rides as part of their training and the city has 187 accessible plates.
Uber: A product called UberAccess, which uses accessible vehicles and training, is available in some U.S. cities but not Ottawa. “As our presence in Canada continues to grow, we hope to bring that option to the residents of not only Ottawa but everywhere we operate,” Altmin said.
cmills@ottawacitizen.com
twitter.com/CarysMillsIran's assassination plot against Saudi Arabia's ambassador in Washington has produced widely varying reactions. Curiously, some US "experts" on Iran questioned the veracity of the Obama administration's statement of the case, arguing it was uncharacteristic for Tehran to use intermediaries like Mexican drug cartels rather than old standbys like Hezbollah.
Apparently, under this sceptical view, the official terrorist rule book prohibits creativity and innovation. And at least some intelligence community denizens were miffed that DEA and FBI gumshoes uncovered the conspiracy, not "real" intelligence professionals. In reality, the sceptics are simply revealing their own blindness to Tehran's maliciousness.
In fact, for the Tehran regime, the idea of killing a senior Saudi official, humiliating America by doing so on our own soil, and throwing us off balance by using an extensive foreign criminal network we have been unable to neutralise, is par for the course. The only surprise is who in Washington was surprised by Iran's increasing brazenness.
Administration officials, for example, reacted with incredulity to potential violations of international norms protecting diplomats. Iran's nuclear weapons program, its deadly attacks on US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and its role as the world's central banker of terrorism had not persuaded President Obama to take strong and decisive action against Tehran, but threatening diplomats raised his pulse rate.
Nonetheless, precisely because it was this president who believed the evidence so overwhelming that criminal prosecutions ensued, we must consider these allegations to be truly serious. Career justice department prosecutors, for whom professional integrity and ethics – not to mention their conviction records – are at stake, believe they can prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. This is not a Mad Magazine "Spy v Spy" story.
Having previously given Iran the benefit of every doubt, Obama is now making the public case, a most unlikely scenario unless the evidence was overwhelming (not only what is already public but that which remains undisclosed). If this prosecution were to collapse, it would be politically devastating for Obama.
Ironically, therefore, his policy response betrays the same blindness of those sceptical of the plot itself. The troubling but unavoidable reality is that Iran's regime is increasingly brazen because it sees the United States, under current management, as weak, fickle and inattentive. Unfortunately, the mullahs may be on the verge of being proven correct, yet again, by the president's flaccid response to this diplomatic version of Chicagoland's St Valentine's Day massacre.
President Obama's threat to "apply the toughest sanctions", to Iran will simply convince Tehran of his lack of real seriousness. First, additional sanctions by just Washington and Brussels will cause only incremental increases in Tehran's costs of doing business, and will be evaded just as existing sanctions already are, with assistance from Russia, China, Venezuela and others. Second, the likelihood of obtaining truly significant new sanctions from the UN security council is doubtful. Expect pious pronouncements from Moscow and Beijing, centers of refined due process and independent judiciaries, about the rights of defendants and presumptions of innocence. Time enough for sanctions, they are rehearsing to say, once the judicial process has concluded, and one or more defendants are actually found guilty. Good luck waiting for that.
In fact, by focusing so intensively on just the assassination plot, Obama is ignoring the overwhelming broader implications. Iran's scheme is far more important for what it reveals about the nature and character of Tehran's rulers than the particulars of one gambit, however abhorrent. A terrorist-sponsoring regime capable of putting the occasional ambassador in mortal peril is sufficiently rabid that its likely acquisition of nuclear weapons in the very near future will magnify its threat to truly existential proportions, at least for small countries nearby. And it is the nuclear weapons that should truly concentrate our attention, since they will put us all in mortal peril.
We must abandon the mirages, to which Obama still clings, that Iran might negotiate an acceptable "solution" to its nuclear weapons program, or merely that economic sanctions will somehow force Iran to negotiate. No wonder the Iranian regime mocks us for weakness and willful blindness. Even a threatened attack on our soil, which could have killed hundreds of Americans, has not been enough to spur Obama into decisive action.
The unpleasant reality is that the only alternative to a |
his appointment and b) that his “incivility” on Twitter amounted to obscenity. The judge pointed out that the Supreme Court had found in 1971 that a book cover with the title “fuck the draft” was not obscene or illegal. The judge was implicitly saying that if you can say ‘fuck the draft’ then you can wonder when Israeli PM Binyamin Netanyahu would show up with a necklace of children’s teeth, as Salaita tweeted. (His vicious assault on Gaza did kill 400 children). Pro-Israel Jewish nationalists, cocooning in a hothouse atmosphere, have decided that no trenchant criticism of Israel or its leaders will be allowed, and they have sought to enforce the prohibition with all the tools of a cult. The judge slapped them down.
As apparently had been agreed beforehand, Wise offered her resignation to the Board of Trustees once the Federal court allowed the suit to go forward. The judgment, in fact, boded very badly for the university if the case goes to trial.
But in a twist, the university administration rejected the resignation and fired her instead. She maintains that she was owed $400,000 as a retention incentive, but she won’t receive it if she is fired. She has resubmitted her resignation and insists on getting it. This is yet another lawsuit.
The Board appears to believe that the evidence that emerged that Wise may not have been in compliance with court orders about turning over emails and preserving further ones is a firing offence. The issue has also become political, with the governor of Illinois characterizing the $400,000 as a “bonus” which she does not deserve.
Cary Nelson, a powerful faculty member at UIUC and pro-Israel fanatic who supported Salaita’s firing later said that he thought it would be fair to give Salaita a settlement of a million dollars to go away. That is, it was worth $1 mn. of state money to Nelson to avoid having on campus a colleague with whom he disagrees. Nelson had, scarily enough, been high in the American Association of University Professors’ academic freedom committee for years. I very much doubt that he would have defended my freedom of speech.
But it turns out that Nelson was wrong. The university is not going to get away with paying Salaita $1 mn. to go away.
Wise’s career is in tatters. She is out $400,000 and had to give up her last year of a 5-year term as chancellor. A lot of chancellors or provosts go to another university to become president. That is not a likely move for her now. Moreover, she now thinks she was made the fall guy by the very Board that may have conspired with extremist donors to instruct her to do the firing. It seems entirely possible that the scandal may yet reach into the Board of Trustees itself and other members of the upper administration.
It is entirely possible that Salaita, who has in the meantime accepted an appointment at the American University in Beirut, will have to be reinstated. If the university is wise it will just reappoint him and give him a settlement and avoid the lawsuit, which it seems likely to lose very badly.
The case reeks of corruption, of high-handed and over-paid administrators flaunting the law and allowing themselves to become tools of sectional interests (the very definition of corruption in office in the eyes of the Founding Fathers). To have our professors forced to flee abroad for jobs is the most shameful thing of all. It is as though we are some seedy fascist state where some frank tweets about geopolitics result in political exile.
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Related video:
AMED SFSU “American Studies Association 2014: Scholars Under Attack”Pin Email
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past couple of weeks, there’s a new movie called “The Art of Flight” that just came out. What’s the movie like? Well, imagine Planet Earth on the Discovery Channel and the gnarliest snowboard movie got together and made sweet sweet love.
This past May, we here at Aspen/Snowmass were lucky enough to have the crew from Brain Farm up at Snowmass for a couple weeks for a private park shoot. Snow was pushed, jumps were made, helis and sleds were gassed up and lunches were made. Here’s what went down…
(Photos by Jeremy Swanson, Video by Dave Amirault)
Getting the RC Heli set up for the shoot.
But why stop at an RC heli? Here’s the non-RC powered heli, getting real low for the shot.
Three riders, two helis, one movie.
“The Gumdrops”, Travis Rice and the heli.
There were so many cameras.
T-Rice declares victory. Or maybe he just saved a bunch of money on his car insurance with Geico. Who knows.
Three feet of air.The liking and selective ingestion of palatable foods—including sweets—is biologically controlled, and dysfunction of this regulation may promote unhealthy eating, obesity, and disease. The hepatokine fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) reduces sweet consumption in rodents and primates, whereas knockout of Fgf21 increases sugar consumption in mice. To investigate the relevance of these findings in humans, we genotyped variants in the FGF21 locus in participants from the Danish Inter99 cohort (n = 6,514) and examined their relationship with a detailed range of food and ingestive behaviors. This revealed statistically significant associations between FGF21 rs838133 and increased consumption of candy, as well as nominal associations with increased alcohol intake and daily smoking. Moreover, in a separate clinical study, plasma FGF21 levels increased acutely after oral sucrose ingestion and were elevated in fasted sweet-disliking individuals. These data suggest the liver may secrete hormones that influence eating behavior.
Investigation of the diet composition in Fgf21 transgenic mice and cynomolgus monkeys revealed that FGF21 reduces appetite for sugars and artificial sweeteners without directly changing consumption of other nutrients or tastants, or overall calorie intake (). In these experiments, animals were offered a choice between a nutrient solution and water, with free access to regular chow. The ratio of nutrient to water intake between FGF21-treated and control mice was then compared to assess preference. Since FGF21 secretion by the liver is increased by simple sugars and since Fgf21 knockout mice consume more sugar than wild-type littermates, we proposed that FGF21 mediates a hormonal liver-to-brain feedback loop whereby sugar consumption negatively autoregulates sugar appetite (). Given major species differences in FGF21 physiology, however, the significance of these findings in humans remains speculative. To address this gap in knowledge, we investigated whether FGF21 variants are associated with consumption of sucrose-rich, sweet-tasting food (broadly referred to as “sweets”) and quantitative diet composition in general in humans. In parallel, we performed a clinical study to quantify FGF21 secretion after an oral sucrose load and further tested whether the basal level or sucrose-evoked secretion of FGF21 differs between matched individuals who reported liking or disliking sweets.
In rodents, plasma FGF21 increases dramatically after a 24 hr fast, ketogenic diet feeding, and dietary protein restriction (). In humans, however, ketogenic diet feeding and short-term fasting do not induce FGF21 (), and 7–10 days without food are required for circulating FGF21 levels to rise (). In contrast, human plasma FGF21 levels are increased by several days of overfeeding irrespective of dietary protein restriction (), acutely by oral boluses of glucose and fructose (), and by 24 hr of hyperglycemia maintained via intravenous glucose infusion (). Notably, the induction of FGF21 by overfeeding is associated with excess carbohydrate rather than excess fat intake (). Because FGF21 gene variants are associated with an increased percentage of carbohydrate in the diet, together these data suggest that FGF21 could regulate nutrient-specific appetite.
FGF21 is a liver-derived hormone that exerts a range of metabolic effects in rodents and non-human primates in both physiological and pharmacological contexts (). Inter alia, it normalizes blood glucose in diabetic animals (), enhances fatty acid oxidation (), alleviates β cell dysfunction (), and reduces body weight in diet-induced obese mice (). In rodents, it also signals in the brain to regulate food intake, energy expenditure, and fertility (). However, independent clinical trials in humans (n = 38 and 50, respectively) have shown that high doses of FGF21 analogs do not lower blood glucose in obese type 2 diabetic patients, despite improving markers of insulin sensitivity, suggesting that some of its biological effects in model organisms do not extend to humans ().
An important mediator of feeding is the central reward system, which promotes adaptive actions such as consuming palatable nutrients by associating them with pleasure (). Gastrointestinal hormones and signaling metabolites, secreted in response to nutrients in the gut, restrain further food intake in part through the reward system altering motivation to seek and consume food by influencing its reward value. Thus, efficient coupling between nutrient intake and activity of the reward system is needed to prevent overeating. For example, breakdown of this coupling due to decreased intestinal production of the fat-specific satiety factor oleoylethanolamide (OEA) contributes to the genesis of high-fat-diet-induced obesity in mice (). Specific negative feedback signals may also exist for sucrose and other sugars, whose consumption is promoted by both taste and reinforcing post-ingestive factors, and these signals may act directly on the reward system or indirectly by regulating production of factors like OEA that signal through afferent nerves. However, the endocrine factors that mediate sucrose satiety and reward remain unidentified (). Moreover, whether pivotal organs for sugar metabolism, such as the liver, are involved in production of these factors is unclear.
In humans, the existence of innate, nutrient-specific appetites has not been clearly established (). However, food preferences are partly heritable (), and obesity-promoting FTO alleles have been shown to associate with elevated dietary protein intake in adults () and children (), raising the possibility that qualitative shifts in diet could have metabolic consequences. In addition, a fat-preferring, sucrose-disliking phenotype was recently reported in experiments involving patients with obesity-causing mutations in the melanocortin-4 receptor, providing clinical evidence that nutrient-specific appetite is under genetic control in humans (). Finally, independent genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have correlated variants at the FGF21 locus (rs838133 and rs838145) with increased relative carbohydrate but decreased protein and fat intake ().
Health is influenced by diet composition as well as total energy consumption (). Despite this, and despite evidence in favor of independent appetites for different nutrients in model organisms, the circuits that control hunger and food-seeking in general are better understood than the interoceptive mechanisms that lead to consumption of specific nutrients, though the latter may impact both total energy intake and the health quality of food choices ().
Results and Discussion
Toft et al., 2008 Toft U.
Kristoffersen L.
Ladelund S.
Bysted A.
Jakobsen J.
Lau C.
Jørgensen T.
Borch-Johnsen K.
Ovesen L. Relative validity of a food frequency questionnaire used in the Inter99 study. 2 = 0.59, D’ = 0.78) and hence produced comparable results. We analyzed the association of rs838133 with consumption of specific sweet food types. To do this, we created frequency scores summarizing weekly intake of sweet snacks between meals, grouping them into categories “candy” (sweet category, e.g., mixed candy, wine gums) and “cake” (fatty-sweet category, e.g., pastries, cake) and adding the two together to calculate the overall sweet-containing intake. The “cake” summary category we used contained all items from the original cake portion of the snack section of the validated FFQ, while the “candy” summary category also included all original items with the exception of licorice, due to its strong flavor and frequent combination with salt and ammonia in Denmark. We found that the rs838133 A-allele increased the odds ratio (OR) of being in the highest tertile of total intake of all types of sweet-tasting foods, with an OR of 1.18 per A-allele (95% CI 1.06–1.32, p = 0.003, Benjamini-Hochberg [BH] Q < 0.05) ( Table 1 Effect of FGF21 rs838133 on Snack Intake and Reward-Related Phenotypes Categories, n Tertile or Group n OR 95% CI p Sweet Snacking Total sweet snacking (3,950) second 1,322 1.08 0.97–1.20 0.16 third 1,284 1.18 1.06–1.32 0.003∗∗ Candy (4,360) second 1,247 1.06 0.96–1.19 0.21 third 1,435 1.19 1.07–1.32 0.0007∗∗ Cake (4,246) second 1,206 1.00 0.90–1.11 0.97 third 1,373 1.05 0.95–1.16 0.35 Salty Snacking Total salty snacking (4,410) second 1,425 0.95 0.86–1.05 0.33 third 1,204 1.05 0.94–1.17 0.41 Stimulants: Reward/Addiction Alcoholic drinks (5,445) second 2,119 1.08 0.99–1.19 0.09 third 1,910 1.11 1.01–1.22 0.03∗ Coffee consumption (6,080) second 2,202 0.98 0.91–1.07 0.71 third 1,490 1.03 0.94–1.13 0.54 Smoking (4,637) occasionally 224 0.83 0.68–1.01 0.07 every day 2,233 1.11 1.02–1.20 0.02∗ Data represent the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of being in the second and third tertile of intake or consumption of the different food and reward categories. For all categories, the first tertile was set as the reference. For smoking, the OR of being occasional and every day smoker was calculated with never smoker as reference. p values (p) were calculated using multinomial logistic regression, adjusted for age and sex; asterisks denote Benjamin-Hochberg Q values; ∗∗Q < 0.05, ∗Q < 0.15. Table 2 Association between FGF21 rs838133 and Quantitative Dietary Outcomes Quantitative Diet Outcomes n subjects WT (GG) HE (GA) HO (AA) β (SE) p Total daily energy intake (KJ/day) 6,134 10,042 (3,738) 9,953 (3,694) 10,177 (3,894) 37.3 (65.0) 0.56 Total carbohydrate (% daily energy intake) 6,134 48.8 (7.9) 49.0 (8.1) 49.3 (8.2) 0.26 (0.14) 0.06 Simple carbohydrate (% daily energy intake) 6,134 16.1 (6.6) 16.3 (6.8) 16.4 (6.8) 0.18 (0.11) 0.13 Complex carbohydrate (% daily energy intake) 6,134 15.9 (4.4) 15.8 (4.5) 15.9 (4.5) 0.00 (0.08) 0.98 Added sugar (g/day) 6,134 27.9 (15.6;47.1) 27.6 (15.8;47.9) 31.0 (17.5;51.4) 1.35 (0.71) 0.06 Alcohol intake (% daily energy intake) 6,134 4.6 (5.2) 4.7 (5.4) 4.8 (5.2) 0.10 (0.09) 0.30 Total protein (% daily energy intake) 6,134 13.9 (2.6) 13.8 (2.6) 13.6 (2.6) −0.17 (0.05) 0.001 Total fat (% daily energy intake) 6,134 32.6 (6.9) 32.4 (7.3) 32.3 (7.4) −0.20 (0.13) 0.12 MUFA (% daily energy intake) 6,134 10.8 (2.7) 10.7 (2.9) 10.6 (2.8) −0.9 (0.05) 0.08 PUFA (% daily energy intake) 6,134 5.0 (1.5) 5.0 (1.5) 4.8 (1.5) −0.06 (0.03) 0.02 SFA (% daily energy intake) 6,134 12.6 (3.4) 12.4 (3.6) 12.6 (3.7) −0.04 (0.06) 0.56 Omega-3 fatty acids (% daily energy intake) 6,134 0.9 (0.3) 0.9 (0.3) 0.9 (0.3) −0.009 (0.006) 0.08 Food Item Frequencies n WT (GG) HE (GA) HO (AA) – p trend Total sweet snacking (servings/week) 3,950 4.9 (2.6;8.1) 5.0 (2.8;8.5) 5.8 (3.1;9.1) – 0.02 Candy intake (servings/week) 4,360 2.5 (1.3;4.5) 2.6 (1.3;4.8) 3.0 (1.5;5.2) – 0.04 Cake intake (servings/week) 4,246 1.8 (0.9;3.6) 1.8 (0.9;3.6) 1.9 (0.9;3.9) – 0.07 Salty-snacking (servings/week) 4,410 0.9 (0.5;1.8) 0.9 (0.5;1.8) 1.1 (0.3;1.9) – 0.39 Fructose intake (servings/week) 6,134 8.0 (4.5;16.3) 8.3 (4.3;17.0) 8.3 (4.4;16.1) – 0.44 Complex carbohydrates (servings/week) 3,014 39.7 (30.2;49.8) 38.7 (28.8;48.6) 40.4 (30.2;50.5) – 0.94 Quantitative diet outcomes are given as mean ± SD, except for added sugar and food item frequencies, which are given as median ± interquartile range. p values and per allele effect sizes (β) were calculated using general linear models assuming an additive genetic model (p trend ), adjusted for age and gender. MUFA, mono-unsaturated fatty acid; PUFA, poly-unsaturated fatty acid; SFA, saturated fatty acid. To investigate the relationship between FGF21 variants and human sweet appetite, we genotyped FGF21 rs838133 and rs838145 in the population-based Inter99 cohort, where detailed dietary information is available from a validated 198-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) (). The two variants were in high linkage disequilibrium (r= 0.59, D’ = 0.78) and hence produced comparable results. We analyzed the association of rs838133 with consumption of specific sweet food types. To do this, we created frequency scores summarizing weekly intake of sweet snacks between meals, grouping them into categories “candy” (sweet category, e.g., mixed candy, wine gums) and “cake” (fatty-sweet category, e.g., pastries, cake) and adding the two together to calculate the overall sweet-containing intake. The “cake” summary category we used contained all items from the original cake portion of the snack section of the validated FFQ, while the “candy” summary category also included all original items with the exception of licorice, due to its strong flavor and frequent combination with salt and ammonia in Denmark. We found that the rs838133 A-allele increased the odds ratio (OR) of being in the highest tertile of total intake of all types of sweet-tasting foods, with an OR of 1.18 per A-allele (95% CI 1.06–1.32, p = 0.003, Benjamini-Hochberg [BH] Q < 0.05) ( Table 1 ). When sweet intake was divided into “candy” and “cake,” we observed that individuals carrying the A-allele had higher candy intake (OR 1.19 [95% CI 1.07–1.32], p = 0.0007, BH Q < 0.05), whereas intake of cake was similar between genotype groups (p = 0.35). We also constructed a salty snack score, but found no association with rs838133 ( Tables 1 and 2 ).
de Araujo, 2016 de Araujo I.E. Circuit organization of sugar reinforcement. Talukdar et al., 2016a Talukdar S.
Owen B.M.
Song P.
Hernandez G.
Zhang Y.
Zhou Y.
Scott W.T.
Paratala B.
Turner T.
Smith A.
et al. FGF21 regulates sweet and alcohol preference. Because sweet tastant intake is regulated by the central reward system () and because Fgf21 transgenic mice consume less ethanol than wild-type (), a behavior that also involves the reward system, we evaluated the effect of FGF21 variants on reward-related phenotypes for which data were available from the Inter99 cohort. These analyses revealed that each rs838133 A-allele was nominally associated with higher prevalence of smoking with an OR of 1.11 for daily smoking compared to non-smoking (95% CI 1.02–1.20, p = 0.02, BH Q < 0.15), as well as increased alcohol intake (OR 1.11 [95% CI 1.02–1.22], p = 0.03, BH Q < 0.15) ( Table 1 ). Adjustment of smoking for alcohol intake, as well as the reverse, did not change the results ( Table S1 ). No association between FGF21 variants and coffee consumption was observed in Inter99 (p = 0.53), and the significant smoking association could not be replicated in GWAS data from the Tobacco and Genetics (TAG) Consortium ( Table S2 ).
Locke et al., 2015 Locke A.E.
Kahali B.
Berndt S.I.
Justice A.E.
Pers T.H.
Day F.R.
Powell C.
Vedantam S.
Buchkovich M.L.
Yang J.
et al. A.E.LockeB.KahaliS.I.BerndtA.E.JusticeT.H.PersF.R.DayC.PowellS.VedantamM.L.BuchkovichJ.Yang LifeLines Cohort Study ADIPOGen Consortium AGEN-BMI Working Group CARDIOGRAMplusC4D Consortium CKDGen Consortium GLGC ICBP MAGIC Investigators MuTHER Consortium MIGen Consortium PAGE Consortium ReproGen Consortium GENIE Consortium International Endogene Consortium Genetic studies of body mass index yield new insights for obesity biology. Manning et al., 2012 Manning A.K.
Hivert M.F.
Scott R.A.
Grimsby J.L.
Bouatia-Naji N.
Chen H.
Rybin D.
Liu C.T.
Bielak L.F.
Prokopenko I.
et al. A.K.ManningM.F.HivertR.A.ScottJ.L.GrimsbyN.Bouatia-NajiH.ChenD.RybinC.T.LiuL.F.BielakI.Prokopenko DIAbetes Genetics Replication And Meta-analysis (DIAGRAM) Consortium Multiple Tissue Human Expression Resource (MUTHER) Consortium A genome-wide approach accounting for body mass index identifies genetic variants influencing fasting glycemic traits and insulin resistance. Morris et al., 2012 Morris A.P.
Voight B.F.
Teslovich T.M.
Ferreira T.
Segrè A.V.
Steinthorsdottir V.
Strawbridge R.J.
Khan H.
Grallert H.
Mahajan A.
et al. A.P.MorrisB.F.VoightT.M.TeslovichT.FerreiraA.V.SegrèV.SteinthorsdottirR.J.StrawbridgeH.KhanH.GrallertA.Mahajan Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium Meta-Analyses of Glucose and Insulin-related traits Consortium (MAGIC) Investigators Genetic Investigation of ANthropometric Traits (GIANT) Consortium Asian Genetic Epidemiology Network–Type 2 Diabetes (AGEN-T2D) Consortium South Asian Type 2 Diabetes (SAT2D) Consortium DIAbetes Genetics Replication And Meta-analysis (DIAGRAM) Consortium Large-scale association analysis provides insights into the genetic architecture and pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes. Because sugars are especially palatable and palatable nutrients have been implicated in the pathogenesis of obesity and metabolic disease, we also examined the association of rs838133 with anthropomorphic and metabolic variables. Surprisingly, despite the association of the rs838133 A-allele with increased intake of sweets, this allele did not correlate with increased total energy intake ( Table 2 ) and was associated with lower BMI and waist circumference in the Inter99 cohort ( Table S3 ), which was supported by GWAS results from the Genetic Investigation of Anthropometric Traits (GIANT) Consortium ( Table S2 ) (). The rs838133 A-allele carriers also tended to have better glycemic control compared with non-carriers, with lower plasma glucose or serum insulin at fasting or 2 hr after an oral glucose tolerance test ( Table S3 ). However, the effect on glycemia was not observed in GWAS data from Meta-analyses of Glucose and Insulin-Related Traits Consortium (MAGIC) (). Similarly, no association with type 2 diabetes in Diabetes Genetics Replication and Meta-analysis (DIAGRAM) Consortium GWAS data () was found ( Table S2 ). The results for FGF21 rs838145 were highly consistent with those for rs838133 ( Table S4 ).
Deglaire et al., 2012 Deglaire A.
Mejean C.
Castetbon K.
Kesse-Guyot E.
Urbano C.
Hercberg S.
Schlich P. Development of a questionnaire to assay recalled liking for salt, sweet and fat. Table 3 Clinical Measures among Sweet-Likers and Sweet-Dislikers Sweet-Likers Sweet-Dislikers p n (women/men) 25 (19/6) 26 (19/7) Age (years) a Data are given as mean ± SD 23.7 (2.6) 24.4 (3.5) 0.39 Body mass index (BMI) (kg/m2) 21.9 (1.7) 21.8 (1.6) 0.70 Waist circumference (cm) a Data are given as mean ± SD 76.3 (6.6) 75.6 (3.9) 0.65 Fasting plasma glucose (mmol/L) a Data are given as mean ± SD 4.7 (0.4) 4.6 (0.4) 0.16 Fasting plasma insulin (pmol/L) a Data are given as mean ± SD 53.8 (26.8) 46.8 (18.8) 0.28 HbA1c (CDDT%) a Data are given as mean ± SD 5.1 (0.28) 5.1 (0.7) 0.66 Fasting plasma FGF21 (pg/ml) 63.2 (51.5;108.8) 95.7 (65.5;422.2) 0.04 Men b Differences between groups are evaluated using a Student’s t test 61.5 (40.0;86.2) 74.5 (63.8;213.1) 0.10 Women b Differences between groups are evaluated using a Student’s t test 64.4 (51.5;286.5) 108.2 (65.5;623.8) 0.13 Data are given as median ± interquartile range, with differences between groups assessed using a Wilcoxon rank test (p). In a separate clinical study, we investigated the association between fasting plasma FGF21 levels and self-reported sweet liking in young, healthy, and lean subjects. A total of 86 subjects (23 men and 63 women) completed a questionnaire to determine sweet, fatty-sweet, and salt preferences (). Based on sweet-liking scores, we selected the 51 subjects from the highest (n = 25, 19 women and 6 men) and lowest (n = 26, 19 women and 7 men) tertiles of sweet preference and classified them as “sweet-likers” and “sweet-dislikers,” respectively. Although more women than men participated in this study overall, there was no difference in the sex distribution between the sweet-liker and sweet-disliker groups. Prior to blood sampling for FGF21 analysis, we also asked each subject to select images of liked and disliked snacks. This test supported the validity of the groups, as sweet-dislikers disliked sweet snacks more than sweet-likers (p = 0.02), and sweet-likers liked sweet snacks more than sweet-dislikers (p = 0.04) ( Table S5 ). Further, to determine whether differences in taste perception might contribute to variation in sweet preference in these subjects, they were asked to rate the pleasantness and intensity of five unmarked solutions of varying sucrose concentration. We observed no difference between sweet-likers and sweet-dislikers in ratings of pleasantness or intensity of any of the five solutions ( Figure S1 A). In addition, no differences in clinical characteristics or glycemic measures were observed between the two groups ( Tables 3 and S5 ).
We measured FGF21 levels after a 12 hr fast and found that concentrations were 51% higher in sweet-dislikers compared to sweet-likers (median 95.7 pg/mL [interquartile range, 65.5–422.2] versus median 63.2 pg/mL [interquartile range, 51.5–108.8], p = 0.04) ( Table 3 ).
Gälman et al., 2008 Gälman C.
Lundåsen T.
Kharitonenkov A.
Bina H.A.
Eriksson M.
Hafström I.
Dahlin M.
Amark P.
Angelin B.
Rudling M. The circulating metabolic regulator FGF21 is induced by prolonged fasting and PPARalpha activation in man. Figure 1 Changes and Concentrations of Plasma FGF21 during an Oral Sucrose Challenge Test Show full caption (A) The percent changes in plasma FGF21 levels in each subject from baseline at different time points during an oral sucrose challenge. Data presented as mean ± SEM. (B) The absolute concentrations of plasma FGF21 at different time points during an oral sucrose challenge. Data presented as median ± interquartile range. The circles and blue line represent sweet-likers (n = 20), and the squares and green line represent sweet-dislikers (n = 21). On a subsequent clinical visit in 41 of the 51 subjects (20 sweet-likers and 21 sweet-dislikers recalled randomly from each group on the basis of a power calculation), we performed a 5 hr, 75 g oral sucrose challenge following a 12 hr fast to assess the dynamic FGF21 response to sucrose consumption and to investigate potential differences in FGF21 secretion between sweet-likers and sweet-dislikers. In the group that completed the challenge study, there was no difference in absolute plasma FGF21 levels between sweet-likers and sweet-dislikers at any time point, and incremental areas under the curve were indistinguishable between groups (p = 0.26). Most importantly, however, plasma FGF21 was markedly increased by sucrose (mean 193% above baseline, p < 0.0001) in both groups, reaching maximum levels after 120 min ( Figures 1 A and 1B, respectively). Interestingly, this increase was delayed relative to the increase in plasma insulin, plasma C-peptide, and plasma glucose, which peaked 30–60 min after the oral sucrose challenge ( Figures S2 A–S2F; Table S6 ). The large variation in inter-subject FGF21 levels is also notable and consistent with prior reports ().
Mozaffarian, 2016 Mozaffarian D. Dietary and policy priorities for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity: a comprehensive review. Yarmolinsky et al., 2009 Yarmolinsky D.A.
Zuker C.S.
Ryba N.J. Common sense about taste: from mammals to insects. Zuker, 2015 Zuker C.S. Food for the brain. The mechanisms that influence what foods humans want to consume may contribute to the global burden of morbidity and premature death because suboptimal diet is a primary risk factor for many common diseases (). The ubiquity of palatable nutrients, especially sugars and fat, contributes to poor dietary choices by exploiting the tendency, which likely evolved in response to frequent periods of scarcity, to voraciously consume such energy-dense foods when available (). Thus, a better understanding of the biological basis of palatable nutrient appetite is needed to develop strategies to improve diet quality and human health in modern food environments ().
Chu et al., 2013 Chu A.Y.
Workalemahu T.
Paynter N.P.
Rose L.M.
Giulianini F.
Tanaka T.
Ngwa J.S.
Qi Q.
Curhan G.C.
Rimm E.B.
et al. A.Y.ChuT.WorkalemahuN.P.PaynterL.M.RoseF.GiulianiniT.TanakaJ.S.NgwaQ.QiG.C.CurhanE.B.Rimm CHARGE Nutrition Working Group DietGen Consortium Novel locus including FGF21 is associated with dietary macronutrient intake. Tanaka et al., 2013 Tanaka T.
Ngwa J.S.
van Rooij F.J.
Zillikens M.C.
Wojczynski M.K.
Frazier-Wood A.C.
Houston D.K.
Kanoni S.
Lemaitre R.N.
Luan J.
et al. Genome-wide meta-analysis of observational studies shows common genetic variants associated with macronutrient intake. Heianza et al., 2016 Heianza Y.
Ma W.
Huang T.
Wang T.
Zheng Y.
Smith S.R.
Bray G.A.
Sacks F.M.
Qi L. Macronutrient intake-associated FGF21 genotype modifies effects of weight-loss diets on 2-year changes of central adiposity and body composition: the POUNDS lost trial. von Holstein-Rathlou et al., 2016 von Holstein-Rathlou S.
BonDurant L.D.
Peltekian L.
Naber M.C.
Yin T.C.
Claflin K.E.
Urizar A.I.
Madsen A.N.
Ratner C.
Holst B.
et al. FGF21 mediates endocrine control of simple sugar intake and sweet taste preference by the liver. Our data suggest that the liver hormone FGF21 may regulate sweet consumption in humans, offering insight into the fundamental biology of nutrient appetite as well as a potential avenue for developing therapeutics to decrease intake. Consistent with this hypothesis, two GWASs have associated SNPs in FGF21 with relatively increased intake of carbohydrate but decreased intake of protein and fat in humans (), and a recent paper reported that FGF21 variants interact with diet to modify changes in fat mass and waist circumference evoked by weight loss diets containing either high or low amounts of carbohydrate (). However, the former reports do not address how FGF21 variation modifies diet pattern beyond basic relative macronutrient consumption. This study, by contrast, explores how these FGF21 variants correlate with intake of many food items from diverse categories, to produce a detailed portrait of how FGF21 variation affects human ingestive behavior. We show that the rs838133 A-allele and highly correlated rs838145 G-allele associate specifically with increased total intake of sugars rather than complex carbohydrates, as well as the propensity to consume sweet snacks rather than fatty-sweet or salty snacks. Importantly, this change in diet structure does not affect total energy intake, as both protein and fat intake decrease. This is consistent with previous observations in rodents of a specific effect of FGF21 on sweet consumption, which leads to compensatory changes in protein and fat intake to maintain stable energy intake ().
Talukdar et al., 2016a Talukdar S.
Owen B.M.
Song P.
Hernandez G.
Zhang Y.
Zhou Y.
Scott W.T.
Paratala B.
Turner T.
Smith A.
et al. FGF21 regulates sweet and alcohol preference. Schumann et al., 2016 Schumann G.
Liu C.
O’Reilly P.
Gao H.
Song P.
Xu B.
Ruggeri B.
Amin N.
Jia T.
Preis S.
et al. KLB is associated with alcohol drinking, and its gene product β-Klotho is necessary for FGF21 regulation of alcohol |
[ edit ]
The Yarmouth raid was carried out by the German battlecruiser squadron (Admiral Franz von Hipper) with the battlecruisers SMS Seydlitz, Von der Tann and Moltke, the slightly smaller armoured cruiser SMS Blücher and the light cruisers SMS Strassburg, Graudenz, Kolberg and Stralsund. On this occasion, mines were to be laid off the coast of Yarmouth and Lowestoft and the ships were to shell Yarmouth.[3]
Raid [ edit ]
At 16:30 on 2 November 1914, the battlecruiser squadron left its base on the Jade River. Two squadrons of German battleships followed slightly later, to lie in wait for ships that the battlecruisers might have lured. By midnight, the squadron was sufficiently north to be passing fishing trawlers from various countries. By 06:30 on 3 November, the patrol sighted a marker buoy at "Smith's Knoll Watch", allowing them to determine their exact position and close in to Yarmouth.[4] The Yarmouth coast was patrolled by the minesweeper HMS Halcyon and the old destroyers HMS Lively and Leopard. Halcyon spotted two cruisers, which she challenged. The response came in the form of shellfire from small and then larger guns. Arthur Hungerford Pollen wrote that
Private letters speak of salvoes falling short and over in the most disconcerting manner, and of the ship being so drenched with water as to be in danger of foundering. One man was lost through a fragment of a shell. Pollen[5]
The German flagship, SMS Seydlitz
Lively—some 2 mi (1.7 nmi; 3.2 km) behind—started to make smoke to hide the ships. German shooting was less accurate than it might have been because all the battlecruisers fired upon her at once, making it harder for each ship to see their fall of shot and correct their aim. At 07:40, Hipper ceased firing at Lively and directed some shells toward Yarmouth, which hit the beach. Once Stralsund had finished laying mines, the ships departed.[6]
Halcyon—out of immediate danger—radioed a warning of the presence of German ships. The destroyer HMS Success moved to join them, while three more destroyers in harbour began raising steam. The submarines HMS E10, D5 and D3—inside the harbour—moved out to join the chase, but D5 struck a mine and sank. At 08:30, Halcyon returned to harbour and provided a report of what had happened.[7]
At 09:55, Admiral Beatty was ordered south with a battlecruiser squadron and squadrons of the Grand Fleet following from Ireland. By then, Hipper was 50 mi (43 nmi; 80 km) away, heading home. German ships waited overnight in Schillig Roads for fog to clear before returning to harbour. In the fog, the armoured cruiser SMS Yorck—which was travelling from the Jade Bay to Wilhelmshaven—went off course and hit two mines. A number of the crew survived by sitting on the wreck of the ship, which had sunk in shallow water but at least 235 men were killed (reports vary).[8]
Aftermath [ edit ]
Admiral Hipper was awarded an Iron Cross but refused to wear it, feeling little had been accomplished. Although the results were not spectacular, German commanders were heartened by the ease with which Hipper had arrived and departed and were encouraged to try again. The lack of reaction from the British had been due partly to news that morning of a much more serious loss at the Battle of Coronel and because Admiral John Jellicoe, commander of the Grand Fleet, was on a train returning to his ships at the time of the raid.[9] According to Winston Churchill, the First Lord of the Admiralty, the British could not believe there was nothing more to the raid than briefly shelling Yarmouth and were waiting for something else to happen.[10]
Order of battle [ edit ]
See also [ edit ]
Notes [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
Coordinates:Pauper Love Train (Axebane Defender combo) with Ritualist. The combo is to put a Freed from the Real on a Axebane Defender (with another wall) and now Oasis Ritualist to make infinite mana and then either 1) Rolling Thunder them to death (Can be found by both Muddle and Train) 2) Drift into Invoker 3) Capsize Mulldrifter into Thunder 4) Capsize their board and beatdown with drifter, flipped captives and ritualist.
Having both axebane and ritualist does make it a lot easier to go off now. This deck is pretty consistent at going off on Turn 4-5 naked and Turn 5-6 with protection or redundant pieces. This combined with high toughness bodies make it so that it can race aggro decks. It can also grind people with capsize, train, and there are times where it is possible to rolling thunder them without having Freed.PROVIDENCE, RI—Just over a week into the administration of President Donald Trump, local man Alex Seidman, a 36-year-old who will be shocked eight separate times by today’s news, told reporters Monday that at this point, nothing would surprise him. “Honestly, after everything that’s gone down in the past 10 days, none of it really even fazes me,” said the man who will be stunned on eight different occasions by news updates that will leave him wondering if the country’s longstanding democratic institutions can withstand even half of Trump’s first term in office. “Maybe a few months ago it would’ve upset me, even frightened me. But today, I’ll click on The New York Times and it’ll feel pretty [startling, with each piece of news more surreal and flabbergasting than the last, every article seemingly rewriting the rules of reality and slowly convincing me that there may no longer be any such thing as] normal.” At press time, Seidman was now fully convinced that he would be spending at least the next four years in a state of continually heightening trauma, and thus far has not been proven wrong.
AdvertisementTwenty years ago, Philip Platzman and Allen Mills, Jr. at Bell Laboratories proposed that a gamma-ray laser could be made from a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) of positronium, the simplest atom made of both matter and antimatter (1). That was a year before a BEC of any kind of atom was available in any laboratory. Today, BECs have been made of 13 different elements, four of which are available in laboratories of the Joint Quantum Institute (JQI) (2), and JQI theorists have turned their attention to prospects for a positronium gamma-ray laser.
In a study published this week in Physical Review A (3), they report detailed calculations of the dynamics of a positronium BEC. This work is the first to account for effects of collisions between different positronium species. These collisions put important constraints on gamma-ray laser operation.
The World's Favorite Antimatter
Discovered in 1933, antimatter is a deep, pervasive feature of the world of elementary particles, and it has a growing number of applications. For example, about 2 million positron emission tomography (PET) medical imaging scans are performed in the USA each year. PET employs the antiparticle of the electron, the positron, that is emitted by radioactive elements which can be attached to biologically active molecules that target specific sites of the body. When a positron is emitted, it quickly binds to an electron in the surrounding medium, forming a positronium atom (denoted Ps).
Within a microsecond, the Ps atom will spontaneously self-annihilate at a random time, turning all of its mass into pure energy as described by Einstein's famous equation, E = mc2. This energy usually comes in the form of two gamma rays with energies of 511 kiloelectronvolts (keV), a highly penetrating form of radiation to which the human body is transparent. Platzman's and Mills' gamma-ray laser proposal involves generating coherent emission of these 511 keV photons by persuading a large number of Ps atoms to commit suicide at the same time, thus generating an intense gamma-ray pulse.
The Simplest Matter-Antimatter Atom
Ps lives less than a microsecond after it is formed, but that is a long enough for it to demonstrate the distinctive properties of an atom. It is bound by the electric attraction between positron and electron, just as the hydrogen atom is bound by the attraction between the proton and the electron. Figure 2 shows the spatial distribution of electron and positron density in Ps as given by the solution of the Schroedinger equation. The sharp central cusp is the place where the electron and positron meet, and annihilate. The electron density there is about four times the average density of the conduction electrons in copper wire.
Stimulated Annihilation
The electron and positron each has an intrinsic spin of ½ (in units of the reduced Planck constant). Thus, according to quantum mechanics, Ps can have a spin of 0 or 1. This turns out to be a critical element of the gamma-ray laser scheme. The 511 keV photons are only emitted by the spin-0 states of Ps, and this takes place within about 0.1 nanosecond after a spin-0 state is formed. The spin-1 states, on the other hand, last for about 0.1 microsecond, and only decay by emission of three gamma rays (for reasons of symmetry).
What we will get here is a process, stimulated annihilation, that is analogous to the stimulated radiation process at the heart of laser operation. Thus, when a pulsed beam of positrons is directed into a material, a random assortment of Ps states is created; the spin-0 states annihilate within the nanosecond, and the spin-1 states live for another nanosecond. During this latter time, the spin-1 states serve as an energy storage medium for the gamma ray laser: if they are switched into spin-0 states, which constitutes the active gain medium that generates the fast pulse of 511 keV gamma rays. Part of the JQI theorists' work involves the modelling of the most likely switch for this process, a pulse of far-infrared radiation. They find several switching sequences that approach the optimal condition of switching all spin-1 states to spin-0 states in a time short compared to the annihilation lifetime.
Positronium Sweetspot
Platzman and Mills pointed out that the Bose-Einstein condensate is a form of "enabling technology" for the Ps gamma-ray laser. This is because its low temperature and high phase-space density make coherent stimulated emission possible: in an ordinary thermal gas of Ps, the Doppler shifts of the atoms would suppress lasing action. This introduces another degree of complexity, which is explored in detail for the first time by the JQI team. A Ps BEC will only form when a threshold density of Ps is attained. That density depends upon the temperature of the Ps, but it is likely to be in the range of 1018 Ps atoms per cubic centimeter, which is about 3% of the density of ordinary air. At that density, collisions between Ps atoms occur frequently, and state-changing collisions are of particular concern. On the one hand, two spin-1 Ps atoms can collide to form two spin-0 atoms; this process limits the density of the energy storage medium. On the other hand, two spin-0 Ps atoms can collide to form two spin-1 atoms; this process limits the density of the active gain medium. Using first-principles quantum theory, the JQI team has explored the time evolution of a Ps BEC containing various mixtures of spin-0 and spin-1 Ps atoms, and has found that there is a critical density of Ps, above which collision processes quickly destroy the internal coherence of the gas.
The main conclusion of the JQI work is that the critical density is greater than the threshold density, so that there is a "sweet spot" for further development of a Ps gamma-ray laser. Dr. David B. Cassidy, a positronium experimentalist at University College London, who was not one of the authors of the new paper, summarizes it thusly:
"The idea to try and make a Ps BEC, and from this an annihilation laser, has been around for a long time, but nobody has really thought about the details of how a dense Ps BEC would actually behave, until now. This work neatly shows that the simple expectation that increasing the Ps density in a BEC would increase the amount of stimulated annihilation is wrong! Although we are some years away from trying to do this experimentally, when we do eventually get there the calculations in this paper will certainly help us to design a better experiment."
###
(1) "Possibilities for Bose condensation of positronium", P. M. Platzman and A.P. Mills, Jr., Physical Review B vol. 49, p. 454 (1994)
(2) The Joint Quantum Institute is operated jointly by the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, MD and the University of Maryland in College Park.
(3) "Spinor Bose-Einstein Condensates of Positronium," Yi-Hsieh Wang, Brandon M. Anderson, and Charles W. Clark, Physical Review A, vol. 89, p. 043624 (2014), published online 28 April 2014 at http://link. aps. org/ doi/ 10. 1103/ PhysRevA. 89. 043624 DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.89.043624TOKYO -- The Japanese government will begin discussions to attract experienced farmers from abroad to a country now suffering from serious labor shortages in the agriculture industry.
The special government program would accept workers with certain skills and experience in agriculture. They would be allowed to work in special strategic zones where restrictions on foreign labor could be relaxed.
The agriculture experts would be paid equal to or higher than their Japanese peers.
So far, government efforts to attract skilled foreign workers have been focused on jobs in urban areas. The government now wants to broaden its scope to rural areas, many of which are suffering from weak economies.
The discussions will start on Tuesday at a council meeting for national strategic special zones. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will chair the meeting. Several local governments have already submitted proposals to the working group regarding foreign agricultural workers.
The government aims to submit a bill to revise related laws during next year's ordinary Diet, or legislative, session. It will likely be based on legislation that has already passed to allow foreign housekeepers to work in certain parts of the country.
To take part in the program, a foreign farmer would have to have experience in agriculture and be able to speak at least basic Japanese.
Japan's farm population is collapsing. As of February, it stood at 3.17 million, 2 million fewer than a decade earlier.
(Nikkei)We need to fix quarterback scoring y'all.
Even those of you who hate change, and those of you who just want to stay in blissful ignorance and play in "standard" leagues because that is how you, your father, and your father's father have always played fantasy football. Yes, you too know deep down quarterback scoring needs to change.
The NFL Fantasy crew just completed our first offseason mock draft and Aaron Rodgers was taken at the top of the fourth round, 31st overall. If you're a savvy fantasy manager, you know that sounds about right for the Green Bay signal caller.
But let's think about that for a second. Aaron flippin' Rodgers went 14 picks after Todd Gurley, a player who was an abject disaster in fantasy last year. Rodgers is a perennial MVP candidate for goodness sakes and a fantasy stud year in and year out.
Meanwhile, other quarterback studs saw even worse treatment from our seasoned fake-game experts. Russell Wilson went in the 12th round while Matt Ryan, the actual MVP from last season, went in the 14th round, 133rd overall.
When quarterbacks give you just four points per passing touchdown and just minus-two when they turn the ball over, this drafting style is par for the course. This is normal.
But it is also insane.
DEPTH AT THE POSITION
Quarterback is no question the most important position in the real life game, but in fantasy, it is one of the least important. There are a few main reasons for this but you'll likely hear "depth at the position" about a million times between now and your respective draft day.
While this is partially true, the actual reason this "depth" exists is because standard leagues create an unnatural depression of scoring differential between the game's elite and, well, Blake Bortles.
Rodgers was the QB1 in fantasy last year while Bortles was confoundingly the QB9. The quality of play between the two was massive, to say the least. Yet, from a fantasy perspective, the difference was not nearly as dramatic.
Rodgers scored 380 fantasy points in standard scoring while the Duval Pick-6 Machine racked up 270 fantasy points. That's about a 29 percent difference in scoring.
The difference between David Johnson (RB1) and Jordan Howard (RB9) was about 126 total points, a nearly 39 percent difference in production.
How are we OK with running backs and wide receivers having such massive scoring differentials, but not OK creating a sensible system that also allows for this separation between quarterbacks?
And forget about taking a long view. On a week-to-week basis many crafty managers will work the waiver wire looking for a streaming signal caller, essentially making drafting any meaningful quarterback a throwaway pick.
For example, Carson Wentz was largely irrelevant in fantasy from a season-long perspective (QB24), but was still highly useful for managers in Week 12. The rookie was a popular streamer versus a Green Bay pass defense that was ravaged by injuries and was, by season's end, one of the worst in the league. In that relatively-easy-to-predict matchup, Wentz put up 17.46 fantasy points.
For comparison, Rodgers, again the QB1, averaged 23.75 fantasy points per game on the season. The six-ish point differential in scoring is simply not enough to discourage managers from continuing to wait and wait and wait on quarterbacks during drafts.
So how then do we give quarterbacks the value that more accurately reflects their importance in the game?
I propose two possible solutions. The first is incredibly easy as you'll see below. The the other is a bit more involved and not currently available on any major format (but should/could be in the future).
Let's dive in.
CRUISING DOWN THE STREET IN MY SIX-FOUR
Like Eazy E, feel free to cruise up to your league manager with the 6-4 idea. That is, six points for ALL touchdowns and minus-four points for ALL turnovers.
We need to create separation between the elite and the riff-raff quarterbacks. The easiest way to do that is to accentuate the good (touchdowns) and punish the bad (turnovers) more severely.
I've loooooooonnnnnngggggg advocated that all quarterback touchdowns need to be six points. The common argument against this notion is that it doesn't matter because all quarterbacks benefit equally from the point increase. But there's another wrinkle to consider here.
The difference in passing yardage between Rodgers and Bortles is just 11 percent. The difference in passing touchdowns between the two is 17 total scores, good for a 42 percent difference.
If you simply give all touchdowns their rightful due (six points), yes, it's true that all quarterbacks benefit, but the scoring differential goes up significantly between quarterbacks as well. Rodgers goes from having a 74-point advantage over Bortles in standard to a 108-point advantage when all touchdowns are six points.
At an absolute minimum, to help bring more balance back to the fantasy game, we must start there. Six-point passing scores should absolutely be standard, of that there is absolutely no question in my mind.
But if we're in for a penny, we're in for a pound. Give quarterbacks six for passing scores and ding them four points for all turnovers. Interceptions, fumbles, it doesn't matter, you turn it over -- BOOM -- minus four points.
Forget about all the real-life reasons why this makes sense for a second. Purely from a statistical standpoint, in order to help create a greater, more meaningful difference between quarterback tiers, we have to smash down quarterbacks who turn the rock over.
In this 6-4 scoring system Rodgers goes from 380 to 438 total points and sees his per game average boosted from 23.75 to 27.38 fantasy points per game.
Bortles sinks from the QB9 all the way down to the QB16 on the season and the total scoring differential between him and Rodgers goes from about 29 percent all the way to 38 percent. That seems MUCH more in line with real-life value.
The difference between Rodgers (QB1) and Matthew Stafford (QB9) in this scoring system is 158 points, a 36 percent difference, up from the 29 percent difference we saw between the QB1 to QB9 in standard scoring. This seasonal uptick in relative scoring would drive Rodgers' price up on draft day, likely into the first two rounds.
The impact of this change is felt less and less the lower you go down the list of quarterbacks, meaning streaming will still be a popular option for those managers who miss out on high-end quarterbacks (Wentz would have scored 15.46 points in the example above instead of 17.46).
Even in 6-4, only 3.3 fantasy points per game separate the ninth-highest per game scorer from the 18th-highest. For comparison, there's only a 1.92 FPPG differential in standard leagues for that same range.
Yet, while the 6-4 system is a good start, it's not enough.
KILL THE STREAM
I want to effectively kill streaming quarterbacks. I know what you're thinking, "Whoa, relax Koh, let's not get crazy here."
Nah, we're going Nas on Jay-Z here and ether-ing this joint.
Why kill this very popular fantasy strategy? Well, let's remember the premise of this whole piece: quarterbacks are unrealistically devalued in our precious fake game.
If fantasy reflected real life, having Rodgers or Brady should put you in line to win a bunch of ballgames. If you have Cam Newton and he has an off year, guess what, you lose. Conversely, if you gamble and wait and wait and somehow hit on Matt Ryan, a tip of the cap to you as you go on to win the league. Or hell, if you have a totally serviceable quarterback like Kirk Cousins or Andy Dalton and surround him with great running backs and wide receivers, you can win that way too.
The only way you can't win? Streaming. Because streaming is stupid. If you want to run your club like the Browns and rotate a bunch of busted quarterbacks, let's be real here, you deserve to lose.
And listen, I've done it. I remember getting to a fantasy championship one year using some gross combination of J.T. O'Sullivan and Dan Orlovsky. There were probably some other zombie quarterbacks that I rode that year too but those two names stuck out to me and were the impetus to me realizing how incredibly stupid it is you can win fantasy this way.
I get that fantasy doesn't totally capture real-life value but come on. How are we OK with it being that disconnected from the real game? It's something that's always bothered me and I know it's irksome to a lot of other fantasy managers as well.
It's time to fix that.
QB RATING FOR THE WIN
If we use quarterback rating (currently not feasible on any major platform) in addition to the 6-4 scoring system we can effectively establish the true value of elite quarterbacks in fantasy, and make streaming almost a fool's errand.
First, we have to establish that a quarterback rating of 90 is about average in today's game. To that point, last year 16 teams had a team quarterback rating greater than 90 and exactly 16 teams had a team quarterback rating of less than 90. We can obviously adjust this number as the years go on, but for now, let's start there.
If you award.1 points to any QB rating point over 90, a quarterback rating of 100, for example, will net you one additional fantasy point. But here's the key, if you also penalize.1 points for any QB rating point below 90, a quarterback rating of 80 would subtract one point from your total.
See where I'm going here? As with the 6-4 setup, we're rewarding good play and penalizing bad play.
This system would have resulted in nine quarterbacks averaging more than 20 FPPG last year, and another three with at least 19 per contest -- basically your top 12 quarterbacks. In standard scoring leagues, there were only five total quarterbacks giving you 20-plus per game, and none averaging 19-plus, creating the space for streaming quarterbacks to be relevant each week. So, this raises the question: can you stream a quarterback and get top-12 results in this new QB rating-adjusted system?
Well, incorporating quarterback rating, Wentz in Week 12 goes from 17.46 points in standard to 14.01 because he had a quarterback rating of 75.5, costing him an extra 1.45 points (in addition to the extra two points he loses from the 6-4 scoring). In standard leagues, his 17 points would be extremely competitive in terms of per-game scoring, on par with Matthew Stafford and Dak Prescott and just fractions off a top-10 performance (on average). In this new system? His 14 points puts him outside the top 18.
Matt Barkley in Week 15 (again against Green Bay) was another popular streaming option. In standard leagues, he gave owners a very respectable 14.48 points, this despite having four turnovers. Sure his point total in standard would likely put him outside the top 18 from a per-game average standpoint, but he's still within two points of a probable top-12 finish. Just two measly points. You can easily make that back somewhere else on your roster.
So even in a game where Barkley suffered four turnovers, in standard leagues, the penalty is relatively minimal. In the 6-4 system Barkley had 10.48 points, But when you factor in his 81.7 rating, his output falls to 9.65 points. When the top 12 are scoring on average 18-28 fantasy points per game in this system, that's potentially a week-crushing performance -- as it should be.
As you can tell, 6-4 makes hitting correctly on a streamer much more difficult and calculating in quarterback rating makes that task even more improbable, giving proper value to the elite passers. Even if you were to correctly predict breakout quarterback games from unheralded arms, the upside is not nearly as high when compared to the game's best.
Oh, by the way, the difference between Rodgers (still the QB1) and Marcus Mariota, the QB10 in this model, is about 170 points or approximately a 37 percent difference. The difference between David Johnson (RB1) and Mark Ingram (RB10) is 131 points, about a 40 percent difference.
Again, if you are OK with a running back having a 40 percent difference in scoring compared to another back in the top 10, why are you so damn resistant to changing quarterback scoring to reflect similar values?
Join me, my friends. Let's start with the 6-4 revolution and let's burn down the antiquated "standard" scoring system that makes some of the league's best players irrelevant.
-- James Koh is the host of the NFL Fantasy LIVE podcast and an analyst on NFL Fantasy LIVE. Follow him on Twitter @JamesDKoh and don't forget to subscribe to the podcast!The German government has proposed to postpone the implementation of the 95g CO2/km standard for new cars from 2020 to 2024, according to a proposal distributed to European ministers last Friday. This latest German attempt would effectively raise the 2020 target by nearly 10% to 104 g/km in 2020. It would also raise the average new car driver’ fuel bills by €138 a year as new vehicles will be less fuel efficient.
This June, the European Parliament and EU governments (Council) struck a deal confirming the 95g target for new passenger vehicles in 2020. In an unprecedented move, Germany blocked a Council vote to rubber stamp the agreement, which has been delayed since then. The Lithuanian Presidency has scheduled a EU government vote on the deal for this week. If the Council reject the delayed deal, it will lead to a full second reading in the Parliament and the entire draft law will be up for negotiation again.
This last-ditch German move proposes that the 95g limit would only apply to 80% of the new vehicle fleet in 2020, increasing by 5 percentage points each year until reaching full coverage in 2024. This would allow Germany’s luxury car manufacturers, who already receive more relaxed standards than makers of lighter cars, to sell even more gas-guzzlers for another decade. The impact of the German proposal is similar to one previously assessed by the European Commission that estimated by 2030 it would lead to 120m tonnes of more oil being used, 310m tonnes more CO2 being emitted and a reduction of GDP of up to €5.1bn. [1]Grassroots activists plan to “seize back control” of the Conservative Party, which they say has “begun to resemble the remote and unaccountable European Union” in its internal governance.
The ‘Campaign for Conservative Democracy’ will fight for local constituency associations to have more influence over candidate selection, and for members to have more input into party policy relative to Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ), reports the Guido Fawkes blog.
“The Conservative Party has taken its core membership for granted for far too long,” said the group’s founder David Campbell Bannerman MEP.
“Local associations should be made the boss again. There has been a complete centralisation of power away from local associations and the relationship between the two has been shown to be highly unsatisfactory, undemocratic and one-sided.
“You can’t run a party from one London office. CCHQ has often begun to resemble the remote and unaccountable European Union in structure and inclination.”
FRINGE Party democracy & election lessons. Campaign 4 Con Dem/@BrugesGroup 9am Mon 2nd DCB/Don Porter/John Strafford/David Maddox;Town Hall — David C Bannerman (@DCBMEP) September 27, 2017
Bannerman — originally elected to the European Parliament on a UK Independence Party ticket — said giving more power to party members would “help avoid the disastrous manifesto mistakes in the recent General Election”.
The Guido Fawkes blog told its readers to “Expect Tory MPs on the right to endorse the group and use it to pile pressure on CCHQ and Theresa May,” in the same way the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy pressured the leadership of the Tories’ main rivals in the past.
It is certainly true that Tory MPs and, in particular, the Tory Party leadership, tend to skew much more to the liberal Left than ordinary members.
During the referendum of European Union membership, for example, the evidence suggests the “vast majority” of constituency activists supported Brexit — while a clear majority of MPs remained loyal to the EU.
Source: EU vote: Where the Cabinet and other MPs stand
The divide between membership and leadership was even more pronounced in the Cabinet, in which some twenty-four ministers backed Remain, compared to just six who campaigned to Leave.
Tory leaders have also stood by unpopular legislation on climate change and foreign aid — despite strong opposition from members — and frequently embrace Left-liberal shibboleths such as “social justice” and the supposed gender pay gap.
It is not even clear whether they are serious about executing some of the more traditionally conservative policies which they have committed to, such as the long-standing pledge to bring net immigration down to “the tens of thousands” — with former Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne recently boasting that the target has been consistently missed because it has no real support within the Cabinet.
Follow Jack Montgomery on Twitter: @JackBMontgomeryNORTH TEXAS (CBS 11 NEWS) – Thousands of North Texans are asking, “What are those long, silky strings floating in the air?” Turns out they’re the webs of spiders in their annual migration to better hunting grounds, and surprising a lot of people.
“I thought it was weird; I’d never seen it before,” said Myrna Olivas, who first noticed it driving in her car; then later as she dropped her son off at school. “It just landed on my head and it left again,” she said adding, “It’s just a big stripe of spider web. I couldn’t recognize it until I got it closer to me.”
The natural phenomenon was first noticed early Wednesday morning.
They’re called “ballooning” or “floating” webs made by young, migrating spiders. “There’s some that produce a ball like a balloon, and there’s some they call tent spiders because they create almost like a triangle,” according to Texas A&M Agrilife horticulturist Patrick Dickinson.
They were strung across North Texas in trees or on lamp posts, even on a surveillance camera atop Dallas City Hall. Car dealers washed them off their prize offerings.
Not everyone thought them merely a weird nuisance, according to Dickinson. “Some people did not know what it was and were scared to go outside of their homes. Other people thought when they saw them in the trees like you’re seeing here that there was something wrong with their trees.”
Social media lit up. “What’s up with all these spider webs?” demanded one posting. “Why are there spider webs everywhere?” asked another. “What’s going on with floating spider webs?” queried a third. Turns out, it is just nature doing her thing, according to Dickinson. “It’s instinctive, and when we get into cooler nights like we’ve been experiencing, that triggers the eggs of the sacks for the spiders to hatch.”
Heavy moisture from recent milder mornings have made it easier to see webs, as they’re more reflective in the emerging sunlight. It’s just small spiders looking for new hunting grounds. The silky strings can be 20-feet long and sometimes float for miles.
Dickinson says the migration is so widespread it can be witnessed across the globe. “In Brazil they do it this time of year when they look for the flight of the spiders, and the skies will literally be clouded by the shrouds of these strings from the spiders.”
They’re all different varieties of spiders. The good news according to Dickinson is they’re harmless to people and to plants. “They’re going to be feeding on the bad insects that we don’t want. These are the good guys.” And they’ll be back next year.
(©2013 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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Top Trending:Hundreds of kids spent the day passing and catching and learning the ropes of football from Ben Roethlisberger. (Photo Credit: KDKA)
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and his wife Ashley are the proud parents of a new baby girl.
Big Ben tweeted a picture of newborn Baylee Marie Roethlisberger who was born at 1:11 a.m. Wednesday morning.
At 1:11 AM, we were blessed to welcome into this world another beautiful gift from God, Baylee Marie Roethlisberger! pic.twitter.com/phcn0Aoqht — BigBen7.com (@_BigBen7) March 19, 2014
Baylee weighs 6lbs, 12 oz. and is 19.5 inches long.
According to Roethlisberger’s website, mom and baby are doing great!
The couple announced they were expecting last fall.
The couple has a son, Benjamin Jr., who was born in November of 2012.
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OKLAHOMA CITY - A traffic stop leads to a deadly shootout with Oklahoma City police.
One suspect is dead and two police officers are injured.
Dozens of bullet holes riddled the area.
"It was pretty crazy," said Sara Martinez.
Sara lives right next to the parking lot where the shooting took place.
32 different bullet holes could be found on scene.
"It sounded like New Years with a whole bunch of fireworks," said Martinez.
Bullets even flew across Rockwell, busting a car window and going into another home.
"When this happens you know how close it was," said neighbor Kathi Mason.
Police say the shootout started Monday night after a police officer pulled over a car near NW 12th and Rockwell.
Three people were inside the car at the time.
The driver, Renarbrey Jones, and one of the passengers, Roger Gurley, had multiple warrants for their arrest.
Police say the first officer called for backup and when police tried to handcuff Jones, another passenger, Lincoln Price, got out with a gun and started shooting at the officers.
"We have to figure out why he would do something like that," said Oklahoma City Police Captain Paco Balderrama. "You know it's our belief this individual had every intention of getting away and if that meant killing an officer, he was willing to do that. It's possible he didn't want to go back to prison because he was in possession of a firearm."
One officer got shot in the leg, another injured his hand and finger.
Price died on scene.
Everyone else in the area agrees police had every right to use deadly force.
"The suspect was shooting first," said Ming Jiang. "The police officers have a right to defend themselves."
"He should've known they'd kill him and luckily they had good shots and it ended after that," said Mason.
"It's pretty obvious when someone shoots at an officer, they have a right to protect themselves and citizens in the neighborhood," said Balderrama.
As for the injured officers, both are expected to recover.
All four officers involved in the shooting have been put on leave while the case is investigated.What’s that? The New York Times had a reporter on the scene of the Sept. 11, 2012, terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya? Reporter David D. Kirkpatrick, who wrote this weekend’s piece on Benghazi, says it was invaluable to have a reporter on the ground talking to the attackers during the attack |
last year's sales tax hike that boosted Kansas' food sales tax to one of the highest in the nation.The state's largest county, Johnson County, suffered the biggest losses with an estimated $93 million loss in food sales. But the losses on a per capita basis hit the smaller border counties the hardest.Kansas is one of only 14 states that taxes groceries. Neighboring Nebraska and Colorado do not.
A new study shows Kansas' high sales taxes on groceries have people crossing state lines to shop, particularly residents living in border counties.
The trend hurts low-income families, rural grocery stores and local governments.
Wichita State University's Kansas Public Finance Center analyzed the latest available food sales data and estimated that Kansas lost $345.6 million in food sales in 2013. The data does not include last year's sales tax hike that boosted Kansas' food sales tax to one of the highest in the nation.
The state's largest county, Johnson County, suffered the biggest losses with an estimated $93 million loss in food sales. But the losses on a per capita basis hit the smaller border counties the hardest.
Kansas is one of only 14 states that taxes groceries. Neighboring Nebraska and Colorado do not.
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AlertMeImage caption Alfalfa is mostly used for cattle feed
The bio-tech company Monsanto can sell genetically modified seeds before safety tests on them are completed, the US Supreme Court has ruled.
A lower court had barred the sale of the modified alfalfa seeds until an environmental impact study could be carried out.
But seven of the nine Supreme Court Justices decided that ruling was unconstitutional.
The seed is modified to be resistant to Monsanto's brand of weedkiller.
The US is the world's largest producer of alfalfa, a grass-like plant used as animal feed.
It is the fourth most valuable crop grown in the country.
Environmentalists had argued that there might be a risk of cross-pollination between genetically modified plants and neighbouring crops.
They also argued over-use of the company's weedkiller Roundup, the chemical treatment the alfalfa is modified to be resistant to, could cause pollution of ground water and lead to resistant "super-weeds".
But Monsanto says claims its products were dangerous amounted to "bad science fiction with no support on the record".The former pastor of First Baptist Church of Hammond has confessed to having sex with a member of the church when she was 16, board members told the congregation Wednesday night.
The Board of Deacons addressed the church Wednesday to explain their sudden decision to fire pastor Jack Schaap, who had led the church for the past 11 years. The church plans to fully cooperate with an FBI investigation into allegations that multiple sexual encounters involving the same girl took place across state lines.
"Stick with us," the board asked of the 15,000 member congregation, according to the WGN.
Schaap's affair was outed accidentally, a former church member told CBS Chicago.
“Jack Schaap had left his cell phone on the pulpit and a deacon had seen it on the pulpit and had picked it up to bring it back to him,” Trisha Kee, who maintains a Facebook group for ex-congregants, told the station. “From what we understand, the deacon then saw a text come through from a teenage girl in the church, and it was a picture of Jack Schaap and this girl making out.”
Lake County Sheriff John Buncich says that his department began a criminal investigation into the church and its Hyles-Anderson College Tuesday after talking with senior church representatives, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Eddie Wilson, director of public relations for the church, told the Chicago Sun-Times that adultery is grounds for dismissal in the church's bylaws. He told the newspaper that Schaap and his wife are "trying to reconcile their marriage," and said that the church will now "begin the process of calling a new pastor."
Schaap and his wife Cindy, the daughter of a beloved former pastor, have been married for more than 30 years and have two children. Schaap has made a career writing advice books about dating.Rand Paul is a theocrat. I don’t believe this has been a big secret. His father was a theocrat and he seems destined to follow in his footsteps, believing America is a Christian nation and believing religion has a role in our government.
Paul however does not seem to have a firm grasp of the constitution, as someone running for president probably should. He is under the impression that the first amendment of the US Constitution is only a one-way street telling a small audience at a prayer breakfast:
“The First Amendment says keep government out of religion. It doesn’t say keep religion out of government.”
It actually doesn’t say or imply that at all, as it clearly states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”
The government can not establish as religion, meaning religion must stay out of government, this is the foundation of the separation of church and state.
According to the Christian Broadcast Network, Paul attended the prayer breakfast to:
Paul also commented that the government and politicians cannot solve America’s problems and is in need of a spiritual revival.
“We need a revival in the country. We need another Great Awakening with tent revivals of thousands of people saying reform or see what’s going to happen if we don’t reform,” he said.
Currently Paul may be the most likely candidate from the right to get the presidential nomination and comments like this should be focused on when he is questioned about the kind of government he would run.
Religion has no place in our politics and belongs only in peoples minds, homes and church. The first amendment protects everyones right to practice their religion, but also protects everyone from one religion having any say in our political discussion.
Video of the remarks can be seen here:
(Image: Gage Skidmore / Creative Commons)France's black Minister of Justice Christiane Taubira on Tuesday tweeted several angry comments about the killings of black youngsters in the United States
Against a background of violent riots across America following the decision of a US Grand Jury not to press charges against a white officer who shot dead unarmed black teenager Michael Brown in August, the French minister sent three tweets, two of them in English.
“Michael Brown, racial profiling, social exclusion, territorial segregation, cultural relegation, weapons, fear, fatal cocktail” she tweeted in French
“Kill them before they grow?” she asked in a tweet in English, using a line from Bob Marley’s song “I shot the Sheriff”.
Continuing in English she wrote “Trayvon Martin, 17 years old, killed in February 2012 in Florida by an armed man who deemed him ‘suspect’ and Tamir Rice, a 12 year old teenager who was killed by a policeman at the weekend in Cleveland Ohio, while he was playing with a toy gun.”
“How old next? 12 months?" she asked on twitter.
Later on France Info radio station the minister expanded on her comments.
« I will not make value judgements on the institutions of the United States but when the sense of frustration is that strong, that deep, that long-lasting and that huge, there is reason to question whether people trust these institutions”.
“You realise that somehow it only happens to the same people: Afro-American kids. Certain clichés still persist, certain prejudices which can create terrible reflexes”, she continued.
Mayor of Nice and former minister Christian Estrosi of the right wing UMP party condemned Taubira’s decision to comment.
“Mme Taubira, even though she doesn’t even know what happened last night in the United States and has no information on the matter, considers it appropriate to judge the American justice system. What kind of world are we living in? I am ashamed for my country to have a Justice Minister like Mme Taubira”, he said.
Christiane Taubira has herself had to deal with some particularly offensive racism in France.
She says she regularly receives hate-mail because of her colour and some of the most widely publicised recent incidents of racism towards her have led to convictions.
However on a political level, many on the right of French politics dislike her stance on crime and punishment. They maintain she is soft on crime and is more concerned for the perpetrators than for the victims of criminal acts.Lurking beneath the authorities’ radar is a vast, international underground movement that stretches from Africa and Europe to the Americas: guerrilla gardening, the un-permitted colonisation of land, is still a mysterious activity about which little research is undertaken.
The movement brings together students, academics, businessmen, planners, architects, chefs, community workers and many more professions making up the ranks. Would-be guerrillas can enlist in a troop online through sites such as guerrillagardening.org; a forum established by Richard Reynolds (“Britain’s 24th most influential gardener”), deemed the father of the modern guerrilla gardening movement. The movement has grown in recent years, fuelled partially by the rise of Twitter and other forms of social media which make it much easier to organise digs.
Generally speaking, guerrilla gardeners either aim to beautify a neglected patch of land or, increasingly, pursue the cultivation of space via urban agriculture by growing fruit and vegetables in a city context. A somewhat famous example of this is Incredible Edible Todmorden, a guerrilla gardening project started in 2008 where residents “adopt” areas of the town and plant without permission. Impressed by the displays and ideas, the local authority started to work with the guerrillas and the Incredible Edible Network was soon born – now an international movement promoting the idea of urban agriculture.
Underground, overground
Between 2010 and 2013, I carried out an extensive ethnographic exploration of those guerrilla gardeners practising their form of urban agriculture in the Midlands, UK. After some searching (and lots of luck) I tracked down three groups eager to be involved in the study.
The first was a group of local authority employees who named their collective, F Troop – a reference to the 1970s American Western TV show featuring cowboys gallivanting around without much of a plan. In this case, the troop realised this name reflected their practices, with members turning up to the dig site and planting randomly. The group occupied land next to an inner-city dual carriageway, planting nasturtiums, peas, spinach and other produce alongside the road’s barrier. Their core reason for pursuing such an activity was the thrill of transgression from messing with council land (their employer, no less).
The second was an elderly lady who, angry with her local authority’s lack of effort to clean up nearby alleyways, took it upon herself to rid the space of junk. In its place she laid out raised beds in which to cultivate vegetables. Finally, the third was group of women who occupied a large green space in a deprived area and convert it into a large community garden. Their motivation was to bring fresh produce closer to those who needed it, since the majority of those surrounding the site had poor diets. The women opted for the guerrilla route due to the perception that gaining official permission was too arduous and would only delay their activities.
These three examples show the spectrum of those involved in guerrilla gardening: from the radical yet middle-class professionals of F Troop, to the group of more working-class women who adopted a large area for those around it, guerrillas come from different backgrounds and all have different reasons for pursuing their action.
As a researcher, the ethics and practicalities of interacting with an activity that exists in a legally grey area were tricky, for instance, the cities in which the above guerrillas practised cannot be named in order to protect the identities of those involved. An extra dilemma was added by the fact that I was a member of the police Special Constabulary at the time.
There has been rising interest in guerrilla gardening, but the majority of this portrays it in purely positive terms. There is very little in the way of criticism, despite the fact that guerrilla gardeners often colonise space not only without the permission of the local authority, but also without permission of those who reside nearby. Guerrilla gardening could even be occurring on your street corner or grass verge, perhaps even without you knowing.
Interviews with those living close to the sites colonised by the gardeners revealed that not everyone was happy. Some were angry about not being involved, or perplexed as to the appeal of produce grown in such harsh roadside environments. Furthermore, the guerrilla gardeners, especially F Troop, would provide little maintenance of the site, which would soon fell into disrepair between digs.
The future of guerrilla gardening
Guerrilla gardening can make significant changes to our landscapes: the case of Incredible Edible Todmorden demonstrates the potential of this activity. Many large urban agricultural initiatives have stemmed from underground gardening, such as New York’s community gardens or Havana’s allotments; Carrot City, an exhibition on urban agriculture, which I brought to the UK in 2012, features even more examples of projects which started through guerrilla gardening.
Yet while guerrilla gardeners often improve spaces, there is a need to delve deeper and provide a more objective account of their actions; reflecting not only on what the gardeners do, but their impact on the area and the community as a whole.Test screenings are wielding more and more power. How do they work? And how can you get into one? Ivan Radford reports
Licence to Kill was Timothy Dalton's second outing as 007. In the film, Bond resigns from the British Secret Service and sets off on a brutal personal vendetta against a master criminal. The 1989 film was initially called Licence Revoked, but this was changed after test screenings revealed that US crowds associated the term with driving. Joe Wright's Pride and Prejudice got a completely different ending in America, including a final kissing scene that was deemed too sentimental for British audiences.
Never underestimate the power of crowds when it comes to the movies. In the final reckoning, it's not the producers, the moneymen, or the stars who call the shots: the reactions of audiences at early test screenings can lead to lines being dropped, scenes being scrapped, even entire plots being rewritten. But where do these screenings take place? How can the musings of a few individuals overrule the will of directors and producers? Just who are these people? And how do you become one?
In fact, there are two types of advance screenings: testers and talkers. They are vastly different, but share one common element - audience feedback. Both allow cinemagoers to voice their views, although the former have the greater effect. Tester screenings act as a dry run for studios to check that their film presses all the right buttons - or not. The target demographic is shown a draft of the movie and distributors then judge whether to make changes. This tactic is well-known in Hollywood; what few people appreciate is that British releases are also tested on home ground.
Working Title's Atonement, for example, was test-screened, with positive results. It might seem a tough one to test due to its literary theme and poignant ending. Not so. The public were pre-conditioned to favour it, says David Livingstone, president of marketing at Working Title, because "they had already warmed up to Keira Knightley and Joe Wright with Pride and Prejudice". Although Atonement was shown to large test audiences, Pride was seen only by executives, families and friends before they decided to axe the ending. So out went the two minutes of Lizzy-Darcy action and in came Donald Sutherland, playing her father, instead. Livingstone also highlights the dual impact of test screenings: their results affect not only the content of the movie, but also how it is marketed.
The thriving website Ain't It Cool News receives and airs verdicts from people who have been to test screenings. These can give rise to a lot of headline-grabbing claims that later prove to have little substance. Recently, there was a rumour that shocked reactions to shots of a body-bagged Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight caused the studio to consider removing them completely. Is there any substance to this? Christopher Nolan's agent says he doesn't test his films - so that would be a no.
And testing is a risk. You have to keep your nerve, especially if you're not willing to make any changes, whatever anyone says. Negative reaction to Se7en was ignored, leaving David Fincher's dark masterpiece intact. On the other hand, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle went completely unscreened, leading to disaster, at least as far as most critics were concerned.
Given today's increasingly interactive industry, how easy is it to take part in a test screening? The answer seems to be a matter of luck. The process of selection is managed by NRG (National Research Group), the secretive market research company that operates on both sides of the Atlantic. It divides the market into four basic groups, known as "quadrants": males under 25, males over 25, females under 25, and females over 25. (In some cases, the respondents are also divided by race.) From its survey results, NRG projects how well upcoming movies will do against each other in each quadrant, should they open on the same weekend.
Testers, says Livingstone, aim for a core audience with a bit of variety, holding screenings in such places as Fulham and Kensington in London, to High Wycombe and Reading. There, they approach unsuspecting members of the public with clipboards. "Have you seen a film directed by so-and-so?" they ask, singling you out as their ideal test subject. Ten minutes later, free ticket in hand, you can waltz along to a local cinema and then fill in your answers with a brand new pencil. Industry infiltrated.
For those who live further afield, there's the talker screening. A more indirect form of feedback, its purpose is to promote films to the public, to get the word out. Sign up with an agency or newspaper and you can see a film up to a couple of weeks before its release. It's the finished product - you won't prompt any re-cuts - but the studios want responses for future campaigns. It's no coincidence that, at both testers and talkers, the top two boxes on the form, rating the film as "excellent" or "very good", are directly followed by the all-important question: "Would you recommend this film to a friend?"
One company that manages talker screenings is SeeFilmFirst (seefilmfirst.com). As well as creating publicity via word-of-mouth, it also records your opinion. As one researcher says: "Everyone loves a free ticket and in return we ask people to fill in an online feedback form." Whether you're selected for a talker or not will depend on your profile, as a brief questionnaire online determines your type, or types, of movie. If the targeting is off-target, the responses can be damaging. So be quite clear about what genres you love and loathe or you might be responsible for a new - and completely bizarre - cut of Blade Runner.
So remember: clipboards have clout; they are now as essential to film-making as clapperboards. Watch out for the people carrying them. They might just give you the chance to change movie history.As the gavel drops to begin the Republican National Convention here on Monday, the party will be focused on two goals: reintroducing Donald Trump as someone the country could imagine in the Oval Office during dangerous times, and healing the leftover wounds of a brutal primary season.
“The convention’s coming at a good time for us to turn the page,” a hopeful Reince Priebus, the party’s chairman, said in an interview after spending the pre-convention week snuffing out a “Never Trump” revolt among a rebellious group of party rulemakers.
Republicans descended on Cleveland, a city tense with security concerns and fears that street protests could turn into riots, as Trump on Saturday brought a chaotic and sometimes surreal vice-presidential selection process to its formal conclusion.
Officially introducing an uncharacteristically conventional running mate, Trump appeared in New York with Indiana Gov. Mike Pence for the first time as a ticket — an event that is normally one of the most intricately choreographed in any presidential campaign.
But Trump did it on a badly lit stage in a rambling speech that was mostly about himself, proving once again that he is a candidate who cannot be scripted.
Here are some of the people who are speaking at the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland and some who've opted to skip the event. (Sarah Parnass,Danielle Kunitz/The Washington Post)
While Trump called Pence “a man who I truly think will be outstanding in every way,” he also acknowledged that one of his reasons for picking him was “party unity, I have to be honest. So many people have said party unity, because I’m an outsider.”
[Trump picks Pence after late hesitation, hoping for a steadying influence]
Trump will formally accept the party’s presidential nomination here on Thursday facing big hurdles in the race against Democratic nominee-in-waiting Hillary Clinton. He is behind in most polls, both in battleground states and nationally, even though Clinton has had a difficult few weeks of renewed focus on the controversy over her private email server.
Polls also show Trump with the highest negative ratings of any major-party nominee in recent history, though Clinton herself fares nearly as badly.
Modern conventions are political infomercials, and the four-day gathering in Cleveland will aim to present Trump as a more substantive and compassionate figure than the bombastic, impulsive showman who vanquished 16 rivals to claim the nomination. The incendiary rhetoric that his supporters see as truth-telling has alienated crucial swaths of the general electorate, especially women and minorities.
“He is a likable person,” Priebus said of a candidate to whom he now speaks at least twice a day. “I think as people get to see the person that some of us have gotten to know, that’s going to help him in the general election, because I think people actually want to like him. They’re intrigued by him. They’re interested in him. And him becoming likable will make him unstoppable.”
To that end, the convention producers plan to showcase the celebrity billionaire’s family. His wife, Melania, a Slovenia-born former fashion model who rarely speaks publicly on her husband’s behalf, will deliver prime-time remarks, as will Trump’s four oldest children from his first two marriages, Donald Jr., Ivanka, Eric and Tiffany.
Kayla Epstein explains what the heck is going on at the 2016 RNC. (Peter Stevenson,Dani Johnson/The Washington Post)
Beyond his personal side, Trump hopes the convention projects an image of toughness and resolve to a nation on edge from a harrowing few months that have included terrorist attacks on the homeland and abroad, as well as the gunning down of five police officers in Dallas.
Several scheduled speakers could help reinforce Trump’s claim to be the law-and-order candidate. Among them are former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, two women state attorneys general and Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke, an African American Democrat who is an outspoken critic of the Black Lives Matter movement.
[GOP convention’s ‘non-conventional’ list: Model, astronaut and Trump clan]
There also will be plenty of Clinton bashing. One evening will be dedicated in part to replaying the former secretary of state’s handling of the 2012 attacks on a U.S. diplomatic outpost in Benghazi, Libya. Two survivors, Mark Geist and John Tiegen, will speak.
“We’re going to continue to pound away and make sure people know what kind of a dishonest, untrustworthy person she is,” Priebus said. “I think Hillary’s on sort of this cruise-control of unlikability.”
The Clinton message machine is not going to cede the stage entirely, however. Her campaign plans to punctuate the networks’ convention coverage with a heavy rotation of anti-Trump ads in battleground states. They amount to a highlight reel of just about every bad moment Trump has had during his year-long campaign. In addition, a phalanx of Clinton aides and surrogates will be in Cleveland offering real-time responses to the pro-Trump programming.
The lineup of Republican speakers is eclectic for a political convention and is intended to root Trump’s candidacy in a culture beyond the political establishment. They include Eileen Collins, the first woman to command a space shuttle mission; Antonio Sabato Jr., a former Calvin Klein underwear model and soap-opera actor; pro golfer Natalie Gulbis; and Dana White, president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
One of the biggest stars was to have been Tim Tebow, the deeply religious, Heisman Trophy-winning football quarterback. But anticipation turned into awkwardness. After Republican officials said Tebow would speak at the convention, he put out a video on Facebook saying that those were just “rumors” and that he would not be taking the stage.
In addition, Haskel Lookstein, a prominent New York rabbi who converted Ivanka Trump to Judaism, faced political backlash within his congregation once it was announced he would be speaking. He too decided to back out.
Reaching beyond the usual roster of speakers is partly a necessity, given how many party elders and rising stars declared themselves no-shows in Cleveland — including the GOP’s past two nominees, Mitt Romney and John McCain; its only two living former presidents, George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush; and a number of Republican senators whose reelection prospects have been endangered by the prospect of such a divisive figure at the top of the ticket. Ohio Gov. John Kasich will be in town but provocatively has indicated he would not step foot in Trump’s convention hall.
[Trump promises ‘showbiz’ at convention, but stars on stage will be relatively dim]
One eminence who will be here is former Senate leader Robert J. Dole (Kan.), a World War II hero and the party’s 1996 presidential nominee, who will be honored on the convention’s opening night in a veterans’ tribute.
In an interview, Dole, 92, admonished fellow Republicans who are sitting out the convention. “They’re not going to come to Cleveland and speak for Trump,” he said. “I think that’s unfortunate.”
Dole singled out former Florida governor Jeb Bush, whom he supported in the primaries, for continuing to criticize Trump. In an op-ed in The Washington Post on Saturday, Bush wrote: “I do not believe Donald Trump reflects the principles or inclusive legacy of the Republican Party. And I sincerely hope he doesn’t represent its future.”
Dole noted that he himself had attended the 1988 convention after having been beaten in the primaries by Bush’s father, who went on to win the presidency. “I have great respect for the Bush family, particularly Bush 41,” he said.
While Dole thought Jeb Bush was the most qualified candidate this year, “he never caught fire. I’m really disappointed that he’s now — I watched him on TV going after Trump. I mean, Trump was on the stage with him and Trump said some things that I know upset Jeb, but they did sign the pledge. I’m sorry I’m not going to see him in Cleveland.”
Priebus acknowledged that the party still has a lot of work to do to regroup and unify around its nominee.
“There are more bruises than we usually are accustomed to, and the more bruises that you have the longer it takes to heal,” he said. “We’re in the middle of that right now.”
Unity is crucial, both for building a grass-roots organization that can go toe-to-toe with Clinton’s and raising the hundreds of millions of dollars required to wage a credible fall campaign, an area in which Trump has lagged significantly.
“This convention is going to be a unifying convention,” Trump’s campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, vowed in an interview. “We’re going to come out of Cleveland unified with a good field operation, with all the technical requirements we’re going to need and with a candidate that is the epitome of change in a year of change.”
Toward that end, some Republicans warn that substance should not get lost amid the made-for-television spectacle in the downtown Quicken Loans Arena.
“A lot of Republicans who have concerns or questions or doubts about Trump need to hear more from him and his team about policy,” said former Mississippi governor Haley Barbour, who also was once a Republican National Committee chairman.
Barbour said Trump’s team needs to take full advantage of the huge audience to press the case that eight years under a Democratic president have yielded “a record of bad policies that have produced bad results, that Hillary would be more of the same, and here’s what a Trump administration would be like, with some depth. People are really going to be paying attention.”
Ed O’Keefe contributed to this report.If you haven't heard about Alex Spourdalakis, you need to hear about him. His mother allegedly murdered him in cold blood, stabbing him four times in the chest with a knife after her effort to overdose him on sleeping pills failed. She was allegedly aided and abetted in this by Alex's "godmother," and they then killed the family cat before retiring with what they evidently expected would be fatal dose of sleeping pills, the same ones that hadn't successfully killed Alex.
Certain groups with specific beliefs about autism causation have asserted that Alex's mother had 'no supports', thanks to a system impervious to her pleas, and was driven to murderous desperation as a result. Their followers offer this rationale as a kind of excuse for her having killed her own son, for pitying her, often failing to mention Alex at all. It's a common refrain when an autistic child is murdered.
Yet the reality is that certain persons appear to have stepped in as efforts were being made to get this mother--and more important, her teenaged boy--the support and medical help he needed. Those involved in this "intervention" are also in the process of shopping their "Autism Media Channel" project that in part focuses on their swooping in as saviors to cure autism, which they're sure is a gut condition. That didn't quite work out in this case.
Instead of ensuring that Alex received the support and medical help he needed, some autism-related sites, while he was alive, disseminated pictures and video of the boy that showed him strapped to beds, naked, with only a towel covering his genitals wearing only an adult diaper, and other degrading images, making claims about how the medical establishment was treating him that are, at best, unconfirmed. Regardless, making these images public was a violation of that child's humanity and dignity as a prelude to the ultimate violation of his being murdered.
I strongly urge readers to review what is known about this case and to take note of those who were involved when Alex was not receiving the help he needed. CBS has covered this story in a controversial report [I am a volunteer editor at the site that sponsored the mentioned petition] involving Sharyl Attkisson, whose views regarding vaccines and autism have previously come through in her reportage. The CBS coverage seems to imply that somehow, society's failure to support this mother led her to brutally murder her son by stabbing him four times in the chest. What society failed to do that led the godmother to be party to the murder remains unclear.
It's become typical, again and again, for parents who murder their autistic children to get some kind of a "pass" from the commentariat and the news media because, well, autism is "such a challenge." That's in part because some autism organizations and members of the news media have successfully presented autism as a "monster" and a "kidnapper" instead of as the developmental condition that it is. So in the public mind, an allegedly overwhelmed mother with "no supports" should certainly be pitied and not judged harshly for killing the "monster."
No other condition draws this kind of judgment or leads people to blame the condition, the murdered, and everyone except the murderer for killing her own child [ETA: although the murder of people with disabilities in general, especially people requiring extensive care, does frequently draw that kind of sympathy; also, a commenter has brought cerebral palsy to my attention as another example]. If Alex had had Down syndrome, cancer, schizophrenia, ADHD, or a traumatic brain injury, no one would be giving his mother a pity pass for having brutally taken his life, overwhelmed by his needs. Overdosed on sleeping pills but not dead, he was stabbed in the chest four times and then his wrist sliced with such force that it was almost detached from his body. Lest anyone doubt that in some circles he remains a secondary consideration, simply read this comment and others in the same thread in which the fact that he was brutally murdered doesn't even warrant a mention. [Note: This post is based on my own response in that thread.]
To be clear, as our president would say, when someone murders an autistic child, the person to pity is the dead child, killed by a loved one. That loved one may have been deluded by the manufactured specter of a monster and a kidnapper instead of seeing the child in front of her, but the guilt is hers and hers alone. Unless, of course, there is also a "godmother" involved.
Update: For anyone seeking evidence of the sympathy for the mother here--which is being roundly denied in comments on this post that exemplify it at the same time, too--the blog Respectful Insolence features some quotes.During college hoops season, Jay Bilas and Chad Ford will start the week off by addressing a big question, evaluating NBA prospects on the rise, and looking ahead to the next week.
The discussion: Which team is the nation's most talented?
Jay Bilas: That depends on what one means by the word "talented." Is it the team with the most players with NBA-level talent? Or is it the team with the most talented college players? In my judgment, there is a difference.
If we are talking just about NBA prospects, Kentucky is the most talented team with Nerlens Noel, Archie Goodwin, Alex Poythress and Willie Cauley-Stein -- all future pros. Clearly, all are raw talents rather than finished products. Some may ask, how can Kentucky be the most talented team yet be losing games and performing poorly? Kentucky has players with raw, undeveloped and inexperienced talent who have not played together, and the team appears rudderless on the floor. Those talented but young players need further development, both individually and as a team, but the Wildcats have more players who can compete at the next level.NEW YORK (Reuters) - Accenture Plc and Microsoft Corp are teaming up to build a digital ID network using blockchain technology, as part of a United Nations-supported project to provide legal identification to 1.1 billion people worldwide with no official documents.
People gather at the United Nations headquarters for ID2020, a public-private consortium promoting the U.N. 2030 Sustainable Development Goal of providing legal identity for everyone on the planet in New York City, New York, U.S. June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Anna Irrera
The companies unveiled a prototype of the network on Monday at the UN headquarters in New York during the second summit of ID2020, a public-private consortium promoting the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goal of providing legal identity for everyone on the planet.
The project aims to help individuals such as refugees prove who they are in order to gain access to basic services such as education and healthcare.
Blockchain, first developed as a public ledger of all transactions in the digital currency bitcoin, is increasingly being used to securely track data in other fields.
“Without an identity you can’t access education, financial services, healthcare, you name it. You are disenfranchised and marginalized from society,” David Treat, a managing director in Accenture’s financial services practice, said in an interview.
“Having a digital identity is a basic human right.”
The new platform will connect existing record-keeping systems of commercial and public entities through blockchain, allowing users to access to their personal information wherever they are.
For example, refugees who have fled their country leaving behind birth or education paper certificates would still be able to provide proof of those credentials through the system.
One of the main advantages of blockchain is that it allows systems of different organizations to communicate with each other, Yorke Rhodes, global business strategist at Microsoft, said in an interview.
The prototype was built on top of an existing Accenture platform, which powers the biometric identity management system used by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
Accenture and Microsoft, which worked on the prototype with managed service provider Avanade Inc, are inviting other companies to join their project.
PricewaterhouseCoopers and Cisco Systems Inc are among the organizations involved in ID2020.
“What ID2020 is truly focused on is bringing together an alliance of stakeholders to ensure the technology that is being developed is responsive to the needs of individuals,” Dakota Gruener, executive director at ID2020, said in an interview.
“Technology is only one piece of this.”As an unregulated currency, Bitcoin appeared to be a natural fit for the illicit drug market. But while Bitcoin is anonymous, it isn't untraceable. When users convert bitcoins to hard currency, their name becomes linked to a "public blockchain" that comprises the entire transactional history of the bitcoin. This would be equivalent to a $20 bill containing a comprehensive history of every person who has touched it since emerging from the printing press. These public blockchains make it very easy for law enforcement officials, once users' identities are compromised, to understand the full extent of their illicit activity.
Bitcoins, of course, are used for more than just drugs. But even in legal markets, the currency's volatility makes it an unattractive bet for would-be investors. Everyone knows that the fall in oil prices gutted Russia's ruble, which lost more than half of its value in 2014. But Bitcoin fared even worse, falling 76 percent. And unlike the ruble, which Moscow can rescue through manipulating interest rates and instituting capital controls, Bitcoin's lack of a central bank means there's nothing to stop it from sliding even further.
Why is Bitcoin so volatile? Although generally thought of (and used as) a currency, bitcoins are better thought of as an asset bubble, the Washington Post's Matt O'Brien argues. The supply of bitcoins increases when investors "mine" new ones, a process that involves using supercomputers to solve difficult mathematical equations. Because this process is expensive, miners borrow (real) money to finance it. This routine worked well in 2013, when bitcoins were worth more than $1,000 each. But when bitcoins lose their value, investors cannot mine each bitcoin to pay off their loans—a fate that struck Mark Karpeles, a Tokyo-based owner of the world's largest Bitcoin exchange who was forced to file for bankruptcy early last year.*
Ross Ulbricht's trial will focus on far more than the currency he used for facilitating the drug trade. But while Bitcoin itself will remain legal and popular, its potential to rival traditional forms of currency appear unlikely to materialize.
* An earlier version of this post misstated Mark Karpeles' first name as Jason. We regret the error.
We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to letters@theatlantic.com.Cory Anstey always wanted to be a farmer. It was the joy of riding in the tractor, "the smell of the dirt in the spring" that drew him to the |
Chefchaouen is filled with tourists, especially the Spanish. Perhaps they’re making up for lost time, as the city was closed to European visitors until 1920.By David Morgan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Major U.S. hedge fund managers are on pace this year to more than double the amount they gave in the 2012 election campaign, with independent fundraising groups backing Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton and Republican rival Ted Cruz receiving the most so far.
About $47 million has been lavished on presidential candidates and lawmakers and the political action committees that support them by two dozen of the industry’s top managers in the first 13 months of this election season, according to a Reuters review of Federal Election Commission filings. (For a list of the top givers see http://tmsnrt.rs/1nlPYZv)
Most of the hedge fund support going to Cruz and Clinton has come from a handful of people out of the two dozen managers studied.
Robert Mercer, co-chief executive of Renaissance Technologies, for example, has given $11 million to Keep the Promise I, a Super PAC that supports Cruz. Mercer is an enigmatic computer programmer who is a powerful financial force in conservative politics.
Cruz wants to abolish the tax-collecting Internal Revenue Service, slash income and payroll taxes and impose a new “business transfer tax.” Cruz’s wife, Heidi Cruz, is a Goldman Sachs executive in Houston.
Clinton’s main benefactor is billionaire George Soros, a long-time patron of Democratic and humanitarian causes and chairman of Soros Fund Management. Soros alone is responsible for $7.3 million of the $11.7 million that has gone to Super PACs and other committees supporting Clinton.
The hedge fund managers’ spokespersons either declined to comment or did not respond to queries from Reuters.
But Whitney Tilson, a hedge fund manager who runs Kase Capital, said one reason fellow managers are spending more this election is Donald Trump, the front-runner for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.
“There are some pretty heated emotions about Donald Trump,” said Tilson, who plans to support the Democratic Party nominee.
Trump, who says he is self-funding his campaign, supports closing a loophole that lets some hedge fund managers pay less than the usual income tax rate on performance fees they get known as “carried interest.” Clinton supports this, too.
The Managed Funds Association, an industry lobbying group, declined to comment on policy aims under the next president.
BIG MONEY, LITTLE IMPACT
There are other worries, too, about a Trump presidency.After months of campaigning and debates, Trump’s economic and financial policy positions are still sketchy or unknown.
A Trump presidency could bring “tremendous uncertainty and instability,” said Gregory Wawro, a political science professor at Columbia University.
Wawro speculated that Trump’s popularity with blue-collar and middle-class voters could prompt the Republican Party to reassess an approach to taxes and economic issues that has favored top earners and major corporations in recent years.
The surge of hedge fund donations has had little effect on the Republican race so far.
Cruz is running well behind Trump while U.S. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, who is seen by establishment Republicans as their best hope to stop Trump winning the nomination, is a distant third.
Conservative Solutions, a Super PAC that backs Rubio, received $2.5 million from Paul Singer, the long-time Republican fundraiser who runs Elliott Management, and another $2.6 million in contributions from hedge fund manager Kenneth Griffin of Citadel Investment Group.
Two other Republican candidates with major hedge fund backing, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, have dropped out of the race.
Christie’s Super PAC, America Leads, received about $3 million from Steve Cohen of Point72 Asset Management, while Right to Rise, a PAC that supports Bush, drew $450,000 in donations from managers including Citadel’s Griffin, David Tepper of Appaloosa Management and Larry Robbins of Glenview Capital Management.
In the Democratic race, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders has eschewed donations from Wall Street. He has racked up a string of wins in early state nominating contests with attacks on Wall Street and calls for a more equitable distribution of the country’s wealth.
Overall, hedge fund contributions to 2016 presidential candidates and lawmakers and the PACs supporting them favored Republicans over Democrats by about 3 to 2.
For a list of the top hedge fund donors in 2016: http://tmsnrt.rs/1nlPYZv
(Additional reporting by Svea Herbst-Bayliss; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Ross Colvin)South Carolina is avoiding a noon kickoff for the first time in three games but will not have a primetime kickoff against Vanderbilt. The Gamecocks (2-3, 0-3) will face the Commodores at 4 p.m. on the SEC Network on October 17 at Williams-Brice Stadium. South Carolina has its third of three straight noon kickoffs this Saturday against LSU.
October 17 schedule
Thurs., Oct. 15 7:00 p.m. Auburn at Kentucky ESPN
Sat., Oct. 17 12:00 p.m. Louisiana Tech at Mississippi State SEC Network
Sat., Oct. 17 12:00 p.m. Ole Miss at Memphis ABC
Sat., Oct. 17 3:30 p.m. Alabama at Texas A&M CBS
Sat., Oct. 17 4:00 p.m. Vanderbilt at South Carolina SEC Network
Sat., Oct. 17 7:00 p.m. Florida at LSU ESPN
Sat., Oct. 17 7:30 p.m. Missouri at Georgia SEC NetworkVictor J. Stenger was a particle physicist, philosopher, author, skeptic, and friend. I first came across his name shortly after we founded Skeptic magazine in 1992 when I read his 1990 book Physics and Psychics: The Search for a World Beyond the Senses (Prometheus Books), for which “psychic” Uri Geller sued (the case was dismissed and Geller was ordered to pay legal fees of nearly $50,000). Stenger’s 1995 book, The Unconscious Quantum: Metaphysics in Modern Physics and Cosmology, was especially helpful to us as we dealt with the burgeoning interest in the topic of quantum consciousness and the New Age fascination with the field as a way of using one of the most well-developed and thoroughly tested fields in all of science to prop up supernatural and paranormal beliefs with sciency sounding terms (the very definition of pseudoscience).
Victor was especially helpful to me in assessing the technical claims of the quantum consciousness proponents, such as those featured in the wildly popular film What the Bleep Do We Know?! It was a well produced film (I saw it in Portland with the producers after we were both on a radio show), but I never imagined it would become the big hit it did, given the esoteric nature of its subject: quantum physics and consciousness. But it had that New Agey uplifting anything-is-possible-if-you-wish-it-so feel. It included a number of talking head physicists, such as University of Oregon quantum physicist Amit Goswami, who proclaimed: “The material world around us is nothing but possible movements of consciousness. I am choosing moment by moment my experience. Heisenberg said atoms are not things, only tendencies.” In my Scientific American column on the film I challenged him to “leap out of a 20-story building and consciously choose the experience of passing safely through the ground’s tendencies.”
Here’s the main argument and Stenger’s explanation for why it is wrong. Inside our neurons are tiny hollow microtubules that act like structural scaffolding. Proponents of quantum consciousness suggest that something inside the microtubules may initiate a wave function collapse that leads to the quantum coherence of atoms, causing neurotransmitters to be released into the synapses between neurons and thus triggering them to fire in a uniform pattern, thereby creating thought and consciousness. Since a wave function collapse can only come about when an atom is “observed” (i.e., affected in any way by something else), the belief is that “mind” may be the observer in a recursive loop from atoms to molecules to neurons to thought to consciousness to mind to atoms. Vic explained to me that for a system to be described quantum mechanically the system’s typical mass m, speed v, and distance d must be on the order of Planck’s constant h. “If mvd is much greater than h, then the system probably can be treated classically.” According to Vic, the mass of neural transmitter molecules and their speed across the distance of the synapse are about three orders of magnitude too large for quantum effects to be influential. As he said, “the notion that we can control reality by merely thinking about it is nowhere implied by quantum mechanics and nowhere indicated by any scientific data.” Here is my favorite quote from Stenger on the subject:
Quantum mechanics is weird. But, it does not follow that everything weird is quantum mechanics.
You can read Victor’s many articles on this topic (and others) here: http://www.colorado.edu/philosophy/vstenger/meta.html
Victor Stenger was born and raised in New Jersey where he earned his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, later completing his Ph.D. in physics at UCLA in 1963. He was a professor of physics at the University of Hawaii for his entire career until his retirement in 2000, where he worked on the properties of atoms, particularly gluons, quarks, and neutrinos, and for the latter he also worked on neutrino astronomy and high-energy gamma rays. After retirement he and his wife Phylliss moved to Boulder, Colorado, where he was an adjunct professor at the university there, enabling him to focus on his skeptical activism in promoting science and reason.
Vic was a naturalist who did not believe in the existence of the supernatural. Mysteries yet unexplained—such as consciousness—could only be the product of normal and natural forces, and he saw no need to invoke spooky mysterious powers to explain the natural world. His activism was on two fronts: talks and books. Vic spoke twice for our Distinguished Science Lecture Series at Caltech, in 1996 on “Quantum Quackery” and in 2003 on “Does Science Prove God?” and both were emblematic of his style of well-organized, direct, and thorough analyses of whatever topic he was addressing. As a writer he was prolific, churning out books every couple of years. His style of writing included having numerous experts read early drafts of chapters in order to make them as accurate as possible. Scientists should not work in a vacuum because it is too easy to fool yourself and make errors and Vic applied this principle to his writings. Even an article he wrote for Skeptic magazine that I edited went through this process, making it all the better for the critical commentary he garnered before going into print with his idea (“Free Will and Autonomous Will: A Physicist’s Perspective on How We Are Accountable for Our Actions,” Skeptic Vol. 17, No. 4). Victor’s books are not potboilers or recycled blogs, but well referenced, methodical, and comprehensive analyses of whatever topic he took on: quantum physics, time, the origin of the universe and the laws of nature, fine-tuning, science and religion, and his last book, released just weeks after his death, God and the Multiverse, in which he considered both the theological and scientific implications of the possible existence of multiple universes. I was proud to have endorsed his last contribution to humanity on the back cover:
The multiverse is one of the most exciting and controversial ideas in all of science today, with implications for both cosmology and theology, and there is no one writing on these topics better than Victor Stenger. His exposition of difficult topics in physics is brilliantly lucid and his treatment of theologians and their religious beliefs unfailingly fair. With this book you are in the hands of a masterful thinker and writer. If you are going to read just one book on science and religion, this is that work.
I mean it. Victor Stenger was unfailingly fair with everyone and he was one of the nicest and most humble scientists I have known. He liked good food and fine drinks (he was a martini man) and at the various conferences at which we both spoke we would often share sustenance and libations and talk for hours about the great (and not-so-great) questions in life. He was proud to be a central figure in both the skeptical and humanist movements—he was President of the Hawaiian Humanists, a Fellow of the Center for Inquiry, a member of the Society of Humanist Philosophers, and in retirement President of the Colorado Citizens for Science. And although he had his political opinions he mostly kept them to himself, believing that science is best served under a large tent.
Vic was active not only in the distinct movements for scientific skepticism (of the type we do here at the Skeptics Society and at INSIGHT in particular) and secular humanism, but also a prominent contributor to the atheist movement. I have titled this essay “The Fifth Horseman” because in 2007 his book, God: The Failed Hypothesis: How Science Shows That God Does Not Exist (Prometheus Books) made it to the coveted New York Times bestseller list on the heels of four other similar works that also made the list: Sam Harris’ The End of Faith (2004), Richard Dawkins’ The God Delusion (2006), Daniel Dennett’s Breaking the Spell (2006), and Christopher Hitchens’ God is Not Great (2007). These four authors became known as the “Four Horsemen of the New Atheism” (or “The Four Horsemen of the Non-Apocalypse”) and were featured prominently in many popular publications as such. I always wondered why Vic wasn’t included (outside of the obvious fact that the “Five Horsemen” does not fit the literary reference). I know that Vic wondered that as well, but he was too proud to ever express it out loud. He was the only physicist of the group, and his expertise in answering the many physics-related arguments for the existence of God (the origin of the universe, the fine-tuned nature of the laws of physics, etc.) was crucial in the debate about to what extent science could answer theological or religious arguments. (Lawrence Krauss has since come to the fore with his 2012 book A Universe From Nothing.)
Many scholars and scientists, such as Stephen Jay Gould (and myself for a time, until Vic talked me out of it) have argued that science and religion are, in Steve’s memorable phrasing, “nonoverlapping magisteria.” Vic’s contribution to the debate was to argue that the strongest arguments made by theologians and religious believers are empirical and testable claims. And in any case, as Vic often pointed out, the proponents themselves were claiming to have scientific evidence and arguments, so why not take them at their word and address their claims as such? He did just that in his many fine books and talks.
For all that, Victor, your absence leaves an awful hole. But your presence made the world a better place for us all, and your contributions to science and skepticism will never be forgotten. I close with these words from Victor’s book Has Science Found God?This summer, I had the pleasure of staying in a 18th century farmhouse, high in the slopes overlooking the historic valley of Gudbrandsdalen, Norway. There was much to be loved about it: Fragrant mountain air, pultost, juniper ale, the screaming ghosts of Scottish mercenaries, and my favorite person at my side. Simple amenities only added to the charm.
Our hosts were a family of sheep farmers, though the old man who originally bought the farm back in the 1960's had since retired. Now spending his days weeding the carrot patch, and taking ritual weekend baths in his outfarm sauna. To call him a hippie would be too easy, though one might say he had a few of the qualities. A character who perceived the world around him with a grounded, but keen eye, laughing lots. He was courteous enough to show us around a bit, wording his concerns about climate change and how it had visibly affected the valley over the past few decades, pointing out ridges where old footpaths and shortcuts were slowly being erased by overgrowth.
An enthusiastic storyteller, he served up various tidbits of local history, which was highly welcome in our company. After all, visiting historical sites was half the motivation for our trip, and many gems are all too easily overlooked in a landscape as rich as Central Norway's. A local guide will get you far in that endeavor - and give some candid perspectives, too.
Surveying the landscape from the steep hillside, he pointed to a bend in the bottom of the valley where the Lågen river snakes Southwards. It was the farm Vik - apparently the birthplace of Saint Olaf, according to local legend. While it's hardly the first place to make the claim, I was unaware of this one. First and foremost, I knew the area as an important pagan cult center, associated with the Thor-worshiping chieftain Dale-Gubrand and his estate, Hundorp, further south.
Vik, 1907. Photo: Hans H. Lie / Maihaugen
I would later realize that I do know about this farm, Vik, after all. To me it was memorable for an entirely different reason, one that the old man had left out: The Vik sword, which is one of the most peculiar stray finds of Norwegian archaeology, though the term "find" is hardly a fitting description for an item that was never actually lost to begin with.
The Vik sword, ancient heirloom?
In 1872, the Trondheim Museum of Science came in possession of a very special sword. It was of a kind that would later be dubbed a Petersen type Q sword of continental production, imported to Norway some time in the 10th century. That in itself does not particularly set it apart from other Viking Age swords, as most non-single-edged swords were imported. This one particular sword, however, is uniquely set apart by the fact that it shows no sign of ever having been in the ground. Presumably, it was passed down as an heirloom for just a hundred years shy of a millennium before it came into the hands of archaeologists, who described it with the following, brief words:
Sword of the typical Younger Iron Age shape, but peculiar in that it is entirely unscathed by rust, as it has not been in the ground. The blade is 31'' long, aprox. 2'' broad above. The fuller stops 2 1/4'' from the tip. The hilts are robust and slightly curved, 4'' and 2 1/4'' long. No upper pommel. 3 1/2'' between upper and lower guard. Been kept at Vik in Gudbrandsdalen in the old cottage that the legend calls St. Olaf's. (Link to the catalog entry here
Let's stop again for a moment and consider how baffling this is: First of all, most Viking Age swords are found in mortuary contexts. Those that are not, are often stray, accidental finds made in association with agricultural activity and construction. Most of these these, too, were likely put in graves that have since been erased.
Though the majority of viking swords were in fact produced on the continent, in the Frankish Empire or elsewhere, they are exceedingly rare to find outside of Scandinavia, or wherever Norsemen settled. This is almost entirely thanks to Viking Age mortuary practices, where swords were taken permanently out of circulation by being put in the ground, allowing archaeologists to find them later on. Wherever else, their metal was eventually re-purposed. Statistically, the odds of a sword changing hands continuously for a thousand years in a small, rural community is nothing short of a miracle.
The Vik sword (T921). Photo: NTNU
Recently, another miracle discovery was made in the highlands by Lesja, not far from the area in question, where a Viking Age sword of amazing condition had spent over a thousand years in a glacier, owing its condition to a combination of sub-zero temperatures, and a sheltered, well ventilated spot between the rocks. Despite this, it's got nothing on the from Vik in terms of conservation.
King Olaf's Helmet, a relic taken from Trondheim to Sweden in 1564, during the Though they might exist, I am not aware of any examples quite like it. There are however other artifacts which have been ascribed a similar provenance. One famous case being the so-called, a relic taken from Trondheim to Sweden in 1564, during the Northern Seven Years' War. In reality, it never belonged to the martyred king, and neither is it viking helmet, but a 15th century sallet made some 450 years after king Olaf's death.
th century travelogue In the humorous 19century travelogue Three in Norway (by two of them), one of the English narrators mention a visit to the farm Bjølstad in Heidal, interestingly, right up the road from Vik, where their host Ivar Tofte (amiably nicknamed Bluebeard) presented them with a similar curiosity during a tour:
Bluebeard first took us through the state apartments, which contained many curious and interesting things of all ages, from an axe nearly a thousand years old, to a Birmingham plated teapot won at the Christiania horse show in 1860.
Of course, we don't know whether or not "Bluebeard" was correct: Knowledge about viking weapon-typology was still relatively crude in the 1880's, nearly 40 years before Jan Peteren published his dissertation on the chronology of Norwegian viking swords. As the story of the helmet of Saint Olaf proves; people without the help of modern archaeology couldn't be trusted to identify an object less than a hundred years old, let alone a thousand.
It's doubtful that a farmer would have been able to determine the age of a viking axe without consulting a specialist, which could also have been the case. Ivar Tofte seems to have been well connected, and was apparently somewhat of a local bigman. However, he could also have relied on local legend and hearsay when he claimed it was "almost a thousand years old". The authors go on to mention that he claimed descendance from Harold Fairhair, another important king, and ancestor of Saint Olaf.
It's speculative, but it makes me wonder if the more well-off farmers around the Gudbrandsdalen valley kept such artifacts to give credence to their claims of legendary ancestry. Demonstrating ties to the Norse past was very fashionable at the time, after all, with Norwegian identity going through a veritable renaissance. This was a time where formerly obscure pieces of Norse literature now being translated and widely distributed. Whatever the fate of the axe: No such artifact from Bjølstad is mentioned in the public record.
Bjølstad, 1926. Riksantikvaren
... If you enjoyed this article, please consider supporting me on Patreon. Otherwise, you can help by sharing this article, following Brute Norse on Facebook, or leaving me feedback.Economic Modeling In a Changing Economy
Parker O'Brien Blocked Unblock Follow Following Jun 27, 2017
The Wall Street Journal had an interesting article the other day about the changing nature of the stock market, which highlighted two important trends in our politics. The overreliance on inherently flawed economic models and the unseen damage that regulation has on the economy. Following the Enron scandal in the early aughts, Congress passed Sarbanes-Oxley which raised expenses for public companies by mandating increased financial reporting and oversight of public companies. In response, companies have been waiting much longer before going public, or not going public at all, contributing to the decline in publicly listed companies. What are the costs of tilting the economic scale towards private financing? What are the costs of denying John Q Public the opportunity to invest in the newest companies at their early stages? Did the economists who reviewed this bill accurately predict a massive decline in public companies? Well that last one at least has a definitive answer, no. In reality though, the full cost of this regulation remains nearly unquantifiable. Yet, to this day, such economic predictions are trotted out as writ of law despite their repeated failure in providing an accurate forecast. During Obama’s years we had grandiose predictions about the great economic growth that would come from the stimulus and the amazing cost reducing expansion of insurance. Today we gets its reverse when dealing with the GOP’s healthcare bill.
Much like the quantitative strategies described in the Journal’s piece, economic models are backwards looking, dealing with an economy that is different from today’s economy. Beyond the obvious gaming of the CBO’s scoring system, the conversation about the legislative impact on the economy is woefully inadequate. I can’t recall a time when an economic estimate was discussed in terms of its confidence interval or variance. This is attributable to our sound bite politics and lack of public expertise on statistical modeling, but the lack of depth to the discussion of these numbers creates an absurd overconfidence in their powers of predictability. The highest paid and most brilliant minds working in Wall Street are unable to accurately forecast the market, why should we expect politically tainted analysis to do any better? This doesn’t mean that there shouldn’t be efforts to estimate economic impacts, it just means that predictions should be understood as a biased, educated guesses.
Follow me on Twitter @parks_deptShare. The actor/martial artist was 42. The actor/martial artist was 42.
Mortal Kombat: Legacy and Arrow actor Darren Shahlavi has died at the age of 42.
Shahlavi was well known for playing Kano in Machinima's Mortal Kombat web series. He also played Constantine Drakon on The CW's Arrow.
Arrow star Stephen Amell took to Twitter to pay his respects to the late actor, calling him a "great dude" and a "patient, thoughtful partner."
RIP Darren Shahlavi. 1st guy I ever fought on Arrow. He was a great dude & a patient, thoughtful partner. Fight looked good because of him. — Stephen Amell (@amellywood) January 20, 2015
Shahlavi's other credits include a leading role in Ip Man 2, as well as appearances on Continuum and Once Upon a Time in Wonderland.
On January 14, Shahlavi was found unresponsive in his Los Angeles home. TMZ reports his death may have been caused by a prescription medication overdose. A toxicology report is being conducted to determine the official cause of death.
Jordan Sirani is a freelancer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.Scientists hope fake nerves could offer sense of touch for amputees with prosthetic limbs
The 'cyber-nerves' will also encourage the growth of new cells in the nervous system, allowing amputees to feel touch and heat
Artificial nerves that allow people with false limbs to feel the heat from a coffee cup or the touch of another person's hand are being developed by scientists.
'Cyber-nerves' are created from a revolutionary material called Pedot that conducts electricity like a wire and which can encourage the growth of new cells.
Strands of Pedot have already been used to connect severed nerves in animals and restore use of defunct muscles.
Researchers are hoping the first tests on people, which could one day help amputees to feel heat, cold and touch with their prosthetic limbs, will start in three years.
Their goal is to splice strands of the material into a patient's nervous system and then connect the cyber-nerves to sensors built into artificial fingers, toes and hands.
Prof Paul Cederna, plastic surgeon at the University of Michigan, said: 'Somebody who has lost both their hands would be able to hold their child's hand again and feel the warmth.'
The creation of Pedot was announced at the American Society of Plastic Surgeons conference in Seattle earlier this month.
The research is being funded by the Pentagon in a bid to help war veterans who have lost limbs in Iraq and Afghanistan.
According to Prof Cederna, the new synthetic nerves pave the way to two-way communication between a patient's brain and their prosthetic limb.
Pedot reacts more quickly than normal nerve cells - and is 10 times more efficient at carrying electrical signals than metals currently use.
The plastic also stimulates the growth of healthy new nerve cells.
In one experiment, plastic surgeons grafted Pedot on to the severed leg of a rat.
New nerve fibres grew and took over from the damaged ones - bringing back to life muscles which had been useless.
In a second study, researchers created a 'cup' containing cells, muscle and the Pedot material around the severed nerve of a rat.
After 114 days, new blood vessels and muscles had formed, nerve fibres had regrown and sensation returned for the animal.
Prof Cederna wants to start human trials within three years - and hopes to create the first artificial limbs using cyber-nerves spliced into ordinary nerves within the decade.
He told the Sunday Times: 'It would feel the same as the real thing. There would be no re-learning required from the brain because the nerves already carry all those signals.'
Olympic hopeful John Butterworth, who lost a hand in a blast in Iraq, could benefit from the technology
The nerves would be connected to thousands of microscopic sensors that can distinguish hot, cold and touch, he added.
Around 5,000 people are fitted with a prosthetic limb each year. Four out of five are false legs and feet.
Pedot offers most help to the minority who have lost a hand.
Michael Fox, a the Royal National Orthopaedic hospital in London, said there were huge technical obstacles to creating a 'feeling' false hand.
'There is a great risk of the brain receiving wrong signals,' he said. 'I am excited by these advances but it's very early days.'Tasers were initially developed as an ‘alternative to lethal force,’ and a means of assisting police to deal with violent incidents, but a spate of Taser-related deaths both in Australia and overseas has cast doubt about how harmless they really are.
In February this year, a 37-year-old woman died in an American prison after being stunned four times with a Taser. According to police reports, Natasha McKenna had been resisting officers when she was tasered. She stopped breathing as a result and died in hospital, with an autopsy report revealing the cause of death as:
‘excited delirium associated with physical restraint including use of conductive energy device, contributing: Schizophrenia and Bi-Polar Disorder.’
McKenna’s death adds to a rising number of fatalities associated with Taser use; and with independent research about their health impacts scant, many are calling for stricter guidelines when it comes to discharging electroshock weapons.
How Do Tasers Work?
Tasers work by discharging an electrical current – either through two electrical probes released from a cartridge, or by applying the device directly to the person (also known as ‘drive stun’ mode). Drive stun mode is generally considered to be more dangerous and painful, and is therefore not recommended unless ‘exceptional circumstances’ arise.
The powerful electrical current penetrates muscle fibres, causing them to contract, and interrupting the signals carried between the brain and muscles. If discharged successfully, the device will usually cause a person to lose control of their muscles; preventing them from reacting violently towards others and rendering them more vulnerable to arrest.
Tasers are typically used by police and other law enforcement officers as an alternative to firearms to restrain a suspect. Those who support their use say that they have reduced the number of deaths and injuries to police, members of the public and suspects, with Taser International CEO Rich Smith claiming they have saved over 75,000 lives since their introduction in 1994.
When Can Tasers Be Used By Police?
Strict guidelines have been developed for the use of tasers in Australia. In New South Wales, for example, Tasers can only be discharged, after a ‘proper assessment of the situation and environment, in order to:
Protect human life; Protect an officer or others where violent confrontation or violent resistance is occurring or imminent; Protect an officer in danger of being overpowered, or to protect themselves or another person from the risk of actual bodily harm; or For protection from animals.
Police guidelines also state that Taser use is discretional, and an assessment must be made by the discharging officer as to whether the use of the device ‘is the best option for the situation having regard to the Criteria to Discharge a Taser and the
Taser training they have received.’ They must also consider legal guidelines regarding the use of force which are contained in the Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (LEPRA).
Yet despite these strict guidelines, there have been several instances of Australian police having failed to properly assess situations – with fatal consequences.
Perhaps the most notable case is that of Roberto Laudisio, a 21-year-old Brazilian student who died after being Tasered by police fourteen times in 2012. Laudisio was reportedly acting erratically whilst under the influence of LSD and stole a packet of biscuits from a convenience store, leading to a police chase down Pitt Street in the Sydney CBD before being pinned down and repeatedly Tasered.
Police were heavily criticised for using excessive force during Laudisio’s arrest, and after a recommendation by the Police Integrity Commission, four officers were charges with assault.
But while an inquest found that Police used the highly dangerous ‘drive-stun mode’ seven times and discharged three cans of capsicum spray during the incident, no single cause of death could be identified; leaving the police involved to be acquitted.
Statistics show that between 2002 and 2012, there were six Taser-related deaths in Australia – including that of Roberto Laudisio.
A recent report by the NSW Ombudsman found that while police complied with Taser use guidelines the majority of the time, they breached these guidelines in 14% of cases over a two year period. Over a quarter of these incidents involved police using
Tasers ‘in either probe or drive-stun mode when they should not have been.’
Are They Harmful?
While Taser International – the company which manufactures the device – claims that it is a safe alternative to firearms, medical experts aren’t so sure.
Studies have revealed that the effect of Tasering depends on a person’s health, whether they have any drugs or alcohol in their system, and how many times they are shocked.
Scientists have also found that the electrical shock can affect a person’s natural heart rhythms, potentially causing them to experience cardiac arrest.
There is also evidence that Taser use impairs neurocognitive functioning in the short term – which, in turn, affects a person’s interactions with police and their ability to ‘say something incriminating that he or she might not otherwise have said.’The new commander appointed to lead Baltimore Police internal affairs had been investigated and cleared of a pay theft allegation.
As one of several promotions and reassignments disclosed internally by the agency, Maj. Ian Dombroski, who has been serving as an "area commander" overseeing three patrol districts, was named as the new head of internal affairs Thursday afternoon.
In 2011, a city prosecutor investigated Dombroski and a fellow newly promoted commander, Robert Quick, over allegations they improperly received overtime payments.
Janice Bledsoe, now one of State's Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby's top deputies, looked into the case as the police integrity prosecutor but resigned before the investigation was completed. City Councilman Brandon Scott, who is vice chair of the council's public safety committee, also took up the case, questioning whether taxpayer dollars had been abused.
Dombroski and Quick were cleared by then-State's Attorney Gregg Bernstein's office in late 2012. Officials said the two officers were lieutenants but serving as deputy majors, and entitled to continue receiving overtime until their command-level positions became official.
"Evidence obtained during the investigation did not indicate that the receipt of overtime compensation under these circumstances constituted criminal behavior," prosecutors said at the time.
The Police Department said Dombroski has a law degree and will assist Chief Rodney Hill, who oversees all internal investigations. His appointment "demonstrates Commissioner [Kevin] Davis's commitment to ensure legal knowledge is matched by institutional experience within a large law enforcement organization," the department said.
"This team postures the BPD for success," Davis said in a statement.
The agency said it has been making a series of moves to bolster oversight and internal discipline to institute "reform that goes beyond sound bites."
Scott said he hoped Dombroski can lead reform in the internal affairs division. "While I am not thrilled about the move, I understand that we live in the land of second chances," Scott said. "But I will be watching with a close eye."
Mosby, who defeated Bernstein in the Democratic primary in 2014 and went on the win the office, made an issue of the case. She questioned Bernstein's relationship with Quick, since he had represented the officer as a private attorney in a high-profile shooting in East Baltimore in 1999. Bernstein's office had determined there was no conflict.
Dombroski was promoted to major, overseeing the Southern District, and was made an acting lieutenant colonel overseeing three west-side patrol districts. Bledsoe returned to the state's attorney's office under Mosby, overseeing police misconduct cases, including trying the officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray.
Dombroski's move was one of several made by the department. Among them:
•The commander and deputy commander of the Central District were both replaced. Maj. Mark Howe was moved to the police commissioner's inspections unit, while Capt. Chris Jones was moved to the citywide shootings unit. Taking over as commander is Maj. Eric Russell, who formerly led the Southwestern District and the training academy, but was moved to evidence control after a trainee was shot in the head during a rogue training exercise at a former state mental hospital in 2013. Russell had been away at training at the time, but was moved during an internal investigation.
•The commander of the homicide unit, Donald Bauer, was promoted from captain to major, and is getting some help from Capt. Milton Snead, who was assigned to join the unit. The unit in recent years has been led by either a major or a captain, but not both.
•Maj. Richard Gibson formally takes over the Northern District, while the former district commander Robert Smith was promoted to lieutenant colonel and becomes an "area commander" overseeing the west side of the city.
justin.fenton@baltsun.comAnnouncing the 2016 Disney Armed Forces Salute!
I’m very happy to announce that today Disney has allowed me to release the news that the hugely popular Disney Armed Forces Salute has been renewed for 2016.
Disney will be making their official press release at about the same time that I am.
The currently running Disney Armed Forces Salute is an entirely separate offer which will continue to run through 20(tickets)/23(rooms) December 2015.
Disney Armed Forces Salute Ticket Discounts
Walt Disney World Armed Forces |
.
: 6 + your Constitution modifier. Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (4) + your Constitution modifier per shepherd level after 1st. Proficiencies Armor : none
: none Weapons : Simple Weapons
: Simple Weapons Tools : Herbalism Kit, Choose one type of Artisan’s Tools and one Musical Instrument
: Herbalism Kit, Choose one type of Artisan’s Tools and one Musical Instrument Saving Throws : Wisdom, Charisma
: Wisdom, Charisma Skills: Choose four from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, History, Insight, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Performance, and Survival. Equipment (a) a quarterstaff or (b) a club
(a) 10 darts or (b) a sling and 50 bullets
A Healer's Kit
One set of Artisan's Tools of your choice
One Musical Instrument of your choice
An Explorer's Pack and a Druidic Focus Unarmored Defense Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier. Cantrips At 1st level, you know one cantrip of your choice from the druid spell list. You learn additional druid cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Shepherd table. Jack of All Trades Starting at 2nd level, you can add half your proficiency bonus, rounded down, to any ability check you make that doesn’t already include your proficiency bonus. 1
The Shepherd Level Proficiency Bonus Features Cantrips Known Spells Known Spell Slots Slot Level Healing Poultices Nature's Boon 1st +2 Unarmored Defense, Cantrips 1 — — — — — 2nd +2 Jack of All Trades, Spellcasting 1 1 1 1st — — 3rd +2 Expertise, Healing Poultices 2 1 1 1st 3 — 4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 2 2 1 1st 3 — 5th +3 Nature's Boon 2 2 1 2nd 3 1 6th +3 Bonus Feat 3 3 2 2nd 4 1 7th +3 Stillness of Mind 3 3 2 2nd 4 1 8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 3 4 2 2nd 4 1 9th +4 3 4 2 3rd 5 2 10th +4 Purity of Body 4 5 2 3rd 5 2 11th +4 Expertise 4 5 2 3rd 5 2 12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 4 6 2 3rd 6 2 13th +5 4 6 2 4th 6 3 14th +5 Bonus Feat 4 7 3 4th 6 3 15th +5 5 7 3 4th 7 3 16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 5 8 3 4th 7 3 17th +6 5 8 3 5th 7 4 18th +6 Timeless Body 5 9 3 5th 8 4 19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 5 9 3 5th 8 4 20th +6 5 10 3 5th 8 4 Spellcasting By the time you reach 2nd level, you have learned to use the magical essence of nature to cast spells, much as a druid does. See chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting and chapter 11 of the Player's Handbook for the druid spell list. Spell Slots The Shepherd table shows how many spell slots you have. The table also shows what the level of those slots is; all of your spell slots are the same level. To cast one of your shepherd spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a spell slot. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a short or long rest. For example, when you are 9th level, you have two 3rd-level spell slots. To cast the 1st-level spell healing word, you must spend one of those slots, and you cast it as a 3rd-level spell. Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher At 2nd level, you know one 1st-level spell of your choice from the druid spell list. The Spells Known column of the Shepherd table shows when you learn more druid spells of your choice of 1st level and higher. A spell you choose must be of a level no higher than what’s shown in the table's Slot Level column for your level. When you reach 7th level, for example, you learn a new druid spell, which can be 1st or 2nd level. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the druid spells you know and replace it with another spell from the druid spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots. Spellcasting Ability Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your shepherd spells. Your magic comes from the heart and soul you pour into the strength of your convictions. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a shepherd spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one. Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
= 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier 2
Spellcasting Focus You can use a druidic focus (found in chapter 5) as a spellcasting focus for your druid spells. Expertise At 3rd level, choose two of your skill or tool proficiencies. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies. At 11th level, you can choose another two skill or tool proficiencies to gain this benefit. Healing Poultices Starting at 3rd level, you can spend one hour to fashion a number of healing poultices (this can be done as part of a short or long rest without interrupting the benefits of that rest). Your shepherd level determines the number of healing poultices you make, as shown in the Healing Poultices column of the Shepherd table. The healing poultices you create cannot be applied by anyone but you. After 24 hours, any healing poultices that you have not used lose their potency. If you spend 1 minute applying one of your healing poultices to a wounded creature, thereby expending its use, that creature regains 1d6 hit points for every three shepherd levels you have (rounded up). Ability Score Improvement When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Nature's Boon At 5th level, you gain one boon chosen from the following list. This boon is granted to you from 'nature' however it is that you choose to venerate (it/him/her). You gain an additional boon at 9th, 13th, and 17th levels. Once you select a boon, you may not change it. Beast Speech After selecting this boon, you can cast speak with animals at will, without expending a spell slot. Charm Animals After selecting this boon, at any time you can, as an action, present your Druidic Focus and invoke Nature, in whatever form you venerate it. Each beast creature that can see you within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, it is charmed by you for 1 minute or until it takes damage. While it is charmed by you, it is friendly to you and other creatures you designate. Charm Person After selecting this boon, at any time you can, as an action, present your Druidic Focus and invoke Nature, in whatever form you venerate it. Each humanoid creature that can see you within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, it is charmed by you for 1 minute or until it takes damage. While it is charmed by you, it is friendly to you and other creatures you designate. Charm Plants After selecting this boon, at any time you can, as an action, present your Druidic Focus and invoke Nature, in whatever form you venerate it. Each plant creature that can see you within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, it is charmed by you for 1 minute or until it takes damage. While it is charmed by you, it is friendly to you and other creatures you designate. Enhanced Shillelagh When you select this boon, add the following line to the end of the Shillelagh spell; "The weapon becomes +1 at 5th level, +2 at 11th level, and +3 at 17th level." Eyes of the Rune Keeper After selecting this boon, you can read all writing. Gaze of Two Minds After selecting this boon, you can use your action to touch a willing humanoid and perceive through its senses until the end of your next turn. As long as the creature is on the same plane of existence as you, you can use your action on subsequent turns to maintain this connection, extending the duration until the end of your next turn. While perceiving through the other creature’s senses, you benefit from any special senses possessed by that creature, and you are blinded and deafened to your own surroundings. Mask of Many Faces After selecting this boon, you can cast disguise self at will, without expending a spell slot. Master of All Trades After selecting this boon, at any time you can choose one skill or tool, as an action. For 10 minutes, you have proficiency in the chosen skill or tool. Potent Goodberries When you select this boon, add the following line to the end of the Goodberry spell; "At 5th level, the healing increases to 2 hit points per berry. At 11th level, it increases to 3 hit points per berry. At 17th level, it increases to 4 hit points per berry." Soothing Rest After selecting this boon, you can sooth your wounded allies during a short rest. If you or any friendly creatures w ho you can tend to regain hit points at the end of the short rest, each of those creatures regains an extra 1d6 hit points. 3LAHORE, Pakistan (AFP) - A Pakistani Christian man has been sentenced to death for blasphemy after he sent a Muslim friend a poem on WhatsApp that insulted Islam, a lawyer said on Friday (Sept 15).
Nadeem James was charged in July last year after his Muslim friend Yasir Bashir complained to police that he received a poem on the messaging app that was derogatory towards the Prophet Mohammed and other holy figures.
"James was handed a death sentence by the court on Thursday on blasphemy charges," defence lawyer Anjum Wakeel said.
"My client will appeal the sentence in the high court as he has been framed by his friend, who was annoyed over James' affair with a Muslim girl," Mr Wakeel said.
He said the trial was held inside a prison due to security reasons after local Muslim clerics had threatened James and his family. Court officials confirmed the sentence.
Blasphemy is a hugely sensitive issue in conservative Muslim Pakistan, where even unproven allegations can stir beatings and mob violence.
In 2014, a Christian couple were lynched then burnt in a kiln in Punjab province after being falsely accused of desecrating the Quran. Rights groups have said the laws are routinely abused to seek vengeance.To the casual observer, Aston Martin cars might all look the same. A long hood. Voluptuous curves over the wheels. That iconic grille. It's a design language that you can trace back through the decades to the 1950s.
Sixty years later that formula is still being obeyed, but it would be a mistake to think that makes this car—the DB11—an anachronism. Underneath its gorgeous aluminum and composite body panels is the most technologically advanced machine yet to wear the winged badge. It's the first all-new Aston Martin in years, and race-bred aerodynamics, a clever twin-turbo V12 engine, and some 21st century electronics knowhow (courtesy of Mercedes-Benz) come together to create a gran turismo that's as much PhD as 007. Over the course of a week and several hundred miles, I came away with the impression that if this car represents the future of the marque, that future will be rosy indeed.
A brief history of Aston Martin
Aston Martin has a long and storied history. As you might expect for a company founded in 1913, it has gone through good times and bad. High points? Racing glory helped cement its reputation, plus a starring role alongside James Bond in Goldfinger spring to mind. But along the way it has changed ownership with some regularity, often after periods of poverty and even bankruptcy that meant its cars were quickly outdated compared to rivals.
Early success came during the interwar period, but for many the company's first heyday was under the ownership of industrialist David Brown, starting in 1947. It was then that his initials began gracing the cars, from successful sports racers that won races at tracks like Le Mans and the Nürburgring to their road-going cousins that now fetch big money on the classic car scene. But by the early 1970s, the company was in trouble once more and in danger of shutting down for good. The elegant six-cylinder DB cars gave way to angular V8s, and a string of owners came and went. With no money to develop new models, the company lost ground to rivals like Ferrari, and sales numbers plummeted.
The 1990s saw Aston Martin under Ford ownership, and things were once again looking up. Budgets were still tight but salvation came in the form of a rejected Jaguar design, that company also being owned by the Blue Oval. That car was the DB7, the first to wear Brown's initials in more than 20 years. Underneath it may have been a warmed-up XJ-S, but it looked like a million dollars and sold well in the US. That gave Ford a reason to open its wallet, and the result was the Vanquish, which debuted in 2001. This was a clean-sheet design and the first car to use Aston Martin's new VH architecture, which used a bonded aluminum chassis that owed plenty to Lotus and its lightweight Elise.
The VH architecture went on to provide the building blocks for an expanded model range, first with the Vantage and then DB9. But Ford soon lost interest with the brand, selling it on to new owners in 2007. (It did keep a version of the iconic Aston Martin grill however, which you'll still see today on Fiestas, Focuses, and Fusions.) Aston Martin's new owners—led by Prodrive's David Richards—soldiered on, evolving the VH cars to develop the DBS, Virage, Rapide, and even (in carbon fiber form) the limited run One-77. But it was obvious that once again the company was having to make do with outdated products. Once again, sales started to evaporate.
Jonathan Gitlin
Jonathan Gitlin
Jonathan Gitlin
Jonathan Gitlin
Jonathan Gitlin
Jonathan Gitlin
Jonathan Gitlin
Jonathan Gitlin
Jonathan Gitlin
Jonathan Gitlin
Classic looks that marry form with function
Today, Aston Martin is in better health. Private equity backers have given the company the investment it has sorely needed, and 2017 has seen both revenues double and hefty losses transform into decent profits. There's a plan to electrify its range in the coming years, and the DB11 is the first product to emerge from the company's "Second Century" plan.
The DB11 starts with a bonded aluminum chassis, similar to the older VH cars but with less mass and greater stiffness. On top of that is a stunning body, designed by Marek Reichman. The body panels are a mix of aluminum and composites (you'll note I got this wrong in the video above, claiming it was all carbon fiber, for which I apologize). The hood is a single-piece clamshell, and the roofline is a floating design that you can't really see in the pictures or video of our black-on-black test car.
Aerodynamics were a big concern in the DB11's design. This is most readily apparent from the large splitter at the front of the car, which wouldn't look amiss on one of Aston Martin's GTE race cars. But there are a couple of other notable aerodynamic details worth mentioning. The first is also borrowed from Aston Martin's racing program. Called curlicues, these were gill-like vents just behind the front wheels. They take high-pressure air from the front wheel arches and channel it out through the side of the car, reducing lift at the front axle in the process.
The other interesting feature is called the AeroBlade. This sucks in high-speed air at the C-pillars (behind the doors), which then passes through ducts underneath the bodywork, exiting out of a series of slots in the trunk lid. The result is the same as if the car had a large rear spoiler like the ones you'll see on the rear of a Vantage or DB9, just without the bodywork or attendant drag. At high speeds, the AeroBlade's efficiency is increased by an extendable active spoiler that works like a Gurney flap on a race car.
Finally, there's also a flat underbody and rear diffuser, which work in conjunction with that big front splitter to control airflow underneath the DB11, further reducing lift.
Listing image by Jonathan GitlinGenetic study demonstrates that racial classification by skin color has no scientific basis
By Philip Guelpa
9 November 2017
A new study, published in the journal Science (“Loci associated with skin pigmentation identified in African populations,” 12 October 2017), elucidates the genetic mechanisms controlling human skin color and demonstrates that racial conceptions regarding skin color and its supposed marking of distinct groupings of human beings have no scientific foundation.
The traditional view has been that early humans had dark skin as an evolutionary adaptation to protect themselves from the dangerous ultraviolet radiation of the harsh African sun. As humans spread to other continents and higher latitudes, where solar input was less intense, lighter skin developed to permit greater production of vitamin D, an essential nutrient, which is produced in the skin using sunlight. However, the actual geographic distribution of populations with varying skin tones does not neatly fit this simple scenario. The new research, while not denying this mechanism, reveals a much more complicated picture.
Until recently, while the basic factor leading to variation in skin tone due to differing concentrations and kinds of the pigment melanin was known, there was very little understanding of the biological basis of how an individual’s skin color was determined, and most of that was based on studies of European populations, providing only a very narrow view of the total range of variation. As the birthplace of humanity, Africa has the most diverse human gene pool (populations there having had the longest time for genetic variation to develop) and is, therefore, likely to provide useful data on genetic variation, including that influencing skin color.
The data used in the new research, conducted by a team of nearly 50 co-authors from more than a dozen different institutions in the US and several African countries, was derived from a study of 2,092 volunteers in Tanzania, Ethiopia and Botswana, of diverse ethnic and genetic backgrounds. Their skin color was measured and the genomes of 1,570 people were analyzed in detail. This resulted in the identification of six genetic regions (genes) that are, in combination, significantly associated with determination of an individual’s skin color, collectively accounting for 29 percent of the observed variation. Each of the gene loci has variants (alleles) associated with different skin tones, ranging from relatively lighter to darker. The results were then compared with existing genetic data from West African, Eurasian, and Australo-Melanesian populations.
The fact that 71 percent of the variation is unaccounted for by the genes identified so far strongly suggests that the genetic determination of skin color is even more complicated than the current research has disclosed. Significantly, most of the variants, for both light and dark skin, were found to have originated in Africa. It is also important to note that the identified genes are located on several different chromosomes, indicating that their transmission is not closely linked in reproduction.
The actions of the various genes were tested by introducing them into lab mice and zebrafish, and observing the results.
The finding that skin color is controlled by multiple genes, each with a range of variants, demonstrates conclusively that any individual’s coloration is the result of a complex mix of multiple factors, dialectically interacting with each other. Each person’s exterior appearance (phenotype) is the expression of a balance resulting from the combination of this genetic color palate (genotype). Furthermore, this may not simply be an additive process. As with so many other biological characteristics, some gene variants, singly or in combination, may be dominant in their expression over others, known as recessive, making the outcome even more complex.
In addition to clarifying the genetic mechanisms controlling skin color, the analysis also provides insights into the evolutionary history of these mechanisms. According to the study, at least some of the variants are quite old, having evolved hundreds of thousands of years ago. With regard to variants associated with lighter skin color, seven are at least 270,000 years old and four are over 900,000 years old. One of the latter is found both in Europeans and San hunter-gathers of Botswana.
Among the significant implications of this finding is that these variants either coincide with or substantially predate the appearance of modern humans, which occurred 200,000 to 300,000 years ago. In other words, a complex variation in skin color has been part of human evolution for a very long time.
Another finding is that at least some skin color genes have changed significantly over time. Three of the variants that produce the darkest skin appear to have evolved from lighter color versions. Another variant, which originated relatively recently among people in Europe and the Middle East, has spread into Africa, possibly in association with migrations of early agriculturalists.
It is likely that the wide range of skin color variation originally evolved as small early human populations adapted to a myriad of local environments, influenced by many different selective factors. Subsequent population movements, spanning hundreds of thousands of years, including interbreeding between modern humans, Neanderthals and perhaps other local populations, mixed and remixed the genetic pool, creating an array of physical characters that often were only partly reflective of the environmental settings where they wound up.
As one of the study’s authors, Sarah Tishkoff, points out, chimpanzees, our closest living evolutionary relatives, are light-skinned below their body hair. So, it is likely that early hominins were similarly light-colored and that darker skin developed later, once they moved from forested areas onto the savannah.
The multiplicity of genetic controls over skin color means that there are no fixed categories based on this essentially superficial characteristic. The myriad array of skin tones that currently exists across the globe merely reflects a moment in the constantly changing variation that has typified human evolution over millions of years.
As with numerous other scientific studies, this latest research confirms, yet again, that the concept of race among humans is a social construct without any objective biological basis. Those who view skin color as a marker of distinct racial groupings, associated with other characteristics such as intelligence, choose, consciously or unconsciously, to ignore the vast range of variation that exists among contemporary humans. The study published in Science demonstrates forcefully that the genetic control over the color of a person’s skin is extremely complex and, therefore, not susceptible to simplistic classification.
That is not to say, however, that racism has no objective basis, although it is social and not biological. In capitalist society, racial, ethnic, religious, and linguistic distinctions have been and continue to be a weapon in the hands of the ruling class to keep workers divided in the face of class-based oppression.
The author also recommends:
The anti-scientific character of “race” as a concept
[3 August 2016]
Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.Veterans with severe post-traumatic stress would be paired with service dogs paid for by the government to help support them under a new House bill.
The Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers (PAWS) Act, introduced by Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., would create a five-year, $10 million pilot program that provides the animals for post-9/11 vets with level three or four on the clinician’s PTSD scale. The Veterans Affairs Department would pay for veterinary health insurance for each dog in the program. For eligible vets, the dogs would be in addition to other PTSD treatment they’re receiving from the VA.
“Thousands of our post-9/11 veterans carry the invisible burden of post-traumatic stress, and there is an overwhelming need to expand the available treatment options,” DeSantis said in a statement. “The VA should use every tool at their disposal to support and treat our veterans, including the specialized care offered by service dogs.”
Service animals, particularly dogs, have been shown to have a calming effect on people with anxiety and social disorders, physical pain, and other challenges.
Eligible vets must “have been treated and have completed an established evidence-based treatment and remain significantly symptomatic,” the legislation said. The canines would be trained at the government’s expense, and come from an organization accredited by Assistance Dog International or a private provider. The VA would spend no more than $27,000 per dog, according to the bill.
The legislation (H.R. 4764) also directs the Government Accountability Office to do a report on the pilot program’s effectiveness after it ends in 2022. PAWS had 16 co-sponsors as of March 17 – 13 Republicans and three Democrats.FLINT, MI - The transformation of a major eyesore in Flint will begin this spring as the broken concrete of Chevy in the Hole is covered up and unwelcoming chain-link fences come down.
The former General Motors industrial site is slated to become Chevy Commons -- a natural park along the Flint River that's expected to include wetlands, woodlands, grasslands and other green areas.
The plan includes transforming a portion of the former Chevrolet manufacturing site into a public park with walking paths intertwined in low-maintenance native plants, greens and wetlands that should help minimize storm water management costs.
"The new Chevy Commons will come alive this spring," said Flint Mayor Dayne Walling. "It will be an important symbolic change for the entire Flint River corridor. And create an exciting gateway for the west side of Flint."
The Genesee County Land Bank and city of Flint, which owns the site, came together to put a plan together for the site, which served as the backdrop for the Sit-Down Strike of 1936-37 and now holds a prominent place on the riverfront between downtown Flint and Kettering University.
For years, the property has been the focus of discussion and blight elimination plan. In April, the official plan for Chevy Commons was unveiled.
A $1.6 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency paid for a draft plan, with the majority of the money going toward the upcoming construction. Before that, thousands of trees had been planted on the site to help naturally remove contaminants from the area.
This spring will start the major look of the landscape, Walling said.
"(The Genesee County Land Bank has) secured a general contractor who will begin visible work this spring. So the site will be very busy this spring, summer and fall," Walling said. "The green cap will be put in place on about 15 acres of the site from Chevrolet Avenue back west toward downtown.... Fences will come down. The entire site will be safe and accessible."
The park-like space will be redeveloped in phases to include open grasslands, woodlands, and wetlands interlaced with trails that will link to the surrounding institutions, neighborhoods, and regional trails, according to the Chevy Commons plan posted on the Genesee County Land Bank website.
The first phase of renovations involve dumping dirt over the concrete and installing a parking area, walking paths and shrubs in about a third of the space.
"The Chevy Commons is a great link between the I-69 corridor and Kettering University and the University Avenue corridor," Walling said.
The Chevy Commons project is in the center of other community revitalization projects going on throughout the city.
Kettering University just released a new 10-year master plan, which included walkways, path and green space that connect the university with downtown and other projects, such as Chevy Commons. Part of their master plan also includes a set of academic buildings that will move across Chevrolet Avenue connecting both sides with an enclosed bridge, which will also be an active space with classrooms and other usable space.
On Chevrolet Avenue, Kettering University owns roughly 20 acres of Chevy in the Hole property. Plans are in the works to turn it into what officials call KUSARA (Kettering University Student Automotive Research Area), Kettering officials said back in 2013.
Still in the fundraising and planning stages, the idea is to create research grounds for students, faculty and visiting companies to test automotive and aerospace technology.
Kettering's master plan and Flint's master plan - which includes the plans for Chevy Commons and other improvements along the University Avenue corridor - coincide to start improving around University Avenue and then moving out from there.
It shows improvement and beautification efforts to Chevrolet Avenue and Atwood Stadium, as well as create more green space throughout campus and between Kettering and downtown.
Another project taking place around the same time to allow for connections throughout Flint is the city's portion the Genesee Valley Trail, which starts just below Corunna (M-21) and Darling Street and runs along the abandoned railroad corridor going northeast for 1.5 miles and ends at Chevrolet Avenue just above Glenwood and across from Chevy Commons.
It will connect Flint Township with the west side of Flint. It's part of a bigger goal of connecting trails throughout the entire county, said Megan Hunter, Flint's director of Planning and Development.
"It's a great way of connecting the rest of the county with the city. It's great to have a rail at the west side of the city and provide better access to the Flint River and Kettering," Hunter said. "The city is really trying to further multi-modal transportation. These trails, we are seeing these as nice recreational rides through the city, which is nice... but we also see it as transportation."
A big part of Flint's master plan is to look at alternative forms of transportations, Hunter said, where people are segregated from traffic and can get to various different aspects of the community.
Work should start on the trail in March. MDOT will provide up to $524,282 and the city's portion of the cost is $201,020.
"This trail is a very important piece," Hunter said. "This is a great way to complete that connection to the county."Rosy Press’s Janelle Asselin kicks off crowdfunding campaign today for her romance anthology. (courtesy of Rosy Press)
JANELLE ASSELIN has worked in the comic-book industry for more than a decade, and has edited for such publishers as Disney and DC Comics, yet there’s one genre of storytelling she sees too little of among the new titles: romance.
Too scarce, she says, is the art of the heart.
So Asselin, 31, who is also the L.A.-based senior editor at ComicsAlliance, decided to create a new imprint, Rosy Press, with the hope of providing a new wave of comics for fans of romance.
Asselin is announcing this morning the launch of a $28,000 Kickstarter campaign (going live…now) that aims to help Rosy Press publish the first issue of Fresh Romance, a digital comic magazine that the imprint says will contain tales ranging from “a queer high-school love affair” to “Regency-era romance.”
“I’ve known for a long time that the dream for me was not necessarily moving up an editorial chain at a company, but in doing my own thing,” Asselin told Comic Riffs in an exclusive first interview about Rosy Press’s Fresh Romance. “It’s always a priority for me to get more women into comics.”
Asselin considers women ages 18 to 25 to be one of the fastest-growing audiences in the comic-book industry — a demographic transition that she said is also bringing “great new blood” into the professional side of the field.
“A lot of the creators working with me are in their early 20s, and they grew up on manga and anime and they want to make their own comics, but a lot of them have a style that it’s harder for them to break into a place like DC [Comics],” Asselin said. “This year, it’s getting a little better, but in years past, it’s been harder for them to appeal to the traditional publishers.
“I wanted to find a way to publish people who are making comics that I thought were beautiful and interesting,” she said, “that would also appeal to an audience outside of comics.”
As for Kickstarter, Asselin said crowd-funding is more than a means to help provide money for publishing; she also sees it as a way to gauge interest.
Kickstarter “is not just fundraising tool, but a marketing tool in that you have a sustained campaign to talk about what you want to do, and not just ‘Here’s this thing we’ve done — we hope you like it,’ ” Asselin said. “People feel invested because they’re at the ground floor with you.”
(Because Fresh Romance will contain mature content, Asselin said, the comic will have a recommendation that readers be at least 17 years old.)
The Fresh Romance anthology will include Regency-era tales. (courtesy of Rosy Press)
The goal of Rosy Press, Asselin said, is to attract female readers ages 18 to 35, whether they’re already comics readers or they’ve never picked up a comic book.
“I want this to be a gateway to the entirety of the comics industry,” Asselin said. “I’m sure there are parts of the old guard of comics — the older dudes who read superhero comics who aren’t going to like what we’re doing. It’s not going to appeal to them, and that’s fine.”
Asselin says her fondness for romance comics was first piqued as a youngster when, while working at a comic-book store, when she discovered manga.
“I actually stopped reading all American comics for a couple of years, because I was finding more of what I wanted in manga. I was finding comics that had been created by women and that had romantic storylines,” she said. “There’s something really appealing … [to] comics that have that sort of soap-opera vibe, but sometimes they’re sort of straight sweet romances. It is something you don’t see very often, especially in mainstream comics. You’ll see it in indie-comics but you don’t see it from Marvel and DC, because they focus on the superhero genre. That’s their moneymaking genre.
“There’s definitely a hole in the American comics industry …,” Asselin said. “We’re not trying to do Americanized manga. We’re doing American romance comics. And I think that’s something that people haven’t really done since the ’50s and ’60s.”
Fresh Romance will be an anthology magazine, with each issue having three 10-page stories. Some stories will be ongoing and will last multiple issues; others will conclude after their initial offering.
Asselin admitted to being excited for the three creative teams that will be introduced with the Rosy Press/Fresh Romance launch:
Kate Leth (Kate or Die), Arielle Jovellanos (Five) and colorist Amanda Scurti will craft a romance about a lesbian high-school couple who use false affections toward a high school boy to mask their true relationship.
Sarah Kuh, Sally Jane Thompson (Red Jack) and colorist Savanna Ganucheau will create a tale of a supernatural barista trapped in a world she can’t leave unless she helps others find love.
Sarah Vaughn (Alex + Ada) and Sarah Winifred Searle (Smut Peddler) — whom Asselin affectionately calls “the Sarahs” — will produce Fresh Romance’s Regency-era romance, dealing with a couple preparing for marriage despite not being the least bit fond of each other. Asselin said “the Sarahs” put a lot of work into making sure the Regency-era look came off as authentic, and hopes fans of that subgenre will enjoy it.
Asselin, who plans to launch Fresh Romance in May, said that the first issue should be complete as the Kickstarter campaign concludes, noting that all scripts have been written and that it is just a matter of making sure Rosy Press has the funding to go beyond the first issue.
Rosy Press will offer multiple digital avenues for readers to acquire Fresh Romance, including the Rosy Press website and ComiXology. Asselin said that digital was the only way to go for publishing, believing it to be the optimal way to reach the most readers.
“We’re digital entirely, with no plans for print,” Asselin told Comic Riffs. “It’s way more accessible, and I’m interested in bringing new fans into comics. And I think it’s way more accessible than asking them to go to a comic shop.”
Asselin also plans to encourage submissions as Rosy Press grows. As she’s reached out to other creators to work with Rosy Press, she’s been encouraged by the response.
“I’ve approached more people than we’ve announced, so we have many future plans,” Asselin said of possible future contributors “A lot of them have been like, ‘I’ve always wanted to do romance comics!’ I’m talking people who are established pros in the industry that could probably do whatever they want, you would think, and now are so excited at the opportunity to do romance comics.”
So will Asselin write her own scripts, adding to Rosy Press’s romantic tales?
“I am not going to be doing any writing,” she replied. “I enjoy doing journalistic writing, and I’ve also written a book about increasing sales of comics to women that’s being shopped around.
I’m not a comics writer,” Asselin continued. “I’m one of those editors — |
25.500 -0.278 1.400 Lions 13.444 12.750 -0.694 -5.583 Dolphins 13.333 12.500 -0.833 4.334 Jets 24.778 23.500 -1.278 -0.256 Seahawks 2.556 1.250 -1.306 -0.306 Chargers 14.667 13.250 -1.417 -1.550 Browns 28.000 26.500 -1.500 -2.011 Redskins 31.000 29.000 -2.000 2.011 Broncos 5.333 3.000 -2.333 -0.222 Eagles 9.667 7.250 -2.417 -7.595 Bills 17.111 14.000 -3.111 -2.355 49ers 24.667 19.500 -5.167 -2.200 Chiefs 13.444 7.500 -5.944 -1.555
Observations:
This can be a fun chart to look at as the year goes on. It's been pretty good at predicting which teams will have preseason success, and who will flame out. But, this early in the season it's just fun to look at.
Generally, when a team has a much higher subjective average than objective average, I would call them "Overrated." So in this instance, the Steelers and Cowboys would be "overrated." I'm not ready to slap that label there yet.
Same story on the opposite end, the 49ers and Chiefs would generally be called "Underrated." Not yet.
As the season progresses, generally the subjective rankings will be quicker to react to something changing on a team. For instance, a key player gets injured? Drop them a few positions. A lot of times though, the subjective rankings care more about record than anything else.
SourcesWith our staffed ROTW writer hattfatt abducted - temporarily - by ancient aliens, someone had to take his place.
Let's go through the five best replays from last week while I try to be funny...
1. IIIIIIII vs Zenio
Whether the terran here is really Flash as some people suggested - we cannot know. What we do know is that a TvZ is real high quality when there's some good half an hour till its end after Ultralisks make the field.
In these 44 minutes of beautiful, motley and seemingly chaotic masterpiece (quite redolent of a Terry Gilliam movie for some reason...), the terran abuses drops and counter attacks to the extent that begs the questions "Why isn't this race winning more. Or everything.
IIIIIIII vs Zenio: Replay
Whether the terran here is really Flash as some people suggested - we cannot know. What weknow is that a TvZ is real high quality when there's some good half an hour till its end after Ultralisks make the field.In these 44 minutes of beautiful, motley and seemingly chaotic masterpiece (quite redolent of a Terry Gilliam movie for some reason...), the terran abuses drops and counter attacks to the extent that begs the questions "Why isn't this race winning more. Or everything.
2. MC vs Puma
When last we showed you MC's 2-base carrier in his match against Kas, we were ready to swear there was nothing cooler, period.
Holy coital encounter, were we wrong. Not only this game features a 2-base carrier versus a 2-base BC but there's also a big red dot indicating of an imminent nuclear disaster calmly floating between the two armies.
MC vs Puma: Replay
When last we showed you MC's 2-base carrier in his match against Kas, we were ready to swear there was nothing cooler, period.Holy coital encounter, were we wrong. Not only this game features a 2-base carrier versus a 2-base BC but there's also a big red dot indicating of an imminent nuclear disaster calmly floating between the two armies.
3. Snute vs ForGG
ForGG opens with a hellion/marauder/banshee build but is chased away because, evidently, queens are too God damn imba. Their air heats up as Snute and ForGG engage in an unstopping war for that little piece of rock and metal more commonly known as Antiga's central highground while simultaneously trying to play dirty. For every bio drop there is a ling counter attack and for every banshee raid there's an infestor harassment and this continues for good 33 minutes.
Snute vs ForGG: Replay
ForGG opens with a hellion/marauder/banshee build but is chased away because, evidently, queens are too God damn imba. Their air heats up as Snute and ForGG engage in an unstopping war for that little piece of rock and metal more commonly known as Antiga's central highground while simultaneously trying to play dirty. For every bio drop there is a ling counter attack and for every banshee raid there's an infestor harassment and this continues for good 33 minutes.
4. Zenio vs LofSuperb
When Zenio ends up 20 supply ahead against mech at around the 20th minute mark, he knows things are not looking too great: thors are en masse and blue flame hellions make lings obsolete.
And then it hits him: if you can fight fire with fire, make a nerdy kid punch himself and turn man against his brother, why can't you use thors against thors?
Zenio vs LofSuperb: Replay
When Zenio ends up 20 supply ahead against mech at around the 20th minute mark, he knows things are not looking too great: thors are en masse and blue flame hellions make lings obsolete.And then it hits him: if you can fight fire with fire, make a nerdy kid punch himself and turn man against his brother, why can't you use thors against thors?
5. Pasildan vs BelieverSoul
How do you beat terran as protoss? Some people believe you cannot, because "terran is just stupid, yo!". Some try going bio, while others try mixing in some ghosts.
Pasildan, on the other hand, tries the somewhat different approach of "kill every nexus on the map as soon as it spawns". I can only imagine how BelieverSoul felt after those long minutes of having his economy whack-a-mole'd.
Pasildan vs BelieverSoul: Replay
How do you beat terran as protoss? Some people believe you cannot, because "terran is just stupid, yo!". Some try going bio, while others try mixing in some ghosts.Pasildan, on the other hand, tries the somewhat different approach of "kill every nexus on the map as soon as it spawns". I can only imagine how BelieverSoul felt after those long minutes of having his economy whack-a-mole'd.
BONUS: Bly vs ImbaWorld
Just because I am feeling extra generous today (or rather because our leading replay manager made me), I am presenting you with a sixth, bonus replay for the week in which Bly and Imbaworld play a HotS custom map!
Whether you eagerly expect the Swarm Host (I am sure you do) or passionately love the Tempest (I am sure you don't), treat yourself to this replay and drink from the hype chalice engraved with trepidation for the upcoming expansion.
Oh and remember: in HotS or elsewhere, speedy or not, Hydras still suck against Colossi.
Bly vs Imbaworld: Replay
Just because I am feeling extra generous today (or rather because our leading replay manager made me), I am presenting you with a sixth, bonus replay for the week in which Bly and Imbaworld play a HotS custom map!Whether you eagerly expect the Swarm Host (I am sure you do) or passionately love the Tempest (I am sure you don't), treat yourself to this replay and drink from the hype chalice engraved with trepidation for the upcoming expansion.Oh and remember: in HotS or elsewhere, speedy or not, Hydras still suck against Colossi.
If you want to rescue hattfatt from the aforementioned ancient aliens, go over to ourand vote with at least 17 replay downloads to save his petty soul. If you have some personal desires like seeing him flayed for community's amusement or if you're craving for a TvT replay pack with short, to-the-point hour-long games, throw a comment our way and we will consider that. Possibly.FPD: Shooting happened at this home on Cumberland Rd. Witnesses say they heard two gunshots seconds later heard the crash. #abc11 pic.twitter.com/jw6D2bbWKW — Morgan Norwood (@MorganABC11) July 3, 2017
Authorities in Fayetteville are investigating a shooting that sent two to the hospital Monday afternoon.According to police, the incident happened after 2 p.m. near Cumberland Road and Owen Drive.When officers arrived, they found one victim suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg and a multi-vehhicle incident.Officials say the crash occurred after shots were fired.Reports say a car at the residence where the shooting occurred was trying to back out which caused a chain reaction crash."I guess they were arguing or something, next thing I know, the guy was at the car hollering and bullets just started flying," said crash victim Brenda Hunt.As a result of the incident, Hunt said there are three bullet holes in the back of her car and her windows were blown out.The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office and the Fayetteville Police Department are working the incidents.Three people were arrested in connection with this incident.#ZiGCTF / Atari Crypto Challenge Answers, aka the Trolls that Trolled Defcon
Fravgynibian Alpha Blocked Unblock Follow Following Aug 2, 2017
Hello Earthlings, this is FravgynibAlpha and FravgynibianPsi with an after Defcon post on the ZiGCTF, which some have re-named to the “Atari Crypto Challenge”. For the challenges and puzzles, we started this quest more than two months before the conference, and dozens of people had their hands in this to pull it off successfully. But first things first…
Disclaimer: These are our own views and not that of our employers.
The 672Crew wanted to put together a badge for Defcon, and this really seemed to be the year of the badge. This was our first official badge, and for many of the folks in 672, this was our first time soldering / writing Arduino code / building badges / testing badges / burning badges / first time everything. Our goal was to do a CTF, and here are the challenges that everyone saw tweeted out on the alien accounts: https://pastebin.com/smLx8tUK
The CTF consisted of many things Atari, which consisted of cards (>200 of these bad boys), Atari games (~40, with cards), Atari cartridges (30 or s0), and a wireless challenge, with an SSID of “Hack this badge”. Our badges consisted of a NodeMCU ESP8266 board listening as a rouge access point, and would spit out one of the 12 CTF challenges (or key) to people who connect. All of the badges were handed out randomly to not compromise the true identity 672 members. For the lucky few who had one of these badges, there was a 13th challenge which could be uncovered as well. There’s a lot to cover here, so keep on reading. Q&A’s at the bottom.
We hurt heads, made Reddit, had randoms knocking on doors, and some thought this was part of one of the official Defcon villages. For the challenges, edits, notes, and comments from the original pastebin post will be bold / italics.
The Challenges:
For the key, each set is arranged with two vales, one in [] and one in {}. The ones in []’s increment and is the placement at which that letter is for the overall puzzle. The value in the {}’s are which challenge answer and which letter / character for that specific example. So in the case of [01], that’s the very first letter to the answer of the 9th puzzle, so sort of like a book cipher for hackers. (Note: Realized [00] was missing the value, but should have been fine) Oh, and if you tried to look for duplicates / repeating values in the English language, we accounted for that. ;)
[00]{10,2} [01]{9,0} [02]{9,10} [03]{1,6} [04]{7,0} [05]{9,8} [06]{1,5} [07]{2,6} [08]{2,9} [09]{2,1} [0A]{7,5} [0B]{5,9} [0C]{5,10} [0D]{9,10} [0E]{7,1} [0F]{4,1}
[10]{5,10} [11]{1,8} [12]{7,2} [13]{1,2} [14]{5,5} [15]{10,0} [16]{10,4} [17]{5,15} [18]{2,3} [19]{1,9} [1A]{2,6} [1B]{2,3} [1C]{7,9} [1D]{1,1} [1E]{9,1} [1F]{1,6}
[20]{1,0} [21]{2,1} [22]{10,6} [23]{5,10} [24]{5,9} [25]{1,2} [26]{9,5} [27]{3,1} [28]{6,21} [29]{11,2} [2A]{11,8} [2B]{5,15} [2C]{10,4} [2D]{7,1} [2E]{12,1} [2F]{12,0}
[30]{2,7} [31]{11,8} [32]{4,3} [33]{5,12} [34]{6,0} [35]{6,14} [36]{,} [37]{4,14} [38]{5,5} [39]{3,2} [3A]{5,3} [3B]{8,2} [3C]{8,3} [3D]{8,4} [3E]{8,5} [3F]{8,6}
The fields are L (length of answer) and Q (question). Hopefully this was enough of a pointer for some folks to start breaking the challenges
Challenge 1 #ZiGCTF: (This was a substitution cipher, where you had to swap out “fotbj”, “zyxwvr”, “wupwupballs”, and “23dfbhyt”. This decodes to GPS coordinates)
L: 10
Q: Where are you?
fotbj. origin length of quarantine (While the CDC uses 21 days for quarantine, the origin of quarantine is Italian for “quaranta giorni”, which translates to “40 days”. The answer for this section is “40”)
zyxwvr. When you’re so ub3r it can only be described in numbers…the last 3 numbers (31337 or 1337. Last 3 numbers being “337”)
23dfbhyt. It’s the answer to the question twice, minus 4. Need help? Ask a dolphin, but mice would have the better answer (Shameless plug to Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy. (2(42))-4=80)
wupwupballs. squirt 76800/3 (Square root of 76800/3, often written as “sqrt” in programming languages. The answer is 160)
So far, we have the coordinates of?40.80, 160.337, but need the sign of where it is)
?. What’s your sign? Robert McKimson says you better be going around and around and around (Robert McKimson was the creator of Looney Tunes. Which Looney Tune goes round and round and round? The Tasmanian devil. Where are they located? Australia.
?fotbj.23dfbhyt, wupwupballs.zyxwvr (Removed second? as a typo)
Where are you? A: Tasman Sea
Challenge 2 #ZiGCTF:
L: 10
Q: what doesn’t kill you will hopefully try again (When you Google this and go to images, you will see pictures of grumpy cat. The answer was “grump cat”)
Challenge 3 #ZiGCTF:
L: 10
Q: This is the answer:!@#$%^&*() (No games, the answer for this was literally “!@#$%^&*()”)
Challenge 4 #ZiGCTF:
L: 23
Q: pi (Pi calculated out to 21 places, including the 3 and the. for the length. A: 3.141592653589793238462)
challenge 5 #ZiGCTF:
L: 17
Q: 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
Base64 is probably one of my favorite things to mess with and use for challenges. The first layer was a straight base64, which decodes to:
504b030414000000…
The next layer was a straight ascii to hex conversion, which decodes to a zip file. Once you save that out, there is a file in there named “password.txt”. The answer? “pizza koalla face”)
challenge 6 #ZiGCTF:
L: 27
Q: e (Similar to challenge number 4, but just with e. This is “2.7182818284590452353602874")
challenge 7 #ZiGCTF:
L: 11
Q: it’s not the worst “title”, but better. 00110100 00110110 01100100 01100010 01100001 01101100 01010101 00110100 01001111 01011111 01101011 00111101 01111001 00111111 01101011 01100110 01110111 01100100 01111010
When you convert the binary, it converts to “46dbalU4O_k=y?kfwdz”. If you rot23 this (Evil, I know) it converts to “46ayxiR4L_h=v?hctaw”. When you reverse the string, it is “watch?v=h_L4Rixya64”, which is a Youtube video. The video is by the Foo Fighters, and the title of that video (the answer) is “Best of you”.
Challenge 8 #ZiGCTF:
L: 7
Q: it’s what you’re doing (Drinking? Hacking? But if you’re working on this challenge…then you are doing #ZiGCTF (the answer))
Challenge 9 #ZiGCTF:
L: 11
Q: Dhua av nv aoyll dollspun? Dof kv P spcl aopz dhf?! Aoha’z qbza ovd P yvss. Sprl dollsz. DHPA. Aolyl’z h whyaf pu aol ipn hwwsl? P’ss il ypnoa aolyl zpaapun ulea av oly, pu mpyza jshzz. Doha dhz oly uhtl hnhpu?
While some may have seen this as a different language, it can be decoded with a rot19. Here’s what it decodes to:
Want to go three wheeling? Why do I live this way?! That’s just how I roll. Like wheels. WAIT. There’s a party in the big apple? I’ll be right there sitting next to her, in first class. What was her name again?
This was a nod to Nelly’s “Ride Wit Me”, who was paying cash, sitting first class, sitting next to (answer) Vanna White.
Challenge 10 #ZiGCTF:
L: 7
Q: 51, ash! (Did you guys play a lot of Pokemon back in the day? This is the 51st pokemon, aka (answer) Dugtrio)
Challenge 11 #ZiGCTF:
L: 10
Q: 1b2d3765302762232e2f2d313662362a2730276c621b2d3762292c2d35622a2730622c372f2027306e622b366531622c2d3662352a2336623b2d3762362a2b2c296e622037366236303b622a23302627306c62247472737b7a2121277477212320742724747570752320712473762170702727424242
This was one of the only “crypto” challenges, but we put 42’s at the end to give a hint. Convert this from ascii to bin, then do a single-byte XOR of 42 to decode. This gives you the following string:
You’re almost there. You know her number, it’s not what you think, but try harder. f60198cce65cab6ef6727ab3f14c22ee
This was an MD5 hash, which decodes to (answer) “8675309124” when broken.
Challenge 12 #ZiGCTF:
L: 2
Q: Crack me if you can! 96c72d81d317cb9647e77beff9b16dfd
(Similar to #11, which decodes to (answer) “Dw”)
To plug in the answers, we’ll bring them down
tasman sea grumpy cat!@#$%^&*() 3.141592653589793238462 pizza koalla face 2.7182818284590452353602874 best of you #ZiGCTF vanna white dugtrio 8675309124 Dw
When you plug in the answers into the key, this decodes to (drum roll)
0123456789abcdef
0 uve bin trolled.
1 less drama moar
2 trolls @672crewD
3 C24 2017 #ZiGCTF
What?! This was a troll CTF?!! Yes, yes we did. There’s too much drama in infosec, too many people are getting mad at each other, and we hoped to change that. We wanted to bring some fun and shenanigans during Defcon, and even trolled down to the name of our Twitter accounts. Did you drink your ovaltine, or does Ralphie need the Little Orphan Annie decoder ring?
$ python
import codecs
>>> codecs.encode(“fravgynib”, “rot_13”)[::-1]
‘ovaltines’
But wait, there’s more!
Solution to the card
So this year’s troll puzzle card honored some of the iconic tech items in the last 25 years. Unlike last year’s puzzle, this year the idea was to guide people onto our main challenge the wifi challenge, #ZiGCTF. However the asshole that I am I still wanted to include some trolling into the puzzle. First up the front side (pacman side).
PacMan side:
Welcome to the game.
- Just a simple greeting…
SETEC Astronomy:
- A reference to the best hacker movie ever SNEAKERS. (yea I said it. Fuck. A.Jolie and her crew) SETEC Astronomy = Too Many Secrets.
DCXXV:
- Duh, DEF CON 25 in Roman
The skull:
- This skull represents the 672 crew.
The DEF CON logo:
- Well yea, what else right?
Left Upper corner:
- Do you see it? Yea thats a GOATSE cause, well I have a sick sense of humor and its my respect to Dead Addict who gave me a roll of GOATSE stickers last year.
The Background:
- That’s actually the image of the crash.com virus. Cause Ransomware was the thing this year I figure I throw in some old school virus references. The white ghost like image is actually the “puppet master” from the original Ghost in The Shell movie. To celebrate the movies 25th anniversary.
The Eye Side:
The zodiac circle
- Yea the wheel is laid out in a mirror image. Get it? To see the truth look into a mirror. The eye is you looking into a mirror.
Colors:
- The color scheme is the based off the original NES color capabilities.
The icons in the corner:
-The hand in he upper corner is an Egyptian Hieroglyphic for the letter D.
-The bottom right is an Mayian Hieroglyphic for the letter C.
- An then the position for 2 and 5 are colored.
All of this combined spells out DC25 ….Get it?
the right corner:
a Runes wheel. (yea, another ruse)
The colors in the leaves:
- No meaning just a ruse. Made you think didn’t it?
The text : “xdz sghr hr mns hs”
This is a Caesar cipher with a 25 shift (ROT 25) get it?
its DEF CON 25 and its at Caesars…
This translates to : “yea this is not it”
Once again, just a ruse.
The left corner hieroglyphic:
This one does not exist, I created him and I call him boner…
what can I say, I’m a dick.
The Binary Sequence:
-> this resolves to :
続を答え接る線先ら通の信め求せを無探な
which is a randomized text of Japanese which resolves to:
->答えを求めるなら無線通信の接続先を探せ
Meaning: If you seek the answer, find the wireless communication connection target
The “QR” code:
Yea its not a real QR code, its actually Braille which reads:
“if you want the answer find the wifi ssid that throws you a challenge”
The 3 letters in the right corner:
This is an ancient Japanese alphabet spelling 672
The letters in red:
This secret shall remain locked forever. (it has a meaning and is a real language but I am not gonna tell you what it reads or what language it is. Somethings are better kept secret. Its nothing vulgar or offensive. )
Behind the Scenes:
Here are a few behind-the-scenes pictures from basecamp.
Q&A:
Q: Why did you do this??!
A: This was our message to society. Less drama, more trolls.
Q: How many hours did you spend creating the challenges?
A: This cannot be measured in hours, but in consumables during creation. This can be measured in 2 bottles of whiskey, many gin gimlets, n bottles of soju, 2 cooked NodeMCU’s, several screens, many busted Atari cartridges, and lots of time testing / debugging / trying to get power to work.
Q: Was this a one-time thing or will it happen again?
A: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Q: How do I join 672Crew?
A: We’ll find you.
Q: I / we spent X hours on this challenge?! WTF!?
A: But did you have fun and learn something? That’s all that matters.
Shout-outs:
Who were the members of 672Crew involved? We’re about 2 dozen strong, and here are the members!
You really thought it was going to be that easy? Nope. See you all next year! Or will you…? :)Above: Original case image
Ghost or Alien Figure Captured at Worstead Church, Norfolk, UK in 1975
Diane and Peter Berthelot visited Worstead Church in Norfolk in 1975 with their 12-year-old son.
Peter snapped a photo of his wife praying silently in the pew.
When they looked at the photos a few months later, a friend asked 'Who's that sitting behind you, Di?'
The mysterious figure appeared to be dressed in old-fashioned clothing, including a bonnet, according to About.com
Above: Blow up (decreased in gamma) reveals facial features? and hair? No trick of the light!
Confused and confounded, the couple returned to the church the next year to share their photograph.
The church vicar, Reverend Pettit, told the Berthelots the legend of the White Lady.
The ghost, Reverend Pettit said, was known to visit people who had fallen ill, offering them comfort and healing them.
Diane was shocked because when the photo was taken, she was taking antibiotics and was not doing well.Fresh off their rejection of trying to get public funding for their stadium renovations, the Miami Dolphins' head honchos are preparing to make a bid to host a Super Bowl by presenting a winning idea:
Having a football game played on a real-life Navy aircraft carrier!
*high five!*
Continue Reading
According to the Palm Beach Post's Ben Volin, the Dolphins plan on holding most of their Super Bowl events at Bay Front in downtown Miami where they apparently would have an aircraft carrier dock so that they can play a game.
Part of Miami's Super Bowl bid will include an aircraft carrier next to AA Arena, and they will play a football game on it -- Ben Volin (@BenVolinPBP) May 9, 2013
The Dolphins would apparently place a full 120-yard field on top of the aircraft carrier.
Though in Volin's opinion, the game will be touch football, not tackle.
This seems like pretty much the most Miami Dolphin thing ever.
Big, impetuous, grand idea that seems to have been thought up by a 12 year old boy, but ultimately an idea that will be endlessly ridiculed. Because it's an assheaded idea.
Just like the orange carpet shenanigans, and offering ownership stakes to C-list celebrities, the Dolphins' misguided attempts to make things event-worthy come across silly and cartoonish.
HIGH WAY TO THE DANGER ZONE, DOLPHINS!
A late hit out of bounds on an air craft carrier would be bad news, no? -- Rizzmiggizz (@RizzWrites) May 9, 2013
Follow Chris Joseph on Twitter
Follow @NewTimesBrowardFaraday Future, the futuristic automaker intent to take on Elon Musk-led Tesla Motors, says it has secured at least $1 billion in new investment, though details are scarce. Main backer Jia Yueting is also reportedly taking over as CEO of the frequently troubled electric vehicle maker.
The investment was announced at a December 13th employee meeting in Los Angeles, according to reports in the Chinese press. Former employees speaking to The Verge said the investment valued the company at $4 billion.
But there are no details of where the money is coming from, and the announcement has been greeted with skepticism from some corners. That’s mostly because Faraday Future, and Jia himself, seem to be in such a shambles. The investment was reportedly announced just one day after Jia was placed on a debtor’s blacklist by the Chinese government. Jia owes a reported $72 million, along with smaller amounts owed by units of his Chinese company, LeEco, whose own ambitious expansion plans have left it scrounging for capital and unable to pay some suppliers.
Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.
Faraday Future was initially positioned as a competitor to Tesla, but its shaky finances and snarled relationship with Jia and LeEco have led to a string of problems. They first troubling signs came in January of 2016, when the company showed off a fanciful concept car—which did not operate—at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
More recently, Faraday has been losing executives at a blinding clip, and announced over the summer that it would abandon plans for a $1 billion Nevada factory. The Verge recently published a comprehensive chronicle of the tumultuous saga, which lays much of the blame on Jia’s simultaneously overambitious and undisciplined meddling. The report also reveals that some Faraday employees have simply stopped showing up for work.
If any further indicator is needed, the Reddit forum devoted to Faraday Future is entirely given over, not to anticipating a revolutionary product, but to watching the company inch, as one poster put it, “one step closer to the deadpool.”
Automotive blog Jalopnik asked exactly the right question in response to the announced investment: “Who would buy into this company now?” Fortune has reached out to Faraday Future, which has so far declined to comment to other publications, for an answer.[Download PDF]
This analysis provides a brief summary of Sen. Jeff Sessions’s past statements, votes, and practices relating to criminal justice. Specifically, this analysis finds that:
Sen. Sessions opposes efforts to reduce unnecessarily long federal prison sentences for nonviolent crimes, despite a consensus for reform even within his own party. In 2016, he personally blocked the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act, a bipartisan effort spearheaded by Sens. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), and supported by law enforcement leadership. As Attorney General, Sen. Sessions could stall current congressional efforts to pass this legislation to recalibrate federal sentencing laws.
Drug convictions made up 40 percent of Sen. Sessions’s convictions when he served as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama — double the rate of other Alabama federal prosecutors. Today, state and federal law enforcement officers have begun to focus resources on violent crime, and away from archaic drug war policies. But Sen. Sessions continues to oppose any attempts to legalize marijuana and any reduction in drug sentences. As Attorney General, Sen. Sessions could direct federal prosecutors to pursue the harshest penalties possible for even low-level drug offenses, a step backward from Republican-supported efforts to modernize criminal justice policy.
Unlike many Republican legislators, Sen. Sessions supports the use of “civil asset forfeiture,” which allows police to confiscate property from people who may not even be accused of a crime. Sen. Sessions could strengthen this practice at the federal level, or vocally oppose any congressional efforts to end it.
The Justice Department has brought much-needed oversight to troubled police departments, especially those criticized for targeting or using excessive force on communities of color. Sen. Sessions is deeply skeptical of federal involvement in state and local affairs, including policing. As Attorney General, he could end or significantly curtail these investigations.
Most conservatives support reentry programs to help former prisoners better reintegrate into society, keeping them away from repeat crime. It is unclear whether Sen. Sessions shares his party’s commitment to these recidivism reduction programs. If he does not support them, Sen. Sessions’s Justice Department could end requests to Congress for additional funding, or direct scarce resources away from these programs, potentially driving up the recidivism rate.
In brief, Sen. Sessions appears to subscribe to outdated ideas about criminal justice policy that conservatives, progressives, and law enforcement have come to agree do not help reduce crime and unnecessarily increase the prison population. His views place him at odds with top Republicans and the current cross-partisan movement to reform the justice system. As Attorney General, he could stall or reverse recent federal efforts, and disrupt nationwide momentum on the issue.
Analysis: Sen. Jeff Sessions’s Record on Criminal JusticeA video of a Muslim woman in a full Islamic veil emblazoned with a hand grenade and a machine gun warning of retaliation against Islamophobia after the Manchester terror attack was buried by UK broadcaster Channel 4.
Channel 4 visited a Muslim community in south Manchester to get their take on the Islamic terror attack that killed 23 people and injured 120 others. Viewers were immediately drawn to a woman wearing a full black veil with only her eyes visible.
The woman’s clothing had the word “love” emblazoned on it, but on closer inspection, the letters are made up of a machine gun and a hand grenade.
Asked by host Krishnan Guru-Murthy about her “reactions and feelings” in the aftermath of the horrific attack, the woman said she didn’t “need to prove anything”.
Asked if she thought there would be a backlash against Muslims, the woman responded that the backlash had “already |
for interior furnishings, a boozy group dinner at the Press Club restaurant in Melbourne totalling about $2,200, videos and PlayStation games.
Other food and liquor purchases “clearly show” Jackson purchasing family groceries, Irving alleged.
Jackson, the former HSU national secretary, set up the National Health Development Account in 2003. The union said Jackson used the account to hold union funds entirely under her control.
Some money paid for holidays, and withdrawals on the account also appeared to match deposits into Jackson’s personal and mortgage accounts, Irving told the court.
He said some or all of about $100,000 withdrawn from the account was spent on Jackson’s divorce proceedings, court documents show.
The court heard Jackson was earning $170,000 a year as national secretary and received a $63,000 honorarium from the union’s Victorian branch, which the HSU wants back.
Irving told the court Jackson withdrew “vast wads” of union cash. He alleged she cashed cheques, gave branch committee of management members $100 each at meetings and pocketed the rest, despite saying the money was returned into a union kitty.
Jackson wrote to the court to say she could not afford to be represented at the trial and that the matter was now a claim against her estate. She has denied any wrongdoing.
The trial was expected to end on Thursday.Margot Robbie is in final negotiations to join Sony’s new retelling of the classic children’s tale “Peter Rabbit.”
James Corden is on board to voice the titular character with Domhnall Gleeson and Rose Byrne also on board to star. Daisy Ridley and Elizabeth Debicki round out the cast.
Will Gluck is directing the live-action/animated hybrid from a script by Rob Lieber. The adaptation will be made at Animal Logic, the Sydney-based animation and visual effects production studio behind “The Lego Movie.”
Gluck and Zareh Nalbandian are both attached to produce the feature, with Doug Belgrad serving as executive producer. Jodi Hildebrand of Olive Bridge and Jason Lust will serve as executive producers.
Columbia and Frederick Warne are bringing Beatrix Potter’s beloved character Peter Rabbit to a new family audience. Warne has been Beatrix Potter’s publisher since its printing of “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” in 1902, and is home to the Peter Rabbit and Beatrix Potter brands.
Robbie just wrapped production on “Goodbye Christopher Robin,” which also stars Gleeson. She was most recently seen in “Suicide Squad,” “The Legend of Tarzan,” and “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.” She will also lend her voice to the upcoming animated film “Larrikins.”
She is repped by CAA, Management 360, Aran Michael Management and attorney Jeff Bernstein.Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Julia Carneiro on how things changed for Brazil's former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
The former Brazilian President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, has given evidence before the country's top anti-corruption judge.
He was closely questioned for five hours by Judge Sergio Moro.
Lula has rejected allegations that he received a flat as a bribe in a corruption scandal linked to the state oil company, Petrobras.
He says the trial is politically motivated and he has denied any wrongdoing.
The hearing in a courthouse in the southern city of Curitiba was closed to the public but throughout the day thousands of his supporters gathered in a square nearby.
Supporters of the investigation in to the former president gathered elsewhere in Curitiba and in the capital, Brasilia.
If Lula is found guilty he faces a prison sentence. If cleared, he has said he will run again for the presidency.
This is the first of five charges against him.
Who is Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva?
Image copyright Reuters Image caption Former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva faces court on Wednesday
Known throughout Brazil simply as Lula, he was Brazil's most popular president during his tenure from 2003 to 2010.
A former steel worker turned union leader, he came to office as the first left-wing leader in Brazil in nearly half a century.
Unable to stand for a third consecutive term, he was succeeded by close ally Dilma Rousseff, who was later impeached.
Profile: Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
Why is he in court?
Lula is facing five charges related to the Car Wash scandal, the nickname for Brazil's biggest ever corruption probe.
Image copyright EPA Image caption Lula imagined as a prisoner by his critics
This first case, which is being tackled in court on Wednesday, accuses Lula of taking bribes from a construction company that allegedly renovated a beachfront apartment for him.
He is also accused of money laundering, influence peddling and obstruction of justice.
How important is this?
Image copyright EPA Image caption A group of Lula's supporters gather ahead of the court hearing
Lula is typically loved or hated in Brazil.
Wednesday will be the first time Lula and the powerful judge in charge of the Car Wash case, Sergio Moro, come face to face in court.
Lula says Judge Moro is politically-motivated and believes there is a witch-hunt against him.
Mr Moro is expected to hand down his verdict in 45 to 60 days.
Who is judge Sergio Moro?
Gloves off in Curitiba - By the BBC's Julia Carneiro in Brazil
Magazine covers in Brazil this week depict the face-off in epic style: one shows former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and judge Sergio Moro confronting each other in a boxing ring, raising their gloves and boasting muscular torsos in a montage. Another depicts them fiercely looking each other in the eye in superhero masks, announcing "the first face-to-face confrontation".
This gives a taste of the huge expectations surrounding Lula's testimony before Judge Moro.
Image copyright AFP / Getty Images Image caption Judge Sergio Moro has become a very famous figure in Brazil
Like a crowd before a boxing match, Brazilians will be split cheering on each contender.
Thousands of Lula's supporters are to rally in the city of Curitiba in his defence. Backers of the Car Wash operation will follow closely to see who has the upper hand.
But Lula won't be speaking to the judge only. He is the front-runner in next year's presidential elections, and his words will doubtless be measured to convey the right message to voters across the country.
Lula could eventually face prison or lose his political rights. But he could still become the next Brazilian president. What happens in the courtroom will help seal his fate.Looking for news you can trust?
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Update, Friday, December 15, 6:02 p.m: The GOP has released the final version of its tax bill. Read it here.
As a candidate, Donald Trump dominated the rural vote and polled very well among farmers. Will the tax overhaul he’s pushing hard in Congress finally reward farm country for its support?
Since taking office, Trump hasn’t exactly been a champion of farmers. He has imperiled their increasingly crucial export markets by rejecting trade deals and cracked down on the immigrants who supply the great bulk of farm labor. He even sided with massive poultry-processing companies over farmers by nixing US Department of Agriculture rules that gave farmers more legal recourse to defend themselves from unfair production contracts.
Trump’s Secretary of the US Department of Agriculture, former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue, insists the tax bill that recently emerged from House and Senate negotiations will deliver for the administration’s supporters down on the farm.
The tax cuts and reforms championed by @POTUS would make a tremendous Christmas present for Americans, including those in agriculture. Most family farms are small businesses, and they need relief to provide for their families and to reinvest in their own operations. https://t.co/mOntMWt9ap — Sec. Sonny Perdue (@SecretarySonny) December 13, 2017
As of Friday afternoon, the final bill negotiated between House and Senate GOP lawmakers has not been made public. Voting on it is expected early next week. In the meantime, here’s what we know about how the broad outlines affect farmers.
Only farms with around $1 million in annual sales are in high enough tax bracket to benefit from the lower rate. That amounts to about 4 percent of US farms.
• Some farmers can expect a tax cut. Many farms structured as sole proprietorships, partnerships and S corporations. Such entities are now taxed at the same rate as individuals, meaning income taxes as high as 39.6 percent. According to Agri-Pulse reporter Phil Brasher, the House-Senate compromise bill will effectively lower the top tax rate of these so-called pass-through entities to 29.6 percent—a significant cut.
• But only the largest operations. Ferd Hoefner, senior strategic advisor for the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, says only farms with around $1 million in annual sales are in a high enough tax bracket to benefit from the lower rate. That amounts to about 4 percent of US farms. Hoefner adds that the tax break for the largest farms provides yet more incentives for farmers to scale up.
• Heirs to farm estates valued at more than $5.5 million will win. Right now, estates valued at that level and higher are subject to an inheritance tax of 40 percent. Both the Senate and House bills would double the current exemption limit, meaning any inheritance valued at up to $11 million for individuals ($22 million for married couples) would not be taxed. However, vanishingly few farmers are wealthy enough to benefit from the estate-tax rollback—even fewer than will benefit from the pass-through tax cut. Under the current exemption level of $5.5 million, only 1.3 percent of farm estates needed to file an estate-tax return in 2016, and just 0.4 percent had to pay, according to the US Department of Agriculture.
• Farms involved in cooperatives may lose. Both the Senate and House tax bills would eliminate the so-called Section 199 deduction, which allows farm cooperatives to deduct a portion of their expenses, The Wall Street Journal reports. The National Council of Farmer Cooperatives bitterly opposes this rollback—the group claims the deductions saves farmers involved in co-ops $2 billion annually in tax liabilities. In November, the NCFC rallied more than 180 farm groups, most of them co-ops, to oppose the rollback of Section 199 deduction, a plea that both chambers promptly ignored.
Farm co-ops aren’t to be tangled with lightly. Around 80 percent of the US milk supply comes from farms involved in co-ops, representing more than $30 billion in business. According to the Journal piece, the deduction is worth about $100 annually per cow. “Supporters of the plan to repeal the deduction say that larger business tax cuts will more than make up for the loss of Section 199,” Land O’ Lakes, one of the largest dairy co-ops of all, recently stated in a press release. “But Land O’Lakes members know that’s not true for farmer cooperatives and their members.”
Such pressure may have worked, at least partially. Agri-Pulse’s Phil Brasher reports that Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.,) managed to insert a provision into the Senate bill would allow co-ops to get the same tax break as the pass-through farm entities mentioned above, though it wouldn’t fully offset the loss of Section 199.
• The massive budget shortfall created by the bill will add to pressure to cut federal farm spending. The Congressional Budget Office calculated that the Senate version of the tax bill would likely add $1.4 trillion to federal budget deficits over the next decade. Zack Clark, the National Farmer Union’s director of government relations, says shortfalls will likely put farm subsidies and crop-insurance support.
And a showdown over those programs looms. Next year, Congress is due to renew the farm bill, the once-in-five-years legislation that funds farm safety net programs. Hoefner says after the tax bill “blows a big hole in the budget,” passing a farm bill next year will be near impossible. Indeed, the Heritage Foundation, a think-tank that’s highly influential among Congressional conservatives, hotly promotes the elimination of all these programs, and a ballooning deficit triggered by massive tax cuts could give their agenda traction on the Hill.
• Farmers relying on Obamacare could lose or pay more for health insurance. Both the House and Senate versions of the tax bill would eliminate the ACA’s individual mandate. According to the Congressional Budget Office, if that provision stays in the final bill, the “number of people with health insurance would decrease by 4 million in 2019 and 13 million in 2027.” Additionally, premiums for health policies bought on the individual market will rise 10 percent over baseline levels. That increase could affect a significant number of farmers—according to the USDA, 17.6 percent of farm households rely on the individual market for health insurance.
In a survey of farmers 40 years old and younger released last month by the National Young Farmers Coalition, half of respondents said affordable health care is a “significant challenge,” and the ACA was “cited most often when we asked which program, policy, or institution was most helpful.” Farmers face one of the highest injury rates of any occupation, not only from machinery accidents like tractor overturns, but also from the “sprains, strains, and fatigue associated with the physical rigors of the job,” the coalition notes, making affordable health insurance critical.
So where does all of this leave farmers? The National Farmers Union opposes the tax overhaul, citing worries about what the hit to the budget might do to federal farm spending down the road.
But one major farm group has completely embraced the GOP tax overhaul: the American Farm Bureau Federation, a powerful lobbying organization with strong ties to agribusiness corporations. Patricia Wolff, the group’s senior director for Congressional relations, said the House and Senate bills on balance help farmers—they’ll benefit from the tax cuts for pass-through entities, she said, that will more than outweigh burdens related to changes to co-op deductions or health insurance.
She praised the bills for making headway toward a long-term Farm Bureau policy goal: easing the burden of the estate tax on farmers. I mentioned to her that the USDA is clear that very few farmers will benefit from the change. “We don’t dispute USDA’s numbers,” Wolff said. But the new exemption level will remove the “cloud hanging over” farm families worried about transferring their estates.Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA) has an A rating from the National Rifle Association but he says that Democrats are at fault for not passing more gun control legislation.
During a Tuesday interview on MSNBC, host Thomas Roberts asked Kingston if he looked at the recent massacre of 20 school children in Connecticut and felt “a sense of guilt” over his tough stance against gun control.
“Where I think we have the guilt is we see a huge problem like this — and it’s a problem that’s happening in other countries as well — and we look for something that, okay, what can prevent it?” Kingston explained. “And I think that’s where we need to go with this discussion is, yes, put gun control — more gun control — on the table. But, also, don’t forget the mental health element. Don’t forget, is there a home situation that we need to learn more about? Was this young man addicted to violent video games? Was there a Hollywood influence? I think that we can’t just stop at guns.”
Roberts observed that many pro-gun Democrats had recently changed their tune and that the Republicans were in danger of being the party of “the people that defend Glocks” if they continued to oppose meaningful gun restrictions.
“What also is disturbing though is people would say, do the Republicans — I mean, here we have a town, which was controlled in the House by Democrats, in the Senate by Democrats and the White House by Democrats for two years and nothing took place for stricter gun control laws,” Kingston insisted. “So, for the partisans in our country to already start injecting politics in here, that saddens me further.”
“Now, we have to remember that Connecticut has the the fifth toughest gun control laws in the country, including an assault weapon ban that bans 35 different weapons,” he added. “The weapon that was used was not an assault weapon, therefore it wasn’t banned.”
The MSNBC host pointed out that Kingston had gotten an A rating from the NRA because he had voted against gun regulations for years — including opposing the Brady Handgun Bill, supporting a partial repeal of the D.C. firearm ban, opposing restrictions on semi-automatic assault weapons and voting to decrease waiting periods.
“None of the policy issues which you just ticked off would have prevented [Connecticut shooter] Adam Lanza from doing this,” the Georgia Republican opined. “And it’s very sad that we want to cloud the issue by making NRA the policy as opposed to Adam Lanza and what triggers this off.”
“We need to just be complacent in the fact that we can send our children to school to be assassinated?” Roberts wondered.
“I think if we want to have a reasonable discussion, we have to look at what happened in Germany with all the gun control laws, it didn’t prevent anything,” Kingston asserted. “What happened in Connecticut, the fifth toughest gun control law in the country? It did not prevent anything. So, what I’m saying, you can’t just stop at guns. You have to look at mental health. What about having a toll-free number for people who have somebody like an Adam Lanza in the house, where there may be some red flags that they could say, ‘I’m concerned that my son may have a tendency towards violence or insane acts. What do I do?'”
“I think at this point we need to come together as a nation instead of start pulling off in separate camps.”
Watch this video from MSNBC, broadcast Dec. 18, 2012.REDLANDS, Calif. — Bobby Green thought he could keep the emotions bottled up. He knew he could. Nothing was going to make him cry.
There isn’t much Green hasn’t seen. He was a foster kid from age 5 in the rough neighborhoods of Southern California’s Inland Empire. Green estimates he lived in 50 different houses until he was in his early 20s. There were guns, drugs, gangs, rape — you name it, Green has been a witness.
This, though? This was different. This was blood. Family.
Article continues below...
Green was walking through a Las Vegas hotel two weeks ago with one of his close friends. He was there to sign autographs and take photos with fans during the UFC’s annual International Fight Week. But at that moment he was just someone looking for some lunch. That took him to the second floor of The Cosmopolitan. He passed by Marquee Nightclub and laid eyes on Holstein’s, a burger joint.
"We see it," Green said, "and I break down."
A year earlier, Green had sat across from his younger brother, Mitchell Davis Jr., at that same restaurant. Davis took one look at the menu and slid it away.
"He was so mad that everything was so expensive in Vegas," said Green, a 27-year-old lightweight contender fighting on Saturday’s UFC on FOX 12 card (8 p.m. ET). "The burger was $20! He didn’t want to buy anything. I was like, ‘Bro, share a meal with me.’"
Bobby Green with his wife, Tabitha, and infant daughter Isabella.
Green would have taken his brother to Vegas again this year, but never got the chance. Davis, 23, was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting May 31 near his home in San Bernardino, Calif. Three other men — two of Green’s uncles and a cousin — also were shot. They lived. Green’s father was in the group, but avoided the spray of bullets.
Davis, Green said, got mixed up with gangs when he was younger, but was out of the life. Green doesn’t know why his brother was targeted. He suspects he’ll never find out. Green isn’t too confident that police are doing their due diligence, because of the news reports painting Davis as a criminal.
"Just another gangbanger killing another gangbanger?" Green said. "They don’t give a s***."
Last month, Green says, he got more terrible news. He heard through the grapevine that, in the aftermath of his brother’s death, there was a hit put out on him, too.
Meanwhile, Green is rehabbing the ankle he badly broke in training in April and taking care of his 2-month-old baby girl, Isabella. Green gets barely two hours of sleep every night and he’s shuttling back and forth between home with his wife Tabitha Swann and his coach’s couch, in fear of the death threats.
Still, two weeks ago, Green accepted an offer to fill in for the injured Michael Johnson and fight Josh Thomson at UFC Fight Night: Lawler vs. Brown on Saturday in San Jose. Green had been preparing to face Abel Trujillo on Aug. 2 before that fight was moved to Aug. 16. Green had just nine days of training to get ready for Thomson, the No. 3-ranked lightweight in the organization.
"The chips are not stacked in our favor," said Green’s coach Jake Benhey. "But I will tell you one thing: If anyone can do it, it’s Bobby."
When you discover all Green has been through in his life, it’s clear he has overcome much worse odds.
Just another gangbanger killing another gangbanger? They don’t give a s***. -Bobby Green
Bobby Green was born in San Bernardino to a mother who struggled with drug addiction and a father who was in and out of jail. When he was 5, his mother gave him and his immediate siblings up to the state, because as Green describes it, "she couldn’t keep us and keep her habit."
Few names tell someone’s story the way Green’s can. His father is Mitchell Davis and his mother is Connie Scott. Green said his mother named him after a police officer, Ray Green, who once saved her life. He never has met the man and doesn’t even know if he exists. "Bobby" comes from his father’s brother, he says. His mother was angry with his father at the time, so rather than calling their son Mitchell Jr., she named him after his uncle out of spite.
Green says he’s looking into changing his name, because he feels no association to it whatsoever.
"I’m just like this little lost puppy," Green said. "I’ve always felt like I don’t fit in. I don’t fit in anywhere. Where do I belong?"
That’s a common question in Green’s story. When his mother renounced her rights as a parent, Green’s grandmother (on his father’s side) saved him and his brother, Mitchell, giving them a home. She died when he was 14 and he and Mitchell went back into the system. The siblings were forced to separate. Mitchell ended up in nearby Rialto with an aunt. Bobby was taken in by a white family, the parents of his wrestling teammate. He was trying to carve out his own path.
Like all of Green’s homes, it was only temporary. Green, stuck at Fontana Miller High School, committed himself to wrestling and had a part-time job bagging groceries at the nearby Stater Bros. store. But he butted heads with his foster brother and a miscommunication with the family led to him being asked to leave. They thought Green had stolen a car, but he says he had just been joyriding with his friend’s vehicle.
"They regret it now," Green said. "But at that time, I had a lot of resentment toward them. Because I felt like, can’t you just ask me to figure out what’s going on? Give me a little more time to explain."
By that point, Green didn’t have many options. He befriended a male teacher at school and was awed by him. Here was an intelligent, respected, African-American man. He was the opposite of the gangbangers and pimps Green encountered everyday on the street. This was someone Green, nearing his high school graduation, could strive to be like.
Bobby Green reacts after beating Charon Spain in Strikeforce.
"I was looking for a father figure," Green said. "I never had a dad. Here is this guy who’s a college graduate. Educated. Very well off. He just flooded information into my brain. We had very intellectual talks."
The teacher took him in and Green was grateful. It didn’t take long for the man’s ulterior motive to surface, Green says.
"Then he starts touching me," Green said. "I was so scared. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know who to go to. He’s a teacher. Who do you tell?"
One day, when the teacher left early for school, Green says he packed up what little he owned and left. It was his only option. He went to Rialto and reunited with his brother at their aunt’s home. But there was little room for him there and even less food. He went to another aunt’s home. There, 11 people were attempting to live in a three-bedroom home.
Green tried to make do. He just couldn’t do it. He was 18 by then, so he enrolled in the Army. The program he went into incorporated boot camp and training into 21 weeks. Green made it to week 20 as one of the best privates in his class until he was thrown out for fighting. Another miscommunication, he said.
Green has no regrets. He knows he would have been deployed to Iraq and isn’t sure if he would have lived or died if he had gone.
"I thank God for everything they put me through," he said. "It made me who I was, who I am now."
Green enlisted with his old friend from Stater Bros., the one whose car he used to drive years earlier. Once he was expelled from the military, the friend urged him to go live with his family and Green did, for a time.
I’m just like this little lost puppy. I’ve always felt like I don’t fit in. I don’t fit in anywhere. Where do I belong? -Bobby Green
He left there to live with the family of a younger boy he had mentored during his high school wrestling days. The boy’s mother was the victim of domestic abuse, Green said, and he would not stand for it. Green kicked the man out of the house and hunkered down.
"I came in, took over the home, got a job and started providing," Green said.
It was at that time that Green had his first child, Jeremiah, who is now 6 years old, with a girl he had been seeing for only a few months. Things didn’t work out between the two of them, but Green said he still supports Jeremiah financially and sees him often.
Green also picked up wrestling again in his early 20s, meeting up with friends from high school and going to freestyle meets. Green, who placed in the state tournament twice in high school, was talented and flashy. He once pulled off a WWE-style hurracanrana during one of these amateur events.
Green was discovered as a potential MMA fighter at those events and started training at Team Tapout with Shad Smith. He bounced around a little bit, also spending time at Riverside Submission.
Training, though, was a loose term. Green didn’t do much of it. He didn’t like it. Most of the time he just spent hanging out, smoking marijuana and taking fights in Mexico on the weekends — as much as he could, actually. Green fought 15 times in 2008 and 2009. He knew how to wrestle, but that was basically it. Green had little striking knowledge and even less jiu-jitsu polish.
That wasn’t the life he wanted, but it took a 90-day stint in jail to make him realize it. Green said he was busted for driving a car that didn’t technically belong to him when he was 21. He said he paid for it, but didn’t have the correct paperwork. The court didn’t buy it.
Green wasn’t a model prisoner. He admitted to passing gas in a sergeant’s face while he was being searched, which landed him in solitary confinement for 10 days. It was a life-altering experience.
Bobby Green celebrates after finishing Jacob Volkmann last year.
"You don’t see anything," Green said. "You don’t know what time it is. That’s the craziest f***ing thing."
He never went back to Riverside Submission. Some friends recommended Pinnacle Mixed Martial Arts in Redlands and he showed up there. Jake Benhey, the head trainer, was different from any coach Green ever had before.
Green still didn’t like training. He fell back into his old habits of coming in maybe once a week and hanging out the rest of the time. Benhey wouldn’t stand for that. He would drive all over the Inland Empire, to the worst of neighborhoods, knocking on doors, looking for Green. And Green, a nomad if ever there was one, had plenty of options.
"I would show up to a house where there’s eight or nine big dudes hanging out in front, probably in some type of gang," Benhey said. "And here I am, this fairly well-dressed white guy in a decent car and I’m looking for Bobby Green. All of them step up and say, ‘What the f*** you need to talk to him for?’"
More times than not, Benhey found Green, but eventually Green quit hiding. Green hasn’t left Pinnacle since, despite offers from many of the powerhouse MMA gyms. He credits Benhey for making him who he is today, the 12th-ranked lightweight in the UFC.
"I didn’t do it because of his potential," Benhey said. "I did it because he has a good heart. This is a kid that should not become a statistic. The chips have been stacked against him for so long."
Benhey sees a different Green than the one who is 21-5 as a pro fighter with seven straight wins, the one who would be nearing a title shot with a win over Thomson. He sees a different Green than the one who grew up under the worst of circumstances.
Instead, Benhey sees the Green who goes to visit kids at the local Ronald McDonald House regularly. He sees the guy who gets a package from his sponsors and lets everyone else in the gym have at the box before he takes a single thing for himself. Benhey said Pinnacle’s equipment manager is increasingly frustrated by Green, because he keeps giving his boxing gloves away to kids in the youth classes.
Bobby Green (from left), Louis Smolka and Vinc Pichel pose with fans during the UFC Fan Expo earlier this month.
"I’ve watched him take the shirt off his back and give it to somebody else," Benhey said without exaggeration.
When asked about his brother’s death, Green bristles, then falls into a long-winded story about a fellow fighter he once respected. He met the fighter last year and his first impression was awful. Green is afraid that if he outwardly expresses his pain, people might be put off. He doesn’t want anyone to get the wrong idea about him. His brother’s death was not going to stop him from signing autographs and meeting fans earlier this month at the UFC Fan Expo.
"I do realize that just because I’m hurt, my feelings, I don’t want to mess anybody else up," Green said.
If Green wins a bonus Saturday night against Thomson, he plans to give the money to his brother’s children, setting up an education fund for them. His brother always said that if anything happened to him, Green needed to watch out for his kids.
"That’s why he’s taking this fight with Josh Thomson," Benhey said. "He’s doing it basically to fulfill his brother’s last wish."
Green hates the negative perception being given to his brother by local media. His brother was his best friend, someone he could call on any time and he would be there.
"He was the happiest kid on the planet," Green said. "He would change everyone’s expression when he walked into a room."
Green can be a catalyst, too. All he wants to do is make a difference, even if it’s at the ground level.
There’s a troll on Twitter who sends racist messages to black UFC fighters like Green, Benson Henderson and Demetrious Johnson. Most have blocked him. Not Green. He’s determined to engage in a dialogue with the bigot.
"I want to try to change the world," Green said. "Some people, you can’t change their mind. But I’m going to try at least. We have to try. We have to try."
Green is willing to give everyone a chance. The one he never got growing up.Of all the bold new initiatives on the Trudeau government's to-do list, there's one it really doesn't want to talk about: the new law that will legalize doctor-assisted dying. The Supreme Court has given the government a deadline of June 6 – just two and a half months away.
So what's the problem? After all, an overwhelming number of Canadians want the right to physician-assisted death. The problem is the details. Should we have a narrow law or a broad one? Who is eligible and who is not? What about people with mental illness? What about kids? What about the seriously demented, who can no longer decide for themselves? If your gaga granny made an advance consent directive, then who, exactly, will determine whether she's too gaga to go on living?
No jurisdiction in the world has sorted all these issues out. There is no political capital in this. There is only grief. On top of that, the federal government is risking a major run-in with the Catholic church, which flatly opposes physician-assisted dying on religious grounds. The Catholic health networks include a huge range of faith-based facilities across the country. St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver, one of the city's oldest, has said it won't permit physician-assisted dying. Ottawa's biggest palliative care hospital, Bruyère Continuing Care, says it won't, either. Privately, the CEO of one major Catholic institution in Ontario says it will never happen on his watch – not because he himself opposes the law, but because it would violate the principles the place was built on.
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The Dying With Dignity folks and civil liberties associations strongly disagree. Assisted death, they argue, is a human right and should be provided everywhere. If a hospital doesn't comply, then it should lose public funding. The government's own parliamentary committee report on assisted death agrees that no institution should be exempt on religious grounds.
In every community across the Western world, the church (or the synagogue) was there before the state was. It was the church that cared for the sick, the orphaned and the homeless. In Canada, Catholic hospitals have pioneered health services for the homeless, for people with drug addictions, and for those in need of palliative care. They are valued partners of provincial governments.
But now, a great many people believe they are an anachronism. They think there's no place for religious values in the public sphere.
I disagree. Many religious institutions provide an ethic of care that secular outfits can't match.
"The Catholic sisters knew that their essential job was to provide love and compassion and caring," says Daniel Lussier, chair of the Catholic Health Alliance of Canada. "They never forgot the human element."
I once got to know a hospital run by the Salvation Army. Most of its patients were immigrants, and many were non-Christian. The CEO, a Salvation Army officer, was a brilliant administrator who worked for a pittance. The senior staff, who were of all faiths and none, shared a sense of higher purpose. Their patients weren't yet "customers"or "clients." After the hospital was forced into a merger, it lost what made it special. Many of the staff moved on, and that was the end of that.
Salvation Army hospitals never did perform abortions. So what? Other hospitals did. Across Canada, not all hospitals are obliged to provide all services. Some don't do abortions. Some don't do dialysis. Why should every hospital be required to provide assisted death?
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I'm a nonbeliever. I do not admire the Catholic church. I believe that assisted dying should be legal, and that it should be available to everyone without a lot of hassle, just as abortion is. But the scorn and contempt that many people heap on religious belief astonishes me. The ostracization of Trinity Western University, for example, is one of the more shameful examples of intolerance in our time. Sanctimonious provincial law societies decided that because Trinity Western asks its students to respect traditional Christian values, in a way that is perfectly legal, anyone who graduates from its law school isn't fit to practice.
Our tolerance for religious belief should extend quite far. That's why we've decided that Sikhs can wear kirpans, and Mounties can wear turbans, and Muslim women can wear the niqab in citizenship court. All these decisions have been robustly supported by the finest liberal minds. But when it comes to Christians – forget it.
Our tolerance extends only as far as those religions we think it's fashionable to tolerate. In British Columbia, a native community is battling a company that wants to build a ski resort on land the community believes is inhabited by the Grizzly Bear Spirit. The case is going to the Supreme Court. We're all for that. But if a bakery won't sell wedding cakes to same-sex couples, we want it shut down. If Christian hospitals want to observe their foundational beliefs about the sanctity of life, we want to cut them off. Where's the tolerance in that?HARRISBURG--Nearly half the student population at Harrisburg High School was slapped with suspension notices this week because the students had racked up too many unexcused absences.
School officials handed out suspension notices to 500 students on Monday as part of a crackdown by the school's new principal. About 1,100 students are enrolled at the school.
At least 100 of the students served one-day suspensions on Tuesday as punishment. The disciplinary fates of the other students remain unknown as school officials continue to work with parents to confirm whether some of the absences were excused. School officials said many parents were able to provide documentation to clear up their students' records.
School officials met with parents en masse after school Wednesday to explain the new expectations at the school, which has long struggled with poor test scores and a low graduation rate.
Just prior to the parent meeting, school officials met with reporters to discuss their new tack against tardiness and truancy to improve the atmosphere at the school.
During the informal news conference, a fire alarm sounded, disrupting the event and sending reporters, students and staff outside for about 10 minutes while the fire department cleared the building.
Afterward, school officials said it was not a planned drill, but they could not say for certain what caused the alarm. They planned to review footage from the school's surveillance system. It could have been a prank or mechanical malfunction, they said.
The school's tough stance against tardiness and unexcused absences was |
JillFilipovic) May 9, 2017
Because women are TOTALLY weak and victims of their circumstances and situations.
It's beyond me how humans survived for centuries without government programs. https://t.co/SknQ0vc4W6 — Pre-Existing Musket (@Patriot_Musket) May 9, 2017
How any true feminist can buy this crap is beyond us … seriously?
But for many of us, it's a fundamental question of freedom, independence & building the lives we want. It's not gnawing off our own leg(!). — Jill Filipovic (@JillFilipovic) May 9, 2017
But for many of them it’s ignoring their own responsibilities and not being accountable for the choices they make.
Fixed it for her.
And having a baby is akin to being chained up and having to gnaw a leg off to escape?
@JillFilipovic I find this op-ed eerily anti-choice. "Killing children"? This writer sounds like she works at a bait and switch clinic. — Casey Cipriani (@CaseyCip) May 9, 2017
Eerily anti-choice. If we rolled our eyes any harder we’d have to go to the ER and have them checked.
These people.
And yes, abortion kills children. What part of that confused her?
@JillFilipovic The bottom line on abortion is this: Even *if* a fetus is considered a full "person", you cannot be be forced by law to keep another 1/ — Sharon M (@ssminore) May 9, 2017
If a fetus is a person … you cannot be forced to keep another person alive.
What do they think a fetus is? A bag of hammers?
@JillFilipovic person alive. You can't be forced to donate a kidney for eample, even if it wld save another's life, even your own *born* child's life. 2/x — Sharon M (@ssminore) May 9, 2017
*sigh*
The fact they think wanting to preserve life is a forced action says so much about them and their gross movement.
Related:We've all seen the photos, heard the hype and even had some laughs at the rumors but the fun and games are over for now. I don't mind being the killjoy on this because as fun as the rumors were, that's all they were -- rumors. Alec Saunders and Chris Smith, during a DevCon press session, dismissed the question of BBM coming to other platforms. Alec stated, "he wasn't aware of it" while Chris Smith, noted "there were no plans for it". Now, that's not to say it might not come eventually but for now this one can be laughed at -- much like those photos we saw of a gimped up Motorola Atrix running a poorly photoshopped BBM which, I won't even give the creator of the satisfaction of seeing them reposted.Elsewhere, Sony's R-rated female comedy 'Rough Night' is getting devoured by Mandy Moore shark thriller '47 Meters Down,' while 'Wonder Woman' soars past the $500 million mark globally.
Disney and Pixar's Cars 3 is headed for a $51 million-plus U.S. debut, the lowest in the franchise but easily enough to chase the competition off the road and win the weekend. The other big headline is Tupac Shakur biopic All Eyez on Me, which is doing far better than expected for a likely $30 million-plus launch in the U.S.
Cars 3 grossed $19.5 million Friday from 4,256 theaters after nabbing an A CinemaScore — the 18th Pixar release to receive some variation of the A grade. The film, directed by Brian Fee, will wrest the weekend crown from holdover Wonder Woman, which is projected to earn a stellar $39 million from 4,018 theaters in its third session for a domestic total of nearly $275 million. On Friday, Wonder Woman soared past the $500 million mark globally.
Cars and Cars 2 have earned more than $1 billion in combined worldwide box office. Cars 2 opened in 2011 to $66.1 million domestically, and went on to earn $562.1 million worldwide. Cars, which hit theaters in 2006, earned $60.1 million in its North American debut before hitting $462.2 million worldwide.
The threequel follows the legendary Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) as he's pushed out of the sport he loves by a new generation of blazing-fast racers. He enlists the help of a young race technician (voice of Cristela Alonzo) to help him get back in the game.
Lionsgate’s Codeblack Films is releasing director Benny Boom's All Eyez on Me, which is hitting theaters on what would have been the late music icon's 46th birthday. Named after Shakur's fourth studio album, the movie includes over a dozen songs from his music catalog.
The biopic, starring Demetrius Shipp Jr., earned $12.8 million Friday from 2,471 theaters. Audiences bestowed the film with an A- CinemaScore. The cast also includes Kat Graham, who plays Jada Pinkett-Smith, who was close to Shukar. (Pinkett-Smith says the movie is "deeply hurtful.")
The Mummy will follow at No. 4 for the weekend with an estimated $14 million from 4,034 locations for a domestic total of $56 million-plus through Sunday.
The news is rough for Sony's raunchy female comedy, Rough Night. The movie grossed a muted $3.3 million Friday for a projected $8 million-plus weekend. The $20 million movie stars Scarlett Johansson, Ilana Glazer, Kate McKinnon, Jillian Bell and Zoe Kravitz as a group of friends who gather for a weekend-long bachelorette bash. Lucia Aniello directed the film.
Rough Night looks to be beat by independent shark thriller 47 Meters Down, starring Mandy Moore and Claire Holt. The film, the first major title from Byron Allen's distribution venture Entertainment Studios, is swimming toward an $11 million-plus domestic launch from 2,270 theaters after grossing $4.5 million on Friday.
Rough Night received a C+ CinemaScore, and 47 Meters, a C.
Pamela McClintock contributed to this report.
June 16, 12:35 pm: Updated to include early Friday estimates.
June 17, 7 a.m.: Updated with revised weekend estimates.Houston was recently named one of the top trending travel spots for 2017 by TripAdvisor, and for good reason. 2017 will be one of Houston’s most exciting years on record. From hosting Super Bowl LI to opening new museums and outdoor parks, Houston is the place to be this coming year. Check out a few highlights from our most anticipated projects and events.
Super Bowl LI
For the first time in over a decade, the Bayou City will host the biggest game in sports. Super Bowl festivities have already been in full swing in Houston this past year, but locals and visitors can expect the biggest party the city has ever seen. An estimated 1 million football fans are expected to participate in Houston Super Bowl festivities like the 10-day Super Bowl LIVE Festival, NFL Experience, DIRECTV Super Saturday Night party, and countless other attractions and live music performances. The free LIVE festival runs January 27 – February 5, 2017 leading up to Super Bowl LI at NRG Stadium on February 5.
Middlelands Music Festival
Houston will host one of America’s most anticipated music festivals in 2017. The Middlelands Music Festival was created by the folks behind some of North America’s largest festivals, including Electric Daisy Carnival and Lollapalooza. The festival will take place on the world-famous Texas Renaissance Festival grounds May 5-7 and in addition to live music will include an extensive, four-day camping program and Renaissance-era group activities. World-renown artists and local favorites will play on 5 unique stages surrounded by interactive art installations and local vendors offering medieval-style food and drinks.
Downtown is getting a new entertainment district. Avenida Houston is a walkable, pedestrian plaza along the George R. Brown Convention Center and Discovery Green that will connect visitors with exciting culinary experiences, world-class hotels, art installations, and events at Minute Maid Park and Toyota Center. When the district formally opens in January to host the NFL Experience and Super Bowl LIVE festival, it will feature restaurants like Grotto, Bud’s Pitmaster BBQ, Biggio’s, Pappadeaux’s, Xochi, Cueva, Kulture, and McAlister’s Deli among others.
The Grammy-award winning phenomenon “Hamilton” will play in Houston as part of the 2017-2018 Broadway at the Hobby Center season. The date of the national tour will be announced as part of the full season at a later date. Though star Lin-Manuel Miranda is unlikely to headline the tour, his award-winning lyrics and music will rock the Hobby Center next year. Based on Ron Chernow's biography of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, “Hamilton” blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B, and Broadway styles in a one-of-a-kind musical adaptation.
Foodies rejoice, the Astros announced that a Torchy’s Tacos and Shake Shack would be available to fans during the 2017 season. Torchey’s has long been heralded as one of the best tacos in Texas while Shake Shack’s popular burger menu has earned it international acclaim. Last season, it was announced that Minute Maid Park’s center field wall, affectionately nicknamed “Tal’s Hill” would be removed and scaled back to make way for the new restaurants as well as additional seating.
Houston’s BBVA Compass Stadium will host the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup July 7-26, 2017. The city hosted the Copa America Centenario last year and has hosted Gold Cup games in the previous six tournaments. Houston is one of 14 U.S. venues which have been selected to host matches over the 20-day tournament. BBVA will host two games between soon to be announced international teams. In addition to being considered continental champion, the 2017 tournament winner will be awarded a play-in game to qualify for the 2021 FIFA Confederations Cup in the event two separate champions emerge from the next two editions of the Gold Cup.
30th Annual Art Car Parade
The Houston Art Car Parade is one of the city’s most iconic traditions. The annual event turns 30 years old this year and promises a jam-packed day of 250 "motoriffic" mobile masterpieces in a parade downtown that is expected to draw a crowd of 250,000 fans from across the globe. At the biggest Art Car Parade on earth approximately 250 local, national, and international artists transform every day automobiles into one-of-a-kind creations. From an exact replica F-18 fighter jet car to one inspired by the Beatles classic "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", you’re sure to find a car that leaves you amused and inspired.
Originally situated in Galveston, the Lone Star Flight Museum planned a move to Houston’s Ellington Air Force Base last year. The museum suffered major setbacks as the result of Hurricane Ike in 2008. The move to Houston includes a new $38 million, 138,000-sq.-ft. museum facility—including two large hangars for 15 to 20 featured WWI, WWII, and modern-era aircraft, class and meeting rooms and a 250-seat auditorium. The iconic flight museum should be complete in time to open to the public in the late summer of 2017.
The Menil Collection will unveil its new $40 million, 30,000-square-foot drawing institute October 7, 2017. The freestanding building will feature temporary exhibitions, space for study and conservation, and storage of modern and contemporary drawings. The institute is the fifth building on the Menil’s 30-acre art campus, along with the main museum, Cy Twombly Gallery, Byzantine Fresco Chapel, and popular Dan Flavin installation at Richmond Hall. It will debut the highly anticipated The Condition of Being Here: Drawings by Jasper Johns, a retrospective on the artist’s career that has taken 6 years to prepare.
Third Ward’s Emancipation Park is undergoing a $33 million renovation that will include an LEED-certified recreation facility, basketball gym, baseball field, pavilion, and public artwork. The park was purchased by former slaves in 1872 as a place to celebrate their freedom through an annual event known as “Juneteenth”. It has been recognized as the first official public park in the state of Texas and will continue to serve as the main grounds for the Juneteenth celebration. The renovations are expected to be completed in time for the 2017 event.
Residents, business owners and visitors are looking forward to the development of Midtown Park, set to open in early 2017. Situated on multiple blocks in the neighborhood just south of Downtown, the dynamic, mixed-use project will include an urban green space, retail facilities, residential and a public parking garage for those looking to meander this vibrant area.
Houston is already home to the largest skatepark in North America. But in fall 2017 the North Houston Skatepark will unveil one of the largest bike parks in the country. The 20-acre North Houston Bike Park will feature a BMX-sanctioned race track, street course, freestyle ramps and bowls, and a community events center. At $14 million, the impressive park is expected to draw cyclists and thrill seekers from across the country and globe. In fact, the 2020 UCI BMX World Championship has already booked their 6-day event at the park. The championship acts as a qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games and is expected to draw 3,000 amateur participants and 300 professional athletes from over 40 countries.More The Vegan Experience It's not just great vegan food, it's great food, period.
As someone who consciously goes vegan for a month out of every year, and who maintains a mostly vegetable- and grain-based diet throughout the rest of the year, I've given more than a little thought to vegan recipes, with ideas for everything from breakfast to soup, salads to main courses, and sandwiches to junk food (I can tell you that you've never tasted vegan nachos complete with gooey cheese sauce or mushroom-based B.L.T. sandwiches like these!).
But there's one thing I haven't tackled, and that's the holiday roast. When Thanksgiving and Christmas roll around, it seems like every magazine and food website (including ours!) is all about turkey, roast beef, and ham. Oh, well why don't you fill up on these side dishes? is the general response you'll get as a vegan at an omnivore holiday spread, never mind the fact that most holiday side dishes aren't even vegan to begin with*
*See if you can convince your family to put this vegan stuffing on the table this year. It kicks some serious butt.
Coming up with a vegan holiday roast is a daunting task! It can't just take the place of the turkey or the prime rib nutritionally, it's got to cover all of those mental bases as well. Not only does it have to taste spectacular, but it's got to look stunning at the center of the table, with rich, deep flavors that scream fall and winter. And I'm sorry to you faux meat lovers, but a Tofurky just don't cut it.
My goal was to come up with a recipe for a vegan roast that is so pretty, so mouth-watering, so packed with flavor and texture that even the hardcore carnivores at the table will want to make room on their plate for a slice, perhaps even instead of that turkey.
It's been a few years in the making and I've had to synthesize techniques cribbed from many of my past vegan recipe experiments, but this year I finally got there. It starts with a central layer of stuffing made with cashews braised in vegetables stock, along with sautéed shiitakes and leeks, garlic, herbs, toasted sunflower seeds and pepitas, and semi-dehydrated white beans. The next layer is roasted carrots bound together with some mushroom duxelles made with fresh creminis, shallots, maple-smoked portobello mushroom crumbles, and just a few breadcrumbs. Finally, a second layer of cashew-bean mixture goes around the outside before it's all wrapped in layers and layers of crispy phyllo dough, brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with coarse sea salt, and baked. I serve it all with a vegan gravy.
I'm not sure what to call this roast quite yet. Perhaps Vegetables Wellington? Does that sound good? Let's go with Vegetables Wellington.
A word of warning: this recipe is a big project. This is quite possibly the most involved recipe I've ever written. It's an all-day recipe that you'll want to grab a couple friends to help out. You'll roast, you'll sauté, you'll simmer, you'll braise, you'll dehydrate, you'll smoke, you'll layer, you'll assemble—you'll use basically every cooking technique I can think of. If you're the kind of person who's content with grabbing a Tofurky and throwing it in the oven, this is not the recipe for you. If you enjoy eating but not cooking, this is not the recipe for you. But if you, like me, love getting your hands dirty, if you find pleasure in seeking out good ingredients and handling them with care, and if picking herbs on a Saturday afternoon is your idea of a good time, then, my friends, come with me; we've got some serious cooking to do.
Initial Inspirations: Carrots Wellington From Narcissa
The basic inspiration for this recipe came from the phenomenal "Carrots Wellington" that Chef John Fraser serves at his Manhattan Restaurant, Narcissa, on the Lower East Side. His vegetarian dish is made with roasted carrots layered with walnuts and sunchokes, all wrapped in buttery puff pastry and served with sautéed bluefoot mushrooms. It's a clever play on a traditional Beef Wellington, and at least to my palate, is actually more interesting and exciting than the meaty original.
In his version, carrots compose the bulk of the interior. In ours, they're just one element, but we'll still treat them with care.
In my article on Roasting Fall Vegetables, I talk about how the trick with carrots is getting them nice and caramelized without letting them lose too much moisture. The key is to start them in water, then finish them in the oven.
You can actually do this all in a single pan. I put my carrots into a skillet, cover them with salted water, then bring it to a hard boil and let them cook down until tender. At this stage, most likely the water will have all evaporated. If not, I just pour off the excess.
Next, I drizzle them with a bit of oil, add a couple sprigs of herbs, and toss them into a hot oven to roast. As they roast they'll intensify in flavor. Then, while that's all going on, I turn to my mushroom layer.
Umami Bomb #1: Mushrooms and Soy
To bind the carrots, I wanted to go with an element that would not only hearken back to the original concept of Beef Wellington—beef tenderloin wrapped in a layer of mushroom duxelles—but would also bring something intensely savory and umami to the mix, an element often missing from vegan recipes.
I started off by making a pretty classic duxelles base by sautéing chopped cremini mushrooms with olive oil and shallots until nicely browned. A small shot of soy sauce gave them a more intense savoriness, while a splash of bourbon livened them up and seemed holiday-appropriate (especially as I took a little splash for myself).
While a classic duxelles would get bound with cream, I knew I'd need something a little more substantial (and more to the point, plant-based) than that. Japanese-style panko breadcrumbs did the trick.
Now I just needed some aromatics to bump up flavor. Although sage, rosemary, thyme, and parsley might be more classic Thanksgiving flavors, I decided to take this one in a slightly different direction, instead opting to use fines herbes—a mix of parsley, chives, tarragon, and chervil. (You can honestly use whatever herb mix you'd like).
Umami Bomb #2: Mushrooms and Smoke
The mushrooms duxelles was pretty darn tasty on its own, but this roast is not meant to be just darn tasty, it's meant to be a complete showstopper, and that meant at least doubling up on umami mushroom flavor. For the second type of mushroom I used a technique I developed last year for making mushroom bacon.
First, I thinly sliced portobello mushrooms (any kind of mushrooms work, actually), tossed them with some olive oil, and laid them out in a single layer on a baking sheet. After roasting them until almost fully dehydrated and crisped, I smoked them.
It's actually pretty easy to smoke things yourself indoors without any particularly special tools. The easiest tool-free method is to place a wood chunk directly over the flame of a gas burner until it smolders. Drop it into a heavy pot, place your food-to-be-smoked in a wire mesh strainer on top, then seal it all up with aluminum foil for 10 to 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can place wood chips or sawdust in the bottom of a pot or wok, set it over a burner, and heat until it starts smoldering before adding the food-filled strainer and the foil.
If you, like me, have yourself a kitchen torch, then it's even easier. Just add your chips or wood chunks to the bottom of a heat-proof bowl or pot and light 'em up with a torch...
...then place your mushroom chips in a strainer above and cover it up with foil.
For my standard mushroom bacon recipe, I toss the mushrooms with salt, sugar, garlic, paprika, and black pepper. Here, I replaced the sugar with maple syrup for a more intense, Thanksgiving-themed flavor.
Be careful, these things are incredibly delicious and addictive and you may find yourself eating the whole batch before you get a chance to finish the recipe. Greater (wo)men have fallen into lesser traps.
Finally, I chop it all up into mushroom bacon bits and fold it into the duxelles.
Bring the Soup to the Nuts
From other testing, way back when I developed these Vegan Burgers that Don't Suck, I knew that cashews are a great way to bring texture and flavor to a vegan mix like this. But I wanted to improve their texture this go-round, using a technique that I first tasted as part of a vegan tasting menu at Del Posto. There, Chef Mark Ladner cooks raw dried nuts as if they're beans, simmering them for a long time. You end up with a texture that becomes juicy and tender, while still retaining a unique crunch that you don't get with beans.
Instead of the plain salted water Ladner uses, I went with a batch of my Hearty Vegetable Stock.
The cashews were coming out okay time after time, but it wasn't until I accidentally left them on the stovetop for a little too long that I discovered the secret: Instead of cooking the nuts until tender and straining them, what if I were to let them cook until that stock is reduced down to almost nothing?
I tried it and the flavor is simply incredible. As the stock slowly reduces, it intensifies in flavor. That flavor works itself into the nuts and eventually ends up as an intense glaze that coats each one. It's really incredible how delicious they are.
I transferred them to the food processor for a couple of quick pulses.
A rough-chopped texture should be easy to incorporate into my final mix.
Bean Steam
Let's move on to the beans. Typically I recommend cooking dried beans in stock to get the best flavor out of them, but this time I decided to employ a method I developed when working on my Really Awesome Black Bean Burgers. (Yes, that's what I called them. You heard me.)
I start with canned beans (in this case cannellini), drain them, and spread them out on a sheet tray before setting them in a 350°F oven to roast.
The big problem with bean-based burgers and roasts is that in their normal, fully-cooked state, beans are far too wet and mushy. You end up with a squishy, textureless roast. Dehydrating fully cooked beans by roasting them in the oven solves that problem, giving them a more intense flavor and a nice, meaty texture.*
*For the record, cooking dried beans half way does not accomplish the same goal. Dried beans don't tenderize until fully cooked, so to get similar results, you'd need to fully cook the beans first, then partially dehydrate them.
As the beans roast, I sauté a mix of leeks, celery, shiitake mushrooms, and garlic.
It all gets pulsed together in the food processor, and then added to the bowl with the chopped braised cashews.
For a final hit of texture, I briefly pulse toasted sunflower seeds and pepitas.
The resulting mix ain't the prettiest thing in the world as-is, but darned if it ain't tasty.
With the two fillings constructed and the carrots roasted, it's time to put it all together.
Construction
In my standard Beef Wellington recipe, I use sheets of phyllo dough as a means of keeping various layers of filling tightly bound before wrapping the whole thing up in puff pastry.
Some commercial store-bought puff pastry is made with shortening and fake butter flavoring. While technically vegan, that fake butter flavor is so unappealing to me that I'd rather go with a different option. Simply using more phyllo is the way to go.
Start by laying out a single sheet of store-bought phyllo (keep the rest under plastic wrap to ensure sure it doesn't dry out) and brushing it with olive oil. Place a 2-inch line of the bean/cashew mixture along one edge, giving it a border all around. If you want to be very ambitious at this stage, you can replace this center layer with some of my vegan stuffing.
Next, roll up the filling into the single sheet of phyllo like a burrito, folding in the sides about halfway through rolling.
You should end up with a long, slender cigar-shaped package. Set it aside for now.
For the next phase, you want a triple layer of phyllo, with a bit of olive oil brushed in between each sheet. (I tried it with just one layer and the phyllo fell apart as I was rolling.)
Once the phyllo is laid out, spread half of the the mushroom mixture evenly along the bottom two-thirds of it, leaving a border all around. Then, lay the carrots on top in even rows. Spread the remaining mushroom mixture on top of the carrots with your hands, pressing down to make sure it all forms an even, hole-free layer.
Carefully roll the whole thing up. This time, don't bother tucking in the sides, just let them hang out over the ends. We'll deal with them later.
For the final layer, you're going to need to spread the remaining cashew/bean filling into a thin, even layer that covers almost the entire surface of a sheet of phyllo. This is very, very difficult to do by hand without tearing the phyllo. Instead, I use this method.
Start by spreading the filling onto a sheet of parchment paper set in a rimmed baking sheet.
Place a second sheet of parchment on top and smooth it out to remove any air bubbles between it and the filling.
Next place another tray on top and press down firmly on it with your hands. You'll end up using most of your body weight if you weigh about the same as I do. Slowly work the filling out, pressing on the pan in several locations to squeeze it into a thin, even layer.
When all's said and done, you should be able to lift the top pan and the top sheet of parchment to reveal something that looks like this. From here, we just construct upside down.
Lay the first sheet of phyllo dough on top of the stuffing, then brush it with olive oil and layer on the second. Continue layering the phyllo this way until you've added another 6 layers or so.
To get the thing right-way-up again, place another sheet of parchment on top, sandwich it all between two trays and invert it.
Finally, peel off what is now the top layer of parchment, and you've got yourself a stack of phyllo sheets topped with a thin, even layer of the cashew/bean stuffing.
Place the carrot and mushroom-packed roll on top, then roll it all up into a single large cylinder. Finish it off by laying out a sheet of phyllo, brushing it with olive oil, and rolling the cylinder up in it. Repeat until all the remaining filo sheets have been used.
Place the rolled Wellington on a sheet of parchment, brush it with more olive oil, sprinkle it with coarse sea salt, then slash the top gently with a sharp knife.
Transfer it to a hot oven and bake until the phyllo is puffed, crisp, and golden brown. Remove it from the oven and stare at your creation with joy and admiration.
Those loose ends of phyllo can now be easily trimmed with a sharp serrated bread knife to give the roast a table-ready presentation (and to give you a snack to crunch on while the rest of the family makes its way to the dinner table).
There now, isn't that...Oh shoot! Almost forgot about the gravy! Thanksgiving ain't Thanksgiving without gravy, am I right?
The gravy I use here is pretty darn simple. All it is is my Hearty Vegetable Stock whisked into a roux made with flour and olive oil. I season it heavily with plenty of black pepper and a little extra shot of soy sauce for good measure.
There now. If you can honestly tell me that this isn't a gorgeous slice of food, I'll go back into the kitchen and replace it with a pound of rolled up bacon. But be honest here, okay?
It's got incredibly rich, complex flavor with the roasted carrots; the sautéed, smoked, and crisped mushrooms; the cashews braised in reduced stock; not to mention all of the herbs and aromatics (and bourbon). The texture combines firm, meaty elements (the roasted carrots and the dehydrated beans), crisp elements (the phyllo crust and the seeds), and moist, crunchy elements (the braised cashews and all the mushrooms). Juice it all up with a heavy-handed pour of gravy and there's really not much more you could ask for in a single dish.
Michael Ruhlman once wrote an essay about the dumbing down of recipes, describing how every recipe these days promises superlative results with barely any effort, very little time, and even less practice or skill. This is not one of those recipes.
Like I said: this is a difficult, time consuming recipe that calls for several different cooking methods and techniques, along with a bit of finesse to put it all together. It'll probably take some practice. I can promise you superlative results, but I also make no apologies for what it'll take to get you there. I wish you all good luck, good eating, and (if you happen to be vegan), a wonderful, plant-based Thanksgiving.
Nobody ever became a vegan because it's easy, but damn, can it be rewarding!
This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Serious Eats. Read more about our affiliate linking policy.Barry Cohen, former Hawke government minister, calls for more to be done in search for dementia cure
Updated
Former Hawke government minister Barry Cohen has revealed he has dementia and is calling on the Federal Government to do more in the search for a cure.
There are now more than 330,000 Australians with living with dementia – a number expected to triple by 2050.
"People like Tony Abbott and Bill Shorten, and they are both friends of mine, they have got to put it on the front pages," Mr Cohen told 7.30.
"I want to see politicians standing up in the House and asking questions: what are we doing about Alzheimer's?"
Mr Cohen now counts himself amongst those 330,000, although he is still struggling to accept the diagnosis and its implications.
He received the news that something was wrong after a series of falls.
"I had another fall and another fall and so they put me into hospital and said 'we think he has got early stage of dementia'," he said.
"I'm more doubtful about the diagnosis but I'm prepared to accept the fact that it is, and everybody who knows me from former prime ministers down through the years has said 'what the hell are you doing here?'."
Initially he was placed into a nursing home, an experience he would rather forget.
"I was miserable as a bandicoot, you have no idea how depressed I would get," he said.
"There is nothing to do, you lie on the bed, stare at the ceiling, eat three meals a day and watch television."
We've got to get serious about this at the top level: Cohen
Returning to his home outside Canberra, Mr Cohen was extremely emotional as he spoke about being back in the care of his wife and son.
"The last couple of days have been the happiest of my life because I love her and him," he said.
We don't hesitate about spending hundreds of millions of dollars on a submarine, for God's sake. I'd rather have a few thousand people alive than a submarine. Barry Cohen
While firing off statistics about the number of people with dementia and the projected numbers for the future, Mr Cohen was focused on finding answers.
While there are medications that can control some of the symptoms of dementia, there is no drug that can stop or reverse the disease.
"We've got to get serious about this at the top level, and I am not talking about Labor or Liberal - they are both the same, they are just becoming aware that we are facing a real crisis and we have to act now 'cause in 20 years' time there won't be 300,000 there will be 900,000 and maybe more," Mr Cohen said.
"We don't hesitate about spending hundreds of millions of dollars on a submarine, for God's sake.
"I'd rather have a few thousand people alive than a submarine."
In the 2014 budget the Federal Government committed an extra $200 million to Australian scientists and medical researchers working on ways to prevent or cure dementia, but Mr Cohen wants more.
"Let's try and find a cure," he said. "We have put aside $200 million for research over the next five years."
"Double it, treble it. We are talking about hundreds of thousands of people's lives, and not just being alive but enjoying lives."
He is still writing newspaper columns and hopes that by adding his voice to the call for more research, it might make a difference.
"People like me get it and we get others excited and then the media get onto it and then, bingo," Mr Cohen said.
He is urging all Australians to join him in putting pressure on the politicians.
"Drive your local member mad - they didn't mind driving me mad."
Topics: government-and-politics, federal-government, alp, alzheimers-and-dementia, diseases-and-disorders, medical-research, health, canberra-2600, australia
First postedHere is a case study in the downside of the privatized, out-sourced free market systems the GOP tea party is advocating to replace America’s current socialized services:
Imagine your home catches fire but the local fire department won’t respond, then watches it burn. That’s exactly what happened to a local family tonight. A local neighborhood is furious after firefighters watched as an Obion County, Tennessee, home burned to the ground. The homeowner, Gene Cranick, said he offered to pay whatever it would take for firefighters to put out the flames, but was told it was too late. They wouldn’t do anything to stop his house from burning. Each year, Obion County residents must pay $75 if they want fire protection from the city of South Fulton. But the Cranicks did not pay. The mayor said if homeowners don’t pay, they’re out of luck. This fire went on for hours because garden hoses just wouldn’t put it out. It wasn’t until that fire spread to a neighbor’s property, that anyone would respond. Turns out, the neighbor had paid the fee. “I thought they’d come out and put it out, even if you hadn’t paid your $75, but I was wrong,” said Gene Cranick. Because of that, not much is left of Cranick’s house.
The right wing has gotten a lot of mileage out of scarifying the word “socialism” since Pres. Obama was elected. Not because he is a socialist — he’s actually a regulatory capitalist, just like George Bush, Ronald Reagan, Bill, Clinton, Jimmy Carter and every president going back to Teddy Roosevelt, at least — but because they needed a label that would be easy to demonize among their barely literate base and the word “liberal,” which they had turned into smear in the 1980s, no longer worked.
The reality is, socialism is as much a part of the American tradition as mom and apple pie. Socialism, as it is practiced in the United States, refers to government systems in which taxpayers agree to band together to provide a public service. Many of America’s most revered institutions are socialist, including federal programs like public pensions (Social Security), health-care for the elderly (Medicare) and the Interstate highways, among many others, as well as local services like public schools, libraries, hospitals and emergency response — police, rescue, EMT and fire departments.
The driving force in American socialism is enlightened self-interest, meaning that by funding schools, highway construction and emergency response systems collectively for the greater good, individuals and families ultimately benefit.
The alternate credo of American socialism is the free market system being promoted by the GOP tea party, under which services are privatized and outsourced. Under privatized systems, companies charge individuals separately for services like education, road building and maintenance and emergency response.
The downside of an everyone-for-themselves system comes when people don’t pay their share, either because they can’t afford to or refuse to. Ultimately, the community suffers when children go uneducated or their illnesses go untreated — or as happened in Tennessee last week, when fires are allowed to burn out of control in residential areas.
Update: In an interview on MSNBC’s “Countdown” tonight, Cranick told Keith Olbermann that his three dogs died in the house during the fire.A Galveston medical student describes life and death in the so-called safety net.
I have received permission to share my patients’ stories, and changed or omitted |
needs information then help out by checking it up on Google or asking a friend of yours. Or start a blog or a podcast and share what's helped you out in life. Just listening. Sometimes people don’t want any direct help. They just want someone to be there fully and listening as they vent for a little while.
Sometimes people don’t want any direct help. They just want someone to be there fully and listening as they vent for a little while. Boosting the mood. Smile. Give hugs when appropriate. Play uplifting music when hanging out with a friend or suggest an inspiring movie for your movie night. Or encourage when someone has had a bad day or are going through a tough time.
7. Exercise regularly and eat and sleep well.
This is very obvious of course.
But I know the big, big impact a good night’s sleep or good workout can have when my thoughts are pessimistic and I have a lot of tensions on the inside.
And I know how much simpler it is to think clearly and optimistically when my belly is not empty.
So I highly recommend being careful about these basic habits that may sound boring. Because they do have a huge effect either way depending on how you manage them.
8. Learn to take criticism in a healthy way.
One of the most common fears is the fear of criticism. It can hold people back from doing what they want in life. Because having negativity flowing out of someone’s mouth or email and it being about you can hurt. And being rejected can sting quite a bit.
But if you want to take action on what you deep down want then criticism is pretty much unavoidable. So the key is learning to handle it in a healthier way. By doing so your fear of it will lessen and it will hurt less if you do get criticized.
I usually use four steps when I get some criticism. Maybe they can help you out too:
Step 1: Don’t reply right away. When you are angry, upset or riled up then is time to calm down a bit before you reply. Take at least a couple of deep breaths or a little time to process the message before you respond.
When you are angry, upset or riled up then is time to calm down a bit before you reply. Take at least a couple of deep breaths or a little time to process the message before you respond. Step 2: Really listen to the criticism. Try to remain open and level-headed and figure out how this message can help you. Ask yourself: Is there one thing I can learn from this criticism? Is there something here that I may not want to hear but could help me?
Try to remain open and level-headed and figure out how this message can help you. Ask yourself: Is there one thing I can learn from this criticism? Is there something here that I may not want to hear but could help me? Step 3: Remember that the criticism isn’t always about you. Some criticism is helpful. Some is simply attacks or someone lashing out because they are having bad day, year or job. To lessen the sting of such criticism – often really angry or overly critical in an unconstructive way – I try to be understanding. I think to myself that this person might not be feeling so good at the moment.
Some criticism is helpful. Some is simply attacks or someone lashing out because they are having bad day, year or job. To lessen the sting of such criticism – often really angry or overly critical in an unconstructive way – I try to be understanding. I think to myself that this person might not be feeling so good at the moment. Step 4: Reply or let go. No matter the content of for example an email I try to keep my reply level-headed and kind. I may add a question or two to get more specific feedback that is helpful. And if they don’t reply or I have simply gotten a nasty attack then it is time to delete it and to let that situation go.
9. If something still gets under your skin then know what to do.
Sometimes something can still get under your skin and hurt you. Even if you use the steps above.
Two things that have helped me with that challenge are:
Let it out. Just letting that issue out into the light talking it over with someone close can be very helpful to see it for what it actually is. And to find a healthier perspective on the situation.
Just letting that issue out into the light talking it over with someone close can be very helpful to see it for what it actually is. And to find a healthier perspective on the situation. Improve your self-esteem. I have found over the years that with a stronger self-esteem things drag me down less and they don’t ruin my day as much anymore. Negativity from others bounces off me much more often instead. If you want to practical help with this then have a look at my 12-week, step-by-step Self-Esteem Course.
10. Start your day in a positive way.
How you start your day usually sets the tone for the rest of your day.
So be careful about how you spend your mornings. If you get going at full speed, lost in future troubles in your mind then the stress, perceived loss of power of over your life and negative thoughts will ramp up quickly.
If you on the other hand start your day by moving slowly, by having an uplifting conversation with your family or friend or you spend some time with reading or listening to inspiring and helpful articles or podcasts over breakfast or during your bus ride to work then that can make a big difference for how your whole day will go.
11. Mindfully move through your day.
When you spend your time in the present moment then it becomes so much easier to access positive emotions and to stay practical about what you can actually do about something in your life.
When you get lost in the past or future like so many of us have spent a lot of time on doing then worries very easily become bigger. And failures and mistakes from the past being replayed over and over in your mind drag you down into pessimism.
By moving slowly through your morning and hopefully through much of the rest of your day it becomes easier to mindfully stay in the moment you are in.
Another simple way to reconnect with the moment in you are in and to put your full attention there again is to focus just on what is going on around you right now for a minute or two with all your senses. See it. Hear it. Smell it. Feel the sun, rain or cold wind on your skin.
It might sound like a small and insignificant thing to do. But this simplifying reconnection with the moment can have a very positive effect on the rest of your day.
Here’s the next step…
Now, you may think to yourself:
“This is really helpful information. But what’s the easiest way to put this into practice, actually stick with it and stay positive even on tough days?”.
Well, I’ve got something special for you.
A free step-by-step checklist that includes all the steps in this article… plus 3 additional bonus steps. Save it or print it out so you have it for your daily life and for the next time when you get stuck in negative thinking.
Click the image below to download the free checklist:
Image at the start of the article by Sterlic (license).When Salvador Allende, the democratically elected socialist President of Chile, was overthrown by his country’s military—with the awareness, and possible assistance, of the C.I.A.—on September 11, 1973, he committed suicide rather than surrender. By then, Chile’s Air Force had already bombed the Presidential palace, where he had decided to make his last stand. When the smoke cleared, the country’s new leader, the Army commander-in-chief General Augusto Pinochet, told his fellow-countrymen that he had taken the step of removing Allende from office on behalf of the fatherland to save it from Marxist terrorists. “The armed forces of Chile have acted today solely from the patriotic inspiration of saving the country from tremendous chaos into which it was being plunged by the Marxist government of Salvador Allende,” he said. In the days, weeks, and months that followed the coup, thousands of people were hunted down, rounded up, held, tortured, and killed. Their bodies were hidden by, in many cases, secret executioners, all in the name of “freedom” and “the fatherland.”
Three years later, Argentina’s military, taking its cue from Pinochet, overthrew President Isabel Peron and established a junta to oversee a “national reorganization process,” which it asserted was necessary in order to safeguard the country from widening social chaos and Marxist-led “subversion.” But El Proceso, as it was called, soon became known as the “dirty war,” in which Argentina’s military, like Chile’s, used its powers to detain, torture, execute, and disappear anyone it suspected of ideological opposition. Between fifteen and thirty thousand people were killed.
In Chile, Pinochet himself ruled for seventeen years, and, while his rule became a byword for repression around the world, a large percentage of his fellow-citizens acquiesced in the belief that he was all that stood between them and a world of chaos and anarchy. In Argentina, too, many ordinary citizens went along with whatever the military said and did, turning their faces away during the worst of the killing in the belief that it was somehow necessary. In the same period, similar atrocities were being conducted under the guise of combatting Communism in neighboring Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Brazil—and Chile, too—as the ruling militaries coöperated with one another in a secret program called Operation Condor. By the time it was over, tens of thousands of people had died. Throughout, successive U.S. governments either averted their gaze while the killing was done or, in some of the more shameful episodes, actually advised and assisted those doing the killing—all in the name of defending a greater goal, that of Western “freedom,” in the face of the repressive Communist empire in the East led by the Soviet Union. Journalists who questioned what was going on, or who denounced the killings as human-rights violations, were often killed; outsiders were excoriated for their meddling and for their willingness to believe “the lies of the terrorists.”
The Soviet Union is long gone, of course; the Latin-American juntas are also gone, but the region is still dealing with their traumatic legacy. Left-wing politicians have come to power in most of the Condor countries, and military officers who once regarded themselves as patriotic saviors are being tried and sentenced to long prison terms for the atrocities they committed. As the rule of law emerges, people in societies that once acquiesced in terror, and even justified it, are awakening from their slumber.
Today’s Islamists can be yesterday’s Marxists, it seems: killable on behalf of notional constructs of law and order. In Egypt, a self-aggrandizing military that has mostly known defeat in foreign battle, and has served as an instrument of domestic repression, is running the show, two and a half years after acceding to an ostensible “people’s revolution” demand to displace the country’s (or, rather, the military) dictator, Hosni Mubarak. Now, only seven weeks after the military forcibly removed from office the Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Morsi—who was democratically elected a little more than a year ago—Mubarak’s lawyers have said that he has been acquitted of corruption charges and may be released from custody as early as this week.
The generals, meanwhile, are justifying an ever-widening bloody crackdown on the constituents of the former ruling party, the Muslim Brotherhood, by accusing them all of being terrorists. Immediately after last Wednesday’s sickening killing of more than six hundred Egyptians, including many civilian supporters of the ousted Morsi, the Army spokesman, Ahmed Ali, said, “When dealing with terrorism, the consideration of civil and human rights is not applicable.” The Interior Ministry announced that the Army and the police would be allowed to use “live ammunition” to deal with the people who it was anticipated would gather on Cairo’s streets in Friday’s Day of Rage. The protesters, the cabinet added in a separate statement, had committed acts of “terrorism and vandalism.” At least a hundred people died that day, many of them in the Al Fatah mosque, where members of the Muslim Brotherhood had taken refuge, and from which some fired back at the security forces. Many more died on Saturday. So far, three leaders of the party that, until a month ago, was in power have lost family members. On Tuesday, the military announced that it had captured Mohammed Badie, the spiritual guide of the Muslim Brotherhood, and it exhibited him to television cameras like a kind of war trophy, or, perhaps, a member of an actual terrorist organization, like Al Qaeda. Indeed, that was the suggestion, and in response some of Egypt’s media crowed jubilantly over Badie’s arrest.
While Morsi was no Allende, perhaps, he and his political party’s post-coup demonization is a creepily fascinating process to observe; what is astonishing about it is the rapidity with which it is occurring. After Spain’s bloody civil war, in the nineteen-thirties, it took several more years of Francisco Franco’s terror to convert the survivors of the former Republic into “bandits” in the popular imagination. By the fifties, that was the term everyone used.
The no-holds-barred military terror in Egypt, and the language the military is employing to justify it, is reminiscent of the worst of human legacies. These are the sort of statements made not by ordinary armies but by armies that have embraced ideological convictions that make it easy to shoot down people in the streets, even civilians, if you believe that they are with the terrorists—or whatever it is you decide to call them. There are many Egyptians who are going along with the Army’s violence, supporting it with their own paramilitary gangs. And there are members of the Muslim Brotherhood who are obliging by discarding the idea that there is a place for them in electoral politics and embracing violence. Two acts bode ill: Sunday’s suspicious killing of thirty-six protesters detained in a police van, and Monday’s execution murders of twenty-five police cadets in the Sinai peninsula. (For months, there has been an unravelling security situation as armed Islamists, not necessarily linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, grow stronger and launch attacks. Apologists for the military point to the growing lawlessness in the Sinai, bordering Israel, as a reason not to cut their aid; but it is worth noting that most of the lawlessness occurred under that same military’s watch, since it began with Mubarak’s ouster, not before it.)
There is a build-it-and-they-will-come quality to Egypt’s violence, and it is it not hard to see how today’s mayhem could lead not only to a Dirty War but to a full-scale civil war. Stoking up a jihad is not an abstract or elusive thing; there is a jihadist element in Egypt and across the Middle East, not to mention on the fringes of the Muslim Brotherhood, and it will ignite and become combustive, given the right conditions. And this past week Egypt’s military has provided those conditions.
Thus far, U.S. policy on Egypt has been like the greenhorn at a rodeo—just trying to ride the bull and not fall off. But the U.S. is not so new to this. In Latin America, where several generations of venal dictators found themselves coddled by Washington’s warm embrace, the score settling is still going on. In recent years, thanks to the able mentoring of the Castros and the oil-subsidized largesse of the late Hugo Chávez, of Venezuela, anti-American political regimes have taken root in half a dozen countries across the hemisphere. American acquiescence to Latin dictators, in other words, got us through the Cold War, but as a high, and enduring, cost. It’s not for nothing that Edward Snowden asked Venezuela and Nicaragua for asylum.
For a time, it was possible to forgive the Obama White House its indecision, its tepid wait-for-a rational-response approach in volatile post-Mubarak Egypt. But it is not good enough to cancel the joint U.S.-Egyptian Bright Star military maneuvers that were scheduled for September, and to leave in place $1.3 billion in annual military aid to the regime (almost half of which has yet to be delivered this year), while withdrawing about a quarter of a billion dollars in economic aid. If the Egyptian military’s violence against its own citizens is unacceptable, President Obama has no choice but to take the only moral action that remains available to him: cut military aid to Egypt entirely. This will not “save” Egypt, but neither will Egypt’s military. If the U.S. has any leverage left, it might be best applied to the real financial patrons of General Sisi, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the U.A.E. Or have we now truly entered—or returned to—the age of Kissingerian realpolitik, and actually want the military there to crack down hard and forever, without any pretenses? If we have lost the moral cue cards, we can just watch Syria. That’s real politics. But, as the U.S., we must make it clear what we are doing, and why. We cannot pay for the bullets and then sigh over the victims they kill.
Photograph Stringer/AFP/GettyBy Dreamer IX at Friday, June 27, 2014 9:49:00 AM
If you ever want to incite a violent argument between nerds, ask whether Star Wars or Star Trek is the better universe. To create a similarly passionate fight to the death amongst the gaming community, ask whether Dota 2 or League of Legends is the better game. Sit down, grab a substantially large bowl of popcorn and watch phrases such as “casual pleb game” and “broken and unbalanced” get thrown around dripping with contempt and unveiled superiority.
Whilst the differences between these two communities will probably never be resolved or handled in a civil manner, I’m taking quite a risk to compare these two games in a way that is rarely spoken about. Shoutcasting. As eSports continues in its pursuit of legitimacy, it’s important to take a step back and look to see if we’re heading in the right direction. Which leads me to make the dangerous decision of comparing shoutcasting standards between Dota 2 and LoL. Informal versus formal. Free spirited versus controlled.
Riot Games and shoutcasting
Riot hires its shoutcasters for its two leagues in America and Europe, namely NA LCS and EU LCS. Thus shoutcasters are full time Riot employees and as such are bound by company rules. Shoutcasters go through training, there are rehearsals before match day and a dress code of smart casual is evident, all of which creates a strictly professional environment in which casting happens.
Casting itself also seems to have rules, with casters not swearing (minus the occasional slip which is promptly ignored) and casters are also reluctant to ever criticise Riot in any way, much to the chagrin of viewers in recent times. Any known bugs in games, or bad management decisions by Riot are glossed over or not even mentioned. In short, Riot runs a tight ship in the shoutcasting department and preparation is paramount in their approach.
Exclusivity is another key aspect of shoutcasting in LoL. No one other than Riot can stream their league games, thus you have to watch Riot’s official streams (either on Twitch, Azubu or YouTube) to watch games. This means only their casters can cast games, further increasing the control Riot has on pro games in Europe and America.
This format is similarly followed in other countries such as Korea and China, who both have their own domestic leagues, although I am admittedly not entirely sure of just how similarly things are run in China, so I stand corrected on that.
Dota 2 and shoutcasting
The competitive landscape in Dota 2 is vastly different to LoL. Tournaments are all run independently of Valve, save for the The Internationals of course. Even then, for the qualifiers, anyone was able to stream the games, allowing various casting teams to cast the games.
Compared to LoL, Dota 2 has a much more lax standard when it comes to shoutcasting. Pro players who are not playing the match are sometimes brought in to cast, adding their knowledge to the games. Casters are dressed in a much more casual way. Casting styles are also a lot more varied, unlike LoL’s formula of paring a colour caster with a play-by-play caster.
What is better for eSports?
Now I know I’m going to rustle jimmies for saying this, but objectively speaking, Riot Games has the superior production by a long mile. The tradeoff for this quality is the high level of control that has all but killed tournaments that aren’t sanctioned by Riot. Pro players playing in Riot’s leagues are not allowed to play in other competitions without Riot’s permission.
Dota 2 on the other hand, thrives on having a wide variety of tournaments with teams getting to play whenever they want. International competitions are significantly more prominent in Dota 2 than LoL because of the lack of regulation and rules. The question is though, which environment is more beneficial for eSports overall?
If eSports is gunning for mainstream acceptance and legitimacy, I think it is important that professionalism is encouraged and a higher standard is expected from shoutcasters. Sure it’s great watching casters having fun and not taking things too seriously, but for new viewers who often have no clue about how the game works, the casters have a duty to make them feel comfortable and teach them about the game.
Legitimacy means getting rid of some things because of expectations. You can’t expect people to take eSports seriously if your casters are wearing hoodies. Whilst many will depict Riot’s control over their scene as tyrannical and unhealthy for eSports, I think it is quite the opposite. Control means uniform quality and that is a trait that will take LoL far in the dream for mainstream acceptance.
Having said that, I do think a higher industry standard can be set without one company having to control everything. Dota 2 can have all its independent tournaments, but I think everyone needs to get on board the idea that professionalism is crucial to long term success. How long that’ll take with everyone doing their own thing is an important question. Too long in my opinion.
What are your thoughts? Do you think Dota 2 can achieve just as much success without having to ‘grow up’? Can eSports stay fun and still gain legitimacy? Let me know.
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Other News from Around the 'Net:MEMPHIS, Tenn. (JTA) — The thick scent of a peppery rub wafted through the Margolin Hebrew Academy and Corky the Pig embroidered his chef’s hat with a K and became a cow.
Just before Purim, the famed Memphis barbecue joint Corky’s, with a hog for its mascot, koshered one of its smokers for a brisket fundraiser on behalf of the city’s Orthodox Jewish day school. Organizers explained that the unusual marriage of brachas and BBQ was a product of a parlous economy, a small school in need of refurbishing with a limited fundraising base and the laid-back traditions of a “Shalom y’all” Southern Jewish way of living.
“We need to find any revenue we can,” said Rabbi Gil Perl, the school’s dean. “We asked ourselves, ‘Do we have a product here valuable enough for a large market nationally?’ ”
In Memphis, one answer to the question was barbecue, and one of the best answers was Corky’s, a top-rated eatery with three branches in the city.
In a town known for offering the best in barbecue, Corky’s is routinely cited in national best-of lists. It also happens to be owned by the Pelts family, which is active in the local Jewish community.
Andy Woodman, the son-in-law of founder Don Pelts, now runs the restaurants with brother-in-law Barry Pelts. Woodman sent his kids to Margolin.
The problem, as anyone scanning the Corky’s menu would see, is that the preferred flesh among Memphis barbecue aficionados is of the porcine variety. You’ve got your smoked sausage and cheese plate, which Corky’s waitstaff eagerly offers as the preferred opener. You’ve got your pulled pork salad. You’ve got your pork ribs, regular and large — opt for the latter and you can sample half a rack dry, half a rack wet.
And in case you missed the point, atop the menu, grinning from under a chef’s hat, is Corky himself, a pig. (Legend has it that Don Pelts was an unreconstructed fan of the 1980s film “Porky’s.”)
Dena Wruble, the Margolin parent who came up with the Corky’s idea, was undaunted by the prevalence of pig on the menu. Sometime in the 2000s, she recalled, Don Pelts purchased a new smoker and before its inaugural use on a pig, lent it to the school for a brisket barbecue. Perhaps that could be replicated?
A new smokers can cost $10,000 — that wasn’t in the offing. Woodman had another idea: Kosher a smoker already in use and donate it to the school permanently. Woodman committed the koshering to film.
“Next time you’re in town, you’ll have to see it, it’s pretty funny,” he said in a phone interview. “We lit it up with Sterno and put wood in the chamber. We had to get it up to 700 degrees. It almost melted. The racks did melt. We had to buy a new set of racks.”
The smoker ready, the parents committee set about seeking kosher brisket. They exhausted a supply in St. Louis and had to call Atlanta for more. For sales, they put out the word through social media; orders came in from as far afield as Los Angeles, New Jersey and Toronto. One buyer made inquiries about how best to pack the meat for an Israel trip.
The smoking and preparation took place on campus, with Corky’s staff in place. Perl recalled the nonplussed reaction of the religion reporter for the Memphis Commercial Appeal, who arrived on campus to cover an unrelated story and saw a truck plastered with a big smiling pig.
“I almost felt bad having that in my driveway,” Perl said. “Almost.”
In honor of the occasion, Woodman converted the Corky figure to a cow and plastered a K on his chef’s hat. No one batted an eye, Woodman and Perl said; Memphians are easygoing folk, including the 8,000 Jews among them.
“I know, it’s funny, a Jewish family owns a pork barbecue place,” he said. “But everyone has always been extremely welcoming.”
In any case, the kosher cow is familiar to Memphis Jews from the occasional Jewish event catered by the family-owned business.
“Some of the promotions also had a line through the pig,” Woodman said. The restaurant’s prize-winning sauce is certified kosher.
Perl said replicating Corky’s pork-smoking techniques on brisket fit into a longstanding tradition.
“We Jews have learned how to imitate every other part of [secular] life, so why not this, too?” he asked.
In the end, the enterprise brought in $100,000 in revenue, netting $20,000 for the school’s sorely needed rehab.
“Someone came in during the smoking,” Perl recalled. “He said, ‘Your school doesn’t look too good, but it sure smells good.’ ”Print
Actions Print Author Topic: New Game Modes - A Fans Wish List Part 1 (Read 1798 times) Cattra Kell Podcast Host
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Extra info Extra info New Game Modes - A Fans Wish List Part 1 [Disclaimer: I work for NGNG and while I have never done any contract work with PGI, I have helped my co-workers who work contracts for PGI in the past, present, and likely I will also continue to help them in the future.]
There has been many posts made by many people with wish lists of features they would like to see PGI implement into the game. I also feel like writing one of these wish lists of features and changes I would like to see hopefully implemented into MWO at some point in the future.
First though – lets get one thing out of the way. I am not going to make a list of'mechs that I would like to see in the game. I know we would all like to see the Warhammer, Marauder, or [Mech of your choice here] but with over 50 mechs in the game already and over 200 different variants I think that it would be safe to say that another dream mechpack is not something that I would really like to see or need at the moment. Besides I already got all the 'MechPaks I need.
New Game Modes - A Fans Wish List Part 1
One of the first things I would like to see are some new game modes. For the longest time in the pug queue we have had Assault, Conquest and Skirmish. With the introduction of the long awaited Community Warfare we also got Invasion and Counter Attack. There are promises of a scouting game mode for community warfare which involves small groups of players – aside from the information that the scouting game mode will involve small groups of players we actually don't know anything else about how the new game mode will function. Hopefully information about the scouting game mode will come out soon.
I would love to see some new game modes in MWO to support a variety of group sizes. From the lone Pugstar hero to full company sized games I think that having a few more game modes would be a great addition to MWO. For the longest time the pug queue has had three game modes, and all three modes are all more or less variations of one another already. Skirmish is just Assault without the base to cap, and Conquest is just Assault with a few more bases that you can tug of war over. What I am suggesting for new game modes might not be anything new or innovative but at least it would be something new to play around with add a bit more variety to the game. I also am limiting myself to only one game mode for community warfare and one for public queue, because I know that if given the time and the space I could probably write paragraphs of endless gibberish and game mode suggestions.
My first suggestion for a new game mode would very easily become my favorite one to play, an 8 man free for all deathmatch mode. I also understand that it would also require a bit of work due to the fact that I could easily see a map or two needed to support the mode. I also know that my suggestion of a deathmatch mode probably will bring a groan from a lot of you reading this considering the main criticism of MWO that isn't about monetization is about how the game is one giant team deathmatch.
One of the questions that keeps getting brought up during the Town Halls is the inclusion of Solaris VII. We know that the answer given about this is that they would like to do it but sadly it would take a long while to make. I would imagine that including a free for all deathmatch mode would be a good compromise until Solaris VII gets past the drafting stages.
The reason that I suggest that deathmatch mode is restricted to only 8 people is so that the work the matchmaker would have to do be limited as much as possible. This is also assuming that the free for all mode would work much like a solo pug drop which solos are only matched with solos. The real question that I wonder about though is if the free for all matchmaker should be limited by weight or a true bring-what-you-are-best-in brawl. Perhaps bracketed matchmaking, grouping lights and mediums only and heavies and assaults only, would be the ideal way to handle the situation. The reason I even suggest limiting weight is that it doesn't take a Comstar technician to perhaps see that heavies and assaults would easily overtake most of the matches and this could easily reduce the amount of fun a person who enjoys light or mediums mechs. I know I personally would be pissed if I took a Hunchback and was only met with Dire Wolves.
On top of this I suggest that the mode would have a new map – weighted 100% in that mode only. Something that is a simple and small to medium size circle or octagon which would be relatively flat and with a little bit of cover. A typical arena style map.
New Game Modes - A Fans Wish List Part 1 My ideal FFA map.
The second game type I am suggesting is one for community warfare. One which might utilize the continuous drops a bit more then wave combat but also at the same time requires movement. My suggestion would be a king of the hill mission type with moving points. What I mean is think of a conquest style game mode with three points on a map in different locations. Only one point will be active at a time. This means that the team which enters into the point, and holds it long enough to cap it, starts to earn points. Every two or three minutes the cap location will then change to one of the other points – forcing the teams to move around the map and also hopefully forcing inopportune fights in different places of the map. The team with the most points scored by the end of the match, or first team to destroy the enemy team wins.
I am sure that most of the current CW maps could support this game mode if implemented and that no new maps would need to be created in order for it to work properly. I am not saying that the new game mode alone would increase community warfare activity because the problems with Community warfare at the moment is more of a incentive problem over a content problem. That said I do think that another game mode would be interesting to have for community warfare. I also think it would be an interesting game mode for competitive MWO, if/when the community warfare game types become available for private lobbies.
As I stated earlier I could probably ramble and write for hours about game modes I would like to see or that I think would be fun in MWO, but really I just want to get a discussion started again about what game modes people would like to play. I hope you join me next time in the second part of my list of things I would like to see. Next time I try to tackle community warfare and the features I would like to see in CW. There has been many posts made by many people with wish lists of features they would like to see PGI implement into the game. I also feel like writing one of these wish lists of features and changes I would like to see hopefully implemented into MWO at some point in the future.First though – lets get one thing out of the way. I am not going to make a list of'mechs that I would like to see in the game. I know we would all like to see the Warhammer, Marauder, or [Mech of your choice here] but with over 50 mechs in the game already and over 200 different variants I think that it would be safe to say that another dream mechpack is not something that I would really like to see or need at the moment. Besides I already got all the 'MechPaks I need.One of the first things I would like to see are some new game modes. For the longest time in the pug queue we have had Assault, Conquest and Skirmish. With the introduction of the long awaited Community Warfare we also got Invasion and Counter Attack. There are promises of a scouting game mode for community warfare which involves small groups of players – aside from the information that the scouting game mode will involve small groups of players we actually don't know anything else about how the new game mode will function. Hopefully information about the scouting game mode will come out soon.I would love to see some new game modes in MWO to support a variety of group sizes. From the lone Pugstar hero to full company sized games I think that having a few more game modes would be a great addition to MWO. For the longest time the pug queue has had three game modes, and all three modes are all more or less variations of one another already. Skirmish is just Assault without the base to cap, and Conquest is just Assault with a few more bases that you can tug of war over. What I am suggesting for new game modes might not be anything new or innovative but at least it would be something new to play around with add a bit more variety to the game. I also am limiting myself to only one game mode for community warfare and one for public queue, because I know that if given the time and the space I could probably write paragraphs of endless gibberish and game mode suggestions.My first suggestion for a new game mode would very easily become my favorite one to play, an 8 man free for all deathmatch mode. I also understand that it would also require a bit of work due to the fact that I could easily see a map or two needed to support the mode. I also know that my suggestion of a deathmatch mode probably will bring a groan from a lot of you reading this considering the main criticism of MWO that isn't about monetization is about how the game is one giant team deathmatch.One of the questions that keeps getting brought up during the Town Halls is the inclusion of Solaris VII. We know that the answer given about this is that they would like to do it but sadly it would take a long while to make. I would imagine that including a free for all deathmatch mode would be a good compromise until Solaris VII gets past the drafting stages.The reason that I suggest that deathmatch mode is restricted to only 8 people is so that the work the matchmaker would have to do be limited as much as possible. This is also assuming that the free for all mode would work much like a solo pug drop which solos are only matched with solos. The real question that I wonder about though is if the free for all matchmaker should be limited by weight or a true bring-what-you-are-best-in brawl. Perhaps bracketed matchmaking, grouping lights and mediums only and heavies and assaults only, would be the ideal way to handle the situation. The reason I even suggest limiting weight is that it doesn't take a Comstar technician to perhaps see that heavies and assaults would easily overtake most of the matches and this could easily reduce the amount of fun a person who enjoys light or mediums mechs. I know I personally would be pissed if I took a Hunchback and was only met with Dire Wolves.On top of this I suggest that the mode would have a new map – weighted 100% in that mode only. Something that is a simple and small to medium size circle or octagon which would be relatively flat and with a little bit of cover. A typical arena style map.The second game type I am suggesting is one for community warfare. One which might utilize the continuous drops a bit more then wave combat but also at the same time requires movement. My suggestion would be a king of the hill mission type with moving points. What I mean is think of a conquest style game mode with three points on a map in different locations. Only one point will be active at a time. This means that the team which enters into the point, |
, no time limit, and no tutorial. Instead, Hohokum is simply about the beauty of exploring.
Exit Theatre Mode
"The game's very hard to describe, because it's very non-linear. There's no penalties, you can't die. It's very much about exploration,” producer Zach Wood told IGN. “It's divided into worlds, and every world has a cast of characters. There's an overarching goal of every world, but the way the game is structured it's not set up so there's a linear progression. The entire game is open when you first play the game. It's all there to just explore and have fun with, so even though there are clear game-type goals for every world, it's not presented as if that's the only thing. It's sort of meant to be a game that is fun to be in and interact with.”
“ The game's very hard to describe, because it's very non-linear. There's no penalties, you can't die. It's very much about exploration.
Twisting and turning through Hohokum’s world as a snake the team is currently referring to as the Long Mover, you’ll encounter beautiful and varied worlds with unique and ever-changing aesthetics. Sony has also partnered with indie electronic label Ghostly International Records for the game’s soundtrack, which features original music from Ghostly’s roster that ties in with gameplay.
We had a chance to play Hohokum on PlayStation 4, trying out its exploration for ourselves. While your path flying through Hohokum is mostly abstract, players do have a wide range of control over the Long Mover as they explore. The Circle and X buttons can be used to slow down or speed up your movement, and triggers will cause the snake to wiggle, allowing players to get an additional boost. The Long Mover also changes color based upon the direction you're facing, and the DualShock 4's light bar changes to match.
In an area called Lamp Lighting, we flew past beautiful silhouettes, activating lights as we went. With each light that turned on, a new layer of music came in, building as we continued to fly through the world. To access each new area, players also have to fly through and activate a series of color-changing circles, each of which plays its own music note. Completing the circle opens a portal that allows players to travel to the next world.
"It definitely has game structure, and every world has a very clear goal, a primary goal,” Wood explained. “There are secondary and tertiary activities in every world, but it's just not presented as you come into an environment like 'here's what you do.' They're using a lot of visual and audio cues to explain the game’s language."
Another area we saw brought us underwater, swimming past pods that were only visible as we came in contact with them and collecting fish that swam alongside us. We found an adorable pink character in need of rescue, but also encountered a huge anchor fish that scared her off and prevented us from escorting her to the area’s exit. Eventually, the level had us find some fish who could eat rusty food and attack the anchor, causing it to rust into place and allowing us to pass, rewarding us with a short cutscene.
“There isn’t really a story, but there’s definitely kind of a character mythology that we’ll be expanding upon,” Wood told us.
While we didn’t get a chance to try out Hohokum on PS3, a Vita version on the show floor looked as gorgeous as PlayStation 4, with the OLED screen causing the game’s colors to pop in a way reminiscent of Sound Shapes. All three versions are due out in 2014, and you can expect more impressions on IGN leading up to their release.
Until then, find a few more details about Hohokum in the game’s original announcement.
Andrew Goldfarb is IGN’s news editor. Keep up with pictures of the latest food he’s been eating by following @garfep on Twitter or garfep on IGN.I completed Edward Glaeser’s 2011 book entitled, Triumph of the City this past weekend. While this book contains a number of useful and noteworthy snippets about the economic importance of cities, especially in the first two-thirds of the text. Sadly though the author leaves out a definitive action plan or useful recommendations in his conclusion. Furthermore, like all too many books, it takes more swipes than are necessary at Detroit and other Rust Belt cities. Come on – tell me something I don’t know. Just once it would be nice to see an author examine the troubled economically cities of the Sunbelt – yes, there are some.
Perhaps it is easy for economists to get lost in the statistics. Plus, the book seems to be more of a cerebral essay on the economic benefits of cities rather than an empathetic call to action. That is all well and good for certain readers, but overly intellectual prose without empathy and/or a viable action plan does little to inspire or motivate. For example, no matter how much of a case you make for life being better for the poor in cities than in rural areas, it does nothing to reduce the pain and suffering millions face. The longer term economic opportunities may be there, but that hardly lessens the daily misery in the shorter term.
Here are a few key points made in the book:
“While the unremitting poverty of Detroit and cities like it clearly reflects urban distress, not all urban poverty is bad.” (page 9)
(page 9) “Human capital, far more than physical infrastructure, explains why cities succeed.” (page 27)
(page 27) “The tendency to think a city can build itself out of decline is an example of the edifice error, the tendency to think that abundant new building leads to urban success.” (page 62)
(page 62) “Poor rural villages can seem like a window into the distant past, where little has changed for millennia. Cities are dynamic whirlwinds, constantly changing, bringing fortunes to some and suffering to others. A city might bring a bullet, but it also offers a chance of a richer, healthier, brighter life that can come from connecting with the planet.” (page 75)
(page 75) “While limits on California’s growth may make that state seem greener, they’re making the country as a whole browner and increasing carbon emissions worldwide. Houston’s developers should thank California’s antigrowth movement. If they hadn’t stopped building in coastal California, where incomes are high and the climate sublime, then there wouldn’t have been nearly as much demand for living in the less pleasant pasts of the Sunbelt” (page 212)
All in all, I believe Triumph of the City is a worthwhile read and it makes some good points. However, to this reader, the book needed more motivational “economic empathy” with definitive recommendations to really grasp your heart and mind in a convincing manner. Otherwise, what’s the point of raising the issues in the first place?
AdvertisementsMaybe Kahn was thinking about Philip Johnson’s memorial to John F. Kennedy in Dallas, another roofless room, which was dedicated in 1970. (Kahn didn’t see eye to eye with Johnson, but that doesn’t mean he always ignored him.) The symmetrical layout and extended vista also calls to mind the plaza at Kahn’s Salk Institute for Biological Studies in San Diego and various pioneering examples of landscape sculpture in the American West by contemporaneous artists like Walter De Maria, Donald Judd and Michael Heizer.
Kahn once described “the endlessly changing qualities of natural light, in which a room is a different room every second of the day.” In the park’s room he chose to leave inch-wide gaps between the 36-ton granite blocks, polishing only the sides of the stones inside the gaps to create shiny, reflective slits that amplify narrow views through them.
It’s a stroke of genius. The blocks seem to flatten when you’re peering through the gaps, a perhaps accidental Alice-in-Wonderland effect that nonetheless derives from the heightened awareness a visitor feels, as one does at some of those land-art sites, of the endlessly shifting relationship between nature and artifice.
This becomes Kahn’s only work in New York City. Mitchell/Giurgola Architects, the New York firm, and the F. J. Sciame Construction Company, with Weidlinger Associates and Langan Engineering, executed the project, with some tweaks. Lighting was added to the widened tree-lined paths, the layout of trees slightly altered, a bust of Roosevelt by Jo Davidson inserted in a free-standing wall where Kahn had squiggled only some indefinite shape in his drawings. And the whole site has been raised 15 inches to accommodate climate change. (The Army Corps of Engineers says the East River has risen nearly five inches since the early 1970s.)
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Questions about the integrity of posthumous construction — whether this is still Kahn’s design and not a pastiche — are understandable and stem partly from a history of lamentable buildings after plans by other visionary architects, like Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier.
But here the outcome speaks for itself. Kahn prescribed the size, placement, polish and crisp cut of the enormous granite blocks and parapets (from a quarry in North Carolina), which, like the ancient Egyptian stones at Giza, lend to the site a military dignity and rhythm. He chose copper beech trees for the entrance. He devised the sloping paths that hug the water and meet the plaza at the foot of the lawn. In the important ways this is Kahn’s park.
It opens on Oct. 24. Much of the credit belongs to William J. vanden Heuvel, a former United States ambassador. His mother ran a boardinghouse and his father was a factory worker, both of them Roosevelt-loving immigrants who settled in Rochester. He galvanized support and helped raise $53 million for the project; donations included $10 million from Alphawood, a foundation controlled by the Chicago businessman and leading Democratic donor Fred Eychaner. A conservancy will maintain what is expected to become a state park.
Mayor John V. Lindsay and Edward J. Logue, who was Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller’s urban development czar, had originally envisioned the park, honoring Roosevelt and his speech, in tandem with a new town and the renaming of what was still called Welfare Island. The town rose, the name changed. But the city’s financial meltdown in the 1970s and the departure of Rockefeller for Washington as vice president delayed the park.
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Opening now, all these years later in a remade city, the place requires an effort to visit because the island isn’t extensively served by mass transit, but the pilgrimage goes along with the site’s gravity. The uncanny calm it inspires amid the city din is as touching as the care and devotion its construction workers clearly brought to a project that included lugging, like Gothic church builders in the Middle Ages, the giant stones from barges.
Preserving the site will be a challenge. The park is pristine to a fault. Policing graffiti artists and skateboarders must be weighed against the park’s freedom theme.
The sober ruin of an adjacent 19th-century smallpox hospital, designed by James Renwick Jr., architect of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, is to become the park’s entry pavilion, where visitors can be sensitized to the fragility of the stone; and maybe just as useful would be to adopt the green space on the opposite side of the ruin as a playground to give skateboarders an alternative to the memorial. If the rest of the island wants to rise to Kahn’s challenge, it will also need a better master plan for the Cornell campus. The suburban-style office park, under review now — soulless, rigid and without thoughtful public space — isn’t nearly good enough.
The new Four Freedoms Park is a lot to live up to.CLOSE Personal Technology columnist Ed Baig gets a first look at HP's new Sprout computer, which pushes the bounds of traditional computing.
HP Sprout computer at work. (Photo: HP)
NEW YORK — The Hewlett-Packard Sprout computer that I've been evaluating passed one critical early test: My wife, Janie, who suffice to say doesn't always embrace new technology with the enthusiasm of her husband, thought it was very cool.
I think so, too. Sprout is potentially the most exciting change to come to desktop computing in a very long time.
But I must emphasize "potentially." This is not a machine you should necessarily run out and buy just yet, unless you're willing to fork over $1,899.99 and put up with buggy behavior. There's a small learning curve, too.
Indeed, this unique Windows 8.1 desktop computer — HP is reluctant to even call it a PC — feels much like the version 1.0 product that it is. That's disappointing, because HP's immersive "Blended Reality" vision for Sprout is intriguing. The main idea is that you can go back and forth between the physical and digital worlds. It's a vision that will eventually also tie into 3-D printing. Though aimed at consumers, business people can collaborate virtually in real time using Sprout with HP MyRoom, a feature still in beta that I had demonstrated to me but did not test.
Sprout needs to be seen to be best understood. It is now on sale at B&H and select Best Buy and Microsoft stores. It has two multi-touch displays, plus an overhanging armature called Sprout Illuminator, which combines a scanner, depth sensor, high-resolution camera and DLP projector.
One of the screens is a 23-inch, high-definition touch-screen monitor built into an all-in-one computer, the kind of Full HD display you might see on any Windows PC. The atypical second display is a flexible 20-inch touch mat, which lies flat in front of the computer and can double as a large mouse pad, though that's not its main purpose. It always lies perfectly because it docks magnetically into the monitor.
Flexible circuits are embedded inside the mat enabling it to become a complementary workspace that you can manipulate with gestures, a stylus or a virtual keyboard. Controls on the dock let you project the virtual keyboard, summon the Sprout Workspace and turn the touch input on the mat on or off. HP says the mat can survive the inevitable spills — I didn't intentionally spill liquids to test it.
When you place a physical object on the mat — a TV remote control, an egg, scissors, eyeglasses, a container of Altoids, even a woman's hand in my tests — the Illuminator can produce a 2-D digital representation of the object, which you can then store on your computer until you need it for a creative project. At that point you can literally "flick" the object off the main monitor and back onto the mat, which is really cool. You can manipulate digital objects on either screen.
HP Sprout has two display: a monitor and touchmat. (Photo: HP)
You can also capture a 3-D representation of various objects, but the feature is also still in beta and at this stage not very useful, at least with the objects I tried.
Naturally, you can use Sprout to scan conventional documents, too.
My unit was loaded with seven apps. In the kids-oriented Color, Draw & Sing from Crayola you get to choose a virtual crayon from a crayon wheel on the main computer monitor and then "paint" a drawing on the mat with your finger.
In the Piano Time app, one of my favorites, the notes you're meant to play for a given song appear on the monitor; on the touch mat is the actual virtual multi-touch piano that you play with your fingers.
I also enjoyed HP Spruzzle, in which photographs are randomly sliced into different size pieces or tiles that you have to drag into place (on the mat) to solve a puzzle.
Among the other apps are Martha Stewart's Craft Studio for producing invitations, greeting cards or thank-you notes. There's also StoryProducer from DreamWorks, in which you get to direct scenes from How to Train Your Dragon 2. HP hopes to make more apps available in the Sprout Marketplace, but the initial selection is slim.
On the hardware side, Sprout comes with a conventional physical wireless keyboard and mouse. The system is configured with a fourth-generation Intel Core i7 processor, Nvidia GeForce graphics, 8GB of memory, and 1 terabyte of storage. Separate from Sprout Illuminator is a 1-megapixel webcam. There's a full complement of ports.
Alas, there are also those bugs. I'm already on a second test unit because the first one HP supplied failed the very afternoon that I got it, apparently a busted hard drive.
That's not exactly a great sign, though HP claims my experience was an aberration. But I encountered snags with the replacement computer, as well, though not as severe. One time, I couldn't summon the virtual keyboard until rebooting. On another occasion, I couldn't move images from the monitor to the mat. Meanwhile, a 3-D scan error came with the following less-than-illuminating message: "The pipe is being closed (232.Oxe8)." Ugh. The latter is a known issue that is being addressed in an upcoming software update.
Sprout is cool and promising — I know because my spouse agrees. But it could be more intuitive in spots and less buggy. It has some growing up to do.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Sprout by HP
$1,899.99, www.hp.com
Pro. Cool, innovative and unique. Immersive dual screen setup blends physical with digital.
Con. Buggy and pricey.
Email: ebaig@usatoday.com; Follow @edbaig onTwitter.
Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1thcT51Massachusetts and New Hampshire governors Deval Patrick and Maggie Hassan worked late on Sunday to broker a Market Basket deal between the warring Demoulas family factions. The move may help bring to a close the standoff between Arthur T. Demoulas and the company’s board of directors led by his cousin and long-time rival Arthur S. Demoulas.
The Boston Globe reports:
“The parties have made real progress on the terms of the sale and operating control of the company, and the governors are encouraged that a resolution may be within reach,’’ Heather Nichols, a spokeswoman for Patrick, said in a statement. The negotiations included the two feuding cousins at the center of the dispute, Arthur T. and Arthur S. Demoulas, as well as board chairman Keith Cowan, and Tina Albright, representing one of the shareholders, according to the statement. Neither Arthur S. nor Arthur T. offered a comment on the status of the negotiations.
Meanwhile, the company’s board of directors is scheduled to meet Monday. The Boston Globe reported the meeting was happening in its story on the governors’ involvement, and a Market Basket spokesperson told Boston.com that co-CEOs Felicia Thornton and James Gooch were in attendance. No further details about the meeting were immediately offered.
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Shortly after 1 p.m. Monday, WGBH’s Anne Mostue reported that a board member told her the meeting was over. He declined further comment.
Breaking: just found #MarketBasket board member J. Terence Carleton leaving Pru. Says "meeting is over" and refused further comment. — Anne Mostue (@AnneMostue) August 18, 2014
Carleton is one of the representatives on the board for Arthur T.’s side of the family.
Arthur T. and his side of the family, who own 49.5 percent of Market Basket, are trying to buy out the remaning shares of the company, which are owned by Arthur S.’s side. The negotiations have come against a backdrop featuring protesting workers and boycotting customers who decry the June 23 firing of Arthur T. as CEO. Tensions between workers and Market Basket’s current board-appointed CEOs Felicia Thornton and James Gooch have heightened as negotiations between the two Demoulas sides have dragged on for weeks.
Patrick first dipped is pinky toe into the swamp that is the Market Basket standoff on August 8, saying he was available to try and help the two Arthurs reach a resolution. The following week, he dipped his big toe in, urging employees to return to work as negotiations continued. By working directly with the parties, the governor has effectively dived in to the gripping business dispute.
Patrick’s hesitance to speak prior to August 8, as well as his urging of employees to return to their posts without their demand—Arthur T. back in charge—already met, has touched off criticism among protesters. They especially note that his wife, Diane Patrick, works for a law firm that works with the independent members of the Market Basket board of directors, who are said to side with Arthur S. Patrick has said those ties would not play a role in how he approached the dispute.
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Hassan first voiced support for Market Basket employees, and urged the company’s leadership to listen to their concerns, on July 21, three days after many Market Basket warehouse and office workers walked off the job.
Both sides of the Demoulas family have indicated the price of a deal is not at issue, but that terms by which to finance it have slowed negotiations.
Click here to read the full Boston Globe story.
Check out more Boston.com coverage of the Market Basket saga.
An earlier version of this article misstated the employer of WGBH reporter Anne Mostue. We regret the error.Crossing the bridge noodles Traditional Chinese 過橋米線 Simplified Chinese 过桥米线 Literal meaning Cross bridge rice noodles Hanyu Pinyin guòqiáo mĭxiàn
Crossing-the-bridge noodles is a rice noodle soup from Yunnan province, China. It is one of the most well-known dishes in Yunnan cuisine.
Description [ edit ]
The dish is served with a large bowl of boiling hot broth and the soup ingredients. These ingredients are separated. The soup ingredients are served on a cutting board or plate and include raw vegetables and lightly cooked meats. Common ingredients include thin slices of turkey, chunks of chicken, chicken skin, strips of bean curd sheets, chives, sprouts and rice noodles. Once added into the broth, it cooks quickly with a layer of melted chicken fat and oil glistening on top. The soup takes a few minutes to cook, and it is then spooned out into small bowls. Jim Thurman of LA Weekly writes that "with the rice noodles and fresh chicken, it's reminiscent of an extremely subtle version of Vietnamese pho ga [chicken pho]. Which shouldn't surprise anyone, as Yunnan shares a border with Vietnam."[1]
Claims of name origin [ edit ]
One story that has gained traction[1] begins with a scholar who was studying hard for his imperial exams on a small island. His wife, who would bring him food, found that by the time she had crossed the bridge to the island the soup would be cold and the noodles were soggy. She then decided to load a large earthen pot with boiling broth with a layer of oil on top that would act as insulation and keep the broth warm. The noodles and other ingredients were kept in separate container, and when she arrived, she mixed the two containers together for a warm soup.
Another claim regarding the origin of the name comes from the way the ingredients are transferred between containers. The process is similar to crossing a bridge between bowls, and hence it is called "crossing-the-bridge" noodles.[citation needed]
There are reportedly many other variations on the origin of the name.[citation needed]
Varieties [ edit ]
The main ingredient of the noodles is rice. Rice vermicelli production differs in different regions. In Kunming, Yunnan, there are two varieties: "dry paste" or "sour paste". The production process differs depending on individual preferences and tastes. "Sour paste", as the name suggests, tastes a little sour, but is characterized by a relatively thick and soft rice noodle. The "dry paste" does not have the sourness of the sour paste, and the noodle is relatively thin and more rigid. Older people in Kunming think the "sour paste" noodles are more authentic.[citation needed] Most people in Yunnan think the Kunming noodle does not satisfy their taste buds, and generally believe Mengzi County and Jianshui County makes better noodles.[citation needed]
Now, as people's tastes change, all kinds of noodle varieties are flooding onto the market. Kunming people now do not necessarily pick a "dry paste" or "sour paste." At present, people prefer the more efficient, slippery "water-washed rice noodle" and "purple rice noodle", one that is mixed with purple rice.[citation needed]
Status [ edit ]
The development of Crossing the Bridge Noodles has changed people's eating habits over the years, especially breakfasts.[citation needed] Generally in street markets, the hot fresh rice noodle is put into a bowl of boiling water for about half a minute and then colored sauce is added to the bowl. This is known as the "hat" of the sauce. Crossing the Bridge Noodles served in markets in the morning are usually completed in one minute.[citation needed]
There are a few franchised restaurants which serve more intricate or elaborate Crossing the Bridge Noodle dishes. Normally Crossing the Bridge Noodles are ordered in a set. A set of bridge noodle will cost 10 to 50 Yuan. Ordering the Crossing the Bridge Noodles with more ingredients will command higher prices.
Ingredients [ edit ]
The general ingredients of guoqiao mixian include:
raw quail eggs
turkey slices
chicken slices
colored vegetables
It is generally served first with a bowl of boiling hot soup. The attendants will then be on the other side[where?] and put the ingredients into the bowl, generally in order from raw to cooked: meat first, then quail eggs, and then vegetables. Finally, they perform the noodle "crossing" with chopsticks and the dish is ready to be consumed. The amount of oil, chili, vinegar, and soy sauce one puts in the bowl varies according to personal taste.
See also [ edit ]NASA Telescopes Discover Strobe-Like Flashes in a Suspected Binary Protostar
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Left: This is a false-color, infrared-light Spitzer image of LRLL 54361 inside the star-forming region IC 348 located 950 light-years away and has an unusual variable object that has the typical signature of a protostar.
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Center: This Hubble Space Telescope monochromatic-color image resolves the detailed structure around the protostar, consisting of two cavities that are traced by light scattered off their edges above and below a dusty disk.
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Right: This is an artist's impression of the hypothesized central object that may be two young binary stars.
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Image credit: NASA, ESA, J. Muzerolle (STScI), E. Furlan (NOAO and Caltech), K. Flaherty (Univ. of Ariz./Steward Observatory), Z. Balog (Max Planck Institute for Astronomy), and R. Gutermuth (Univ. Mass. Amherst)
Image acknowledgment: R. Hurt (Caltech/Spitzer Science Center) NASA's Spitzer and Hubble space telescopes have teamed up to uncover a mysterious infant star that behaves like a police strobe light.NASA, ESA, J. Muzerolle (STScI), E. Furlan (NOAO and Caltech), K. Flaherty (Univ. of Ariz./Steward Observatory), Z. Balog (Max Planck Institute for Astronomy), and R. Gutermuth (Univ. Mass. Amherst)R. Hurt (Caltech/Spitzer Science Center)
Credit: NASA, ESA, and J. Muzerolle (STScI) and G. Bacon (STScI)
› Download video (mp4) This video, created from a sequence of images from the Hubble Space Telescope, shows a pulse of light emanating from the protostellar object LRLL 54361. Most if not all of this light results from scattering off circumstellar dust in the protostellar envelope. An apparent edge-on disk, visible at the center of the object, and three separate structures are interpreted as outflow cavities. The extent and shape of the scattered light changes substantially over a 25.3-day period. This is caused by the propagation of the light pulse through the nebula. Astronomers propose that the flashes are due to material in a circumstellar disk suddenly being dumped onto the growing stars and unleashing a blast of radiation each time the stars get close to each other in their orbit. The false-color, near-infrared light photos are from Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3.NASA, ESA, and J. Muzerolle (STScI) and G. Bacon (STScI)
Text issued as NASA Headquarters Press Release No. 13-041
Two of NASA's great observatories, the Spitzer and Hubble space telescopes, have teamed up to uncover a mysterious infant star that behaves like a strobe light.Every 25.34 days, the object, designated LRLL 54361, unleashes a burst of light. Although a similar phenomenon has been observed in two other young stellar objects, this is the most powerful such beacon seen to date.The heart of the fireworks is hidden behind a dense disk and envelope of dust. Astronomers propose the light flashes are caused by periodic interactions between two newly formed stars that are binary, or gravitationally bound to each other. LRLL 54361 offers insights into the early stages of star formation when lots of gas and dust is being rapidly accreted, or pulled together, to form a new binary star.Astronomers theorize the flashes are caused by material suddenly being dumped onto the growing stars, known as protostars. A blast of radiation is unleashed each time the stars get close to each other in their orbits. This phenomenon, called pulsed accretion, has been seen in later stages of star birth, but never in such a young system or with such intensity and regularity."This protostar has such large brightness variations with a precise period that it is very difficult to explain," said James Muzerolle of the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Md. His paper recently was published in the science journal Nature.Discovered by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, LRLL 54361 is a variable object inside the star-forming region IC 348, located 950 light-years from Earth. Data from Spitzer revealed the presence of protostars. Based on statistical analysis, the two stars are estimated to be no more than a few hundred thousand years old.The Spitzer infrared data, collected repeatedly during a period of seven years, showed unusual outbursts in the brightness of the suspected binary protostar. Surprisingly, the outbursts recurred every 25.34 days, which is a very rare phenomenon.Astronomers used NASA's Hubble Space Telescope to confirm the Spitzer observations and reveal the detailed stellar structure around LRLL 54361. Hubble observed two cavities above and below a dusty disk. The cavities are visible by tracing light scattered off their edges. They likely were blown out of the surrounding natal envelope of dust and gas by an outflow launched near the central stars. The disk and the envelope prevent the suspected binary star pair from being observed directly. By capturing multiple images over the course of one pulse event, the Hubble observations uncovered a spectacular movement of light away from the center of the system, an optical illusion known as a light echo.Muzerolle and his team hypothesized the pair of stars in the center of the dust cloud move around each other in a very eccentric orbit. As the stars approach each other, dust and gas are dragged from the inner edge of a surrounding disk. The material ultimately crashes onto one or both stars, which triggers a flash of light that illuminates the circumstellar dust. The system is rare because close binaries account for only a few percent of our galaxy's stellar population. This is likely a brief, transitory phase in the birth of a star system.Muzerolle's team next plans to continue monitoring LRLL 54361 using other facilities including the European Space Agency's Herschel Space Telescope. The team hopes to eventually obtain more direct measurements of the binary star and its orbit.For related images and video, visit:For more information on Hubble visit:For more information on Spitzer, visit:I think most Reds fans would agree that Liverpool need another central defender this summer. With the constant injury worries over Daniel Agger, and Sotirios Kyrgiakos expected to leave in the summer, there has already been speculation over who the Merseyside club would be interested in buying. Gary Cahill has been suggested in many reports, but another player speculated is Birmingham City’s Scott Dann.
No doubt the Blues have missed Dann since he was sidelined for the rest of the season after a serious hamstring tear in January, and I firmly believe that if he was fit, Birmingham would not be in the relegation battle they are in now. His record alongside Roger Johnson last season was nothing short of superb, with an unbeaten home record and conceding 47 goals.
At 24 years old too, Dann would also fit into FSG’s strategy of bringing in young talent to the club, and the fact he was born in Liverpool would also make the move even more attractive. It has been a rapid rise for the Scouser as only 5 years ago he was sent out on loan to Hednesford Town in the non-league. He started life at League Two side Walsall after impressing on trial at the club in 2003.
He moved up the youth ranks of the club and was a regular in the Saddlers’ reserves side in the 2004/05 campaign. By the end of the season, it was thought best for him to go out on loan to gain first team experience and he made the move to Danish club Koge BK for the rest of the season. On his return from Denmark, Dann joined Conference North side Redditch United in October 2005 before being recalled at the end of the year. An injury crisis at Redditch’s Conference North rivals Hednesford Town meant Dann was afforded the opportunity of first team football at the non-league club. After playing just three games though, he returned to Walsall due to injury.When I think about it, oysters have a lot in common with plants. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)
Every time I speak in public about being vegetarian, the same thing happens, at least once. Someone will approach me shyly, drop their voice to a conspiratorial whisper, and say: “I really want to be vegetarian. But the thing is, I know that every now and then I’m going to want a steak.” Or a burger. Or bacon. Or whatever else may be on their exception list.
I always reply, matching their whisper: “Here’s what you do: Be vegetarian. And every now and then, have a steak.”
[More things we love: Stylish stemware, Baltimore bars, beans, “girly” drinks, Grandma’s CorningWare, food shopping, Longhorn B-B-Q Sauce ]
My point is not to dilute the definition of vegetarianism. My point is to say that, labels aside, everyone can draw their own dietary lines however they see fit, and they don’t have to apologize for it. And also this: For some people, allowing themselves the breathing room to have such exceptions means they’ll probably live up to their ideal more often than if they didn’t. When something is forbidden, its appeal grows.
My own exception list is two items long. I have an oyster-and-mussel loophole.
I know, I know: You can’t be a vegetarian and eat animals, right? Feel free to say I’m not a “real” vegetarian, then. But when I think about all the reasons behind my dietary choice, oysters and mussels are pretty much equivalent to plants. Environmentally sustainable? Cultivating oysters and mussels actually helps filter the oceans. Nutrition? They’re high in protein and low in fat, and they boast an impressive array of vitamins and minerals, including B12, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids and more. Animal cruelty and welfare? At least according to such researchers as Diana Fleischman, the evidence suggests that these bivalves don’t feel pain.
On Valentine’s Day and every day, there’s a lot to love about oysters — even for some vegetarians. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post)
Because this is part of a collection of Valentine’s Day essays, here’s perhaps the most important piece: I love oysters, and mussels, too. So much. And I feel great when I eat them.
That last part is important, because my evolution to vegetarianism has been intuitive. I found my tastes and cravings changing along with my thinking, and the more vegetables I ate, the more energy I felt, so I kept moving in that direction. Now, I can slurp a dozen freshly shucked oysters on the half shell (preferably “naked,” with nothing more than lemon to distract from their briny gloriousness) and not break a sweat. Trust me, that didn’t happen when I used to eat the same amount of bacon.
Mussels, too: The last time I went to Granville Moore’s on H Street NE and devoured a big bowl of mussels mariniere, it wasn’t the bivalves that left me feeling a smidge overstuffed: It was the basket of french fries.
Ultimately, I know, readers may pounce on the labeling here, just as they did when Christopher Cox, a vegan, wrote about his oyster loophole in Slate in 2010 or when Fleischman, a vegan evolutionary psychologist in Britain, analyzed the issue on her Sentientist blog in 2013. Fleischman anticipated the objections by calling herself “ostrovegan,” while acknowledging that it “sounds like you’re a vegan who comes from the Austro-Hungarian Empire.”
I may have it a little easier, as I’m not claiming the mantle of veganism. So, suggestions on my particular label are welcome: Am I a lacto/ovo/ostro-vegetarian? Maybe. Or perhaps, like most eaters, I have a diet that escapes neat categorization: I’m mostly vegetarian — with a very short exception list.Media playback is not supported on this device Coe knew more than he let on - MP Collins
Claims that Lord Coe misled an MPs' inquiry have grown after new emails confirmed he was "made aware" of corruption allegations in his sport four months before they became |
, Air Force deputy undersecretary for international affairs, stated as cited by Defense News.
“It’s a significant concern, not only to the United States, because we need to protect this high-end technology, fifth-generation technology” but for “all of our partners and allies that have already purchased the F-35,” Grant said.
Turkey is involved in production of the advanced F-35 aircraft, with one of 10 participating firms being a sole source supplier for its two major components – missile remote interface units and the panoramic cockpit display. The possibility of simultaneous use of both Russia’s S-400 systems and the F-35 could harm the security of the latter, Defense News reported, citing analysts’ concerns.Your browser does not support HTML5 video tag.Click here to view original GIF
It was only announced last week, and it’s not supposed to be available until later in the year, but somehow YouTube’s LordDraconical managed to get his hands on Nerf’s new Rival Nemesis MXVII-1oK. He promptly gutted it and then upgraded it to turn it into a wacky foam bullet-shooting monster.
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To upgrade the new Nemesis so that it could fire 100 shots in as little as 15 seconds, he upgraded the blaster’s power source to a high-output lithium polymer battery. This meant replacing all of the switches and wiring so the thing could handle the extra electrical load.
Basic soldering and electronics know-how is a must in order to tackle this upgrade. But if you want to it yourself, LordDraconical walks you through most of the steps in his video tutorial, and includes links in the description to the various upgraded components you’ll need to complete this mod.
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[YouTube]Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace went on the offensive against his critics on Thursday, calling the unattributed criticism of the Pau Gasol trade from other general managers "pillow talk" and daring any league executives to go on the record against the deal.
Before Friday night's game against the Knicks, Spurs president and head coach Gregg Popovich did just that.
"What they did in Memphis is beyond comprehension," said Popovich. "There should be a trade committee that can scratch all trades that make no sense. I just wish I had been on a trade committee that oversees NBA trades. I'd like to elect myself to that committee. I would have voted no to the L.A. trade."
When told that Wallace had challenged executives to criticize the deal publicly, Popovich replied, "Well, there you go. I'm on the record."
To acquire Gasol, the Lakers parted with forward-center Kwame Brown, rookie point guard Javaris Crittenton, the rights to Pau's younger brother, Marc Gasol, and first-round picks in 2008 and 2010. The deal gives the Grizzlies salary-cap relief -- Brown is making $9.1 million in the last year of his deal while Pau Gasol is owed $49 million over the next three years -- but little in the way of established NBA talent.
Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley said the move was purely a basketball decision and not a way to cut costs to make the team more attractive to prospective buyers. The Grizzlies were 13-33 when they traded Gasol, the franchise leader in 12 statistical categories.Canadian troops and police were trained for two years by the international security contractor formerly known as Blackwater without the permission of the U.S. State Department.
The revelation is contained in U.S. federal court records, unsealed in North Carolina as part of a $7.5-million settlement of criminal charges against the company now called Academi LLC.
It is the second time Canada's association with the notorious security company, often described as the world's largest mercenary army, has arisen in a complex legal case that has been churning its way through U.S. courts.
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Blackwater, which changed its name to Xe Services before being sold and becoming Academi LLC, was cited in August, 2010, for the unauthorized export of technical data to the Canadian military.
The Harper government has had a standing contract with the company since 2008.
It's paid millions of dollars going back to 2006 for specialized training provided to special forces troops and some police officers.
U.S. prosecutors say Blackwater didn't seek the permission required under American arms control laws for the instruction, which took place between 2006 and 2008 and included training in marksmanship, defensive driving, bodyguard and close combat skills.
The company had a myriad of subsidiaries.
Some of what Blackwater companies taught the Canadian military involved the company's "Mirror Image" course, according to court documents filed in Raleigh, N.C. The program sees trainees living as a mock al-Qaeda cell to better understand the mindset and culture of insurgents.
It is a "classroom and field training program designed to simulate terrorist recruitment, training, techniques and operational tactics," said a Blackwater brochure.
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The course was offered by the now-defunct Blackwater subsidiary Terrorism Research Centre, which in addition to the immersion-like training provided advice to governments and U.S. cities on intelligence-gathering. The centre was shut down by the new owners.
Much of the public attention on Blackwater has focused on the 2007 deaths of 17 Iraqis in Baghdad after an attack on a diplomatic convoy protected by Blackwater guards.
But the company's advice and potential involvement in the murky world of intelligence gathering for both government and corporations has been the subject of growing scrutiny over the past few years.
National Defence and the government have over the years defended their association with Blackwater, saying the courses and instruction were necessary and unavailable anywhere else.
A spokeswoman in Defence Minister Peter MacKay's office issued a one-line email statement, saying it was "appropriate training" to ensure that soldiers had "skills required to survive a very difficult military mission in Afghanistan."
Officials within the department declined further comment, but a defence expert who has written extensively on the shadowy ventures of private security companies called the revelations troubling.
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Dave Perry of Carleton University's Centre for Security and Defence Studies said whenever it's gotten into trouble, Blackwater always insisted it was carrying out business in compliance with U.S. foreign policy.
"It potentially brings into question whether they were actually doing that, if they weren't going through the formal channels to get approval for something as relatively mundane as training," Mr. Perry said.
The NDP's Jack Harris said his party has long opposed the training.
"What else don't we know that's going on without the knowledge or consent of the Canadian people?" Mr. Harris asked.
The idea that technical data was transferred to Canada also grabbed Mr. Perry's attention. He wonders what it was the U.S. thought was so sensitive that it could be shared with a private contractor, but not with its closest neighbour and military ally.
Mr. Perry said the court case raises more questions about the government's association and believes the revelations may only be the tip of the iceberg, given that Blackwater had over 30 different subsidiaries.
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"I don't think we have a full appreciation of the full range of services" offered to Canada by the company, he said.
Asked if the Canadian public has yet to learn the full story, Mr. Perry replied: "I think that's fair to say."Warm quinoa salad with roasted butternut squash…sigh…it’s recipes like these that make fall even sweeter. 🙂
I love walking down the street on a beautiful fall day, picking up my fruits and veggies and bringing them home to cook. This was one of those wonderful days.
I had a friend come over and wanted to try something new. I bought butternut squash and had no idea what to do with it. I was thinking about making squash spaghetti but go lazy. 😛 I still wanted to use the squash but wanted an easy, warm and yummy dish. Quinoa is always a good and quick option. It takes me about 10 minutes to make (I have a pressure cooker) and is so versatile that it goes with just about anything.
In the end, I decided to make a warm quinoa salad with roasted butternut squash.
The result: amazing!
Ingredients for Warm Quinoa Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash
1 squash (I used acorn, but you can choose your fancy)
1 cup quinoa
1.5 cups veggie broth
1 cup cooked chickpeas (or any other bean)
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
3 tbsp each olive oil
3 tbsp lemon juice and freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chilli powder
1/4 cup roasted almonds (or any other nut), chopped (optional)
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
fresh chopped mint for garnish
salt & pepper to taste
Directions for Warm Quinoa Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash
Preheat oven to 400F. Cut squash in half, remove seeds and bake for about 25 minutes. Wash and cook quinoa in veggie broth Add all ingredients to the cooked quinoa and toss together Place quinoa mixture into the squash “bowl” Enjoy with your favourite side of greens
For a video of another acorn squash recipe (which is also pretty entertaining), this out.Leicestershire County Council has caused a bit of confusion by painting sensibly-wide cycle lanes in Loughborough, but perhaps marking them less clearly than they could have. As a result, drivers are mistaking them for parking bays.
Cynics might say that too many drivers think bike lanes are some sort of parking facility anyway, but in this case there’s good reason.
The advisory lanes – marked with a broken line – are in Fennel Street and Lemyngton Street and are 1.5m wide. The council says that’s a standard width; given the teensy bike lanes in many places, that implies there are as many standards for bike lanes as there are for headsets.
According to the Loughborough Echo, the lanes get wider along Lemyngton Street, which was widened last year as part of the construction on the Inner Relief Road in the town centre.
The width of the lane and lack of parking restrictions means it’s easily mistaken for parking space.
One motorist, who asked not to be named, told the Echo the spaces looked wider than regular cycle lanes, and said: “I was surprised to see parking because it’s going to be such a busy road with heavy traffic but there were white lines on both sides of the road and cars were parked down both sides so I assumed they were parking spaces.
“Every day from 7.30am these parking spaces are full and the same cars are still parked there later in the day.”
Lemyngton Street before widening (©Google StreetView)
Google StreetView shows that Lemyngton Street had double yellow lines in the spot where the Echo’s photograph of cars parked in the lanes was taken.
The new parking space bike lanes on Lymington Street (© Loughborough Echo)
However, round the corner in Fennel Street the continuation of the lane already has double yellow lines and drivers are still parking in it.
The council says the lanes were painted on September 25 last year, and it intends Lymington Street to be no waiting and no loading at any time. New traffic regulation orders will be advertised in Febriuary and, along with double yellow lines, will come into action in spring.
Perhaps the council will also consider marking the cycle lanes with the solid white line that designates a mandatory lane, and help reduce confusion.Hello everyone, it is with a heavy heart I bring you chapter 18.5 of MMS. This chapter is brought to you by SummerRain.
Firstly, I would like to apologize for the lack of consistent updates for this series and thank the readers who have stuck by MMS all this while. After some contemplating, I have decided that I will officially drop this series in August.
With my university starting in a few weeks time(August), I believe that I would not have enough time and therefore would not be able to translate this project by myself anymore as I am the sole translator of this project. Releasing a chapter once or twice a month and going MIA after that is not something I want to do and when university work starts piling up, I’m sure I would go missing for even longer periods which is why I have made this decision.
To me, MMS is an entertaining series and I hope someone is willing to pick up this project as I do not want to leave this volume at a cliffhanger ending.
If anyone is interested in translating this project, please contact us using the contact us page.
Once again, I would like to apologize for not living up to expectations and for not continuing with this project. I hope everyone can understand and thanks for all the support all this while.
Thanks for all the support!
SummerRain(Photo : Vittorio Zunino Celotto | Getty Images Entertainment)
While it seemed like all hope is lost when it comes to "Silent Hills" PS4 release date, fans continue to make a noise asking for the game to push through.
Upon hearing news that Konami might instead launch the game in mobile, fans immediately set out a petition in Weebly saying,
"The protest is encouraging fans to use their "Playstation experience to protest Konami," as an opening statement. Futhermore the write up wanted to show Konami its determination to put a stop to "mobile as the future of gaming" vision of Konami. Advertisement "It's time to show Kojima, Del Toro, and Norman Reedus that we're serious when we say they don't need Konami to make this game, even if they have to drop the "silent" namesake. Our money is where our mouths are - start a kickstarter, we'll gladly fund it." In conclusion, the statement wanted to make sure that "these hills are no longer silent" as it launched the hashtags, #UnsilencedHills #SupportConsoleDev #DigitalPreservationinGaming #PTstillHauntsUs #InMemoryofPT
And while Konami has yet to comment on the said petition, "Walking Dead" star Norman Reedus has already expressed his support with the group as encouraged fans' outcry to bring "Silent Hills" PS4 release date back on its track.
"The Hills are no longer silent," Reedus tweeted to show his support to pursue the game despite Konami's decision to dismiss it after creator Hideo Kojima exited the company.
The 46-year-old Hollywood actor then directed his fans to a Weebly site where the petition or rather protest is posted.
These Hills are no longer silent - About http://t.co/QyJVhsumk6 - norman reedus (@wwwbigbaldhead) May 29, 2015
Meanwhile, supposed director Guillermo del Toro has also showed his support to fans' petition in bringing back "Silent Hills" despite Hideo Kojima's silence.
"Norman [Reedus, the Walking Dead actor who was attached to play the lead role] was super happy, Hideo was super happy, and so was I," del Toro previously said in an interview with IGN. "I know there's a petition going on the internet and it's gathering signatures. I would add my signature to it, and hope that someone pays attention."
The award winning director even laid out his supposed plans for "Silent Hills."
"What we wanted to do with the game - and we were very much in agreement on this - was to take the technology and make it as cutting-edge as we could in creating terror in the house," he explained. "The idea was very, very atmosphere-drenched."
Adding, "But what made Silent Hill so great was that you had the atmosphere but then you a pay-off with a very active, very intense series of moments. We wanted to do some stuff that I'm pretty sure - just in case it ever comes back, which honestly I would love for somebody to change their mind and we can do it - but in case it comes back there was some stuff that was very new, and I wouldn't want to spoil it.
Fans posted their petition at Change.org, where they are asked game creator Hideo Kojima and supposed director Guillermo del Toro pursue with "Silent Hills" PS4 release date by a "crowdfunding campaign."
"Dear Hideo and Guillermo, hearing the cancellation of one of the most anticipated horror games is about the most heartbreaking thing horror fans had to swallow this year. Since the first sight of the P.T Demo it was instant love, and it burned into the minds of everyone that this had to release at some point. Although the reasons are not yet announced I am begging you along with countless others: Please continue the Development on Silent Hills, if the issue is money related, we would love to see a Crowdfunding campaign like Kickstarter to ensure you are getting all the financial help there is! We´d love to see it happen at some point and want to thank you for all the great games you have released so far! Greetings -Yauheni "Wicked Anime Podcast :: Episode 102 :: What She Doing with Her Nips?
Posted by Jon Jonstar on December 8, 2016
Wicked Anime brings you awesome animated commentary every other week!
We’re back to normal… We think! It’s been a while since we presented you with a regular episode of good old-fashioned Wicked Anime awfulness, so here we are, back in the saddle. With all of our specials and whatnot, there’s been a wealth of recent anime we haven’t discussed. And lo, it’s time for us to resume telling you what you should be watching!
Join Jonathan, Andrew, Evan and Sarah as they talk about what’s happening in anime and a whole lot of Japanese nips! PLUS – Boob envy, choconips, and we have English!
A very special thanks to Evan Bourgault and Jeremy Tudisco for “sponsoring” this episode!
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About Jon Jonstar
Jon is the Co-Creator and Co-Host of Wicked Anime, a video review show and bi-weekly podcast about anime and Japanese Culture! His nerd caliber goes far beyond just anime though, he is a movie fanatic, comic book collector, and real-life professional artist! When he's not editing video or audio, you can most likely find him at conventions, either on a panel or in the dealers room!Story highlights The Congressional Budget Office reveals 24 million more Americans could be uninsured by 2026 under GOP health plan
Jonathan Tasini: The CBO proves that Republicans are willing to sacrifice the health of low- and middle-income Americans
Jonathan Tasini has been a frequent commentator on CNN and supported Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primaries. He is the author of "The Essential Bernie Sanders and His Vision for America," president of the Economic Future Group and the host of the "Working Life" podcast. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his own.
(CNN) I have referred to the Republican effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act as the "Make America Sick Again" bill. The numbers from the Congressional Budget Office make that an apt description. According to the CBO, 24 million more Americans could be uninsured by 2026 under the House Republican bill than under Obamacare.
I do give Republicans points for consistency: They have always been clear that they see the very existence of Medicare and Medicaid as signs of weakness, and, as well, they resolutely pursue spending and tax policies that exacerbate the gap between rich and poor.
Jonathan Tasini
But three numbers in the Republican American Health Care Act tell us all we need to understand about Republican efforts to undermine low- and middle-income Americans.
First, when the CBO says the Affordable Care Act repeal will reduce the deficit by $337 billion over the 2017-2026 period, this is accomplished largely by kicking people off Medicaid. Under the Republican bill, there will be a 2020 freeze on Medicaid expansion and the federal government will reduce funding from 100% to just 90% leaving the states to fill the gap -- a gap that will then be a political football, with Republicans who now control two-thirds of state legislatures doing everything possible to make Medicaid eligibility harder.
It's also worth noting that the Medicaid costs per person figure will be computed at the 2016 pricing, which, even under the 100% federal contribution, is too low because of rising health care costs.
Read MoreI start this post virtually the same every year, but I want to repeat it. This is my least favorite post I write on this blog, but I do feel it is important. Dogs are such wonderful companions in our lives. In the United States, more than 75 million dogs share our homes with us, take us on walks, are our running partners, snuggle on the couch with us, and share our beds. They are outstanding companions that bring joy to millions of Americans who share their lives with dogs. They are wonderfully adaptive to the wide arrange of living environments we humans subject them to. And we love them for it, and they in turn, love us back.
I'd much rather focus on the POSITIVE of what dogs bring to our lives.
However, dogs do require training, and care. And sometimes, they do bite. And rarely, those bites are severe, or even fatal. Really, when only about 30 out of 75 million owned dogs in this country are involved in fatal dog attack incidents each year, it is hardly an epidemic compared to the tens of thousands of lives lost to everyday household items like ladders, poisonous household cleaners, stairs, auto mobiles or swimming pools.
However, because there seems to be so much mis-information about fatal dog bites -- and because they seem to fascinate politicians -- I do my best to compile annual information for everyone in a timely manner that may be used to dispell the mis-information that exists elsewhere. I feel that if people truly understand WHY these tragedies happen, they can be better equipped to prevent them in the future.
So before I get into the individual incidents, here are a few things worth mentioning:
1) Because of the rarity of these extreme cases (36 out of 75 million owned dogs in this country), it is obvious that most dogs, regardless of breed, are not aggressive. Even if every single incident involved the same breed of dog, and it was an extremely rare breed, the majority of dogs of that breed would still have proven to be safe. Given the obvious fact that most dogs are not aggressive, it becomes even more important to look at the human-led circumstances that led up to, and caused, this particular dog to attack in this particular situation.
2) Media reporting varies wildly. Some incidents get a lot of media attention, some get almost none. Some of the media information is accurate, some is not. I confess that the vast majority of the information in this post comes from media reports -- and with that will have some innaccuracies. I've done my best to cut through the hysteria to get as much accurate information as I can find, but there will be inaccuracies based on inaccurate information in media reports.
3) In some instances, I've included information on poverty levels where attacks occurred. I don't do this to imply that low-income people are not good pet ownes. In fact, most are. However, in general, low income areas also are areas with lower education levels, and higher crime. Often poor formal education leads to lower education all around, including about proper animal care. This, combined with high crime causing people to want a dog with some form of "guarding" role in the home, can sometimes be a causal factor in major incidents. More than 40% of the fatal dog bite incidents in 2012 were in areas with poverty rates well above the national average -- even though only 15% of the US lives below the poverty line. I include the information so that we can at least consider the societal factors that pay a role in these incidents.
4) There are many who make the mistake of trying to link breed as a causal factor in these incidents -- however, while the incidents themselves carry many similar factors, the breeds are often very different. The circumstances of these events have far more in common than the types of dogs involved, and any breed correlation is likely to have more to do with popularity of given breeds and the likelihood of a particular breed being put in poor circumstance.
So with that, here's the list of all of the U.S. fatal dog bite incidents in 2012, along with some pertinent facts. I'll summarize my thoughts following the reported incidents. If you click on the victim's name, it will link to more information from my original report about the story - but the general format will be the name of the victim, age, location, breed description of the dog and some circumstances around the incident. Not that most of the dog breeds are in quotes because they are based on the breed ID given by the most knowledable person quoted in a news story about the situation -- but it's well documented that even "expert" opinion on breed ID in a shelter environment is very subjective.
1) Jace Paul Valdez -- 2 years old - Montgomery County, TX - "Pit bull" - The victim was left to sleep unattended with the dog present. The child and the dog were not familiar with one another. The story was picked up by more than 100 media outlets.
2) John Doe - 6 years old - Oak Grove, KY - German Shepherd - The child and his family were visiting a friend at a military base. The boy was left alone in the yard with the dog when he was attacked. There were no witnesses. The dog was a trained service dog to help the owner cope with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and does not appear to have been familiar with the child.
3) Howard Nicholson - 2 days old - McKeesport, PA - Husky - The newborn infant was left alone with the family dog while the mother used the bathroom. The story was picked up by 30 media outlets and the incident happened in a relatively high poverty area.
4) Dylan Andres - 17 months - Jacksonville, FL - Rottweiler - While the toddler's mother was unloading groceries from the car, the victim darted over to a neighbor's yard and up to the dog that was left chained up in the yard while the owner was not home. No one directly witnessed the attack, but the boy's mother did hear the commotion. The incident happend in an area that has more than double the national poverty rate.
5) Kyler Johnson - 4 years old - Victoria County, TX - "pit bull or pit bull mix" - The boy wandered away from his home while his dad was cleaning the car. The boy was lost for about 15 hours, and was searched for by more than 100 people including law enforcement, before he was eventually found more than 1/2 mile from his home. The dog was one of 10 dogs that was chained up behind a fence on the owner's property; the dogs were reportely used for wild boar hunting. The boy's family had a history of tragic situations. In October 2010, someone other than the boy's father was accused of abuse and lack of child supervision. A month later, physical abuse against Kyler was accused, although no evidence was found. And the home where Kyler lived was subject to a homicide investigation and "several other calls" including a situation where a person at a party at the home accidentally shot himself in the head. The story was picked up by more than 50 media outlets.
6) James Hurt - 92 - Mead, OK - 2 "Pit bulls" - The dogs involved in the incident had a history of running loose and had on many occassions threatened residents and even bitten people -- and in this case, apparently attacked Mr. Hurt while he was gardening. Mead, OK is very economically depressed area. The story was picked up by only a small number of media outlets.
7) Aiden McGrew - 2 months - Ridgeville, SC - "Retriever/Lab Mix" - Apparently the child was left sitting in a baby swing while the father slept in another room and the mother was away from the home. While the father slept in another room, the dog reportedly attacked and "dismembered" the child. The story was covered in more than 300 news outlets and the area in which the incident happened had a poverty level of more than double the national average. And lest anyone think that poor pet ownership has nothing to do with dog attacks, just last week, another child in the McGrew household was attacked (fortunately not fatally) by a different dog in the home. The father in this case, Quintin McGrew, is still awaiting trial for "parental neglect" from the first incident.
8) Jeremiah Shahan - 1 year - Henderson, NV - "Mastiff-Rhodesian Ridgeback mix" - On the night of the child's first birthday the boy's grandmother got ready to put him to bed. However, the boy grabbed the dog on both sides of his body in order to pull himself up (the toddler was just learning how to walk) and the dog spun around and bit the child and the child died from the injuries. I think this story underscores the reality that all fatal incidents are not necessarily "attacks" but can be just tragically placed "bites." The story was covered in 3 different media outlets.
9) Cliff Wright - 74 - Sante Fe, NM - "pit bull" -- There were no witnesses to the incident, but the man was found dead in his front lawn and autopsy reports confirmed that the man had suffered fatal dog bites. The story was picked up by 20 news sources.
10) Jazilyn Mesa - 16 months - Las Cruces, NM - "pit bull" - The child was left alone with the dog in the back of her grandparent's house. The grandmother apparently heard the rukus and went out back to help the toddler but was too late.
11) Makayla Darnell - 3 days - Beaverdam, OH - "appeared to be a pit bull mix" - The child was left in a swing while the parents were in another room. The dog was left alone with the infant and the dog bit the child in the head - -the child died several hours later at the hospital. Similar to an earlier incident, this appears to have been more of a "bite" than an "attack."
12) JaMarr Tiller - 2 - Mt. Pleasant, SC - "2 mixed breeds", described by one media sources as "Lab/Shepherd mixes" - The young toddler was alone outside is family's home, having apparently gotten up out of bed at night and leaving the house without the adults knowing, and was bitten multiple times by two, at large dogs. Because there were no witnesses in the attack, there was some suspicion that Coyotes may have been involved, but forensic evidence pointed to two dogs that were in the area. Authorities had visited the home location on three previous occassions on calls of stray dogs in the area, but the dogs were never captured.
13) Mary Ann Hanula - 73 - Surprise, AZ - 2 'pit bulls' - The victim as in the front yard of her home when the two dogs, that escaped from her neighbor's yard, attacked her. The attack occurred in 2011, but Hanula died in 2012 from complications from the injuries she sustained.
14) Jack Redin - 2 - Pleasant County, WV - "Mixed breed dogs" - The two dogs were kept behind an electric fence, but the 2 year old toddler rode his big wheel into the yard where the dogs were being kept and was attacked by the dogs. The story was picked up by 13 media outlets.
15) Tyzhel McWilliams - 8 months - Lemon Grove, CA - "pit bull" - The toddler was left alone with one of 3 of the family's dogs while the boy's mother and some friends weres talking and smoking marajuana in the next room. The boy had recently started crawling, and was apparently attacked by the dog. The story was picked up by 30 media outlets and poverty does seem to be a factor.
16) Kevin Latz - 50 - Reno, NV - Unknown - The man was identified in a "suspicious death" involving a canine. Virtually no information has been released about this incident.
17) Ronald Brown - 40 - Cincinnati, OH - Alapaha Plue Blood Bulldog - The victim was killed by his own dog. The man was on dialysis and the attack caused a device in his forarm to be ripped out, causing a pretty substantial wound in his forearm. There was also marajuana found in the apartment -- apparently in quantities that he had enough to sell. It seems likely that the dog had a role in guarding the stash. The incident happened in Avondale, an area with more than 40% of the population living below the poverty line.
18) Charles Hagerman - 44 - Chicago, IL - "Pit bulls" - The man was found dead in his home where the two dogs (one puppy, one adult) were. According to some close to the victim, the adult dog had frequently shown signs of aggression and Hagerman was said to be afraid of the dog. The story was picked up by 19 media outlets. This area of Chicago has a very high poverty rate.
19) Rebecca Carey - 23 - Decatur, GA - "unknown/mulitple" - The victim was a rescuer who had 5 dogs in her home -- including a Boxer, a pit bull, and two Presa Canarios. Four of the dogs were hers, but one of the Presa Canarios was just staying with her while a friend was out of town. Not much is known about the circumstances of the attack and the dogs were all killed before any investigation was even done that would indicate which dog was responsible for the attack. While it would seem that Carey may have gotten in between two of the dogs that had been fighting, at this point there really is no knowing. This story was covered by more than 150 news outlets.
20) Eugene Cameron - 65 - Roxboro, NC - "pit bull" - This is a really odd story. The man was apparently found dead in his yard. He was naked, with his clothes balled up beside him -- but died of wounds consistent from a dog bite and the dog's DNA was found on the victim. The dog was usually kept "Locked up or on a leash". The story ran in only about a dozen news sources.
21) Dawn Jurgens - 75 - Trotwood, OH - "2 Cane Corsos" - The victim owned the dogs and reportedly had food "on or about her person" and the dogs went into a frenzy when she tried to put them back into their kennels and the dogs ended up killing the victim. The story was picked up by 1 media outlet.
22) Debra Renee Wilson-Roberts - 45 - Jefferson County, AR - 2 "pit bulls" -- although one is listed at more than 100 lbs, which would be much bigger than a likely pit bull - The victim was attacked by two of her own dogs. Neighbors had often complained about the dogs being abused and neglected, and the home was currently without running water. The dogs also had a history of biting the victim. So the dogs had a history of being poorly cared for and of violence, and yet were allowed to remain in this sitaution. Poverty was definitely a factor in this case.
23) Bryton Cason - 4 - Donalsonville, GA - Unknown - This is a bizarre story lacking a lot of details, but apparently the 4 year old boy wandered from his home unattended. He was reported missing by his family and after a search of several hours in the dark, the boy's body was found in some tall grass in his own front yard. The boy had injuries consistent with dog bites. There were no witnesses to the incident, and no information about the dog(s) that attacked him (although it/they was clearly roaming at large).
24) James Hudson - 10 months - Hertford, NC - Mixed breed dog, Described as a "Labrador/American Bulldog mix" by officals at the county shelter - There were very few details reported about the story but the boy was apparently playing on the bed when the dog began to attack the boy. It is unclear if the child was supervised at the time of the attack. The dog had bitten people on previous occassions. The story was picked up by 20 media outlets.
25) Willam Donald Thomas - 83 - Leeds, AL - 2 Rottweilers - Two of 35 dogs that lived on a neighbor's property escaped and attacked Thomas while he went out to check the mail. The owners of the dogs, who were breeding them, were later indicted for homicide after admitting that they were no longer able to properly care for the dogs. The story was only picked up in 3 media sources. Poverty, and also a high incident of violent crimes, exists in the area.
26) Rayden Bruce - 3 months - Burleson, TX - mixed breed - Police were on the scene investigating a domestic distrubance call (the boy's mother and father were separated, but the mother came to the father's home when an argument broke out). While police were there, the boy fell asleep in his grandmother's arms and she took him inside and put him to bed - and in the process, left the infant alone with the dog. The story was picked up by 39 news outlets -- and clearly a domestic disturbance was a contributing factor.
27) Nellie Davis - 60 - Oklahoma City - "pit bull" - Ms. Davis' granddaughter moved into her home while she was recovering from a long-standing sickness following having a heart transplant. While her granddaughter was away, one of the two dogs she kep in the home "broke free" from it's plastic kennel (that sounds as if it is a travel crate, not a more sturdy metal kennel) and attacked Ms. Davis.
28) Mary Jo Hunt - 53 - Pembroke, NC - unknown - Hunt was in the back yard of her home with "10-15 dogs" - described as a mix of German Shepherds and mixed breed dogs). Apparently a couple of the larger dogs attacked one of the smaller dogs, and Hunt made an attempt to break up the rukus but was overwhelmed by the larger number of dogs and died of injuries she sustained. The area where this happened had a poverty rate nearly double the national average. The story was picked up by 23 news sources.
29) Tarilyn Bowles - 3 weeks - Detroit, MI - 'pit bull' - According to the reports, the woman set the child down on the floor in her carrier, not realizing the dog was present. While she was not watching, the dog came up and bit the child, who died of the injures she received. Many parts of the story as it as reported really |
or whether you are dreaming the whole thing. That is prajna all-pervading. When the boundaries begin to become fuzzy, that’s where prajna is taking hold of you.
Zen discipline is fantastic and extraordinary. Such an approach is obviously not the dream of one person, or one person’s idea; it has been developed throughout generations. The drowsiness and sleepiness and confusion and extreme heavy-handed disciplines you go through bring out the underlying light and clarity within your being. It’s not particularly exciting or beautiful at all; it’s a big drag. Your clumsiness and your laziness and every worst thing you could ever think of is being brought up. A big joke is being played on you, and at the same time, there is constantly room for prajna.
The only thing that keeps you in such a setup is your romantic notion toward the practice and discipline—your heroic approach to the path. Then there is the secret that only you know, or maybe only you and your teacher know, which is that a very secret and subtle love affair is taking place. You want to go on, and you are getting something out of this. That is prajna, that you are getting something out of this. It is very smart and very businesslike. Halfway through, you wake up in the morning and you see the morning star. You say, “Ah, it’s morning; that’s the morning star,” then you fall back to sleep. Seeing the morning star is a glimpse of prajna. But you’re still too lazy to write down, “I saw the morning star when I woke up in the morning.” You think, “Never mind about that.”
The prajna that the Zen people talk about is trying to catch yourself halfway through. It’s almost a kind of subtle double take. You are just about to be confused, then you—Ahhhh! [Trungpa Rinpoche draws in a breath] Something happens! Then you go on confusing. But then, something else comes up. There is a little jerk taking place constantly. There are little glimpses, little crumbs of light-handedness in the midst of the enormous black robes, black zafus, and the black heavy-handed environment that goes on in Zen.
It’s very interesting to see that the way in which Zen people seek prajna is extraordinarily precise. We could say that it is much more accurate than those logicians in Nalanda or Vikramashila. Zen has a more organic, more definite, more direct way of approaching the underlying glimpse of prajna. In Zen, prajna is only a gap; there is no chance to redefine prajna in any way at all. Prajna simply means, “transcendental knowledge.” Pra is “transcendent,” or “supreme”; jna means “knowledge.” So prajna is the wisdom of knowing; it is to know who you are and what you are.
One of the problems with such an approach and experience is that however much you talk about the sameness between samsara and nirvana, between that and this, between prajna and non-prajna, still you are subject to choice. Although you say, “Not here, not there, it’s everywhere,” you are still going from here to there. There is the awareness that you are making a particular journey, and that journey is going to lead you through a certain process. You have no chance to speculate more than that, because you are hassled by your schedule, your practices, and your mindfulness of details, which cuts down unnecessary bullshit, you might call it.
We could say that the Zen approach is a beginner’s point of view—like a Heath Robinson illustration of a pancake machine—of how to produce prajna in an ordinary person who is confused but still inspired. Latching onto that process is based on a combination of a Mahayana spirit and the discipline of the yana of individual liberation. That seems to be one of the basic points of the Zen tradition of Japan, as much as we know. There also seems to be a faint emphasis on goodness, being good. A notion of being morally pure and kind and precise goes along with it always. Processes such as recycling your food or eating your meal completely and cleaning your plate are very general examples of the Mahayanist attitude of not polluting the universe. Bodhisattvas should not become a nuisance to other sentient beings; moreover, you should save them.
Precision and Vastness
Tantra is generally referred to as the vehicle that provides instant enlightenment. Its means and its method are the various meditative practices and techniques. Here again, we can only see or relate to these techniques and methods as landmarks. We are discussing tantric experience rather than tricks, such as the notion that merely by applying certain applications we are going to attain enlightenment.
the idea of “not two” is an important principle in tantric Buddhism. It is “not two,” but “not two” does not only mean “be one.” If you do not have two, you also do not have one. It is just “no,” rather than even “not.”
So the highlights, and what are related to the highlights, provide the most important understanding of tantra. As a typical example, there is a tantric expression: one taste, or one value. The notion of one taste has the sense of being here now and relating with what is there. In other words, being more aware of the landmarks of your life, rather than regarding all things as schooling, purely an educational system you are going through.
We could compare tantra with what we discussed previously about the Zen tradition—that Zen deliberately tries to provide chances to understand prajna, to realize prajna, and to develop the prajna principle within you through the application of certain physical disciplines. The Zen approach of trying to be here now seems to be slightly different from the tantric approach. In the Zen tradition, being here now is still relating with a journey or a process. Keeping to a certain schedule provides a fixed attitude to life—almost to the point of acknowledging yesterday, today, and tomorrow, rather than purely acknowledging today, or being in today. As another example, you clean your house or you clean your kitchen in a Zen way. Obviously, there is a sense of intelligence that tells the cleaner, or student, that it is going to be clean at the end, that you are going to produce an immaculate Zen kitchen. That is already understood. But still, the notion of journey and perfection provide less sense of one-valueness.
In the tantric tradition, the experience of life is regarded as an endless ocean, a limitless sky, or it is regarded as just one dot, one situation. Therefore, the idea of “not two,” or the advaita principle, is an important principle in tantric Buddhism. It is “not two,” but “not two” does not only mean “be one.” If you do not have two, you also do not have one. It is just “no,” rather than even “not.” So nothing is left behind to provide a source of reference point, or a source of meditative indulgence, or for that matter, a source of disappointment, at all. It is one value, which means no value.
The epitome of shunyata is only expressed in the Vajrayana teachings, we could quite safely say. In the teachings of the path of individual liberation or the Mahayana, we have seen only a partial glimpse of the shunyata principle. The reason this is so is because here there is the acquisition of a hammer to break the cup. Breaking the cup—the discovery of shunyata—is no doubt the highest cardinal truth and the highest realization that has ever been known in the realm of buddhadharma. But in order to realize this, one has to acquire a hammer, which has been sold in the form of intellect, or in the form of books, or in the form of practices. However, the hammer itself begins to be regarded as more valuable than its function of breaking the cup: it has been decorated with sacred symbols and with sutras written all over it. That is what is called the realization of shunyata as “not” rather than “no,” because the hammer has to demonstrate the mortality of the cup by hitting it and breaking it to pieces.
There seem to be differences in the landmarks of tantra and Zen. Nowness is the landmark in the tantric tradition; in the Zen tradition, basic form or formlessness is the landmark.
Although it seems to be the same, in the tantric tradition, which is the tradition of a warrior without a sword, one does not need a hammer. One does not have to acquire a pair of eyeglasses or a powerful microscope to examine the dharmas. One uses one-value eyes, one-value mind, one-value bare hands to show the mortality of the cup. It is a very brutal approach, I suppose you could say, a very direct approach.
Vajrayana has often been regarded as the yana, or vehicle, of means, and people have taken that as literal; but that’s not quite right. In Vajrayana terms, the idea of upaya as “means,” or “skillful means,” is entirely different from how means and methods traditionally are described. Here, the method or means is itself Vajrayana. They are not a way, even, or a particular style; the method and means are the same as the actual realization itself! In other words, generally there is a feeling or attitude that when we talk about method, it refers to the way that one travels from A to B, which is quite different from the tantric approach. And because of perceiving skillful means in that way, as a way to take a journey from A to B, the journey ceases to become the goal.
Of course, we could say that in the Mahayana and the path of individual liberation there is also the notion of path as goal and goal as path: cutting down ambition, speed, aggression, passion, and so forth. But there is a certain faint attitude in reference toward the path you trod on, an attitude that it should show a definite footprint after you have left, so that you could look back and appreciate how you trod on the path. That creates an inspiring example for your fellow students. It is like going on vacation and taking snapshots so we could bring them back home and show them around and say we actually did go, and we did enjoy ourselves.
Tantric upaya, or skillful means, has the distinctive characteristic of approaching things very directly, very precisely and thoroughly, without even recording them in our memory bank. Such recording has been the problem. When we record things in our memory bank, we try to remember them again. We dig them out of our treasury or attic, where we store our junk, and we find them currently valuable, useful, and informative. But this usefulness and these skills we apply create what are called “habit-forming thoughts,” and these habitual thoughts tend to create a clouding-over effect to clarity.
In contrast, tantric methods or means do not develop habit patterns at all. Patience and diligence in the tantric tradition mean simply patience and diligence on the spot, rather than trying to train our memory bank and our habitual patterns, as if we were training an animal or toilet training a baby. In fact, a major difference between the teachings of the path of individual liberation and the Mahayana and tantra is this: that the principle of the Mahamudra experience—seeing clearly and precisely the function and energies of the universe as it is—has nothing to do with memorizing or recapturing anything.
If you have read The Life and Teachings of Naropa, you probably remember the story of the prajna principle of intelligence in the form of an ugly woman who approached Naropa and asked him to admit that he did not know the sense but only the words. Well, he obviously did know the sense behind the words; otherwise, he couldn’t know the words. Unless you are magnetic tape or something, as long as you have a brain, you would know the meaning behind the words. But in that story, the sense being referred to is the direct sense. That direct sense does not need and is not dependent upon any causal characteristics that provide memory, on any mental habit, on anything at all! It is the direct sense, the fresh one, the straight one. So it seems that the purpose of tantra is to destroy the habitual memory bank, so you could see precisely and clearly, without any distortion.
The spontaneity that develops from the tantric tradition and the sense of respect for the guru are immediate experience, rather than parental memory or habit-formed memory. Although spontaneity and frivolousness may seem to be quite close, they are entirely different. Frivolousness is a panicked form of spontaneity, in which you look for some immediate occupation in order to save yourself from egohood and the neurotic pains that you experience. In other words, it is saving face. In order to maintain yourself in a certain way and still survive, you keep latching on to occupation after occupation and responsibility after responsibility. Although you may not actually have that responsibility, having the title of responsibility creates enormous security. You make yourself available, useful and efficient, compulsive.
Vajrayana sounds much closer to the confused mind of egohood, if you haven’t gone through the journey. That is why it is regarded as very dangerous.
The spontaneity of the true nature is based on having a notion of being and a notion of nowness. There’s no need for panic. Everything is clear and precise, and you are acting upon it, depending on what the situation demands. In doing so, one may take different approaches; sometimes one has to be tough and sometimes one has to be gentle, but that is dictated by the situation, which is seen very clearly. Again, there is no goal orientation at all, other than what is required at that very moment. Whenever there is goal orientation, there are possibilities that spontaneity could turn into frivolity.
Such spontaneity seems to be the style of Vajrayana practitioners’ approach to life. Sometimes you might think that Vajrayana practitioners are extremely accurate and intuitive, and sometimes their style may be dangerous and explosive, or potentially explosive.
There seem to be differences in the landmarks of tantra and Zen. Nowness is the landmark in the tantric tradition; in the Zen tradition, basic form or formlessness is the landmark. That does not mean that the fundamental tradition of Zen depends purely on an external shell or color or mask. But still, as much as we might say there’s no Buddha, there’s no Zen, there’s no zazen, there’s no gong, and there’s no zafu—we are still talking the language of form. That is not regarded as undesirable or desirable, particularly, but that’s how it goes, so to speak; that is how it is presented.
In the Vajrayana teachings, the question of “Is there something or isn’t there something?” is not particularly the big issue. If there is something, okay, let it be; if there isn’t, okay, fine—but it is this. That is why the tantric tradition is regarded as most dangerous of all; those who still have some sense of existence and who are searching could come to Vajrayana teachings without first going through the Mahayana shunyata principle and the footing of the path of individual liberation. Vajrayana sounds much closer to the confused mind of egohood, if you haven’t gone through the journey. That is why it is regarded as very dangerous.
The tantric tradition is the tradition of sudden enlightenment, the school of sudden enlightenment. But in order to achieve a sudden glimpse of enlightenment, one has to develop in a gradual way. So we could say that in either Zen or Vajrayana—whichever we are talking about—there is no power that is truly sudden, truly instamatic and automatic. Instant enlightenment is impossible.
The tantric approach to life is a straightforward view of reality, so straightforward we can’t even think of it. At the same time, that view is indestructible; that understanding is imperturbable. For ordinary people, that view is frightening—it has such precision and such conviction, because there is no need for compliments or acknowledgment. That is why the term “crazy wisdom,” yeshe cholwa, has been used. Crazy wisdom ceases to look at limitations and is completely penetrating; it does not know curves or bends of this or that, beliefs and ideas, habits. It is like a laser beam. That is why it is called vajra, which is an “adamantine, indestructible essence.” In the tantric language, vajra pride, vajra anger, vajra passion—all of those are transcendental and indestructible, in the fully enlightened sense.
In the tantric tradition, the question of poverty and richness has never been raised, because that wasn’t the issue. For that matter, there is even less emphasis on saving all sentient beings—it is automatic, so there’s no need to talk about it. It is useless to say, “I have a heart, I have a brain, I have a head, I have arms,” since if you are in a situation to say “I am,” one presumes you automatically have those things in order to function or to say “I am.”
So if you have some kind of mahamudra penetration of vajra awareness, there is no need to count up the details of your need to be practical. You are not particularly trying to be practical, but you already are. You live a very worldly life in a vajra world. That world does not take possession of you, but you become part of the world and all mankind—and all sentient beings are part of you. So the work of the adept of Vajrayana is compassionate action, in any case.
The vastness of the Vajrayana approach and the bigger style makes Vajrayana unique. The precision and the definitive accuracy makes the Zen tradition prominent. It seems that you need both of those.
The practitioner’s work is communication, relating with energy and so forth, and that brings the notion of visualizations and mantra practices. Visualizations are not regarded as developing magical powers, nor is visualizing regarded as imagining. But you begin to associate with such basic truth that you automatically have a sense of the visualization you are practicing. The visualization becomes a natural situation rather than something specially imposed on you, as if you were trying to imagine another culture’s view of God. Everything has to do with seeing the nature of reality as it is. Mantra, for example, is just the sound or utterance of the universe, which has been developed in a certain formula. But that formula has nothing to do with your repeating the divine and sacred names of God, particularly. The sacredness of the Vajrayana tradition is being there, being true, rather than something other than what you have and what you are.
In the case of Vajrayana, you are not awe-inspired by the truth, but you are struck by the truth. It is so brilliant, so bright, so obvious, so clear. We are talking about a different kind of sacredness here. In this case, the experiencers can perceive the sacredness or truth; they can see it and they can function in it. It is no longer a mystery. It is very real. At the same time, it is questionable; nevertheless, it is so.
What has been said about the Vajrayana approach to sacredness is that it is the ordinary mind. Because it is so ordinary, it is super ordinary; therefore, it is sacred. It is sacred in the sense that it could be perceived: we could see it and get a glimpse of it. That particular wisdom is called “wisdom born within.” It is called coemergent wisdom. Whenever there is energy, there is wisdom; they emerge together. One cannot separate the two at all; they are coemergent.
So the world is the vajra world. From that point of view, the world is the divine world, or the world of God, if you want to call it that. The world contains that; that contains the world. It is the vastness of the Vajrayana approach and the bigger style that makes Vajrayana unique. It is the precision and the definitive accuracy that makes the Zen tradition prominent. It seems that you need both of those; they both seem to be necessary.Margoon (Margun) Waterfall (in Farsi: Abshare Margoon) is located in the Fars Province of Iran near the city of Sepidan, in the village Margoon, 48 kilometers far from the city Ardakan.
Its name means in Persian “snake like”. This waterfall is the main attractive of the Abshare Margoon protected area. It falls from the heart of a rocky mountain and has about 70m height and 100m width. It is one of the largest and most beautiful waterfalls in Iran. The area is mountainous and has an elevation of over 2.200m above sea level.
The weather is cold between November and April and in winter parts of the waterfall often freezes. Most tourists visit this area in the hot months of the year, when the temperature is 40°C in most of the country but hardly reaches 25°C at Abshare Margoon. Besides visiting the waterfall there are several activities to enjoy in this area: mountain climbing, rock climbing, camping, landscape photography etc.
As Abshare Margoon lies within the Zagros Mountain range, it has diverse flora and fauna. Oak is the main plant of the forests of the area and brown bear, Persian leopard, wolf, fox, wild boar, wild goat and porcupine are some of its fauna.
Sources:
wikivoyage
sh.wikipedia.org
en.wikipedia.org
Tasnim NewsHillary Clinton. | AP Photo/ Mark Almond Poll shows Clinton with commanding lead among Florida Democrats
Hillary Clinton dominates the Democratic field in Florida, where she receives more than half the likely primary vote and has more than triple the support of second-place challenger Bernie Sanders, according to a new poll.
The University of North Florida survey shows Vice President Joe Biden — who is flirting with a potential presidential bid — a distant third with just 11.2 percent of the likely Democratic vote. Clinton, the former secretary of state, gets 54.6 percent of the primary vote compared to 15.9 percent for Sanders, the Vermont senator.
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“The Democratic primary in Florida is Clinton Country,” said Michael Binder, a UNF political science professor who oversaw the survey of 632 likely Democratic voters in Florida. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.87 percentage points.
“The first Democratic debate showed the race is Hillary Clinton and everyone else,” Binder said. “Sure, Bernie Sanders is nice and good for the very liberal wing of the party but in our poll, even among very liberal voters, she’s winning handily.”
Specifically, the poll shows Clinton with the backing of more than 55 percent of self-identified “very liberal voters” while Sanders receives less than 29 percent of their support. “Slightly liberal voters” favor Clinton by an even bigger 61 percent to 20 percent margin. Biden never cracks more than 15 percent support among either group, nor among self-identified moderate or conservative Democrats, who support Clinton by wide margins over him and Sanders.
Every major recent public poll in Florida — the nation’s largest swing state with a March 15 winner-take-all primary — shows Clinton in solid shape here.
The UNF poll is different from the other Florida surveys because of its relatively large sample size and methodology. The poll uses bilingual live callers to phone voters who had cast ballots in 70 percent of the previous elections for which they were eligible. No other publicly released Florida poll has gone to such lengths to capture a snapshot of the Democratic electorate. The poll was conducted the day after the March 13 debate and ran through Monday night.
Compared to most registered voters, Binder said, this poll and an earlier one on the Republican race surveyed some of the most plugged-in voters. He said Florida Democrats’ opinion about Biden — despite the interest in him by the national news media — is pretty clear: The vice president has little support when matched up against Clinton.
“To be fair, he hasn’t declared yet. It’s certainly reasonable for some folks not to support him as a result,” Binder said. “But no, these are not good numbers for Biden.”
Biden is slightly better liked than Clinton. Nearly 81 percent of Democrats have a favorable opinion of him while about 79 percent had a similar impression of her. Just 11 percent had an unfavorable view of Biden while almost 18 percent had an unfavorable opinion of Clinton.
According to the poll, Clinton's support is strong regardless of voters' race or ethnicity. Non-Hispanic whites favor her over Sanders 54 percent to 18 percent. Among African-Americans, she leads Sanders 55 percent to 11 percent and among Hispanics, her lead is 62 percent to 12 percent.
Though much is made in Florida and nationwide about the importance of the Hispanic vote, Latinos account for a relatively small portion of the Democratic primary electorate — roughly 7 percent — and even less for the GOP. African-Americans comprise about 27 percent of the Democratic primary vote and non-Hispanic whites, 63 percent.
UNF also polled the Republican primary electorate. Donald Trump received 22 percent support, followed by Ben Carson (19 percent), Sen. Marco Rubio (15 percent) and former Gov. Jeb Bush (9 percent).
Voters were also asked their opinions on immigration.
Compared to Republicans, Florida Democrats are far-more inclined to favor a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. About 43 percent of Democrats and 39 percent of Republicans say the undocumented should get a shot at citizenship after paying taxes and fines. But about 29 percent of Democrats and only 7 percent of Republicans say citizenship should be eventually granted without these financial strings attached. Added together, that means 72 percent of Democrats and 46 percent of Republicans in Florida back a pathway to citizenship.
About 4 percent of Democrats and 8 percent of Republicans favor granted legal residency — but not citizenship — to the undocumented, the UNF poll found. About 10 percent of Democrats and 23 percent of Republicans say illegal immigrants should only be allowed temporary guest residency to work. And 8 percent of Democrats and 19 percent of Republicans in the poll say the undocumented should be made felons and deported, according to the poll.It's a tough week to be a player on a non-guaranteed contract.
Andre Dawkins is the latest victim of an NBA team looking to maintain roster flexibility down the stretch, as the Miami Heat are set to release the undrafted rookie, according to a report from RealGM.
Dawkins is playing under a non-guaranteed deal, which would become fully guaranteed on Jan. 10. In releasing him, the Heat open up a 15th roster spot they can use on a free agent without financial penalty later, and they'll likely try to land a veteran to help with their playoff push.
It's unfortunate for Dawkins, who has been given only 22 minutes to show his stuff this season, scoring three points. The Duke product has also played in eight D-League games, averaging 23.5 points on hyper-efficient shooting. He'll likely return to the D-League after passing through waivers and try to land a 10-day contract with another club.As we start to reopen a national conversation on gun policy in the wake of Friday's shocking mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, it's as important now to understand the geography of guns as the actual trend lines of gun-related crime over time in the past several decades.
A handful of charts paint a remarkable picture of some key shifts over the past 30 or 40 years. During that time, gun violence nationally has declined significantly even as aberrant mass shootings have grown less so; public sentiment for regulating the weapons has fallen steeply, too. Mother Jones has estimated that we’re approaching a demographic reality where our population of firearms will outpace our population of people. But hard data on the total number of civilian-owned guns in America is hard to come by, and so much of what we know on the topic is based upon what gun owners themselves say in surveys.
Anyone who follows urban crime will be well aware of this first trend: Violent crime nationally has been declining since the early 1990s. This graph comes from political scientist Patrick Egan on The Monkey Cage blog.
During that same time, the rate of household gun ownership in America has fallen from a point, in the early 1970s, when nearly half of American households said they owned a gun. Today, that figure is closer to 30 percent. This chart, based on General Social Survey data comes from a report [PDF] last year by the Violence Policy Center.
If the sheer number of guns has been expanding as the percentage of families owning them has been on the decline, it would suggest that America’s arsenal is increasingly concentrated in the homes of fewer and fewer people. That would also mean that people who do own guns now own more of them. Some researchers have suggested that these patterns make demographic sense. Guns are disproportionately owned by white men, a demographic that is aging (and shrinking as a share of the total U.S. population).Photo by Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
The 2014 NBA Finals were a rematch of the previous year, a seven-game instant classic in which the Miami Heat had prevailed by the barest margins over the San Antonio Spurs. This edition was expected to be similar—as the teams split the first two games. But the Spurs had a strategy especially designed to beat the Heat. Coach Gregg Popovich's Spurs have always been good at moving the ball, but they ramped up their passing even more, cutting down the amount of time the ball stayed in any one player's hand. To facilitate this change, Popovich modified his starting lineup, replacing Tiago Splitter, a traditional big, with the multi-functional Boris Diaw.
The Spurs completely dismantled the Heat. Their offense looked at once perfectly choreographed and completely improvisational, like watching a school of fish dart back and forth in unison. The ball was constantly in motion, yanking the Heat defense from side to side as it sought out the open shot. Those final three games were beautiful, mesmerizing, and almost vicariously painful; the San Antonio Spurs performed a vivisection of the Miami Heat, who were powerless to stop or even impede them. That the Heat, when you looked closely, were not actually playing that poorly was irrelevant. They had made the mistake of playing basketball, when their opponents were playing a sport that looked like something else entirely. If it is not the best team performance ever seen in an NBA Finals, it is close enough to render that verdict a matter of taste: San Antonio posted both the highest effective field goal percentage and highest offensive rating ever in the Finals, and won the last three games by an average of 19 points per game.
Read More: The San Antonio Spurs Don't Care About Trends
The Spurs hadn't just won the series. It was if they had solved basketball, in the same way kids eventually learn to solve tic-tac-toe or game theorists armed with algorithms have solved checkers. And they had presented an elegant, intuitive proof of their solution on the sport's largest stage.
Steve Kerr, the freshly hired head coach of the Golden State Warriors, was watching. He had just been given a mandate to remake the Warriors' stagnant, underachieving offense, and had won the job in part because of his ideas to put them into motion. He found the perfect model in the motion offense—ball movement and the outside shooting—the Spurs used in that Finals. He downloaded the games to his computer and watched them repeatedly, not just to scavenge components of strategy but in search of an overall spirit and style.
Steve Kerr is back in action, just in time to face the Spurs. Photo by Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
The 2014 Spurs weren't the only forefathers of the Warriors offense. Running through a genealogy of its influences is like reading through Steve Kerr's resume. There are elements of Tex Winter and Phil Jackson's triangle offense that Kerr played while on the Chicago Bulls. There are shades of the Suns teams that Kerr oversaw as general manager, both Mike D'Antoni's breakneck "seven seconds or less" squads and Alvin Gentry's more measured rendition. But the most direct spiritual ancestor of the Warriors is the Spurs team in that incredible series of games against the Heat. "It was the epitome of what I'm looking for with our team," he said before an early matchup with the Spurs last season.
The Warriors would lose that duel between master and apprentice, but it served as turning point: Golden State then reeled off 16 wins in a row en route to one of the most dominant regular-season performances ever and an NBA championship.
The Warriors, of course, are not the only ones to see in that series an appealing blueprint. All around the league, teams are seeking to mimic the motion-heavy offenses of those Spurs, and now these Warriors. If imitation is truly the highest compliment that can be paid to a legacy, then Gregg Popovich should have been flattered. There was only one problem: he hated it.
Popovich did not, of course, hate the finesse, the off-ball motion, the precise passing—these are all fundamental principles of good team basketball. What he hated was what had made the Spurs so lethally effective in the Finals, and part of what makes the Warriors so difficult to beat today: the three-point shot.
"To me, it's not basketball," he said of the three-point shot after first game of the 2014 Finals. "But you gotta use it." Popovich has his ideals about basketball, but he is nothing if not a pragmatist. Use it, the Spurs did. They averaged 11 made threes per game in that series, setting a record for the Finals. A record that lasted until the very next Finals, when the Warriors edged it out with 11.2 made threes per game. "I still hate it," Popovich said last month. "I'll never embrace it."
With the acquisition of LaMarcus Aldridge this past summer, Popovich finally had the piece he needed to return the Spurs to a of basketball that he likes aesthetically without compromising their ability to win. It became clear this season that the San Antonio Spurs did not intend to fit into the new order that they had helped usher into power. The counterrevolution had arrived.
Gregg Popovich and the final piece to his puzzle, LaMarcus Aldridge. Photo by Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
The Spurs have reverted to an older, pre-modern style, one that is as methodical as it is brutal. The ball movement and man movement is as crisp as ever, but the Spurs have largely jettisoned the three-point shot, taking some of the fewest in the league. In an analytical age, in which the math says that the mid-range shot is the least efficient shot in the NBA, the Spurs have decided to specialize in that very shot, making it a staple of their offense. They have paired this offense with a suffocating defense that's not only easily the best this season; it stacks up well with some of the greatest defenses the league has ever seen. That they are doing this while still integrating Aldridge is a scary idea to contemplate.
We are 44 games into this season. The Spurs' net rating (their points scored per 100 possessions minus their points allowed per 100 possessions) is the highest ever recorded at 44 games in. The Warriors are fifth. The Warriors have the second best record through 44 games. The Spurs are tied for fourth. Two teams that are this historically good existing in the same season, let alone in the same conference, has few historical precedents. According to Elias Sports Bureau research reported by ESPN, their combined winning percentage is the highest in NBA history by teams that have each played at least 40 games.
The Warriors and Spurs are both terrifying machines, triumphs of team basketball that rely on passing and movement to generate offense and pride themselves on their defense. But where the Warriors are loose and effervescent, the Spurs play with an almost ascetic stoicism. Where the Warriors have the incandescent, inimitable genius of Steph Curry, the Spurs have the apotheosis of workmanlike competence in Tim Duncan, a man so textbook they call him the Big Fundamental. Where Golden State has the jawing, swaggering Draymond Green, San Antonio has Kawhi Leonard, who calmly destroys teams with all the expressiveness of a man folding laundry. Watching the Warriors feels like watching a team that will always win. Watching the Spurs feels like watching a team that can never lose.
If one designed a team to try to beat the Warriors, they might look a lot like the Spurs. In Aldridge and Duncan, the Spurs have two traditional, skilled bigs who have the potential to play a better version of the bludgeoning inside attack that both Memphis and Cleveland deployed against Golden State in last year's playoffs. The Warriors solved Memphis by packing the paint and leaving Tony Allen's broken jumper open on the perimeter, but the Spurs have no such player that can be left open. The Warriors solved Cleveland performing a trick similar to the one that broke open the 2014 Finals for the Spurs: downsizing by inserting Andre Iguodala in the starting lineup in place of Andrew Bogut, and daring the Cavaliers to beat them by throwing it to the hulking Timofey Mozgov in the post. But Mozgov's rudimentary post game couldn't deal with the Warriors swarming defense, and he got run off the floor. Spurs bigs won't be so flummoxed. And even if the Warriors do succeed at forcing the Spurs to downsize, San Antonio has the personnel to be able to compete against the small-ball Warriors.
Aldridge and Duncan could give the Warriors a hard time. Photo by Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
At a broader level, while the Warriors can win playing many styles, they prefer to play in an up-tempo one that feeds off of their transition game. The Spurs are masters at slowing the pace, and their meticulous, mistake-free offense doesn't allow opponents to get out on fast breaks. The Warriors are the league's best and most prolific three-point shooting team, generating more than a third of their points from that range while shooting a league-leading 42 percent. The Spurs are the league's best at denying offenses three-point shots, allowing the fewest three-point attempts in the NBA.
It is a matchup between the irresistible force and the immovable object—it's impossible to figure out who should prevail in theory. The two must actually meet in the messy physicality of the real world in order to work out the paradox.
Though the Spurs and Warriors will play Monday, they still won't have met, not really. Tim Duncan will miss the game, and while he is nursing a sore knee and could use a game off, it's not a scheduling coincidence that Popovich chose this particular game to rest his aging star. Popovich almost always veils his full strategy against teams he expects to |
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